Friday, November 15, 2013

Stress Kills ... Creativity

Recently I read many blog posts from writers who are dealing with difficulties, some of the personal and some of the professional kind. You can probably think of three or four people you know from blogging right off the top of your head who are dealing with a health issue of their own, an ill family member or worse. Some have had to seek different employment that interferes with their writing. Some are dealing with some stress that doesn't have a terrible source like a new child. Even success creates its own breed of stress such as promotion, checking those sales numbers, facing the reviews, and trying to write the next novel and make it better than the one before.

Most people know how bad stress can be for your physical and emotional health, but it also affect your creative abilities. A number of articles I read put forth the idea that stress strikes us with tunnel-vision. Stress thinking is narrowed thinking.

Though lots of people believe that writing out feelings help with stress, that same stress might make it impossible for a fiction writer to work through a scene. The creativity takes a hike when the blood pressure is up.

Now Dr. Susan here doesn't offer a cure for when stress bogs down your writing output. I can only repeat the known courses of action. Physical exercise is a proven reducer of stress symptoms. Talking to someone or writing out the problems. And don't beat yourself up if your creative output drops off doing stressful periods. It's to be expected because you're human.

How do you deal with your stress? Have you have a time when you just couldn't work on your writing because of what life threw at you?

21 comments:

Suzanne Furness said...

Definitely, have been through periods of stress this last year which have left me completely zapped creatively. Getting out the house and doing something different, even a long walk in the fresh air can help.

Heather R. Holden said...

Stress is the worst. It can definitely hinder my creativity sometimes. I tend to write in a journal when I'm at my most stressful. It doesn't always manage to calm me down, but it's better than nothing...

Anonymous said...

I've been dealing with stress a lot lately and it most definitely drains me of my writing creativity. Right now I'm doing a juice fast, meditating and reading daily devotionals. Every step I take in caring for my body and soul is a step in the right direction of hopefully alleviating some of the stress.

DRC said...

This year has been the worst for me creatively. This is the first time I've been hugely affected, and so I ended up diving in with no real plan of escape. Instead I've struggled and am still struggling through - but now I can see light at the end of tunnel. Lessons learnt from this? I need to find a better way when dealing with stress...

Bossy Betty said...

Walking, walking, and more walking for me! Also, writing in a terrible old notebook, writing complete garbage and assuring myself that it is OK.

Mel Chesley said...

There have been several times where I've been so stressed I can't write. It does kill the creative flow. I go for a walk, do some cleaning. I've been known to drink a glass of red wine to relax and do some writing, but not always. And yeah, I could probably name several authors who are going through stress right now. Good post!

Lynn Proctor said...

great post and so timely---i know i have been stressed of late---i never understood my mother's stressful nature especially during the Christmas season--as she really did love it in some ways--but now as i age--i am feeling the same stress--and yes sometimes just writing stuff out helps me :)

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Good post, Susan. For me, it depends on the kind of stress. Sometimes taking a writing break and finding ways to rejuvenate myself in general helps. Other times, I actually turn to writing to cope with the stress - focusing on the story, the characters, etc helps keep other issues away for awhile, often giving me some perspective when I do have to return to them.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Thanks for the input, Suzanne, Heather and Susanne, and sharing your ways to deal with stress.
DRC, I hope you reach the end of that tunnel and find the balm for your stress.
Betty, you seem to deal with stress so gracefully. And I love to walk too.
Mel, I've used the glass of wine technique too.
Lynn, isn't it odd how much we understand our parents as we get older.
Madeline, thanks for sharing ways that writing helps you deal.

Arlee Bird said...

Stress is bad news for many and should certainly be addressed.

I've been fortunate in that I've never been an overly stressed person. Maybe I've got my head in the clouds to much of the time and don't face reality like I should, but heck life shouldn't be all about stress.

Relaxing music--especially classical-can help calm me down if I start feeling stress coming on. A walk can be nice. Driving on open roads helps me--I'm rarely stressed on long trips. Closing my eyes and meditating can also help if I can get my mind cleared of whatever is stressing me.

Lee
Tossing It Out

David P. King said...

Truth be told in this post. Stresses tend to kick my creativity out the door, but then there's the "will" factor, which means to get something done, you have to literally push that stress aside and make creativity work for you instead of letting it come to you (which was my method for many years). Even though you may be at home, if you think of writing as a job, that means you need to leave your problems at the door (or in this case, when you sit at the computer). :)

Unknown said...

I think I kind of go through swings with how stress influences my writing. At times it fuels my need to write and find a creative outlet. Other times, it just knocks me flat and creates that tunnel vision you mentioned. During those times, as you also suggested, I just focus on meeting the needs that are asking for attention and taking gentle care of myself. I am not my writing, even though I love it. It will be there when life eases up again.

Dana said...

Writing out the stress, as some others have mentioned, usually helps me. Often, I need to discuss whatever it is I'm going through with one of my good friends. He's a great help to me—and he's a writer as well, so he understands the kind of effect stress can have on my work.

Roland D. Yeomans said...

We are like flashlights -- if life has drained our batteries, what we produce will be dim. We all need to re-charge our batteries. What does it varies from one person to the next. But you have to do it so that you will shine bright, right? :-)

Cate Masters said...

Depends on the type of stress, for me. Exercise helps sometimes, but sometimes too much overload of stress and I shut down. A break can be a good thing too.

Pat Hatt said...

Been through the whole health stress, didn't feel or couldn't do much at all. Tunnel vision indeed. Have to get rid of it before it clears up the tunnel vision, or learn to live with it best one can.

Tonja said...

I was just talking about this with my husband this morning. I think when the stress level with the rest of your life gets so bad, you just have to give yourself a break and give the writing a rest for a few. Beating yourself up about it doesn't help. My Muse is in a coma - she'll wake up when she does.

Susan Kane said...

This past week have rated 9 on the 10 of stress. Definitely affected me--migraines. Too many demands.

Need time off to quilt and write.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Oh yes, I've had those times. I was completely unable to write anything while evacuated during the local fire; my creativity died completely. And when I found out my own stressful news last year, same deal. I couldn't write a word.

I do have friends who seem to be able to write more when stressed. No idea how they do it, other than that it must help them cope.

For me, not only does exercise, especially a lovely solo walk or hike, help de-stress, it also opens up my creativity.

The Warrior Muse

Natalie Aguirre said...

I so don't like being under stress and it usually kills any time for writing for me. I agree that exercise can't help with those stressful times.

Ava Quinn said...

Thanks for the health tip, Sue! I really need to find a stress relief. I think it'd probably be helpful. lol!