Joy to the World: Finding and Sharing Joy as a Writer
by Lisa Norman
Writers are emotional creatures. We spend our time creating worlds, characters, and experiences, but the emotions we absorb from others often sneak into our creative lives.
When I’m working on a dark scene in a story, I go to dark places that can be hard to come out of.
A student of mine recently came back from a writing conference feeling sad, grumpy, and stressed. As we talked, she realized that much of her stress wasn’t hers—it came from the struggles of writers she’d spent time with. She’d picked up their worry about publishing, finances, and rejection, even though her own situation was solid.
That conversation made me think about how often writers carry emotions that aren’t ours.
Negativity can creep into our lives from many sources. Our stories, our friends, social media, or the news can derail joy. Do we need to live with the negativity we absorb?
What if we choose something else?
How Others Shape Our Emotions and How to Take Back Control
We’re influenced by the people we hang out with and the media we consume. Emotions and attitudes can become ours without us realizing it. As writers, many of us enjoy a profound empathy with others, something we’ve developed to help us build deeper and more relatable POV characters. But sometimes those emotions can overwhelm our own.
Take marketing. I’ve met writers who hate it and avoid it because they’ve decided it’s no fun. But I’ve also met writers who see it as a creative challenge. They enjoy connecting with readers and have fun experimenting with ways to share their work.
The difference isn’t in the task—it’s in the attitude. When I coach writers, I try to find marketing tasks they’ll enjoy, steering them away from the ones that conflict with their natural approach. Marketing can absolutely be fun. But it can also be a nightmare. One way to shift it from ugly to joyful is to connect with our own inner joy.
Are you surrounding yourself with people who lift you up or drag you down? Are you consuming media that inspires you or leaves you drained?
The Scarcity Trap
My mom lived her life in a constant state of scarcity. Even when she was financially stable, she believed she couldn’t afford to be creative. That mindset shaped her choices and held her back from joy.
Let me tell you: my mother was a fantastic salesperson. She won awards. In Silicon Valley, she was the top selling real estate agent for many years in a row. Could she have afforded to spend some time on her art? Yes. But she chose to work with a fierce focus towards financial success.
I’ve mentioned her story before, but if you haven’t heard it: She got cancer. The cancer took her ability to sell, but left her just enough energy to dabble in art. Only then did she discover she had a talent for it. After her death, I was told that she could have made an even better living selling her art. Knowing artists in our area, I believe this to be true. But she never saw that possibility. Judge for yourself: the featured image on this post is one of her paintings. She'd been a painter for about 2 years at this point.
I’ve seen that same scarcity mindset in writers. We worry that there isn’t enough time, money, or talent to go around. We compare ourselves to others and assume limits that don’t exist.
Creativity doesn’t work that way. Writing thrives when we let go of fear and embrace possibility.
Choosing Joy
Writing isn’t always easy, but it can be joyful. Joy comes when we shift our focus from what’s missing to what’s possible.
Here are some ways to find joy in your writing life:
- Find your people. Spend time with writers who inspire and encourage you.
- Set boundaries. Limit exposure to negativity, whether it’s social media, toxic conversations, or self-doubt.
- Celebrate progress. Even small wins deserve recognition. Every step forward matters.
- Reframe challenges. Instead of dreading marketing or editing, try seeing them as opportunities to connect or grow.
- Practice gratitude. Remember why you started writing and what you love about it.
Sharing the Joy
When you find joy in your work, it shows. Your readers feel it. Other writers notice.
Joy is contagious. When you approach writing with positivity, you inspire others to do the same. Instead of adding to the stress and struggle so many writers feel, you can be the one who lifts them up.
The Gift of Joy
Writing has dark moments. We write about hard things, and we face challenges. But we don’t have to live in that darkness.
Joy is a choice, and it’s a gift we can give ourselves and others.
What will you do today to find joy in your writing and share it with the world?
* * * * * *
About Lisa
Lisa Norman's passion has been writing since she could hold a pencil. While that is a cliché, she is unique in that her first novel was written on gum wrappers. As a young woman, she learned to program and discovered she has a talent for helping people and computers learn to work together and play nice. When she's not playing with her daughter, writing, or designing for the web, she can be found wandering the local beaches.
Lisa writes as Deleyna Marr and is the owner of Deleyna's Dynamic Designs, a web development company focused on helping writers, and Heart Ally Books, LLC, an indie publishing firm.
Interested in learning more from Lisa? Sign up for her newsletter or check out her school, No Stress Writing Academy, where she teaches social media, organization, technical skills, and marketing for authors!
Top image by Betty Powell.
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37 comments on “Joy to the World: Finding and Sharing Joy as a Writer”
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Lisa,
Thank you for the gentle reminder of joy. I am one of those individuals who seems particularly susceptible to negativity and avoid others who burden me with that feeling. Although I recognize the burden lies in me - others I perceive to be negative influences are surely innocent and unintended in causing me 'yuk'. But I steer clear as much as possible. Hence I have had great difficulty in 'finding my people,' until I realize and rejoice ...
... that 'Writers in the Storm' is my people; 'Writers Helping Writers' is my people; 'Lawson's Writer Academy' is my people ... and so many more.
'You' are my people and it brings me joy to write among you, learn from you, and share the joy.
Thank you.
That's wonderful, Jennifer! You've chosen some great creative people to encourage you!
I love this post, Lisa--a needed reminder and tonic for the current environment. I'm sharing in my newsletter for authors, thanks!
And your mother's painting is indeed lovely. <3 I'm so sorry for your loss of her, and her loss of so much time dedicated to her creativity.
Thanks, Tiffany. That one is one of my favorites.
Such an important reminder! We spend so much time inside our own heads, we can get "lost." I have been there. And when I go to the negative side my creativity dims. Sometimes choosing to step away from the people who feed that negativity can be difficult. And finding joy in marketing? Oomph. That was tough. (I'm getting there.) When I realized that choosing joy re-invigorates me and my creativity looking for and finding the joy got a lot easier. Thanks for such a kind and loving post, Lisa.
Thanks, Lynette. This was the post I needed. So much negativity in my tech world right now!
Lisa, this post is just what I needed today. I will spread the joy by sharing it.
What I ought to be better with is setting boundaries. I have much to ponder.
Great post!
Boundaries are hard! But we need them or there will be nothing left for those who love.
Your mother's painting is fantastic.
Good advice to find what you love doing and do that. All parts of marketing aren't dire, so find what you enjoy and do that.
Exactly! I see so many people's marketing and when I see someone having fun, it is such a delight.
As an empath, I pick up vibrations from people, objects, from Earth itself all the time. Troubling times, angry times, so I had to work to remove the toxicity that was in my life and still put up a mirror shield/bubble when I go out or when communicating online so that those feelings/vibrations get reflected back, instead of sinking into me. I'm talking to the universe constantly, telling it to fix things--letting go, which allows me to focus on my joy. I much prefer living in joy and sharing it than living in toxicity. 🙂
I love, love, LOVE the painting!!! Gorgeous.
One of the daily practices I've been learning is to turn everything over to God, which can sound trite, but as an active process, it is a releasing and saying "this is not mine to carry." Because I often try to carry more than needed.
I was dealing with tech stress recently and angsting over all of the work, decisions, etc. And my friend said, "Just remember: you didn't cause this. It isn't your fault." And THAT helped a ton.
Thank you, Lisa.
I didn't know your personal counsel to me was gonna go public, but hey, if it helps others...
[wink]
Yes, your mom had serious talent.
Yes, writers like me need to limit their exposure to the negative.
...on the flip side, I'm grateful (see that there?)...for the slivers of darkness that fuel me when those 'Mahan' moments have to come to life.
Be grateful for everything.
Thank you for always being MY positive influence. =)
Ha, Jaime! I think that is something we ALL need to hear these days. And true! We *can* use the darkness to empower our villains! Nice twist!
Hi Lisa,
This is a great reminder of what I know to be true, but need to hear again and again. It resonates with a book I am currently reading called Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy. And it’s the reason I am not reading, watching or listening to the news right now. Staying positive! My word for the year is BELIEVE.
Fantastic, word, Maggie! And thanks for the book recommendation!
Thank you for this wonderful reminder. I was a hard-charging businesswoman chasing happiness. I would not have admitted that I put God first-and-a-half (after me, of course), but it was true. After I survived breaking my neck in a plane crash, then later broke my neck again in a 60-foot fall, I wondered what my purpose was. I delved into discovering God's nature. My faith blossomed. I learned to trust God's will over mine. I found something far better than fleeting happiness- sustainable joy. I found joy when I centered my life in Christ. My personal mission is to share the joy of Jesus, which I find everywhere, in other believers. I write their faith stories. Joy is ours for the taking and ours for the sharing! Blessings, Kristy
Kristy, I hear you, and I recognize that feeling! May you spread a ton of joy!
"Joy is a choice, and it’s a gift we can give ourselves and others." Well said. We have so much to be grateful for.
We do, Kay! The overwhelm in our world can mask that. May you have a joyous day!
I write much better when I focus on the brighter emotions -- joy, fun, gratitude, happiness. That's just the way it is for me. The darker emotions -- anxiety, fear, grief, anger -- just stop my creativity in its tracks.
I adore that you used your mama's painting for your featured image! I love it. She was super talented.
I took those paintings to her funeral. Most of her friends never knew she painted. One artist I spoke with said that it was so sad because she had a real talent.
How wonderful that you "outed" her talent. They were probably so thrilled to know she had that talent, alongside being sad that she never shared it.
It felt like something people should see.
Thanks, Lisa, for the reminder.
I KNOW it: the final volume in my mainstream trilogy is sitting mostly still in my head, but it ends in joy, and things being right, after a fraught journey that might have gone other ways.
That is the reason I have to finish it, though it seems that everything in life conspires to get in the way of me using some of my tiny allotment of energy for myself and my writing. So many things need doing, and I can help in so few of them, that I do ones for which I'm the best person - and it steals from doing the one for which I am the ONLY person.
Mother was a painter, too, and was working on developing her gift and her vision when dementia took so much from her. Her five daughters have her many paintings, but she was just getting started.
You've seen it, Alicia. And you're right: you're the only person who can write that joyful story. If you had to go to the doctor today, could you fit that into your schedule? If you could, give yourself permission to schedule time for your story. You are worth it!
You know, when I first saw the image, I thought it was a photograph. I'm so sorry your mother is no longer with us, but I'm glad she had a time that she could be creative. Thank you for sharing her story, and I will take it to heart.
Thank you, Andrea. May your creative journey be long and delightful.
Thanks for the reminder.
And thank you for reading these!
Thanks for this reminder, Lisa. It’s easy for negativity to creep in and take over one’s focus. I find practicing gratitude helpful.
Your mom had talent. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Thank you, Cynthia. I think that if her story can encourage other creatives to dive in, it will be wonderful.
Thank you for being you. You're one of those people who practice what they preach, and you do a great job of teaching by example. I've seen you in action with all the points you've laid out in this article.
Oh, and I think your mother's painting is beautiful.
Thanks, Elise! You know how complicated my relationship was with her, but I've come to see the woman she could have been and I'm even starting to be comfortable looking in the mirror and seeing her!
Joy, that's one of my favorite words but I do forget to lean into it at times. It was also one that I had to tuck away and only pull out with those who appreciated it. Sigh, outside influences and energies. They'll get you if you are't careful! Thank you for this reminder. 🤗
I love that painting and at first glance it looked like a photo (I had to scroll back up and take another look when you said it was a painting! 😳 What an excellent example to use.
Definitely keep it in your secret toolbox, Ami. Because yes, some people do NOT get it. Mom had a real talent. And even more interesting was the emotions she could get into the painting. Not necessarily visible to those who didn't know her. That one, for example, is nostalgia and thinking of happier times.