I don’t know what I think until I write it.

WRITING is a solitary occupation and one of its hazards is loneliness. But the advantage to loneliness is privacy, autonomy, and freedom.

When we write about loss—a traumatic event, aging, a medical crisis, or death, it takes us away from our problems by cultivating a quality of absorption. We use thoughtful examination to force an awareness of ourselves, our relationship to others, and our place in the world.

Writing about loss digs deep, takes risks, but brings a greater range and depth to our artistic expression. A deep immersion into our work has a quiet and calming effect—our heart rate slows, our immune system strengthens, and we feel a general sense of wellness. By confronting our most difficult memories and translating them into a cohesive form of narrative—we begin to heal.

Terry Ratner is an American writer, editor, creative writing instructor, and registered nurse. Writing has always served a purpose in her life, but it wasn’t until her son died in a motorcycle accident, in 1999, that she began to publish her work. Recipient of Southwestern Writer’s Award, Soul-Making Literary Competition, and most recently, Grand Prize Winner of SFWC 2023. She is currently working on Paper Coffins, a memoir dealing with issues of family and identity. Paper Coffins follows a nuclear family’s implosion and the writer who emerges from the wreckage.

Click here to read my winning story.

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