Photos from Pixabay by jhenning and rperucho

By Sarah Merritt Ryan

If there is power in disclosing something that bears personal risk, the chance is that it is a story that needs to be told. 

With each passing year in our country, the discourse on mental health deepens. People want to understand serious mental illness better and more research is being devoted to finding the root causes of it. Editors are becoming more receptive to articles about all aspects of mental health. With this discourse comes awareness and acceptance of long stigmatized issues. 

Writing about mental health is one thing, but making yourself vulnerable and disclosing your own illness, especially a serious one, is another. First-hand accounts, though, are essential in making this national discourse authentic and true to life.

            Take me for example: I had three psychotic breaks in two years during my early thirties, after going off the antipsychotics I had taken for ten years. Homeless after my second hospitalization, I was soon readmitted and then discharged to my parents. A social worker gave me disability papers to sign, and some months later I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. It was shocking. Suddenly, I felt like I had so much to hide, and the emotional toll was staggering.

            However, I have been in full remission of symptoms for twelve years while consistently taking an antipsychotic. Several years ago, after much reflection, I decided I was finally ready to own my past and open up about it. I was moved to share what I have been through to help others through writing. I decided to start blogging in order to articulate what emotional healing from psychosis looks like and how to deal with a stigmatized diagnosis. Here are five benefits I have realized from disclosing my mental health challenges publicly.

Writing as an Energy Channel

It takes a great deal of energy to withhold and filter your past from the people you meet. The act of writing reverses that energy flow outward in a positive way that creates more energy and passion in your words, leading to authenticity and power. Writing can be a vital channel — for some a sole means of personal expression — on a sensitive topic that is difficult to verbalize. Learning to articulate your deepest inner thoughts while recounting your personal experience can help you to improve as a writer. It can be scary to dredge up painful memories, but I have found it cathartic for myself and beneficial to others.

All this energy I used to withhold from people details of my past is now channeled into much needed self-expression. This one huge secret that no one could know about has transitioned into an entire body of thoughts, ideas, and insight into the recovery process. I had no idea how much I had to say until I started blogging about it. The feedback from my editors and readers that my writing is powerful surprised me at first. I believe that the power in my writing must come from the strong, deep-seated emotions I am redirecting from fear and shame into pride and activism.

Making Beauty from Ashes

Writing to explain your experience to someone else can help you understand it better as well, leading to additional closure. Writing fosters personal sensemaking, especially when you learn how to reframe your experience more positively. Exploring meaning in your traumatic experience through writing can mark a turning point in your recovery. Your increased awareness and articulation of feelings and thoughts can be beneficial to others who may be going through a similar experience. 

Writing details about my psychotic experiences seemed unimaginable to me even five years ago, but it has paid off. I now blog on the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) and Psychology Today websites. Writing blogs that are geared towards sending hope, a positive message, and understanding to people in a similar situation helps me reclaim my life and accept my past struggles. I can turn my negative experiences around and make them positive influences in the lives of others.

Using Writing to Make a Difference

When you are going through something especially painful in your life, you’re surely not the only person going through the same isolating experience, even though it may feel like it. When you write about something not often written about, you can become a pioneer and thought leader on your topic. Being motivated to make a difference can take you a long way toward more effective, impactful, and authentic writing.

Students, resident psychiatrists, and professors in the psychiatry program where I am treated follow my blog. My psychiatrist says they appreciate the insight I articulate about the emotional healing process of patients like me. (There are not many people writing first-hand accounts about emotional recovery from psychosis.) I am guided in what I write by what I see as missing and what I wish I could have read in the early years of my recovery. It is gratifying that my words are being shared by people of influence in the mental healthcare community. Such an honor as this brings my story of illness and recovery full circle.

Joining a Global Movement

With the tide turning, and mental health disclosures becoming a bit more common, it is less stigmatized to have serious mental illness. With increased understanding, even serious symptoms are starting to be viewed as part of a “normal,” treatable mental condition. Now is the time to participate in a public discussion that removes the misunderstanding about mental illness. You can use your own story and writing skills to help end the shame and secrecy. 

When I first started publishing blogs on my illness, using my real first and last name was a big decision for me, but I felt that I needed to demonstrate to others they shouldn’t be ashamed about their diagnosis. The next step was sharing my picture, bio, and full name on Psychology Today. That was a huge decision, but I believe revealing my full identity online makes me part of a social movement where we reevaluate stereotypes and eradicate shame. Writers are known for pushing social boundaries and opening discourse on difficult topics, and this is the kind of writer I want to be. 

Your Legacy

Years from now, when you look back at your life, would you appreciate more that you played it safe, and hid your true battle that has shaped you as a person? Or would you feel proud that by being brave, making yourself vulnerable and sharing your experience, you encouraged others to communicate what they have been through as well? For so long, I was afraid that having schizophrenia would be my legacy, but now that I have become a successful writer on the topic, I feel proud that sharing my journey may be paving the way for others to do the same. 

Schizophrenia does not define me, but I have chosen to write about this part of my life and identify publicly with this diagnosis so those years of my life do not go to waste. Patients with psychosis, clinicians, and family members will be able to view my blog posts about emotional recovery, accessible and available for years to come, and that’s how I want to leave my mark. My memoir is in progress.

First published in Writer’s Digest online in April 2024.

Writing background: Sarah Merritt Ryan is a blogger, poet, and memoirist. She writes an ongoing Personal Perspectives blog for Psychology Today called Healing Mind: My Journey to Cognitive and Emotional Recovery. She has also published a number of blog posts on Nami.org about stigma, cognitive and emotional recovery, and hope. She has published over a dozen poems in anthologies and journals that focus on surviving emotional trauma.

Image by Judy from Pixabay

By Ron Whitaker

There are boundless possibilities that come with crafting words and weaving stories for a living. Embracing the writer’s life is akin to embracing a profound sense of freedom. It’s a journey that transcends traditional work boundaries, offering a unique blend of time, location, and financial independence.

One of the most alluring aspects of freelance writing is the freedom of time and control.  Unlike conventional 9-to-5 jobs, freelancing allows for a flexible schedule. The ability to write in the early morning, late at night, or during the quiet hours of the afternoon is a dream come true! This flexibility is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity for fostering creativity. The ability to structure my day around my most productive hours improves the quality of my work and enhances my overall well-being. It also allows me to balance other important aspects of life, such as family, hobbies, and personal growth, without feeling confined by rigid work hours.  

Freelancing also provides the option to work from anywhere. Whether it’s a cozy corner in my home, a bustling café, or a serene beachside retreat, my office is wherever my laptop or notebook is. The blessing of working anywhere I choose or need to be at that particular moment — without having to ask for permission to take time off — is awesome!! This geographical flexibility not only enriches my writing by exposing me to diverse environments and cultures, but also infuses my life with a sense of adventure and spontaneity. The ability to travel and experience new places while maintaining a steady workflow is a privilege that many professions do not afford. It’s a reminder that creativity knows no bounds and can flourish in any setting.

The financial freedom that this life can bring is another compelling aspect. While the journey to financial stability through writing can be challenging and requires perseverance, the potential rewards are significant. It is for sure a marathon and not a sprint! It also means having control…control of the particular job or project I choose rather than having someone dictate to me the level of work that I should have…control of my income without having someone else dictate how much money I should make…or even worse, having the ability to take away my income! With my newfound career, I envision being “the one” in my family to change the dynamics of our finances, allowing us to get out of debt and have the financial independence we desire! I look forward to eventually getting off the proverbial hamster wheel of working two jobs and having the freedom of choosing my own hours so I can spend more time with my family and take care of their needs. As a writer, multiple income streams are possible, from book royalties and freelance writing gigs to teaching and speaking engagements. This diversity in income sources not only provides financial security but also allows me to pursue projects that are truly meaningful and aligned with my passions. Moreover, the scalability of writing — where one successful piece can lead to multiple opportunities — creates a sustainable financial model that can lead to long-term prosperity.

Ron has been a TAF member since 2023, and a member of AWAI (American Writers and Artists Institute) since 2020.

By Drew Becker, www.realizationpress.com

Reading well-crafted works is one of the greatest delights for readers and authors. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a fact of life and we need to learn how to thrive with it while promoting ethics in writing.

Recently, working with a group of writers critiquing each other’s work, we determined that one member used to write the first few chapters of her book. She was young and some other members suggested we ignore what she had done. I was so surprised that someone would waste the group’s efforts offering machine-written text to be critiqued. In the next few years, algorithms may compose many of our books.

In my youth, I sang “John Henry,”a traditional American folksong.As many of you may remember, this song deals with a railroad worker (a steel-driving man) who challenges a machine to build a new stretch of track. In the end, he cannot keep up and dies from trying. Should we be concerned about a similar future for authors? Many authors have voiced concerns about how AI might threaten originality and affect the quality of books in the future.

What to use AI for

AI is a great tool when used for research. What exactly does that mean? Before computers were on most people’s desks, many went to the library to do research for term papers. We learned to record the essence of what we read from a source and copy quotes to back up with a notation, giving credit to the author. We could paraphrase other writers but could not lift sentences, paragraphs, and more without attribution and quotation marks. Otherwise, what we were doing was plagiarism.

Tools

A plethora of new tools are available. Spell check and grammar check can help writers, especially if we learn and improve our work rather than rely on them. Some of these tools suggest rephrasing of unclear or confusing sentences. Mapping tools can suggest structures for different types of writing and create templates. In programs like Microsoft Word, we can find misspelled words, compare different versions, create mark-up with different writers, and hear our text spoken. These forms of AI are beneficial when used correctly.

In addition, AI detection tools have and are being created. After these tools are made available, however, other tools are being created to fool these tools. It’s a bit of a cat and mouse game at present and we will have to wait and see how our ingenuity meets the challenges.

What not to use AI for

AI, when misused, steals from authors and creatives. As writers, we do not want our hard work to be taken by someone else and claimed as theirs. “Thou shall not steal.” If I stated that this quote was my creation, I would be plagiarizing. In this case most readers would know that the words in quotation marks came from the Bible.

As defined by Merriam-Webster, plagiarism is “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own: use (another’s production) without crediting the source.” That would apply to book covers, song lyrics, text from published and some unpublished works, and copyrighted works except those where the copyright has expired. (We also must be careful with those works that we think may have expired since the copyright may have been extended.)

The Future of Authoring

These situations that arise from misuse of AI devalue writing and other creative processes. Competing with those who learn how to “program” these platforms and then shift a few words around from stolen and slightly modified texts seems senseless. A glut of non-readable drivel could be on the horizon, and I’m not sure what we as authors can do besides remain aware. It is early in the acceptance of AI. How it will be used and legislated is unclear. Amazon has a check box to indicate whether AI was used in the creation of books in the Kindle upload, so the big companies are aware.

A couple of other articles can help us understand the current thinking about plagiarism and AI. An article concerning with how higher education is dealing plagiarism is worth a read. Check out https://www.turnitin.com/blog/ai-plagiarism-changers-how-administrators-can-prepare-their-institutions. Another source to review deals with strategies for prevention https://www.aje.com/arc/guide-to-avoiding-plagiarism-ai/.

Is there a way we as writers can turn the tide or at least sound the alarm for the misuse while taking advantage of AI tools for marketing our books? I know that our individual creativity cannot be matched. We all hope that we can protect our work and continue to value the harvesting of deep, original thinking.

We are at the beginning of the AI revolution, and no one knows where it will lead. In the meantime, we need to support any efforts to curb the misuse of AI and keep writing and expressing our creativity to bring our brilliance to the world.  

Drew Becker is a multi-book author, writing coach, branding architect, and is the publisher for Realization Press. His latest book, The Joyful Brand: Personal Branding for Authors, Speakers and the Rest of Us, includes exercises to help define a personal brand and is writing a follow-up book about maintaining integrity today. He appreciates the camaraderie of TAF.