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!