Don't Waste Your Bad Mood!

by Kelly Carey

During his Oscar acceptance speech for Best Animated Feature, Pete Docter, the director of Inside Out, made me realize that I’ve been wasting my bad moods.
I don’t write when I’m mad, angry, upset or scared.  Instead, I wait to be in the perfect mood before I sit at the computer to write.

What a huge mistake!

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Every mood should be my perfect writing mood. Tapping into all my emotions, by writing when I’m sad, mad, or nervous, instead of just relaxed and happy, will give my characters greater emotional depth and their stories more range and universal appeal.  I should use the entire Inside Out mood board.

Thanks to Pete’s words, I will no longer wait for both a quiet house and a quiet mind to write. He made me realize that I am missing out if I don’t grab the opportunity to write when I’m annoyed, upset or hurt. As Pete advised, “there are days you’re going to feel sad…angry…scared. That’s nothing you can choose. But you can make stuff. Make films, draw, write – it will make a world of difference.”

I am done using the excuse of my mood as a reason not to write. Instead, I’m going to embrace my mood as a reason to write.  As Pete Docter said, “we are so lucky because we get to make stuff”.  Funnel all your feelings into your characters and their stories; use your mood as an impetus to capture the full range of human emotions.

As a bonus, when you have gifted your characters with your less than perfect mood, you will hit save on the computer and whistle away from your workspace feeling accomplished, and happy.  In the words of my fellow blogger Amanda, "It's like exercise. Just less sweaty!".

Writing in a bad mood will not only enrich your writing, but improve your day.  Now that’s happy writing.

Pete Docter's Oscar Acceptance Speech