Digging Deep

Any writer knows that digging deep into your emotions and fears is what is essential to success. Anyone can write a factual story or autibiography using data or dates to prove the event or person’s life happened. It’s easy to remove yourself as the author and write in the third person. By doing that you can also distance yourself from your feelings. This will result in a textbook, not a memoir.

When my daughter, Justine was killed in a car accident last year I began writing down events of her life, as I remembered them. It helped me go back into her childhood and recall all the memorable moments. Re-living my role as her mother gave me a purpose. I felt her life was not one to just vanish. Her story needed to be told. It was valuable.

I have finished the first draft and relayed my feelings of what I went through during the time. Justine had bi-polar disorder and as any parent who has a child with mental illness will tell you it’s terrifying and frustrating. I went back in my mind and told what happened as we tried to find help. Writing it down was very therapeutic.

I know I have the bones of a good story. There was much to tell. As I was living it, I would say, 

“I could write a book” as you’ve likely heard many people say when they’ve lived through troubled times. 

This brings me to my next chapter. One I have been avoiding. I need to dig deep and do some real soul searching. The part of the story that’s left to tell is my story. The heart wrenching details of going through hell and back and then losing it all in the end. Send me love. I’m going to need it.

17 thoughts on “Digging Deep”

  4. Cathy, you are very on point with your observations about writing and also about what needs to happen regarding writing this book. I spent nearly 30 years as a Christian Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and watched those with bipolar disorder struggle with this and watched those around them experience the significant challenges that affected their loved one and themselves. This is a book that needs to be written by someone like you who walked the journey for those still walking it. God bless your efforts. Prayers to you!
    Pam

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