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Burned

Do you ever feel burned out because you've put so much effort and time into your story that it's about to drive you insane? I'm currently writing my first novel, and it's closing in to the finish line. I've spent about 2,5 years on it now, writing on and off throughout the years. I stop from time to time and take a step back, write a short story to get my mind off the main hassle for a bit, then I feel invigorated and refreshed to go back again. It's like these short stories are my way to breathe, but also great ways to show myself what all I can achieve as a writer. What kind of methods do you use to retain your sanity during the process?
 

Jim Aikin

Scribe
Sometimes I'll take a break for a couple of days if I'm feeling burnt out. But for me there's a difference between needing a break and just feeling reluctance. I feel reluctance sometimes in the morning before I start writing -- but my goal is 2,000 words a day. So I sit down and start writing anyway!

If I don't know where I'm going, I will sometimes devote the day to brainstorming instead of writing. Open up my running file of notes on the project and ask myself why I'm feeling confused. Come up with six or eight ideas. That usually gets me going again.
 

Penpilot

Staff
Article Team
Sometimes I take a break. Maybe write a short story. Other times, I just embrace the pain. It's one of the ways I know I'm really trying. If I don't hate the manuscript at some point during editing, I'm probably not trying hard enough.

Though, I went over the insanity cliff ages ago, so no risk for me in that regard.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
Sanity is overrated. Just keep writing ... especially when you are feeling burned out. (is that the opposite of burned in?)
 
I do get burned out in a way but not with writing. I often fall asleep mid sentence when I'm like this. It's a reminder that taking a break of a day is a good thing if you get up and write all the more the next day.
 
Hi,

Well I'm pleased to say I've never lost my mind. There was a cue for minds and another for coffee when they were handing out these things and I had to make a hard decision! (Actually it might not have been that hard!)

Personally I do get burned out, but not writing. It's when I'm in the publishing mode. There's the weeks and months of editing - oh dear lord! - and then the formating, cover design, blurb, etc etc. And it just drives me nuts. After publishing it's at least a few days before I can do anything constructive again, and I absolutely can't even look at the book I just put out for weeks or months.

Cheers, Greg.
 

T.Allen.Smith

Staff
Moderator
I take breaks with short stories while editing. I just can't stomach that much revision without something new to work on from time to time.

I also take little vacations away from writing after a major accomplishment. Just finished a 100k draft? Take a two week break.

With the exception of those mini vacations though, I'm always working on writing in some capacity.
 
Just after reading the thread yesterday, I experienced a burn out today. I had took a break yesterday, and when I began writing today, it was difficult to get through. I knew beforehand that it was going to be a tricky part to write, and I kept second guessing everything. So I decided to just write the amount I needed to write, but forget about quality. Then after reading it, I realized it wasn't that bad, and was got excited editing it to make it better.

For me, when I'm burnt out, it's because of second guessing and feeling unhappy with what I'm doing. So sometimes I just need to find the joy in it again. I don't really know how to find the joy sometimes, but I think that's a step in the direction.
 
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