Emotional Writers Need Understanding

How many of us are emotional writers? I can’t be the only one. When life is hitting me hard, I turn to writing. Words flow easily onto paper or into a document on my laptop.

The difficulty is sharing those words with others. The things I write about when my emotions are high are usually things I don’t want to share with the whole world. I’m sure many of us empaths are emotional writers. We have to find a safe way to express the things we are feeling, to clear them from our hearts and minds.

I never realized that’s what I was doing when I was younger. Writing was just something I did without even thinking about it. Poems flowed from my pencils. My diaries held all my teenage angst.  Journaling was a frequent pastime.

Now, as an adult, when I sit down to write, it feels like I have writer’s block. Words don’t seem to flow as I want them to. Then I realize that I’m trying to force the words. I’m trying to make myself write.

Emotional writers can’t write like that. Our words embody our emotions. Anything else feels empty because it is.

These last few months, I’ve had a difficult time writing. Words flow, but they aren’t words I want to share. I stop myself before committing the words to paper, realizing that these aren’t things I want to share with anyone else. These are my private emotions and thoughts.

It shouldn’t be that way. Emotional writers should be able to share their thoughts and feelings without fear. We can express what others are feeling so they know they aren’t alone.

However, in the world that we live in today, it’s not safe to show raw emotion anymore. Many will take those words and use them against you simply because they don’t like you. For this reason, so many of us emotional writers do not feel safe to write and share the words we know could be helpful to so many others.

Writers can’t be thin-skinned if they are going to allow others to read their words. There will always be haters and those who criticize simply out of jealousy. Emotional writers are sensitive to a fault, which makes it even harder to show our raw side and be vulnerable.

People these days are cruel.  They like to hurt others, some just because they can. “I was only teasing” doesn’t cover it when you’ve hurt someone else, but that’s their usual excuse.

“Oh, you’re just too sensitive,” they say. But maybe the truth is that most people aren’t sensitive enough. Sensitivity is a gift, and lacking in many in current times.

Emotional writers are a rare breed and something to treasure. If you find one, give them a little encouragement. Let them know you appreciate their sensitivity and willingness to be vulnerable for the sake of helping others. Maybe even take them to coffee or lunch.