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Oh, yes. My wife and adult son still mock me for the scene in which I sat in my backyard, feet in a wading pool, computer on my lap, weeping in the afternoon sun as I wrote the final scene of my novel. It was undoubtedly a combo cry, encompassing the emotional release of finishing something that had taken me far too long to complete, together with the inevitable empathizing a writer feels with their characters, and in particular the fact that my central character resembles — a little, unavoidably — 9-year-old me. I endure the mockery good-naturedly. Crying while writing feels like proof that I'm doing something meaningful and true if it can stir up that kind of emotion in me.

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Nov 3, 2022Liked by Hattie Crisell

This has totally happened to me while writing! But I'm also an actor, so I thought it was me being my over-invested, slightly-insane actor self. It's nice to know that this is a writer thing, too, and that perhaps it means something in the piece might be working!

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Nov 3, 2022Liked by Hattie Crisell

Thanks for this. I just realised that I’m struggling with my current project because I’m not being honest enough. It’s not making me feel uncomfortable or sad, so it’s quite boring. Also, I frequently laugh at my own jokes when I’m writing.

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Nov 3, 2022Liked by Hattie Crisell

This is such good timing. I was crying yesterday whilst writing my novel. I also started to feel down, because my character is down (I hope that's why...). In last night's Birkbeck class I was telling someone I felt inexplicably agitated - but this is a reminder it is all to do with my writing and, I too, am highly sensitive. It is making it quite hard to go back to it today though I must say, as I can't leave the mood at my desk or on the page - but I am finding this post encouraging and perfectly timed! x

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Humm I commented on another thread but it seems to have disappeared 👻

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