In Latin the word means to suffer, but these days it finds a closer meaning to relationships, flowers and kissing and that sort of thing. I've been thinking about it for a while and wondering why in the hell any of us get into writing anyway. What makes a person throw themselves head first into a creative project and why would they put themselves through that annoying cycle of excitement, doubt, hatred, despair, relief, excitement... you get the idea. That's pretty much how I feel about writing novels. After the first few chapters the doubts creep in and I wonder why I'm doing this again? Passion, people. That's why.
Light Bulb Moment
Ever since I saw an interview with Dave Hunt (Anaal Nathrakh vocalist), I've been thinking about passion, where it fits in creative terms at least. Passion means to feel an intense affinity towards something or someone, well, you know- passion. It's an intensity, you should never be able to forget. It could for anything. Hell, I'll bet even the biggest fans of bands feel passionate about them, otherwise why would they follow them to every gig and chase every unforgettable moment when they're on stage. Although, it's equally true for feeling that way for other people, such as your partner. Cynics would tell you that it's just young love or something, but they wouldn't know. Only you know how intense those feelings are, and that's what matters. And that's what keeps you going. It reminds me of sit-coms or films that involve couples trying to reclaim the flames of their relationship through (often quite hilarious) things, but it's passion that they're after. But for creative means, it screams so loud, evident through listening to people talk about what they love most.
When watching people talk about their most beloved interests, it's an intense thing. Actually, listening to people talk about what they love and hate is about as passionate as it gets. I've seen interviews with Dave Hunt who can rant on and on about music and philosophy, and it gets you interested, too. Christopher Hitchens is another person who was so devote in his religious studies and pursuit to speak about his feelings on religion, and I always fall in the gravitational well of his enthusiasm. Even Jeremy Clarkson, although insane, he too talks about cars in ways I've never heard anybody else talk about them. It's even better when you're listening to someone you know. When you see their eyes light up, throwing their arms everywhere in a manic state of enthusiasm, it gets you all interested. Those guys make the best teachers. My college lecturers loved media studies and I began to enjoy it more. I never felt passionate about media, but when they spoke about it, it was hard not to feel it, too.
When watching people talk about their most beloved interests, it's an intense thing. Actually, listening to people talk about what they love and hate is about as passionate as it gets. I've seen interviews with Dave Hunt who can rant on and on about music and philosophy, and it gets you interested, too. Christopher Hitchens is another person who was so devote in his religious studies and pursuit to speak about his feelings on religion, and I always fall in the gravitational well of his enthusiasm. Even Jeremy Clarkson, although insane, he too talks about cars in ways I've never heard anybody else talk about them. It's even better when you're listening to someone you know. When you see their eyes light up, throwing their arms everywhere in a manic state of enthusiasm, it gets you all interested. Those guys make the best teachers. My college lecturers loved media studies and I began to enjoy it more. I never felt passionate about media, but when they spoke about it, it was hard not to feel it, too.
Remember What Only You Know
I'm sure there are more than a million reasons why people get into anything creative. It can be as simple as a general interest to something as catastrophic as grief. I know Zach Blair (Rise Against guitarist) threw himself into music after his father died. Joe Principe (also from Rise Against) started out because he was depressed. I'm not a fate kind of guy, but I like to believe that there was that one moment in our lives that sparked the interest and we realised that we had to start something. Me? I was at uni studying media and I realised the only thing I could do and have a chance of being happy was through writing, and that's still true. I couldn't imagine doing anything else and be satisfied. I'm not one for the ordinary 'what's expected of you' kind of life that involves getting married, a kid, job and save for the future. In Paper Towns, Margo Roth Spiegalman slaps that idea in the face and leaves town because she feels so strongly about that. For some it's like a calling, in fact that could be every writer out there. Writing is what you've always wanted to do. It's definitely what I've always wanted to do, and nothing gets me more interested and full of enthusiasm than books.
So, when you're going through that cycle of doubt and whatnot, just remember why you put yourself through that in the first place. Underneath every other reason why writing was the ideal solution, always remember that it was your passion for writing that won the battle. It's the same for anything else. When you're so wrapped in your own project, it's full-on passion. Meals aren't important, answering the phone, tweeting, or whatever anxiety is running through your head, it's all forgotten when you're absorbed by your own work. If you're not passionate about it, why do it? Stephen King's final paragraph in On Writing nails it:
So, when you're going through that cycle of doubt and whatnot, just remember why you put yourself through that in the first place. Underneath every other reason why writing was the ideal solution, always remember that it was your passion for writing that won the battle. It's the same for anything else. When you're so wrapped in your own project, it's full-on passion. Meals aren't important, answering the phone, tweeting, or whatever anxiety is running through your head, it's all forgotten when you're absorbed by your own work. If you're not passionate about it, why do it? Stephen King's final paragraph in On Writing nails it:
Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink.- Stephen King
Songs of the Week:
- 'We Are Together' by Planet of Sound
- 'So Wrong' by Illenium
- 'Our Names in Lights' by Two Friends ft. Breach the Summit
- 'Blue Heron' by William French
- 'I Don't Want to Be Here Anymore' by Rise Against
- 'Nobody's Home' by Avril Lavigne
- 'The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead' by Crash Test Dummies ft. Ellen Reid
- 'Nikorette' by Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band
- 'I Got Reason #2' by Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band
- 'A Firm Foundation of Unyielding Despair' by Anaal Nathrakh