I’m in the Mood For…
Do moods help or hinder your writing? Discover the curses and blessings of moods.
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.
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November 19th, 2008 at 4:26 am
I totally agree. I find that when I’m feeling particularly dark for some reason the poems I write express that emotion but also they hinder the feedback or responses I get. Now if I am feeling in a loving sort of way my poetry comes out more earthy, softer and most people feed on it like a drug. I think softer poetry or poems expressing love are a much better hit because everyone wants to feel good, I don’t think anyone wants to really feel bad. When you read poems like that they also can set your mood for your entire day! I think you hit this one right on, Brian. Excellent topic.Phew!!I got a little carried away.
God bless you as always.
DEB-
November 19th, 2008 at 6:38 am
Brian… as usual… you are write on!! Our emotions are in our writings and are contagious to whom ever reads them. If I get menopausel I will stay away from the keyboard!!
)
Thanx so much for the advice and Keep ‘em coming!!
Karelee
November 19th, 2008 at 7:15 am
Moods affect everyone, not just writers/artists. I like my writing best, when I am in love. I don’t get writers block or slumps. Words are always dancing in my head.I was not influenced by your mood. Nice write.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Using the right mood to write the right article is good – use the bad mood to write an article on venting.. use a good mood to write something more positive!
Never write comments if you are in a bad mood.
November 19th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I usually write the most bizarre pieces when I am in a bad mood and when I go back to them a few days later I have a hard time breaking them apart, as if an alter ego wrote them
November 19th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Hmmm…I seem to have struck a chord. Glad I’m not the only one dealing with this issue. But…only women have responded so far! Guys, are you moody to?
November 19th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Thank you for the comments! Each of you has taken the subject a bit further, for which I am thankful. And B makes a great point about moods and leaving comments. Yikes! Gotta watch that too!!! Thanks for reading!! Brian
November 19th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Not all moods are fun but every mood is inspiring – at least for writing purposes. We’ve got to learn to embrace those rough times. That’s where some of my best work stems from. I am sure that is true for many. Writers write – but first they feel.
Another great article. Keep them coming.
* (¯`·. ¤ Jo
November 19th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I Love writing poetry when I am in a light thankful mood. The words almost write themselves but when I am in a dark mood it effects my writting to another degree and maybe makes it better…either way I write.
November 19th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Moods have a huge effect on my writings. When Iam happy writes just flow from me, and also when I am sad, but the moods of the posts change. Sometimes I dont want to write at all, when I am truly depressed.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
I agree and disagree,so like me! I totally think that readers can be burdened by heaviness in your words but on the other hand, sometimes people that are already feeling heavy are looking for something that suits their mood. I don’t know.
About not writing comments in a bad mood, I totally agree. I have been getting some really nasty yucky comments lately that are very discouraging. I can only hope they are from people in a bad mood instead of just from bad people!
November 19th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
i do agree with you..there are times that I am in the mood to write but there are times that I don’t..
November 19th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Good interaction on the comments section!
Jo, I love your line “writers write but first they feel.”
Ruby, persevering through it all.
lindalulu, seems to go with what I said.
Paula, raising the point that we can reach a burdened segment of readers if we match their mood. Seems reasonable, if you are not in a great mood, you don’t want to read happy stuff sometimes.
asiaellis, that’s how I tend to feel.
Thanks,
Brian
November 19th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
great stuff,i agree too
November 20th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Great article! I believe our moods affect everything we do!
November 20th, 2008 at 11:23 am
Well done article. It hit home with me. I have to have a certain mood to write. We have a son that is biopolar. I wanted to write an article on this terrible problem to maybe help other people. I did the research and then found I could not write it. It put me too much into a sad mood. It bought back too many sad memories. So you are correct mood is everything for a writer.
November 20th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Nobert and Eddie, thanks for reading. Brian
November 20th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
PR, thanks for sharing your experience. That touches my heart. Maybe some day you can try to write that article again because it could benefit many others to hear your experience. Or maybe just one person can benefit from your unique story. Brian
November 21st, 2008 at 5:40 am
I cannot write if I am not in the mood. I try not to write when I am sad, but if I do, I see to it that I add something positive to counteract whatever negative I may have written. I feel that we, as writers, have a responsibility to our readers out there. I know that God may have given us this talent to write so that we could inspire not discourage, to kindle their aspirations and not extinguish the tiny thread of hope left in their heart.
November 22nd, 2008 at 8:40 am
Interesting article. Most of my writing reflects my moods.
November 26th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Darla and Loreta, thanks for reading and for adding your thoughts. It seems all of us have an intimate relationship with our moods, and it comes out in our writing. Brian