UN | SIGH

There’s this song by Jhene Aiko titled “Real Now” (real mellow, nice track) and this one line always sticks out for me.

She sings:

“Faking these smiles too often, I do not cry that often. I need to cry more often”

…I thought to myself and came to the conclusion that I feel exactly like that at this point in life. I’m not sure why…I just do. I don’t cry a lot nowadays. I ask myself have I become cold, numb…heartless. I know I’m not the latter. But the tears I want to cry are often not there to shed. It makes me feel less than normal. Almost inhuman. Not only that, but I’m expected to cry about certain things because I’m a woman & everyone in society agrees that women are criers (lol). What does that say about me?

There’s a myth about crying. People say you no longer care when the tears stop. …but that’s just not true. I don’t know when I became so tough, or who or what made me feel uneasy about crying. If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s knowing that I feel completely insane because of it.

I don’t get personal. That’s one thing I very seldom do. By this I mean…I don’t publicly discuss matters that should remain private. Is this wrong? No…but It’s not necessarily “right” either. It’s all about perception & how you wish to be perceived. I find I’m more interested in the lives of people who have very little to say; those people who don’t spend hours on social platforms bragging about how successful they are, or complaining about their broken-hearts. Mystery— Mysterious things entice me. Therefore, I find it more fitting to be a little more mysterious than most.

You can assume whatever you want about me…and millions like me. However, it’s a rare day when you’ll be able to reference my social media accounts to pinpoint my “off” days. It’s a terrible feeling to read news that’s depressing…I try my hardest not to contribute to that cause. 

If you can’t be happy, at least be positive. someone needs it. someone’s day will go a little smoother all because you decided to give off positive energy.

—think about it.

Tip #1: “Cut out all those exclamation marks. An exclamation mark is like laughing at your own joke”.
- F. Scott Fiztgerald

Tip #2: Substitute “damn” every time you want to use the word “very”. Twain’s thought was that your editor would delete the “damn”, and leave the writing as it should be. The short version: Avoid using the word “very”.
-Mark Twain

Tip #3: Show, don’t tell. “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.
-Anton Chekhov

—All are excellent tips, but my favorite… Tip #3. I’ve learned that what works for me as a writer is my ability to “show”. I probably have one of the most descriptive writing styles I’ve ever known. I once thought detail caused my writing to be over-the-top or excessive, but I’ve found that it’s what sets me apart from other writers. What I envision when the sun sets is infinitely different than what you might imagine. It’s critical for me to be descriptive in my writing because my interpretation of one thing will never be written in the exact words of anyone else. As a writer I value that gift, and I value any opportunity I’m given to share it. It’s my way of inviting the reader into the world as I see it; welcoming each of them into my thoughts.

I’m becoming familiar with what works for me. So now, my question to you: What is it that works for you?