Soul Sustenance: Writing

Coping with adversity can look very different for everyone. Some may turn to unhealthy vices, and others may just completely dissociate from the experience- allowing the brain to block the memory out for the sake of self-preservation. What happens when you look back on some of the more painful moments in your life and try to heal from them in a productive way?

For award-winning author Corie Adjmi, her experiences have greatly influenced her writing, specifically the multi award winning book Life and Other Shortcomings, and her new upcoming book The Marriage Box.

“It’s no secret that writing is therapeutic, and I strongly believe that sitting down and taking the time to write about some of the more unpleasant moments from your past can have ineffable benefits. You may find beauty in the ugliest of memories, and you may realize you have been too hard on yourself over situations that were a product of your environment, not your shortcomings.”

I had a chance to learn more in this interview.

Why is writing such a therapeutic exercise?
Writing is a form of meditation. It’s a way to be still and allow our thoughts and feelings to surface. Simply acknowledging our stresses, anxieties, fears and traumas is therapeutic. Feelings are not facts and, on the page, we may see things differently. Fiction writers manipulate characters, situations and outcomes. As a result, we may develop empathy or discover a new perspective, which can challenge a false or self-defeating belief system. And when we change a narrative, we rewire our brains. Writing is a way to pay attention to our lives and that in itself is healing.

“I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I write and I understand.” —Chinese Proverb.

How was writing this book especially influenced by your experiences?
I often take a real-life incident and use it as a springboard. I’ll also use my own emotions in regards to something I’ve witnessed or read about. Writing is how I process complicated feelings and attempt to understand something I might be struggling with. For example, in one of my short stories, I explored a marriage and how power dynamics played a part in the couple’s relationship. That story grew from my own frustrations at the time, and the many marriages I’ve seen up close. Writing through the discomfort helps to ease it.

How can writing help people even if they consider themselves to be good writers?
When you say “good writer” it makes me think of a novelist, playwright or journalist interested in putting out a final product. Writing is a process. The journey may start with a feeling or belief, but I don’t think you can get to that polished end-product without undergoing much during the writing experience itself. After, you can’t help but be changed, and maybe even enlightened. Struggling with complicated feelings and telling the truth on the page, inspires self-awareness, growth and healing. Those gifts are possible for any writer, at any stage.