Eighteenth in the 1K a Day Motivational Series, in which I talk about something that happened in the previous week that could have or did prevent me from writing a minimum of 1,000 words on a given day, or possibly talk about something that provided support to get me through the day.

Sometimes, and I mean fairly often, I find myself writing something that has a lot of darkness in it. This is the metaphorical darkness. You know, the good kind. Bad things happen in dark places, but sometimes the darkness is a red herring and all the really horrible shit happens in broad daylight.

And sometimes that bad stuff is just too bad. It’s Just Too Dark.

How does this tie into a Motivational post? Well I’m glad you asked. You didn’t ask? You should have. It’s central to my argument and I need someone to ask it. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

…

Not gonna do it, huh?

OKAY THEN. So this is the tie. When you’re writing something that’s dark, it’s easy to fall into the mindset or the mood of what you’re writing. I don’t mean you’re gonna go out and murder babies or whatever sick thing you’re writing, you sicko. But the act of writing is a mining operation of your mind. Minding operation? Or maybe fracking is the better metaphor. To get all the juicy goodness out of your braincrust, something has to take its place and that stuff is often ugly and disturbing.

When I’m writing a thing (as I was this past week) that has some dark and disturbing shit happening in it, it’s pretty easy for me to sink into the kind of pseudo-depression or mild melancholy that characters experience in the aftermath of those dark things.

And like a sorbet, I usually have to clean my brain out of all that negativity and darkness with something light and carefree. I find Disney movies are perfect for this. Not Pixar. Pixar is amazing, but their movies aren’t sorbet-like enough. Or Studio Ghibli films from the Japans. Something like Porco Rosso or Ponyo, amazing animated films that have almost nothing bad about them, just good, childlike adventures.

Point is, like life, you can’t fester in the dark thoughts. Get yourself out of it however you can.

When I’m writing something that’s Just Too Dark, I balance myself out with a little light and fluffy. Maybe you go for a run to exhaust yourself. Maybe you have some angry sex. Maybe you take your kids to the park and play catch. Maybe you listen to or play some music. Maybe you go for a drive just to clear your head in the mundane activity.

Whatever it is you have to do. Find the light to balance your dark, and always remember to write the hell on, writers.