Craft over catharsis or catharsis over craft.

I read this article by "Games Mode On", on Vocal.

Sorry to (SIOL) say it out loud - but this is kind of how I find it on Vocal and the world in general right now.

GMO (Games Mode ON) says: Gaming used to feel effortless. You turned on a console or PC, loaded a game, and lost track of time without thinking about metas, rankings, or performance. It was about curiosity, challenge, and fun. Somewhere along the way, that feeling started to fade for many players. Today, gaming often feels louder, faster, and more demanding than ever. Streaming, esports, and modern game design didn’t destroy gaming—but they fundamentally changed how it feels to play.

Now let's insert Vocal - for - Gaming.

Writing on Vocal used to feel effortless. You turned on a console or PC, or whatever - made yourself comfortable, started to write - and lost track of time without thinking about subterfuge, rankings, or performance. It was about curiosity, challenge, and fun. Yes...we did hope for a few bucks along the way, if we are to keep it honest. BUT...Somewhere along that highway, that feeling started to fade for many writers. Today, enjoyment of the craft often feels louder, faster, and more demanding than ever. Changes in the methods for lifting our spirits and encouraging joy over gain made people less gregarious, less fun and unquestionably more grumpy - sadly, this has fundamentally changed how it feels to play this writing game.

The Challenge of "Craft over Catharsis" comes is very handy.

Craft over catharsis contrasts two different impulses in creative work:

🎨 Craft

Refers to:

• Skill, technique, and intentional structure

• Revision, discipline, and precision

• Making choices that serve the work, not just the creator’s emotions

Craft is about shaping something so it stands on its own - coherent, resonant, and communicative.

💧 Catharsis - That which writers crave...

Refers to:

• Emotional release

• Pouring out unfiltered feelings.

• Creating primarily to express or purge emotion

Catharsis is invaluable to creators, it’s inward-facing...but it helps us feel...and though not necessarily meant to target the audience...Every creator here hopes to attract a sizeable reader base and build lasting friendships.

⚖️ So “craft over catharsis” may mean...

Prioritizing intentional artistry over raw emotional outpouring.

It suggests that:

• Emotion alone doesn’t make a work strong

• The artist’s job is to transform feeling into form

• The work should be shaped, not spilled

• The audience’s experience matters as much as the creator’s release

In other words:

Don’t just feel - build.

Don’t just release - refine.

Let emotion fuel the work, but let craft give it meaning.

~~~~~

Listen to the voices of dissent. They matter in this place where we come to find relaxation, fun and enjoyment.

Life needs to feel effortless. Or as effortless as our lifestyles will allow us to feel.

GMO asks an important question...when was the last time you wrote a story and forgot about everything else?