SIYIBI - a few paragraphs into chapter 4 (I’ll have to finish it later)
“She’s well aware of her neuroses, so her problem is not in learning what’s wrong. It’s in knowing that there’s nothing she can do to fix it.”
Were you a counselor at one point? I swear I just had this exact conversation with mine today (only in my case “it” was a specific person). This is one of the reasons I love Sara so much & I love the way you are so true to her & characterize her so well - she (and you writing) make me feel less alone (although my counselor has reassured me multiple times I’m not alone). Thank you.
hi, @chelsshearman!
i've definitely never been a counselor! in my outside-of-the-internet life, i'm a college english professor, so about the closest i get to anything relating to mental health (professionally speaking) is teaching hamlet.
today we covered hamlet's murder of polonius! my students had such a great discussion about what might be going on in hamlet's headspace during that scene. i loved hearing their insights!
nonprofessional that i am, i'm glad to know my writing on the subject still rings true to you.
i've said it before, but one of my favorite things about fiction is that it functions to decrease the loneliness in the world. there is something almost magical about the experience of inhabiting a character's thoughts and finding in them what is deeply recognizable to you as a reader.
to know something i wrote resonates with your experience in that way is such a wonderful thing for me as a writer.
you are not alone, friend.
thank you for sharing your thoughts!