Sunday 21 July 2013

Is too much of a good thing bad for writing?

My new house - I love it but it doesn't seem to be getting me writing!

Over the past few weeks I've been incredibly happy.  After my partner gained a promotion, which meant a move to another town, we bought a house on some land and we've been like a couple of fat pigs up to our ears in chocolatey mud, working on our new property and loving the fact that we are now living in our dream house - a cute little brick cottage.

Of course the move has meant a lot of my time was taken up with finishing my job, packing, moving and unpacking.  But I've been well and truly settled here for the last three weeks - so why no writing and blogging?

I do wonder if my sudden onset of pure glee has dampened my passion for writing.  Not having a job at the moment means I can while away the hours at my leisure.  You'd think I'd be spending every second of it on my writing projects but instead I find myself getting into the garden, or rearranging the furniture for the tenth time.

Does happiness deter the writing process?  My prior life was not misery, but the drudgery of a full time job, and not living ones ideal lifestyle meant that my mind frequently wandered to my stories and day dreams.  My writing projects have always been a wonderful escape from the mundane.  Could it be that a little unhappiness in life helps to drive creativity?  The 'Tortured Artist' stereotype is renowned for a reason.

I love to quote Stephen King, so what does he say about happiness?


"I believe happiness is the exact opposite of sadness, bitterness, and hatred: happiness should remain unexamined as long as possible."


I couldn't agree more.  And over the past week I have got back into my writing and I've loved every minute of it.  I'm not going to examine it further ... but I'd love to hear if anyone else feels they don't write as much when everything is going well in life.