Why do we write? It’s a question writers are asked over and over again, and no one asks us that question more than writers themselves. Why bother? Why write? Are we all looking to be the next J.K. Rowling, struggling to fulfill a dream of fame and fortune which, typically, turns out to be a fluke? Or is there a deeper reason for the desire to write, such as we see with the typical image of the “tortured artist”?
I’m not going to sugarcoat it; I don’t know why I write. It’s one of the more prominent reasons for my on-going writer’s block. Lately, I’ve been focused on earning praise and making money through my writing but that has only served to stall my work. I worry that others won’t like my work which, in turn, would lead to a lack of praise and a lack of pay. The worry consumes me until I can’t write anything at all.
So, why do we write?
I subscribe to newsletters from American Writers & Artists, Inc., also known as AWAI. At the beginning of August, one of their newsletters covered this very subject. The writer of the article within the e-mail, Mindy McHorse, narrowed the most popular answers to “why do we write” to the “4-F’s”: fame, fortune, family, and fire.
For the most part, the 4-F’s are pretty self-explanatory. You want recognition, you want to make money from writing, you want to build a legacy, you have an overwhelming passion which won’t leave you be, or any combination of these. I suppose, in a nutshell, these are the main reasons why anyone would write.
The problem isn’t finding answers to “why do we write”; it’s deciding what our truest motives are. We can have more than one reason to write, even more than one primary reason, but that doesn’t make expressing our motives any easier.
Unfortunately, being unable to express our motives can throw a wrench in our efforts to achieve our goals. If we don’t clearly know what motivates us, how can we feel driven enough to put the work into our dreams?
I’m still trying to pinpoint the driving force behind my writing. I know it’s not the possibility of fame and fortune because of how the expectations freeze me. Do I want to leave a legacy? Do I just have a passion for my writing and my subjects? Right now, the latter seems to be the most likely cause, but until I can express that motivation with complete conviction, it will continue to block my writing flow.
Why do you write? Do you just want fame and fortune, or do you truly have a nagging desire to write your story, poem, or essay? Can you express your motivation? If not, do you think that inability is holding you back? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Also be sure to check out the AWAI for helpful advice on advancing your career and navigating/surviving the insane world of the writing industry.
It’s been quite a while since I last wrote a “Writers on Writing” post, so I’ve decided to revive the series with a special double-quote post on Toni Morrison. Morrison is a celebrated American writer who has won the Pulitzer Prize, the American Book Award, the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and many, many more accolades. She penned such classics as The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, and Beloved, the last of which was made into a movie starring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover. For more information as this influential writer and activist, be sure to check out her Wikipedia entry.
I’m more than a little ashamed to admit that I’ve never read any of Morrison’s work. I haven’t even seen the Oprah Winfrey movie. I plan to remedy that sooner rather than later. Still, I do know Morrison as a black feminist activist, someone who has worked hard for equality for African Americans and women alike. While I would love to discuss her contributions in those regards, I don’t feel like I’m the right person for that. Instead, I will be focusing on two of her quotes on writing.
Here’s the first:
If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.
This quote is so well-loved and well-shared by writers that you’ve probably seen it floating around Twitter and Facebook in meme form. Why not? It’s very true and, after reading it, seems a bit obvious. If the book you want to read hasn’t been written yet, why don’t you write it? Odds are if you want to read it, other people will want to read it, too.
There’s a catch to that. Once you’ve written it, others can judge it. Heck, while you’re writing it, others can judge it and try to influence its final form. If you’re not careful and don’t filter which readers you listen to, you may find that the book you write is not at all the book you originally wanted to read or even the one you want to read now.
That’s where the second Morrison quote comes in:
I’m not entangled in shaping my work according to other people’s views of how I should have done it.
Morrison is essentially saying that she doesn’t let other people’s opinions what she “should” write hold too much sway over what she actually writes. If she had listened to what other people thought when she first started writing, she wouldn’t be the prolific writer we praise today. If she listens to what people tell her now, she might as well stop writing because her voice will be drowned out.
The world wants to hear your voice in your writing, not the same old voices it’s heard a million times before. What would be the point in writing the book you want to read if you don’t write it the way you think it should be written?
Many books we deem “classics” today were heavily-criticized, if not flat-out failures, during their first rounds of publication. Moby-Dick certainly wasn’t well-loved, nor was The Catcher in the Rye or The Lord of the Rings trilogy. J.K. Rowling’s agent even told her not to quit her day job. That’s not counting all of the works by minority writers trying to give a voice to non-Caucasian, heterosexual, cisgender, Christian males. We still have a problem with these works being criticized just because they don’t fall under the norm.
Morrison could not have hit the nail on the head with any better precision. Writers shouldn’t only write the books they want to read; they should write them in their voices with their visions. Yes, it’s important to listen to constructive feedback. After all, that’s how we learn as writers. Nevertheless, if advice feels so against the grain of our vision and our voice, how much credence should we give it? If we let others have too much say over how and what we write, it won’t be our writing anymore.
What do you think? Should we write the books we want to read or only the books that we “know” will sell? How much influence should other readers have on how we write? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Know of any writers or quotes I should feature in a future “Writers on Writing”? Drop a line here or e-mail me with your suggestions at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com.
I’m not a real writer. I’ll never succeed. Why do I continue trying? I’ll never be published. Why would anyone care what I have to say? These thoughts and more pass through my mind on any given day. You’d think it’d get better the more jobs and recognition I get but, counter-intuitively, it gets worse. After all, what have I done to deserve any attention or praise? This train of thought is quite common among writers, often known as “imposter syndrome.”
The magazine Poets & Writers published an interesting article on the matter back in April 2016. I immediately connect with the experiences and doubts expressed by published poet Leigh Stein. The process which Stein went through when commissioned to write an essay on an artist’s work is the exact process I go through with everything from writing contests to book reviews and even school essays. I think that there’s no way I can do well, no matter how many times I’ve done it before, and convince myself that the worst will happen. Then, when I receive an honorable mention, praise from the author, or a high grade, I ride a new high. (Immediately after I usually berate myself and tell myself that I can do better, but that has nothing to do with imposter syndrome and everything to do with my anxiety and depression.)
I’m pretty sure my readers are familiar with this pride-desperation-pride cycle from their own writing. After all, a writer who grows too comfortable with his/her success will soon see their work suffer. Still, the mental anguish of imposter syndrome–the feeling that we’re not “real” writers and therefore will fail or are unworthy of praise–can be too much to handle.
Everyone will encounter this issue at some point in their lives, whether they’re writers or not. Even Maya Angelou once said, regarding herself as a writer:
I have written eleven books, but each time I think, “Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.”
Everyone around you will think you know what you’re doing but, deep down, you feel like you’re drowning it. The important thing is to not let self-doubt or success get to your head. Too little confidence and you’ll freeze up, unable to do anything; too much confidence and you’ll grow sloppy, producing half-baked work that will make readers wonder what happened to you.
What do you think? Have you encountered imposter syndrome? How do you overcome it? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Good day, fellow writers! Friday’s here once again. Next week marks the beginning of the second year of my Master’s program, so I’ll be busier than ever. What else is new? After all, I often border on being a walking, talking example of the workaholic writer stereotype, always happiest when I’m busy. Self-destructive but too busy to notice. Speaking of stereotypes, that’s exactly what I want to focus on with today’s writing prompt.
Dictionary.com defines the sociological term “stereotype” as “a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group”. We’ve all been crammed into a stereotype at one point or another, whether it be an occupational stereotype, cultural, ethnic, racial, gender, religious, social clique stereotype, etc.
It’s a destructive, divisive practice which should have no place in modern society but, much to the world’s chagrin, it still exists. More than exists; it thrives, no matter how hard we try to squash it.
We all reflect a shred of one stereotype or another, although it’s not always the one you think. Stereotyping is a plague on the modern world and literature, which is why we must develop characters beyond stereotypes and acknowledge that there’s more to real people than their stereotype.
Unfortunately, the very fact that stereotypes are used in real life means that they are also used in literature. Sometimes they’re used to make a point and sometimes the writer doesn’t realize that’s what they’ve written. We often associate stereotypes with flat, static characters. However, they can also be characters who seem to be well-rounded and dynamic but still follow the patterns and characteristics of either a literary stereotype or a real-life one.
For today’s writing prompt, I want you to choose the stereotype which annoys you the most and create a character from it. The stereotype is at the character’s core but you will flesh it out so that it doesn’t seem like a stereotype anymore. While the core features will fall in line with the stereotype, you will add characters, background, interests, and so on which will take the character away from the stereotype.
Once you’ve created your character, written down his/her background and other defining features, write a scene in which you keep the stereotype in mind but develop the character beyond it.
I know that this exercise sounds a little counterproductive. After all, why would you want to keep any stereotypical traits in a well-rounded character? And how can a character be well-rounded and a stereotype?
Real-life people conform to at least one stereotype without realize it. When I was younger, I was a straight-A nerd. Nowadays, I’m an odd mix of the workaholic writer stereotype and the couch potato stereotype. Still, I’m a well-rounded person, as indicated by the fact that I am mix of two stereotypes. I work hard, vegetate hard, am a book nerd and a TV junkie, am kind but temperamental, and am basically constructed of a wide range of contradictions. Nevertheless, stereotypical traits such as overworking myself and being a bookworm are at my core.
We try and reflect real people in our characters. If we want our characters to truly be realistic, we can neither make them stereotypes nor reject stereotypes outright. We must strike a balance, make our characters well-rounded stereotypes, which is exactly what this exercise is for.
When you’re finished, feel free to share what you learned in the comments below. Did you find it hard to keep the stereotypical traits as you developed your character beyond them? Did the stereotype threaten to overshadow the unique characteristics? Have you come to realize that any of your other characters are stereotypes or are so “unique” that they’re unrealistic?
Have fun tinkering with your stereotype and have a productive, relaxing, writing-filled weekend.
Disney films have a multitude of meanings, often changing depending on the viewer. Some interpretations are positive and others are not. Some movies generate more discussions than others. Due to the popularity of the franchise, a lot of debate has gone into the movie Frozen. Does it contain a good message for kids? Is it really about familial love, or is it still about finding a guy? Is it anti-male, or does it just support strong women? Should Elsa have been the villain?
Frozen is only one in a long line of controversial Disney films. I personally think that all the interpretations have their merits and that the only solution is for parents to watch movies with their kids and actually talk to them about what they see. However, one particular interpretation captured my attention and I would like to give it a more in-depth examination.
I have always viewed Frozen, on a metaphorical level, as a story about a woman growing up with and learning to overcome social anxiety and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD. Elsa suffers from anxiety, particularly around other people; while the anxiety is depicted as a result of her being unable to control her powers, it is still social anxiety and, since it often appears even when everything seems to be going well, could also be considered GAD. Anna represents loved ones who try and help the anxiety victim, although she does not fully understand what the problem is, let alone what will ease it.
Dialogue, imagery, and lyrics throughout the film support this interpretation. Elsa’s father teachers her a telling mantra: Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let it show. Why do I think this ties into social anxiety and GAD? Well, sufferers of such conditions must hide their anxiety in public. They’re constantly on the brink of panicking–especially so if they also get panic attacks–and society has taught us that such issues signal weakness. The stigma surrounding these conditions forces the victims to hide their symptoms, becoming just as anxious about exposing themselves as they are about being out in public and/or life in general.
We also have the “frozen head, frozen heart” imagery expressed through Anna. Pabbie tells Elsa and Anna’s parents that it’s a good thing that Elsa only struck Anna’s head because the heart is not changed as easily as the head. This key component of the movie represents two different levels of emotional pain: superficial pain which goes away after some cool-down time (the head) and the deeper, more unforgivable pain (the heart). When you harden your head towards somebody, you often overcome it when you’ve both had some time to calm down and realize the ridiculousness of the fight. When you harden your heart, you will not forgive the other person so easily–sometimes not at all–and that’s when a true rift in the relationship occurs.
What does this have to do with anxiety? In Frozen, Elsa becomes more scared of her powers and anxious about not controlling them after she hits Anna in the head with some of her ice. While it’s a more minor, more easily-fixed pain, Elsa still fears hurting someone like Anna again. This reaction embodies a fear that is often at the root of GAD and social anxiety: the fear of doing something wrong or hurting other people. Whether it’s a concern that doing something wrong will embarrass them or that doing something wrong will hurt someone, this fear commonly nurtures GAD and social anxiety in people who are overly-sensitive and/or care a lot about what other people think. Elsa fears that she would hurt people, especially Anna, so she hides away; when she causes a panic the one time she leaves her inner sanctum, she escapes as far from the public eye as she can.
The message of anxiety grows most prominent in Frozen when Elsa and Anna reunite at Elsa’s ice castle. After Anna tells her that she froze the entire kingdom, Elsa sings “I’m such a fool, I can’t be free / no escape from the storm inside of me”. She also sings that “There’s so much fear” and “You’re (Anna) not safe here” while Anna tells her “You don’t have to be afraid” and “Don’t panic”. Elsa and Anna acknowledge that Elsa is prone to anxiety and panicking, and this anxiety causes Elsa to accidentally strike Anna in the heart with some ice.
In true Disney style, Frozen even offers advice to viewers who have loved ones suffering from social anxiety and GAD. The trolls’ song, “Fixer Upper”, not only gives the key to resolving the movie’s conflict but also provides a suggestion for how to approach loved ones with mental illness, particularly anxiety:
We’re not sayin’ you can change him, ‘Cause people don’t really change. We’re only saying that love’s a force That’s powerful and strange. People make bad choices if they’re mad, Or scared, or stressed. Throw a little love their way (Throw a little love their way)
And you’ll bring out their best.
The trolls tell Anna that love brings out the best in people; you can’t change them entirely but you can help them be the best version of themselves possible. If you treat people with mental illnesses with love and respect, they will be more receptive to your help and support and are more likely to get better.
The lines which particularly strike me in regards to anxiety are “People make bad choices if they’re mad, / Or scared, or stressed”. As someone who has had social and generalized anxiety for years, I find these lines sum up how people with anxiety may lash out. We’re not trying to hurt people; we just have a hard time controlling how we react when our anxiety makes us mad, scared, or stressed.
I know this post is rather long-winded but I have a strong investment in the subject. I connected with Elsa immediately the first time I saw Frozen, and I often take personal offense to how people analyze her character. As someone with social anxiety and GAD, I can understand (although not always condone) her behaviors and reactions. I’ve lashed out from anxiety and I still hide away because I feel too stressed when I go out in public.
People try and brush chronic anxiety off as people being lazy, nervous-nellies, or weak, but we’re not that at all. Chronic anxiety–all kinds–is a mental health condition which takes a lot of time, patience, effort, and love to overcome. Instead of denying it or trying to “fix” it, be like Anna and give your love and support to a loved one with anxiety or other mental health issues. You can’t control it and they can’t just “snap out of it.” Be patient, be kind, and give them your love and support; that’s all you realistically can do.
What do you think of this interpretation of Frozen? Do you have any interpretations of your own that differ from those mentioned here? Do you have unique views on other Disney films or the Disney franchise as a whole? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Update 11/25/2022: This article and other pieces of my writing, from The Writer’s Scrap Bin articles to original stories and poetry, can be found on Vocal.
Trigger Warning: Amelia Marie Whalen’s Everything You’ve Ever Done deals with mental illness and the unintended consequences of leaving mental issues unattended. One of the key players in the book also contemplates suicide. If you or someone you care about has suffered through such issues, proceed with caution.
Disclaimer: Spiritual views expressed in this book do not necessarily reflect the views of The Writer’s Scrap Bin, its author, or its readers. Remember to be respectful and civil in any discussion which may come from the review of Whalen’s book; trolling, bullying, and other abuse of this blog and/or its members will be result in disciplinary action against the individuals perpetuating it.
Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction—and richer, too. Today’s book proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that our lives can be as tumultuous, heart-wrenching, heart-warming, and adventurous as those we read about in novels and see in movies. We break hearts and have our hearts broken; we make plans only to have them fall apart; we suffer tragedy after tragedy; we overcome trauma and come out the other side stronger than ever. All the while, we remember to find joy in the little things and seek to receive and give unconditional love. The book I am exploring today covers these trials and gifts of life and much more. For this post, I am reviewing Everything You’ve Ever Done: A Memoir of Unconditional Love and Spiritual Discovery by Amelia Marie Whalen.
Amelia Whalen and Dave both struggled with rocky childhoods. Amelia came from a broken home built by teenaged parents who, though they loved Amelia, could not make things work together. Her mother died when she was a child, and her heartaches did not end there. Dave grew up in a family plagued by drugs and weakened by infidelity. By the time Amelia and Dave enter each other’s lives, they have constructed solid foundations from their troubles and found release in creative—sometimes even off-the-wall—activities, such as rock climbing (Amelia) and music (Dave). The relationship, while passionate as a result of their headstrong personalities, seems to be a match made in heaven. The unconditional love and dedication they have for each other, even with all their fights and obstacles, shines in every aspect of their lives as they go from dating to living together and, finally, marriage.
In their third year of marriage, everything changes. Dave changes, and Amelia isn’t the only one to notice. Friends and coworkers grow uncomfortable around him as Dave becomes more unpredictable, negative, forgetful, apathetic, and aloof. Dave is no longer Dave. He is now “New Dave” and, to borrow the author’s words, the “Big Trouble” has put a wedge between him and Amelia. The worst part—the part with which Amelia can’t reconcile or make sense of—is that Dave denies the change and passively and consistently refuses to address the issue.
While she still loves Dave and Dave loves her, Amelia must do what is best for her. But what could that be? Should she stick it out or start all over? With the help of rock climbing, music, close loved ones, and the universe, Amelia undergoes the self-reflection needed to understand what she has to do. Even then, Dave does not stay out of her life forever. He brings more stress into her life and, while she loves him deeply and is heartbroken without him, she knows that he will continue to hurt her, especially if he goes on refusing help.
Can they make it through these trials together? Will Dave get the help he needs? Can Amelia learn to be happy without him, or will they reunite? Most importantly, will their unconditional love be enough to pull them through their troubles?
Part memoir and part autobiography, Whalen’s Everything You’ve Ever Done has affected me emotionally about as much as Rich Marcello’s The Beauty of the Fall. The effect may be even stronger now, knowing that the story is real and that Amelia and Dave truly struggled through such hard times. It’s not a read for the faint of heart. Heartache, anxiety, desperation, and even suicidal thoughts fill this book to the brim with emotional turmoil.
The writing is clean, simple, and easy to grasp, but by no means is this book a quick read. Whalen crafts her story masterfully and beautifully, and it is this mastery which makes for a slower read than one would expect. I had to take several breaks throughout my reading in order to emotionally and mentally recuperate; I could feel her struggles so deeply that just reading about the ordeal drained me. I grew a connection to Amelia so strong that I could not help but to go on the same emotional roller coaster as she does in the narrative.
The structure, while mostly chronological, seamlessly slips in memories from before the current timeline of the book. These memories slowly reveal crucial details to Amelia’s background, Dave’s background, and the background of friends which leads to the realization of Dave’s condition. In a narrative already packed with emotional and spiritual turmoil, Whalen manages to make these revelations at intervals which do not further overwhelm the reader.
Everything You’ve Ever Done is about more than Dave’s downward spiral and Amelia’s pain while trying to help him. Amelia explores paths of healing and spiritual growth, from her many rock climbing adventures to her month of carefree abandon and homelessness to appointments with a social worker who helps her learn to take care of herself while she’s taking care of Dave. She works hard to become a stable, independent woman without her self-destructive husband. She forms new friendships, constructs a support network with existing friends, and rises to a new level of spiritual completion.
This book may resonate with me more than the average reader. I struggle with mental health issues and many of my loved ones do as well; for one close loved one, the issues reached a self-destructive level which harmed those around him and, while he’s doing better now, we still have to take things day by day. Much of what Amelia and Dave experience strike a nerve with me, and that connection made me even more eager to finish the book.
With that in mind, anyone who has their own mental health problems or try to help loved ones with such problems will really appreciate this book. For those struggling with mental illness, it helps to put into perspective the effects our choices have on those closest to us. We can grow empathy for our supporters by reading Whalen’s story, and Dave’s deterioration drives home the urgency to get help as soon as possible. For those having to watch their loved ones go through mental illness, a kindred spirit can be found in Amelia. It helps to know that you are not alone in your experiences or unjustified in feeling how you do; you may even find the spiritual guidance you need to navigate through these difficult times.
Everything You’ve Ever Done is not only for people with mental illness or who have loved ones with mental illness. Anyone having a hard time will find inspiration and strength in Whalen’s tale. It’s not a “how to” guide for handling your woes, like Murphy’s Remedy, but readers will take away a mixture of sadness and hope from Whalen’s narrative of unconditional love and faith in oblivion.
Overall, I found no faults with this book. The people seem well-represented, Whalen focuses on the key players of her life during this time, and she gives enough details without wandering into the tediously-unnecessary. I caught a few proofreading errors sprinkled throughout the text but, to be honest, only an overly-perfectionist English major would notice. I don’t recommend this book for those extremely-sensitive readers because of the emotional weight of the subject, but I feel that it is a wonderful read because of that weight.
I want to take this time to leave a couple resources for mental health here. The first is a link to the National Institute of Mental Health website. The second is the link to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website. I apologize for not having any resources outside of the United States; if you know of any, please feel free to share them in the comments below.
Know of any books you think I should read? Want your book review on this blog? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or message me on Fiverr for more information.
I feel like a kid at Christmas time, and this time it isn’t because Halloween is only 50 days away. No, friends, another important time for writers is coming first; the American Library Association’s (ALA) Banned Books Week begins September 24th. Like the ALA, I’m going to start things off a little early to stir up some support for the freedom of speech and our right for Americans (and the world) to read what they want.
I know it sounds weird for a lover of books to get excited about Banned Books Week. Infuriated, yes. Frustrated, yes. Eager to take action, yes. But excited? Well, all I can say is that I have a twisted sense of humor and it amuses–and appalls–me to see which books people will challenge/ban and for what reasons. I’ll never get over the fact that Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is frequently challenged. It’s just too much.
I also enjoy considering the socio-political implications of the reasons for the challenges/bans. You can learn so much more about a person from what they fear than what they love, or at least what they profess to love. I’m typically already aware of the trends but it still amazes me to see how deeply the prejudice runs.
Written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki, This One Summer reached the top of the Top Ten Challenged and Banned Books in 2016.
Most importantly, Banned Books Week gets people to actually talk about books. Which books have been challenged or banned? Why? Should books be banned? Shouldn’t libraries protect our right to read what we want? These questions and more encourage people to think not just about freedom but about the books these people are trying to keep us from. Quite contradictory to the challengers’ agenda, challenging or banning a book will make people more likely to read it, not less. After all, we want to know what there is to be offended by.
I will cover challenged/banned books, including the history of the issue in the United States, extensively during Banned Books Week. For now, I want to leave you with the ALA’s resources for raising awareness. Feel free to peruse them and join the conversation.
Do you think books should be challenged or banned? What part should libraries play in this struggle? If you live outside of America, how are book challenges and bans handled in your country? If you could, how would revise your country’s approach? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Since reading Matthew J. Murphy’s Remedy: How I Cured the Incurable, I’ve been thinking a lot about health. Obviously, based on the subject matter of the book, digestive health has been at the forefront. However, another health matter has been plaguing my mind more prominently: mental health.
I have discussed before how writers and artists are prone to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. I’ve also established the fact that I suffer from severe anxiety and mild depression, and I strongly advocate seeking help for such issues. Still, that’s easier said than done. Therapy, medication, self-help books, where should you start?
Healing is a personal experience, and even more so when you’re struggling to maintain your mental health. No one can tell you where to start, only give you suggestions. With that in mind, I have a suggestion on my own based on a trend which has been gaining in popularity recently: take a mental health day.
We’ve all taken a sick day, whether it’s been from work or from school, often both. Most people reserve sick leave for physical illness (or a surprise trip if they’ve run out of vacation days, but they’ll never tell their bosses that). But what about when you’re experiencing a bout of depression or crippling anxiety? Should we just “suck it up,” even if that means our work could suffer?
A mental health day should come into play here. I say “should” because, sadly, the stigma surrounding mental illness still makes it incredibly difficult to get the people around us, including our employers, to understand the necessity of taking a day off to heal mentally. Nevertheless, when mental illness spikes, we aren’t up to snuff and it shows in everything we do. We aren’t as useful to our employers, and it’s better to explain the problem to our bosses and ask for some time off than to let our work deteriorate and risk losing our jobs.
Writers need mental health days as much as the typical 9-5 worker. In fact, we’re among those workers who need a day off most. After all, our work comes from our minds; if our minds aren’t up to normal standards, it will show in our writing (or lack of writing, depending on how we handle mental illness).
Why do I bring this up as a starting point? Mental health days can help us understand our condition more. We can stop, breathe, and analyze what’s going on with us. We can make appointments with our primary physicians or therapists and get a leg up on the issue. Just a day of rest away from stress could do people a load of good.
What do you think of “mental health days”? Are they a necessity or an excuse to get out of work? What should we do when mental illness overwhelms us? Leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below.
With all of the book reviews and editing I’ve been going through the past few weeks, I wanted to take the time to publicly wish a happy birthday to my very wonderful mother, Yvette Hoogstad.
My mom’s always been my rock, and I wouldn’t be doing anything I’m currently doing if it weren’t for her. She introduced me to the wonders of reading, encouraged my love of academics and writing, and has done everything within her power to ensure that I can do what I want to do. She convinced me to start this blog, even purchasing me copies of The Writer’s Market as well as numerous writing magazines and Blogging for Dummies. Most importantly, she has instilled a crucial spiritual lesson into me since I was little: everything happens for a reason.
My mom is my best friend and the greatest supporter of my writing ambitions.
She raises my spirits when I’m down, shoves me back on track when I’ve wandered in the wrong direction, and has given me all the love and guidance I’ve ever needed. She’s not perfect–no one is–but her good always outweighs the bad.
I want to bring special attention to her on her birthday because I feel that she doesn’t get all the credit she deserves. She’s had her ups and downs, she’s had people to support her and she’s supported others, and she puts the needs of others before her own, often to the point where it puts her own happiness and mental health risk (although she never lets anyone push her around). She can be a crude foul-mouth and crusty at best, but I love her all the more for it. She’s sarcastic, speaks her mind, and is one of the kindest and most hilarious people I’ve ever known.
So, join me in wishing my mom a happy birthday. I hope it’s a great one and that there will be many, many, many more birthdays to come.
Warning: The views expressed in the book reviewed, both religious and political, are not meant to represent the views of The Writer’s Scrap Bin, its writer, or its readers. The book heavily relies on Christian doctrine and faith healing, so proceed with caution if you take offense to religious discussion. Remember to keep all conversation about Murphy’s Remedy, religion, and any other topic which may arise civil; any bullying, trolling, or other abuse of this blog’s community or inappropriate use of this platform will result in disciplinary action.
Faith healing: a concept often approached with skepticism and negativity. I, for one, have never put much credence in the practice. I prefer to rely on modern medicine and certain alternatives, although I’ve always thought that a positive attitude could help in the healing process. The book I am reviewing today exposed me to a new view on faith healing, one which much more aligns with my own beliefs than everything I’ve ever heard about it. I must emphasize once again that I am not Christian and that neither my religious nor political views are necessarily reflected in this work, but I still thought it worthwhile to tell you about Remedy: How I Cured the Incurable by Matthew J. Murphy.
In 2015, the universe hit Murphy with three major obstacles—one personal, one legal, and one physical. While the first two took a lot of faith and patience on Murphy’s part to overcome, it was the final obstacle with which he struggled most and which has influenced him to write this book and launch his website. Diagnosed with a horrendous and life-threatening digestive disorder, the doctors gave Murphy two options: undergo major surgery to remove his entire colon or, with a slim chance of success, enter a life-long prescription regiment. Murphy, a member of the U.S. military, is not one to give up when things get hard, and so he took a third option which his intuition—which he believes comes from the Holy Spirit—told him to do. Instead of major surgery or prescriptions, he researched and assumed a path of alternative treatment including a liquid diet, supplements, exercise, Bone Broth, and prayer.
Remedy acts as part Christian memoir, part self-help, part patient testimony, and part inspirational novel. Murphy takes readers on a journey through his six-month self-healing experience, provides guidelines (heavy emphasis on “guidelines”) for those looking for alternative treatment, and presents the basic tools of faith healing while addressing many misconceptions about the practice from both sides of the aisle. While he does not guarantee success from following his steps exactly, Murphy assures readers that by molding his advice to their individual situations, having patience, and backing their actions with faith (and vice versa), results will show.
As someone who is not religious, I was naturally skeptical when I began this book. As someone who is somewhat spiritual, I was open to the possibilities, and Murphy surprised me. The most appealing part of this book, from a non-believer’s perspective, is that the author does not argue that prayer alone will heal you or that any remedy is a “one size fits all” solution. In fact, he states exactly the opposite. True faith, he claims, involves backing prayer with action, to show that you have hope and faith in the outcome; he emphasizes that no two situations are the same, and so all advice should be analyzed and personalized; most importantly, in my opinion, he asserts that you should consult a medical professional first.
I also appreciate the research that Murphy put into this book. As he reminds his readers, not all “self-help” writers bother to try their recommendations for themselves. Murphy, on the other hand, has and can personally attest to their effectiveness. The recipes, schedules, websites, books, and other aides he provides also impressed me. I particularly admire his willingness to suggest supplements which he wishes he had known the benefits of and started sooner. Not everyone, especially in print form, is willing to admit that they didn’t try something until later and Murphy’s list proves that he did truly learn and grow throughout his experience. Additionally, it represents a method of trial-and-error which makes his testimony more believable.
The author has not converted me to Christianity or changed my mind on religion. However, he makes several poignant observations in regards to positivity and faith. If we can have faith in humans fulfilling their promises, why can’t we have faith in some higher power looking out for us? Why should we assume that prayers will be answered immediately or without any effort on our part? And what is the harm in holding onto positivity and faith during oblivion, considering that the worst that can happen is that we only emotionally/psychologically feel better?
The writing could have done with more proofreading. I noticed multiple incidents of missing punctuation, words which should have been eliminated in editing, and single quotations within double quotations when such formatting is not necessary. I became annoyed by these errors when they were glaring but, overall, they are not enough to detract from the reading experience. Murphy’s informal style also grated on my nerves at points. It allows for a quick and easy read, which is key to engaging readers of such a book. Nevertheless, he gets too informal at times, such as the use of at least one emoji. While I can see the benefits of such writing, I prefer for nonfiction books, including self-help and spiritual works, to maintain a slightly higher level of formality. Otherwise, the reader may not trust the writer to know what he/she is talking about.
Remedy is not for everyone. As previously stated, the entire tome is based in Christianity and faith healing. This basis necessitates the author’s repeated use of Scripture and his explanation of and support for faith in God. Multiple pictures of Murphy’s deteriorated condition have also been provided, so I suggest that the squeamish and those with an aversion to Christianity avoid this book. However, those who do not mind images of the sick and are open to considering religious alternatives should give Murphy’s work a try. People suffering from a chronic illness—whether it’s a digestive disease, an autoimmune disorder, or even depression—should also consider reading his advice.
Overall, Remedy proved to be an intriguing read. I have never heard a faith healer argue for taking action as well as having faith in God, and I’m used to some “alternative treatment” advocates dogging heavily on mainstream healthcare. Murphy gives credit where credit is due in the healthcare system and remains prudent in his treatment suggestions and his recommendations on tailoring his advice to suit individual needs. The proofreading errors aside, I had no problems reading and understanding Murphy’s work. I’m glad to have had this chance to explore some alternative medicine and the analysis of the connection between faith and healing. I think that Murphy’s advice, at least the medicinal advice if not also the spiritual, could help many people; they just have to be willing to try.
To buy Remedy, follow this link to Amazon. For more information on Murphy, his healing, and more advice and resources for healing, be sure to check out the writer’s blog.
Know of a book you think I should read? Want your book reviewed on this blog? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or message me on Fiverr.
