As I refine the why I write post, I started thinking about the idea of shadows. I did a lot of personal shadow work–that thing Jung talks about, those parts of ourselves we don’t want to look at–and I am considering that the idea of bringing light to the shadows or shining a light on the shadows might be part of why I write.
I was thinking about how important it is to accept oneself fully, the radical acceptance that Tara Brach talks about in her book of the same title.
My characters are often flawed but with the help of others find their own strengths. They also help others see themselves more positively. It is often the ones who seem the least flawed that have the most flaws. Decisions are never always okay and when I say they aren’t always okay, I mean sometimes death results directly from a decision. And sometimes the book is about living with that decision after.
I like looking at the psyche. I do love gothics with ghosts and horror to make the point. It’s easier, sometimes to do that with an external monster than to have someone look deeply inside and learn something.
I don’t have answer yet but I am finding out what my why is not.