We’ve all been there. The endless clip of the keyboard. The nagging cramp in your hand. The persistent gnawing silence of literary productivity. For all writers there can come a time when it feels impossible to continue. When each additional line of dialogue takes days to write. When you just want to scrap everything and type ‘The End’ and be done with it all––emotional resolution be damned! It’s not “writers block” (a creative problem), but something worse. No, this is what we call “writer’s burnout.”
Writer’s Burnout, like any other burnout, can occur after any prolonged effort toward a single project or goal. Hacking your way through a 100,000 word novel by chipping away 500 words at a time can seem like an endless journey. Here are our tips for making it through that journey, and our suggestions for how to avoid the feeling altogether.
1. SET GOALS AND DEADLINES
Change things up. Depending on how you work best, whether it be a time goal or a word count goal, flip the script on how you plan to get it done. If you usually work toward a certain word count over the span of 2 hours, cut the time in half. How much can you get done in 1 hour? in 30 minutes? 15? Changing the parameters of your writing schedule forces your mind into new (and hopefully creative) territory that will spark new revelations and thoughts.
2. CROSS TRAIN WITH OTHER WRITING PROJECTS
Take heed––this does not mean “launch yourself into starting a new story/novel/screenplay/sonnet” etc. Instead, we recommend finding other writing outlets beyond your chosen genre to exercise your writing skills. If you primarily write fiction, take a stab at some non-fiction blogging or copywriting. If you’re primarily a journalist, explore writing some prose or poetry. Give your mind a break and let your creativity take flight by approaching the art of writing from a new perspective. Give yourself at least a day but we recommend no more than a week. Chances are, you’ll feel the effects sooner than you expect.
3. FIND A NEW (TEMPORARY) CREATIVE HOBBY
What do you like to do outside of writing? Typically, we find that some of our most creative writers have skills in other areas. Are you a musician? A painter? A photographer? Do you think you could become one if given the chance? Take a couple days and explore other methods for creating harmony and discovering how to describe the world. You’ll be astonished at what you learn.
4. TAKE A BREAK AND READ
Ah yes, reading. The elixir of any burned out writer. Sometimes the best cure for not wanting to write anymore is not to write anymore. At least temporarily. As has been said by many of the greats, writing is a muscle, and any muscle that is not exercised will wither away. Keep your literary skills sharp by taking a break to read some of the well-written work within your area. Substitute the hours that you would normally dedicate to writing to reading the same amount each day. Before long you’ll find yourself awash in words that you can’t wait to get out and your writing will be all the better for it.
How do you avoid burnout? What do you do to stay fresh? We want to know! Email contact@thewriterproject.com
The Writer Project is an arts and literature program dedicated to mentoring future authors and developing literary talent. We work with writers one-on-one to craft compelling narratives, see projects through to completion, enhance writing & communication skills, and submit polished work for publication. Have a story to tell? Get in touch for a free consultation.