I'm in a mood right now. Have you ever been there? Of course, you have. I'm in the mood to write.
Every writer has benefitted from and been harmed by writing moods. Sometimes I find that a mood takes me to places I've never been before in my writing. Other times, writing in the midst of a mood can be disastrous.
Image by Ethan Hein, flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/ethanhein/3004519550/
Moods Curse Me
Often times a mood will generate an idea or a desire to express itself. These moods seem to sweep me away. I sit down to write, and what comes out? Anger, bitterness, depression, hate, sadness.
I thought that mood would spur me on to greatness, to touch the world with my keyboard. Instead, all I found was my internals on display. We all have read a poem that shocks us with the reality of disdain for life, and while we appreciate the candor, the author's moodiness is projected onto us, making our hearts heavy and our shoulders droopy.
Beware of the mood that drives you to write. You may hurt your readers by transferring your negativity onto friends, family, or a Web stranger caught unawares.
Moods Bless Me
Other times a mood will motivate me to pour out my heart and mind in ways previously unimaginable. The right mood has the power to take my writing to a place it has never been before. Shades of sorrow or glimmers of gladness are sometimes just the right ingredients to spice up an article.
Like spices, moods can be sprinkled onto an already great idea, enhancing the flavor and benefitting the presentation of the meal. Or a mood can carry the main course, and bring full satisfaction to the reader.
The write mood, expressed in the write way, at the write time will change the world - or at least one person who needs a special touch. We all have read an unique article that expresses the perfect tone with a heavenly voice.
Watch for moods that will enable you to pioneer the publishing frontier.
Image by Intgr, Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Mood_dice.svg
Discerning the Mood
As writers we need to discern our moods to know whether or not to follow the mood to the keyboard. Here are a few guidelines:
- Can others relate to what I am feeling?
- Am I in control of my feelings as I write?
- Is the focus of this piece myself or my audience, or both?
- Can this emotion be expressed in words meaningful to another person?
- Do I want to help or harm someone with these words that are driven by this mood?
Writing makes writers feel better as we share a piece of ourselves. We ought to make sure that we edit well if we think a particular mood has heavily influenced one of our pieces. The mood may be mightier than the pen.
Image by diCkIE 2D, flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/dickie2d/2307866733/
The more we examine our moods the better writers we will become. I would appreciate your feedback on this article, as I was feeling a bit moody when I wrote it. Was this mood a blessing or a curse?
You the reader will decide. My mood is my mood. Did it become your mood? Did it benefit you? Or did I write selfishly for myself? Yes, you the reader will be blessed by my mood or you the reader will be cursed by my mood.
The choice to write is mine but the reaction and responses are yours.
God bless you as always.
DEB-