Day 31 Writing Short Stories

Haunted

As a writer, I know story structures; I have used them several times, giving my protagonist meaning in their journey. Yet I would never have thought I was the one to experience them. I used to escape into literature and have my hero’s journey there, or my return to the world shaped anew once the book was finished. Not so anymore.

I’m a changed man, a man who now believes in monsters. No, not believe, knows about the monsters. And I don’t mean about serial killers. Those are small things compared to what I escaped from. The quiet whispers you hear at night. The discomforting thoughts that urge you to stop or jump. All of them are real. Not real like they are happening inside your head. A real, real. The kind you don’t want to imagine exists, or you stop fighting against them. The demons are real. And I killed mine.

And they know, I did, and now they are coming at me.

—

I feel like fighting against every word written down, like I should stop and not write at all. This is one of those days when things have made me doubt everything I know and can do. I want to throw writing away and stop trying any longer. I know I won’t do that. I know I enjoy doing this, but still, motivation and clarity are gone, and there is just fear and sadness towards all I can do.

Now I will rest before heading to work. I can’t seem to finish this one. This one was supposed to be an experimental mystery, with the voyage and return told in first-person.

I hate not to write more, but yesterday and all the bad news just drained the energy and confidence out of me. I know it will pass. These things do. But today I need a break.

Thank you for reading! Have a day of returns ❤