A lot of writing is miserable. A lot of stories tend to gravitate towards dark themes; illness, depression, death etc. A lot of stories are miserable, with tragic endings.
It’s because, a lot of the time, these are things that are popular with readers. It’s more emotive, more poignant. The reader can relate and enjoy it more. And a lot of the time, it’s easier to write.
I used to be like that. I would write dark stories, and have miserable endings. I wasn’t in a great place mentally. Writing, for me, is a way to escape my mind, to get it all out and feel better. So my stories would be flooded with whatever I was struggling with mentally.
But recently, I’ve changed. I’m in a much better place mentally. Things have started to look up for me. I had another flash fiction published. I grew in confidence and got a new job, and am doing well at it. The world has opened up again, and I attended a load of local music concerts over the summer. So my stories have started to become more positive.
I am a member of a small online writing group, which I joined before the pandemic and has kept me going through lockdown. We have a weekly challenge, to write a flash fiction with a prompt by the end of the week. Last week, I did a positive story, something uplifting about a real life experience at Porto station. The week before, I did one about my mental health with a happy ending. It was possibly one of my best. Everyone loved it. I even got to read it in our weekly zoom session, which was wonderful. One of my happier stories, a humorous flash fiction about Odysseus, even for published by an online magazine.
I’ve been continuing this, with more positive flashes and drabbles, and i have really enjoyed it. I admit, it was challenging at first, to do something different. But after a couple, I realised I liked it.
It’s not to say the stuff I wrote before was bad. It’s just these ones are different, a more upbeat tone. And sometimes, after decades of writing, you need (and want) to try something new.
I really hope this positivity lasts. I know from experience that it might not. Especially with the dark spectre of Christmas looming. But I will enjoy it for now, and see where it takes me.
