Write Your Mirror

Writing heals. I have difficulty saying this, because I’m at odds with self-therapy in art: I find it selfish when writers complain too much. It feels boring and somewhat narcissistic too.

You might think, okay, but isn’t art about expressing pain? Aren’t we meant to share what’s inside, even when it’s hurtful?

Sure, but there’s a subtle yet important difference between grievance and honesty. The former wishes to elicit pity. The latter wants you to see pain for what it is, even when it’s uncomfortable to face.

It’s the difference between “look at me, I’m miserable” and “I feel pain, do you feel it too?”. Again, the gap is small, but it means the world to me as a reader and a writer too.

Honesty is both enjoyable to read and has the potential to heal. This is because writing, when truthful, is a mirror. You get to see yourself from the outside, as other people see you. The sight may delight you or frighten you. Either way, you’ll get to grow.