On Writer Burn Out

When it comes to being an writer, it can be easy to burn out. I mean, come on. It's not easy being a demonic overlord 24/7, especially with all those other people who don't know our secret occupation. Or maybe you're a nicer author, but I'd guess you still don't have constant inspiration. Anyways, I think it's safe to say that we, as authors, sometimes get tired of writing and give up.

I've had experience with this. After the 2014 NaNoWriMo, the second one I'd done, I really did get sick of writing. While it exited me to get words on a page, I just couldn't bring myself to actually sit down and work on my story. It was....a frustrating experience to say the least. I wanted to write because writing brings me joy, but I couldn't. The words wouldn't flow, and I think it was actually just a case of burn out. I've just recently started writing again, and though it's going slow, it's really fun again, and I realize how much I missed this creative outlet.

This is different than writer's block, because it's not so much a lack of ideas. It's more a matter of not finding the joy in this activity that once brought so much light to my life. In my opinion, it's personally harder and more damaging to my writing than anything besides perfectionism (which I may talk about some other time...).

I don't know what to do once it happens, but I think there are ways to forestall this terrible event of burnout. For one, we should know ourselves and when we're getting close to burning out versus when we've just hit a roadblock in our writing. If it's the latter, it might not be a bad idea to keep on plugging, because that's the only way to get over the block for now. Trust the editing process that happens in later drafts and push on.

However, in the former instance, I think a break may be in order, whether it be for a short or long while. At that point, it's important to step back for a little while to regain energy, or we're going to keep plunging down that road to burn out. I've personally found Pinterest and YouTube to be helpful for breaks, because more often than not they will ignite in me new inspiration and a boatload of ideas I'm excited about.

This period of a little over two years wasn't all bad. I took this time to develop further in art and music. Where I had spent all of my free time writing, I now drew often, played violin, and dabbled with my guitar. I also grew in friendships, learning to socialize more (while never becoming "normal").

So the main impractical point and what I think I'm trying to say is there are going to be ups and downs during the writing process. Our job as writers is to know when we need to step away and when to keep pushing through. This may, in my opinion, be the difference between completion of a WIP and abandonment, because I've found that oftentimes, a long break at the wrong time stops any momentum I have. These are just a few things for consideration, and just because I experienced them one way doesn't mean it's going to be the same for you!

I'd like to hear from all of you now. Have you experienced burnout? How have you handled it? And any other thoughts!

Valentine's Day!

Good morning, and Happy Valentine's Day! I'm single today and plan to be tomorrow and the next day, but who's to say I can't celebrate Valentine's Day in a relationship with chocolate and red? Also, one of my friends' birthdays is today, so I still have reason to call it a special day. I will be participating in this day, though as a friend instead of a lover.

In light of that I'll be bringing in Prince Terence and Ryou, a young magician. Rough start aside, the two have become fast friends, though not in any romantic sense. I thought I'd use them to reflect some of the things Valentine's Day means to me. Because I'm a lazy individual, I stole a questionnaire from Cait at PaperFury and Sky at Further up and Further In for their Beautiful People series.

And now, for the questions...
How and why did they meet?

Terence's older brother was worried about his apparent lack of friends, so he put out a job offer for one of the nation's magical academy's first year representatives. Ryou happened to be the previous year's junior champion, so he was first in line eligibility-wise. He had no other interesting options, so he accepted, thinking it would be a practical job like service or protection. Instead, he found that the job was for friendship. In short, Ryou was hired to be Terence's friend.

What were their first impressions of each other?
Ahm...I'll just say it wasn't great. Ryou hasn't ever had a great opinion of royals, and Terence was still pretty angry at the fact that his brother hired someone for friendship purposes. It was mostly a chilly meeting, with both boys rather disliking the new acquaintances.

How would they prove their love for each other?
They just try to be around for each other all the time. They'd stand with each other through anything, even while pointing out where the other is going wrong. Also, forgiveness is key in any relationship, and theirs is no exception.

What would be an ideal date?
They're not dating, but they do enjoy hanging out together. Any location away from the palace is preferred, and they don't mind simply passing the time in each other's company.

Is there something they emphatically disagree on?
They tend to disagree on the uselessness of royalty... Ryou insists that nobles hardly do anything for themselves and make things worse when they try. Terence argues they fight in their own way. Although it can turn into a lengthy discussion at times, ever since they've become friends, the topic has not threatened to come between them.

List 5 “food quirks” they know about each other. (Ex: how they take their coffee, if they’re allergic to something, etc….and feel free to mention other non-food quirks!)

1. Terence knows Ryou doesn't like sweet things.
2. Ryou understands that the rich food in the palace doesn't always sit well with his prince.
3. Terence could tell you Ryou doesn't like sitting down for meals - on-the-go wastes less time.
4. Ryou has to drag Terence from the sweets table at any sort of party.
5. They both know the other one prefers to eat in the company of friends.

What’s one thing they know about each other that no one else does?
Terence knows about the conditions of Ryou's past. He's Ryou's only confidant in such matters and honors this highly.

Ryou knows that Terence has gone to the dark arts one time. He's never told a soul to protect the prince's honor, even though the circumstances surrounding that even made the secret hard to keep.

What’s one thing that they keep a secret from each other?
Ryou never told anyone the secret hidden behind using his true powers. That's his burden to bear, and he's determined to do it alone.

Terence hasn't told Ryou the secrets of his family's line, and Ryou hasn't cared enough to find out.

How would their lives be different without each other?
In brief terms, Terence would still be a bratty prince, and Ryou would be a friendless prodigy. Ryou has given Terence an excuse to be gentle sometimes, and Terence revived the light in his friend's eyes. Their personalities aren't particularly similar, and they compliment each other well.

Where do they each see this relationship going?
Now that's a hard question in dealing with Ryou...They see this friendship continuing until his death in the near future.

Hello and Welcome!

Hello, everyone!

This is exciting. I haven't blogged in quite a while and thought I'd try again. I figured I should restart from scratch because my old blog isn't really me anymore, so here we are.

I'm not sure how much time I'll have for blogging and maintaining this site, but I hope this one will survive at least for a couple of years. I'd like to set low goals for now, probably about once a month, so we'll see how that goes. Eventually, I see this blog at weekly posts, but at the moment, I really don't have time.

Anyways, over the next couple days I'll be getting the formatting all squared away. I hope you enjoy what is to come in the near future!

Signing off for now.