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Joined: 6/18/2012
Posts: 228
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When you see events like those that happened today in Boston, how does it affect you as a writer?
Does it change your work? Do you find yourself adding it to your writing? Avoiding it? Or simply writing more to work your thoughts out? Or not writing at all?
How do you write in the aftermath of a tragedy?
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Joined: 6/18/2012
Posts: 228
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Me: Other than the above question, I haven't written a word. Yet. That may change in upcoming days, but I feel too numb right now to trust my thoughts to the page.
I've read without stopping, though. I finished a comforting cozy mystery, and now I'm looking around for something else. The thrillers seem too close. Science fiction, romance -- those seem necessary to balance the Twitter stream, the Facebook feed, the news sites I keep finding. I think the things I need the most are stories of hope.
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Joined: 12/22/2012
Posts: 15
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I'm from the New England area, went to college in Boston and worked in TV news there for years, so today's events hit way too close to home for me. I didn't write a word all day.
I think once the shock wears off I'll be able to lose myself in my characters again. Since I write romance, it's a good way to balance out all the posts on social media, like you said. =)
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Joined: 10/20/2011
Posts: 350
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I don't think this particularly tragedy has affected my writing, but I know other tragedies in the past have. Last year, a close family friend who I considered an uncle passed away. From the time I got the news until after the funeral, I really couldn't write. Of course, time was limited but when I could sit down, I found I really didn't have the drive to write.
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Joined: 6/28/2011
Posts: 188
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We are always writing during tragedy. Tragedy sometimes increases its profile, but it never goes away.
I write in part as a means of opposing tragedy -- as a means of standing up to it and saying, "Things can be better, and here's how." So this would really be the worst time for me to rein in my writing. To do so would be an admission of defeat: exactly the sort of surrender dreamed of by the perpetrators of that awful crime in Boston.
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I have a school shooting that ties in with Columbine. It's set in 2003. But you know, come to think of it, although the characters discuss Columbine, I don't think they mention 9/11 anywhere. I don't think this is a problem because that's not what I'm writing about.
Right now, I'm working on a post for my publisher's blog. I didn't realize how late it had gotten in the month, and the piece is due to post in the morning. Whoops. The piece is about the pros and cons of writing groups. LOL
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Joined: 8/21/2011
Posts: 394
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I have a friend who runs marathons, so the first thing I did yesterday afternoon when I learned about what happened in Boston was to contact her (I knew she wasn't running) to ask if any of her friends or family members were running. Fortunately, no one from her circle of runners was in Boston.
But tragedies like that make me numb and I start to think about things, like is any event safe? Or would I have the courage to run TOWARDS the scene of an explosion to help? I live in Philadelphia and there is a big run coming up in a few weeks. Listening to the mayor speak about beefing up security left me unsettled. I work not far from City Hall. The police presence was very obvious. With all the thinking and questioning, it is rather hard for me to sit still and write (though I did work out an entire scene in my head as I was digesting the day's events - just need to type it up). It just so happens that the chapters I'm revising now are the darkest chapters in the first book of the trilogy. These chapters feature the the acts that spur my main character into action. When I write them up, will they be darker because of Boston Marathon tragedy? I don't know. But I guess I'll soon find out.
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Joined: 3/16/2011
Posts: 279
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I was writing on Monday morning and took a break to do some photography around Boston. I made a joke about it on Facebook because two years ago I got to witness a drunk guy stripping down and running while being chase by the police.
I wasn't there when it happened. Nobody had cell service for several hours. When I crossed out of the dead zone my phone was slammed with several hundred texts messages. Verizon was kind enough to waive the fee for going over my monthly allotment.
Since Monday I've buried myself in my writing to get away from the constant media and what ifs. Some scenes I put off writing because they were dark are probably edgier and darker than intended. We'll see.
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The same day 20 children and six adults were murdered in the Sandy Hook Elementary School, 55 million children went to school in America. Life changed horribly for those close to the 26 innocent victims but I cannot feel what they feel or flatter myself into believing that I can. My perspective is closer to the 55 million. Maybe tragedy is best written by those who have experienced tragedy. My friend is a Boston Police Detective. His story could be a wonderful, heart wrenching read.
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Maybe tragedy is best written by those who have experienced tragedy.
I have people ask me all the time how I "write depression and anxiety so well." HA!
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