Is it normal to become so engaged in my characters thoughts and emotions that I feel them myself? I’m currently writing a character who is experiencing depression and the more I dive into her thoughts/emotions the harder I find it to refocus/recenter on real life and return to my standard emotional state. Is this normal for writers?
Thanks
Yes, I’ve definitely experienced this.
It helps me to stay self-aware of where I’m at emotionally. If I’m feeling depressed from real-life events, I am more cautious about what I read or write. If I’m feeling cheerful/optimistic overall, then I’m better able to delve into depression in fiction without jeopardizing my own mood or mental health.
It also helps me to keep my end goal in mind. As a Christian, I believe God has called me to write, and sometimes that’s going to be challenging or painful, just as any other calling can be. But at the same time, I trust that He will sustain me through that process. And since the end goal of my writing isn’t just for my own pleasure (although that’s certainly a part of it), I’m able to see those writing-induced mood swings as an act of sacrifice and love for my reader. If by writing a depressed character I am able to help someone with depression, I am willing to do that even if it means I have to suffer through some of those emotions. I trust that God will carry me through that, and use that experience to make me a more empathetic and caring person to those around me.
So yes, it’s definitely normal, and to some extent unavoidable. But I have found some ways to help manage those emotions so that they’re not interfering with the rest of my life.
