How To Deal With Writing Burnout
I think there comes a point in many writers’ professional lives when you feel like you don’t have another decent word in you to write. If you’re not careful you can reach a point where you feel like you can’t write anymore. Many writers who reach this point do put down their ink pen and walk away from writing forever.
If you’ve been there, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Sleepless nights. Confused brain. Wordless books. The evil blinking cursor on a blank page. It’s horrifying for a writer to reach this point.
There are ways you can deal with writing burnout when it happens to you. If you’ve reached that place of writing void, try some of these tips and see if they help you.
Take a step back. I’m going to say that most of writing burnout can be handled simply by taking a step back for a bit. Most of the time, when you begin to feel burned out by writing, it’s because you’ve totally emptied yourself of every worthwhile thought. You’ve probably burned the candle at both ends, so to speak, and are now dealing with an emptied writer’s well. Just take a step back for a day, a week, or even a month. Step away from writing and enjoy life again.
Refill your well. I’ve said this a hundred times, but I’ll say it again. Like my favorite writing author, Julia Cameron advises, it’s important for every artist to refill your well. This isn’t an option. It’s a necessity. It’s like breathing, or eating, or sleeping. You must refill your well. Every time you write something, imagine yourself pouring buckets of water from within yourself. When was the last time you replaced any of that? If your answer is never, then you’ve probably just pinpointed your problem. Get out and refill your well. Drink in from the waters of life. You’ll find new inspiration and ideas when you do.
Join a writing group. A lot of writers think joining a writing group only means giving and receiving critiques on pieces. Not true. There are many writing groups who enjoy meeting and gabbing about the writing life. Sometimes it’s good to just talk about your block, or why you can’t write. You’ll often find that you’re not the only writer struggling with this. And even better, you’ll probably find an accountability partner who will help keep you on track when you need it.
If you’re suffering from writing burnout, the one most important piece of advice I want to give you is that it’s okay to not write for a while. Just because you take a break from writing, that doesn’t mean you’ll never write again.
When you get sick, you see the doctor or take over the counter medicine to heal yourself. So when your writing soul is sick, why not take special care of that, too?
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My Latest Hub Pages
I thought I’d post a quick list of some of my latest Hub Pages. (FYI: If you haven’t already noticed, I keep a running list of them in the sidebar.)
- Warning Signs Of Childhood Depression
- Stop Stress Dead in its Tracks
- Some Signs of Poor Self-Esteem
- A Quick Guide to Meditation in the Workplace
- Ways Stress Hurts You
- Ways to Spend More Quality Time With Your Family
- Blog About Your Weight Loss
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Things Change
Sorry I’ve been MIA for a bit! I’ve been doing a lot of re-prioritizing and figuring out where to go and what to do. Plus I’ve been busy with personal stuff, so all of this left little time for blogging here.
I’ve made a huge, life-altering decision for myself in the last few days. It is something that is going to be wonderful and exciting, but I don’t want to share it here just yet. It won’t affect my writing, but I will have to say good-bye to some things I’ve been doing to make time for this.
If you’re scratching your head and wondering what in the world I could be talking about…well, you know what they say about curiosity!
For now, I want to leave you with this thought: If there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, DO IT NOW! Don’t wait. Don’t put it off. You might not have another tomorrow. So go for your dreams TODAY!
(I’m sure I’ll share more later, but for now that’s it.)
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Win A Book
My bosom buddy is hosting a contest on her blog right now. She’s giving away a copy of A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words: Image-Driven Story Prompts and Exercises for Writers. If she weren’t my bestest friend in the whole wide world, and if she hadn’t already sent me a boat-load of writer books when she cleaned off her shelf, I would leave a comment to enter the contest, too. But that would be kinda greedy, wouldn’t it? 
**Updated**I can’t believe I forgot to add the link! *smacks forehead* You still have time to get your name in the hat. Click on the link above to enter Angela’s contest.
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Embrace Who You Are (TWS - Part 4)
Note from Hope: Sorry…I forgot to post this final article in this series Friday. Things have been wild around here lately!
In the final installment of this four-part series, I want to talk with you about embracing who you are–as a person and as a writer. Some writers find it difficult to be in their own skin. Others who have totally embraced their calling as a writer share their ideas and work with anyone and everyone who will listen.
So how do you embrace who you are when sometimes you aren’t even sure who you are or what you’re doing? Try some of these tips that many other writers have used:
Follow Your Heart.
I’ve heard plenty of writers say that you can’t expect to be able to follow your heart with writing. They’ve also tried to tell inexperienced writers that they should expect to put in their time and be willing to write things they don’t necessarily like or enjoy.
I do agree with this, but only to a certain extent. While I do believe that you need to devote time to learn and hone your craft, I don’t believe you must sacrifice your heart’s song to make writing work for you.
Even if you must devote a certain amount of time and energy to writing things that bring the income, learn, practice, and follow your heart.
Write, Write, Write.
There are way too many writers who quit when the going gets tough. If you write ten books in twenty years and still go unpublished, keep on writing. Never give up. Keep on writing, no matter what.
Nurture Your Inner Spirit.
This is something I think we’re all prey to if we’re not watchful, and that is letting ourselves go. Though you should never stop writing, it is equally important that you learn to create a balance and give back to yourself.
A few years ago a good friend sent me The Artist’s Way. One of the requirements is to go on an artist’s date once a week. During this "date" you are urged to go alone and woo your inner artist with all things lovely. Nurturing your inner spirit is enormously important, not only to your health and well-being, but to your creative energy as well.
Network With Other Writers.
I can’t stress the importance of this enough. Get together with other writers. Truly, writing is a lonely world. You need the interaction with other like-minded individuals who can provide feedback, ideas, and support.
If you aren’t quite comfortable yet being a writer, I hope you’ll learn to embrace who you are and experience the full joy of it.
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Face Your Demons (TWS - Part 3)
There are demons every writer must face. You know, those sneaky little things that discourage you and make you want to run and hide and just forget about writing altogether.
You must face these things head-on. You can’t run and you certainly can’t hide from them. Because if you are truly a writer, no matter where you go or what you do, they’ll follow you every step of the way.
For the most part I’ve conquered many of my own demons:
- Fear
- Lack of courage
- Not believing in myself
The list could go on and on. And I have a feeling if you sat down and listed every one of your demons, your list would be pretty long, too.
One thing you must know is that regardless of how hard you work to try to rid yourself of your writing demons, there will probably always be one or two that will haunt you. (If not, you’re better than me!)
I have one nasty little demon that is toying with me again. It hasn’t reared its ugly little head in a very long time. I even thought that maybe it was gone for good, but it isn’t.
To be honest with you, when it presented itself to me again, the first thing I wanted to do was delete this blog. I thought if I just delete the source of where it’s coming from, that would destroy it. But I know that isn’t true. It will just rise again from somewhere else.
This writing demon I’m referring to is one that makes me want to remove all current existence of writing in my personal name and write in a pen name. Its one that follows me and watches me day and night. It aggravates me and makes me feel like I can’t say anything personal because it could be used against me.
But you know what? I’m not going to let that writing demon win. Because the second I do, writing will never be the same for me. I shouldn’t have to run for cover and hide. I shouldn’t….and I won’t.
What writing demons do you face? Have you conquered them yet? Or do they still control you and your writing?
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Find Your Purpose (TWS - Part 2)
Read the first post in this series - Discover Your Writing Voice
Whether you are a writer or not, I think we’ve all struggled to find our purpose in life. Writers seem to have an especially difficult time, as we clamber to discover what our purpose is for writing.
Maybe you haven’t dealt with this issue, but it’s something that haunted me for many years. Just when I thought I’d found my purpose in writing, I switched gears and jumped ship.
Why do we do this to ourselves?
For me, although I knew my purpose, life brought about circumstances and changes that felt nearly unbearable. All these things did a number on me throughout a period of about 4-5 years. I reached an all-time low mentally and physically. That’s when I decided to do a 180 and leave behind what I knew to be my true purpose and calling.
As you might know from reading my blog, I’ve been experiencing a shift in my mindset again. Things that used to seem so important to me have taken a back seat to my family. How will I know if I’m making the right decisions? I won’t, unless I just go with my gut and follow after what I believe is my life’s purpose for the writing I do and am capable of doing.
The funny thing is that throughout the years when I veered off-path and did what I wanted to do and what I thought I needed to do, I was miserable almost the entire time. I didn’t hate what I did, but I certainly wasn’t enjoying the writing process.
Now that I’m returning to my roots, I feel like a weight’s been lifted from my shoulders. It just feels right. I know deep in my bones I’m doing the right thing.
Finding your purpose is, again, much like finding your voice. It’s something that comes naturally. It can’t be forced. Here are some things you can do to help you uncover what your purpose might be:
- Keep a daily journal. I’m a huge advocate of journaling, and for good reason. Writing your thoughts into a book can have a powerful effect on your life and your health. But not only does it provide a safe space to vent, a journal gives you a place to write your thoughts, plans, dreams, hopes, visions. Keeping a daily journal can help you realize what values you hold and your purpose.
- Get out and help someone. This is a valuable lesson my husband has taught me. He’s always had a giving nature. If he meets someone who is hungry and doesn’t have any money, he’ll give them the last $20 in his pocket. The first Christmas we were married, we bought clothes and toys for a large family who had just moved and didn’t have the money to buy Christmas for their young children. I will never forget the look on that Moma’s face when I started taking big, black garbage bags filled with toys and clothes out of the back of my car to give to her. Giving back to others in need will help you understand what’s important in life, and your place in life.
- Read like there’s no tomorrow. If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a hundred times: You’re no writer if you don’t read. This is very true! I’ve always devoured books. Lately I’ve been pushing myself to try different genres. I’ll check out books at the library that I ordinarily would never look at, let alone read. And you know what? I’m finding some really great reads out there! For the last several years I’ve been on a self-improvement kick and have read a ton of non-fiction books. But it’s important to read an equal mix of genres, so you don’t get stuck into any one certain mindset when you read. Keep an open mind and try something different.
- Try something new. Here’s another great tip. Do something out of the norm. If you never talk to people when you’re in public, go to Wal-Mart and strike up a conversation with three or four people. Ask about their kids, or their job. Chances are, you’ll have some interesting conversations, which of course give you writing fodder!
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Discover Your Writing Voice (TWS - Part 1)
A lot of writers struggle with finding their voice. I personally believe new writers make too big of a deal out of this. Instead of practicing the craft of writing and learning how to write well, some struggle over finding their writing voice. I speak from experience.
Many moons ago I worried about this very thing. I fretted over sounding right. In all truthfulness, I had absolutely no idea what a "writer’s voice" meant. And because I didn’t know what it meant, I worried even more over how to find my own voice.
Every writer possesses his or her own voice. It isn’t something you can necessarily create on your own. Rather, your writing voice is who you are. If you’ve ready my blog for very long, or any of my work, you have probably noticed I have a very down-to-earth, conversational voice. I tend to write like I talk.
I didn’t discover this overnight though. In fact, I’d say it took a few years for me to even understand what writing voice was, let alone understand my own writing voice.
If you haven’t discovered your writing voice yet, I am of the opinion that you shouldn’t worry about it. A lot of writers get hung up on not knowing what their writing voice is…to the point where they stop writing. Don’t do this to yourself.
If you attempt to force your voice, you’ll not only sound stuffy and weird, but your writing will begin to sound exactly like the voices you are mimicking. It’s okay to try things you like that other authors do, but don’t allow yourself to copy another writer so much that you start sounding just like him/her.
Several years ago when the Junie B. Jones series came out, I started buying them to read to my daughter. I adored Junie and couldn’t get enough of the precocious little girl’s stories. So I decided I would try my hand at writing a children’s chapter book.
I completed the first book and sent it off to a few friends for critiques. In the meantime, I developed a ton of ideas for more books with the same characters. After I received feedback, I decided to let my first book sit on the back burner for a bit while I wrote the second one.
A couple months later when I went back to the first book I’d written, I immediately realized that it just wasn’t good enough. The biggest reason was because I’d unintentionally imitated Barbara Park’s writing voice. My characters weren’t really MY characters.
The best thing for any writer to do is–you guessed it–WRITE. Practice writing what you love. Work on the craft of writing. Learn new techniques. Develop and hone your writing skills. In doing so, you’ll naturally develop your own writing voice, which is what you want to happen.
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The Writer’s Struggle
I’ve been thinking a lot about certain times in my life when I went through what seemed to be unbearable trials. Years later I can look back and see the lessons in those times. But when I was smack dab in the middle of it all, it was hard to see past my nose.
I think every writer has these moments. Moments when everything seems wrong and nothing feels right. Moments when you want to throw in the towel and quit, yet somehow you can never really seem to walk away from writing at all.
I also think some writers struggle more with these changes and lessons than others for one simple reason. Some writers learn to go with the flow and learn the easy way, while other writers try to rub against the grain, only causing themselves more pain and longer learning periods.
There are certain things a writer must go through at some point. This week I want to share some of these lessons with you, which include:
- Discover your voice
- Find your purpose
- Face your demons
- Embrace who you are
If you see something here that you haven’t been through yet, I hope I can impart some of my own wisdom to help you through your journey. If you’re experiencing one of them at this very moment, I hope you get that "AHA!" moment when everything clicks and you finally "get" it. And if you are a writer who, like me, has already made it through the hardest parts, I hope you’ll impart your own words of wisdom in the comments, as two heads are better than one.
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Writing Is Easy
All too often would-be writers talk themselves out of the pleasure and joy of writing all because they think it’s too hard. Are you rocking that same boat?
Let me tell you right now…all those people who say writing is terribly hard are lying to you. Writing isn’t hard. Writing is easy. Those who say it’s hard think so because they make it hard.
There have been times when I said the same thing, "It’s too hard. I can’t do it. I can’t write anything decent." But it was also during those times that I’d churn out quite a few pages every day, most of which was pretty decent writing.
What’s even more interesting is that during the times when I thought writing was too hard, the biggest reason why I felt that way was because I had drained myself entirely of all creative energy I possessed. I worked myself to the bone, never stopping to refill my well or replenish my creative surges.
Make Writing Fun
The simple truth is that you have to make writing fun. Even more true is that there will be days when writing isn’t fun at all. It will be hard work. But the end results and the gratification you feel at having completed the work will be well worth it all.
You can make writing fun by…
- taking frequent breaks.
- brainstorming with writer friends.
- infuse creative ideas into your writing.
- sketching a picture of your character(s).
- creating a collage of certain aspects of your work to give you a visual goal.
Writing is easy if you make it easy. Writing is difficult if you make it difficult. Make writing what you want it to be. Love writing and it will love you right back. Despise it and it will return the heartache.
Do you think writing is easy?
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