It's been no secret - if you're a regular follower of my blog - that I haven't been blogging as regularly as I'd originally set myself up for. Especially the last two weeks. I've had a lot of stuff going on that made it so I didn't want to be online. I'm still having issues, and those issues are preventing me from enjoying what I love most (outside of Himself and Reidar, of course)...my writing.
My writing has suffered as depression, stress, and broken promises have taken their toll on me. But lately I've felt a need to be writing again that not even my very real issues with my "normal" life can diminish. I'm not working on anything new right now but I'm revising my Beauty and the Beast rewrite so I can get it e-pubbed as soon as possible. I'm hoping to help ease a little bit of the financial burden by FINALLY making some kind of profit off of my scrabbles (as I've been known to call my stories).
Usually writing is a release for me. It's a way for me to escape my reality. But reality won't let me escape from it. When I can't escape, writing becomes a burden instead of a blessing. It's finally becoming a blessing again as I've been able to slip into my imagination and lose myself in a world of my own creation. Life generally comes crashing back in but I'm able to evade it for a little while.
Not writing has given me plenty of free time, so I've been reading a lot more. Mostly just old favorites, but I've dabbled in making the acquaintance of a few new books as well. I finally finished the Hunger Games trilogy. It rekindled my desire to write in my dystopian world but that project is on hold until I finish my faerie tale rewrites. Those are what I'm focused on right now. Those and fixing the world building issues with Aleran.
I discovered that my break from writing gave me what I needed to carry on with my plans. I came to realize that sometimes I just need to walk away from the writing. Take a break. Read. Crochet. Play Sims 3. Do SOMETHING other than write, in order to be able to look at my projects with a fresh, new set of eyes.
What do you do when you feel writer burn out?
The same thing, I walk away from it. Beating myself up over not writing is a fruitless endeavor. Of all the things I can do to get my inspiration back, however, I think reading tops the list.
ReplyDeleteWriting surely makes us all happy!! That is the reason we all are here!! that is the reason blog-o-sphere is flourishing!!
ReplyDeleteHope you make more and more time!! Happy to that you are coming back to write a lot!!
with warm regards
Another Author
I also just had a bout of not writing. I had this idea...but I couldn't make anything come of it. So I gave up.
ReplyDeleteThen I began listening to Stephen King's "on Writing" again in the car. Something about that always leads me in the direction I need to go. Now, not only do I have a direction for my idea, but also a new blog! A lot of writing is happening around me.
In fact, the words On Writing in your title got my attention!
~Ivy
http://visionsoftlycreeping.blogspot.com/
AND NOW... :)
http://ivygrowsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/
Unfortunately, I don't get enough time to write to suffer burnout, but I certainly understand being burned out on many other things, including editing. Like you, my solution is to take a break from whatever I'm burned out on. I hope the reprieve lasts for you and writing is something you enjoy again!
ReplyDeleteTina @ Life is Good
and I are joining forces in another challenge. We're going to visit and comment at each of the participants, starting with the reflections post. We hope you'll join us!
Shannon @ The Warrior Muse