Burnout

[ThisAdamGuy]

Me was am the good write for two months. Much much writing with the lots words and happy brain juice. Now brain does the snail and angry time when the clicky board and fingers no writing does. All words am butt. Halp? What do.

 

[Jerynboe]

Two options. I don’t know which is appropriate.
1. Stop writing for a bit. Chill. Relax. Set a date to start writing again.
2. Write every day for at least a few minutes. If it sucks, don’t worry about it. Just write and come back to edit.

 

[Placeholder]

Get long walks in

 

[ThisAdamGuy]

Get long walks in

But it's hot out there :(

 

[Golden_Hyde]

It happens. Just go with your usual stuff, like playing games.

 

[RainyLiquid]

Me was am the good write for two months. Much much writing with the lots words and happy brain juice. Now brain does the snail and angry time when the clicky board and fingers no writing does. All words am butt. Halp? What do.

When suffering through burn out you should cool off with something ice cold to help the burns.

 

[Senx1l]

Me was am the good write for two months. Much much writing with the lots words and happy brain juice. Now brain does the snail and angry time when the clicky board and fingers no writing does. All words am butt. Halp? What do.

Do your other hobbies and only write if you feel up to it. Just take it easy.

 

[JayMark]

You don't get to only write when your inspired. You don't get to quit. You don't get to walk away. You don't get to run from the haters when they come to tear off your stupid face. You will write in the snippets of free time at work. You will write at home. You will skip meals. You'll forget the gym. You'll have no social life. Free time? What the hell even is that? You got writing to do! Because you're a writer. You know you're a writer. It's ingrained in your soul. You'd do it for free. You'd do it for an audience of one. Because there is no burnout. There is no excuse. You must write as sure as you breathe. You will die with keyboard under your fingers or you never fucking lived.

 

[LiteraryWho]

...
2. Write every day for at least a few minutes. If it sucks, don’t worry about it. Just write and come back to edit.

This is the way, imo. I've been writing daily for 2814 days, and I have three novels to show for it (and I love them all dearly, even). Most of those days haven't been on any particular project, but none of them have been wasted (even the ones where I'm just writing crap about how I have nothing to write about), because each of them is one more layer of habit to keep me going when things get tough.

 

[LewdWhisperer]

Write little bits, slowly. Do nothing but enjoy yourself for a while. Contemplate life. Reach out to someone, or even something, you haven't seen in a long time. Read a book (non-fiction). I'd recommend Meditations by Aurelius or Discourses by Epictetus. Start jogging. Take a day to break out your frustrations, rage and scream, then do nothing the next day.

Then begin again.

 

[Alfir]

eat stuff

 

[WhaleSprite]

I usually take small break and do something else. Like read book or watch a show I like. Sometimes I draw and that gets the juices going. Sometimes just a change in environment can help, too. Though, my breaks aren't long enough to break up my usual updates. But if you're on a schedule, you can try going somewhere else to write, or treat yourself to food you like.

 

[Fox-Trot-9]

1. Change up your writing location, or
2. Change up your writing time, or
3. Change up the story you're writing, or
4. Change up the genre you're writing (ie: start a different story), or
5. Change up your routine with something different.

Whatever you choose, whether some of them or one of them or a lot of them or all of them, you need to change something to put that sense of novelty and wonder into your novelty-starved brain.

 

[Valeforge]

I'm still a novice (haven't yet published my first novel. Want to get a decent chunk done before I start posting) however...

step 1: Eat some ice cream or froyo or whatever cold treat you like. I'm personally partial to frozen fruit mash.
Step 2: Take a step back and do a hobby. I learned to throw playing cards. This gives your brain something else to focus on with solid, tangible results.
Step 3: free write. This means don't worry about editing. Don't worry about flow. Don't worry about thinking how when or if you'll publish it. Open a new word document and just type - Or, preferably, use pen and paper. This forces your brain to slow down to your hands more than typing does. the purpose of this is to simply put words on paper. This is also MUCH more useful for writer's block, but it helps keep the habit of daily writing that you've already developed, but without the structure and lock-in that can cause burnout. If you happen to come up with some cool new idea for your novel, write it separately, then keep going.

Seriously, try this for a week or so. That's what helps me and a lot of my friends in my local writer's group.

 

[Yuin]

Just take a break for a year and come back. No one is chasing you to get your work and stop chasing for validation. Do things on your own pace and entertain yourself thru other means and not solely on writing.

You can always make an alt account and write trash stories to relieve stress or start exploring other genres.

 

[ThisAdamGuy]

You don't get to only write when your inspired. You don't get to quit. You don't get to walk away. You don't get to run from the haters when they come to tear off your stupid face. You will write in the snippets of free time at work. You will write at home. You will skip meals. You'll forget the gym. You'll have no social life. Free time? What the hell even is that? You got writing to do! Because you're a writer. You know you're a writer. It's ingrained in your soul. You'd do it for free. You'd do it for an audience of one. Because there is no burnout. There is no excuse. You must write as sure as you breathe. You will die with keyboard under your fingers or you never fucking lived.

I came here for help and all you're doing is telling me what I already know

 

[LeilaniOtter]

You breathe deep. Clear mind. Read good words already write. Read slow. Breathe deep while read. Sometime help me. ?

 

[JayMark]

I came here for help and all you're doing is telling me what I already know

You're welcome!

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Burnout is natural. Take a small break to relax and figure out what is blocking you from writing. Then get back to it.

 

[HisDivineShadow]

Alcohol. Sex. Hardcore training. Microdosing. Hiking. Write whatever. Write fragments. Drop it all and go out . New story. Your choice. Just don’t smoke the leaves. It dull your mind.
I'm serious
But…
Your call just stick to what’s legal where you live.