THE DOCTOR IS IN

I have been struggling with a dental situation which, over the past few weeks, became a crisis and then an emergency, necessitating quantities of antibiotics before a root canal was possible.

I mention this not because it is that unusual or of intrinsic interest, but because I've noted an effect on my creative output (besides just making me stupid and slowing me down, I mean).

On Monday, we had a dress rehearsal for our cabaret performance, which will take place this Sunday evening. As noted here, I have been nervous about my part, but also excited. This week, though, when our teacher gave me some fairly normal direction, I became despondent, apologizing to her for doing such a bad job. She was dumbfounded. She had just been giving me a suggestion.

Then, on Tuesday night, I had my improv class. I didn't even notice, until a classmate pointed out out, that I had created a completely negativistic scene, in which my partner couldn't do anything that pleased my character, and in fact could hardly make contact with me.

I came home and tried to work on a story. The plot seemed too Pollyanna-ish. People wouldn't be that sympathetic in real life. I tried to revise, decided it was garbage and I was untalented and should just give up, and went to sleep.

Today, post-root canal, the world looks different. I'm nervous about my performance, but not pessimistic. I can't believe the drunken, accusatory, isolative spouse I created for my partner to deal with on Tuesday night, and I'm so grateful I didn't do permanent damage to my sweet little story.

It has started me thinking about the impact of transient (or more enduring) mood states on writing. I wonder whether others have had these experiences, and how you have coped with them?

I will be talking more about this, and other topics, on today's Litopia After Dark. Please tune in if you can. And while you're there, check out MJ's recent guest panelist gig, if you haven't already. She's brilliant, as always.

 Susan O'Doherty, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist with a New York City-based practice. A fiction writer herself, she specializes in issues affecting writers and other creative artists. She is the author of Getting Unstuck without Coming Unglued: A Woman's Guide to Unblocking Creativity (Seal, 2007). Her Career Coach column appears every Monday on Inside Higher Ed's Mama, Ph.D. blog, and she is a regular guest panelist on Litopia After Dark. She can be reached at Dr.Sue at mindspring dot com. 

Comments

[Ajackwriting]

I found that after the earthquake here I couldn't write anything that wasn't an extreme. I'd swing from writing things that were all jokes one after the other (turns out that's actually sort of boring) to writing horror stories that were downright grueling to read...which would have been fine but I was trying for suspense when I wrote them.

Generally the worse my mood, or the more trauma I've been through the harder time I have balancing my writing.

[me.yahoo.com/a/JGmCV7oQ2calxRR9_D8u5R.za2dwaQ--]

... I had created a completely negativistic scene, in which my partner couldn't do anything that pleased my character, and in fact could hardly make contact with me.

Now THAT'S the Sue I remember ;-)

[Shilpa Mudiganti]

I can relate to this. Whenever I am down or had a fight with my husband i avoid writing. That is because I know my hero would either commit suicide or kill someone! LOL! Mood swings always have an impact on my writing and I am best when I am happy. And also any pending tasks interfere with my ability to write in a big way!

[David Barredo]

Mood swings is always common for women specially my wife. I try to cope up whenever she has the swings and be a better husband to her ever more. That maybe one of the challenges a man has to endure for a women I guess. Dentist Bondi Junction Emergency Dentist