Schadenfreude

Schadenfruede, however you spell it, is an interesting concept. Taking pleasure in the misfortune of others. Last Sunday I saw Avenue Q, a wonderfully twisted musical, beautifully done and very creatively staged. The numbers included "Everyone's a little bit racist" and one that was something like "It's OK if you're gay," sung to a puppet named Rod, who is a closeted gay Republican. Another number, Shadenfruede, focused on the evil pleasure of looking at others' miseries and thinking, 'hey, my life isn't so bad....'

I feel a touch of that, at times, if I hear about a writer who is mired in writer's block--especially if that writer is more successful than me. It really comes up around book writing; despite what I say in my writing classes, I feel (when it comes to myself at least) that real writers write--and publish--books and therefore, I still have yet to arrive.

When I get into my competitive writer's head, and my inner critic is whispering into my inner ear, or shouting at full volumne, I drop headlong into another dark emotion--jealousy.

Still, I try to keep focused on doing my own work rather than worrying about what others are doing. Which is fine, as long as I don't hang out with too many successful writers....