I have no demons to exorcise, no guilt to assuage, no suppressed sentiments beating at my heart’s door. This is not catharsis. It is not a cure. It is a freeing of self.
This post was written in response to the Trifecta Writing Challenge Trifextra prompt:
“I feel I’m able to get rid of any demons lurking in my psyche through my writing, which leaves me free to create all of this and to enjoy our family life, stepping away from all the fictional traumas and the dramas. If I write about family in crisis, then I won’t have to live through it, I guess.”
– Jodi Picoult
This weekend we’re asking for 33 of your own words that exorcise a demon. One of your own, or one from your imagination. Let it bleed on the page.
This weekend’s challenge is community-judged! Starting Sunday at 4:00 PM Pacific (US) / 7:00 PM Eastern (US), you can go to the Trifecta Writing Challenge page to vote for me or other deserving writers – as many as three. But as long as you’re here, why don’t you think about trying your hand at Trifecta yourself? Come on, anyone can write 33 words…
Also, if you missed it, I snuck another Jade Dragon installment in on Friday night: Anchor Station 12. Or, you can jump straight to the beginning of the series, if you haven’t read it before.
Christine Hanolsy 
“I have no demons to exorcise, no guilt to assuage, no suppressed sentiments beating at my heart’s door. ” Isn’t it wonderful? Good for you. I wish everyone could obtain that feeling of inner peace. It truly is priceless.
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Well then, you ruin my theory that all great writers are nuts. 🙂
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These 33 words sound like they’re from a voice of wisdom. It’s wonderful how you know you want to use writing as a vehicle for just telling good stories. Nicely done!
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I didn’t really realize it until we got this prompt!
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Lovely. Neat piece.
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This is fabulous! I love your take on the prompt.
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blest art thou – with no demons to pursue thee
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Boo to those inner demons-they found their match in u:-)Glad to know someone who is free of these struggles-more power to you!Well said!
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It occurs to me that I ought to clarify: it’s not that I don’t have demons at all. It’s just that I don’t use my writing to exorcise them. 🙂
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Lol!Relieved to know that Christine;-)I won’t even know how to exorcise my demons with my banal writing,ha!ha!So enjoying interacting with all great writers here on Trifecta:-)
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Yay! How refreshing! 😀
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I’ve been striving for what you have! No demons inside!
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ah to be that free..to have nothing stored up in your heart or mind.
I wonder what it would feel like…
but yes, I liked this. I learned a long time ago that guilt is a wasted emotion, but the others..well they reside.
great words. 🙂
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I think I was responding to the quote more than to the prompt itself. It’s not that those things aren’t there; it’s just that I don’t use writing as that kind of outlet. The older I get, the less I focus on angst and introspection and the more I concentrate on trying to tell good stories. (Not that one couldn’t do both, of course.) Does that make sense?
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I wish I felt that freedom of self 🙂
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I like this! (:
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I was tempted to take it literally – I am a fantasy girl at heart, of course. But I opted to respond to the quote, which wasn’t exactly what the editors asked for, but still.
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. You must be in a very good place. Nice way to have expressed this.
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I am, at least as far as writing is concerned!
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I wish I could say the same.
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I’m a lucky girl, I admit it. I’m in a very good place in my life, and that lets me think about creating stories without getting anxious.
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You have an eloquent brilliance with these prompts that I wish I could possess some day.
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Loved it!
There’s a calm resoluteness in your entry!
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A good, healthy response.
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