Focal Point: Writing

A friend recently tagged me on Facebook about a story in the news where a novelist was "targeted" for his writing subject: a school shooting set 900 years in the future.

Here is a link to the article: http://m.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/09/in-cambridge-md-a-soviet-style-punishment-for-a-novelist/379431/

My response: 

Wow. This reminds me of the student who was expelled and possibly arrested for a creative writing assignment in which he wrote about violence.

This is disturbing. They took this man and have him secluded. He is unable to travel. They have searched his home and are having him evaluated. Because he wrote a piece of FICTION. It is beyond an overreaction.

How many music bands have sung songs about school shootings? There was a movie I watched years ago - was it Bang Bang? About a planned school shooting. I don't feel these creative works are plans to conduct harm, but rather creative writing inspired by world events.

Have we searched and seized the residences of all crime novelists? How about the screenwriters for Criminal Minds and CSI? Are we not living in a country where we are unable to write creatively without fear of being deemed insane and locked away? Arrested? Burnt at a stake somewhere? 

I get the concerns of school safety - I do. Hell, it's kinda my business. But why don't we look at actual productive ways to prevent it from happening by installing technology to mitigate the risk and then raise mental health awareness and focus on that? But no, let's go kidnap a novelist.

Is Suzanne Collins being investigated for wanting to kidnap innocent teenagers and force them to fight to the death? Did they search the writers of Dexter?

And I guess my works in progress - featuring a serial killer - I'll be suspected of committing the crimes I write?

So - as you can probably see, I am passionate about writing. I began writing creatively when I was in the 4th grade. I was always complimented on my relative writing skills and imagination, but I never really believed in myself. Years ago I joined a writing group, left it with another member to form our own, and became dear friends with a group of talented women writers from around the world. We still plan out getaway to the beach house in Maine full of late night wine and laughter. 

I began writing my novel and ultimately lost it. But it consumed me. My dreams spoke to me. My waking hours were haunted by his story. And I loved it. 

Brian Tracy talks about the "super conscious" mind where we get our epiphanies and our gifts release themselves. I have experienced that. I was a vessel. I would type furiously, unaware of what was leaving my heart and finding it's way onto the screen. I would read it later in awe - lines jumped out to me, perfectly capturing a moment of emotion for my protagonist that I can only say he sent to me himself. It was a high. Like nothing else. 

And then Life happened. I got busy. And I let it go. And I yearned for it in ways I never anticipated. 

I am a writer. 

I will blog about my works. My experience. Or highlight the gifted writing of others. Or share my thoughts on insane stories such as this one - where a man who created a story is targeted and his rights are violated due to fear. 

Do not fear creativity. It is a blessing. Learn from it.