Post Writing Depression

[ecdavis]

I just finished the last book in a trilogy that I was greatly relieved to finish, but I was surprised to find I felt a bit depressed ending the series. Yes, I know I could do other stories or books with these characters, and in fact they do have 'bit roles' in other stories I'm working on. Yet 'their story' is done. It really surprised me to feel rather bummed out when I finished writing and editing the last book.

Having never written a trilogy before, I'm unsure if this is normal or have I lost my mind?

 

[rhd]

May be because it's your baby and it's sort of like sending your kid off to college to have his/her strength tested after raising it all these years. I finished a short story after four years, got the absolute perfect ending that had been staring at me in the face for the past four years and I blubbed for like ten-fifteen minutes after finishing it, because I could finally let it go.

 

[ThinkerX]

'Finished' as in 'ready to send off to a publisher'?

Or 'finished first draft' finished?

If the later, you still have a *LOT* to do. Likely entire chapters will vanish, as will characters. Minor characters assume prominence. And so on.

 

[skip.knox]

I agree with ThinkerX. I'm guessing it's the first draft that is finished. In my (admittedly limited) experience, if you aren't utterly and completely sick of the story, the characters, the setting, the plot, if you aren't repeatedly wishing eternal damnation on the whole writing profession, then you probably aren't finished yet.

 

[ecdavis]

'Finished' as in 'ready to send off to a publisher'?

Or 'finished first draft' finished?

It's completely finished, revised and proofread. I went through my 'Oh my God, I'm sick of this!' stage about midway through it, but it passed. That's what is odd; I wore myself out with it, but it is sad to put it down.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Don't know about trilogies but I go through something similar after I've finsihed a book. By the time its been written, edited and published I feel well and truly done with it. I can't even look at it again. One reason I suppose that I don't do sequals.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Penpilot]

It's an ending to something that's been part of your life for a bit of time and has made it's mark on you in many ways, some of which you probably aren't even aware of. It's natural to be a bit sad/depressed. It's an end to a part of your life.

I get a smaller dose when I finish reading a books that I know won't have a sequel or it's the end of the series. It's kind of like two friends parting knowing they won't see each other for a while, knowing that even when they do see each other again, each of them will be changed and nothing will be as it was.

 

[TheokinsJ]

Every writer feels the same way when they finish a big project, JK Rowling herself said she cried when she wrote the final pages of Harry Potter, because if the reader becomes emotionally attached to the characters, imagine how strongly attached the author who created them must be. I would say that you are well within your rights to feel upset about the ending of your series, because it is the last time you can connect with your characters, I'm sure one day when I finish my own trilogy I'll feel the same way. My advice; don't dwell on the end, think of the wonderful memories you've had with the characters, all the awesome things they've done and how their contribution to the story. Don't see it as the end, see it as a new beginning, for a fresh story with fresh characters.

 

[The Dark One]

Yes, the first time I got to the end of a novel (first draft) I was incredibly flat. For the last couple of months I'd been literally 'living in the story' every moment of every day. It was utterly exhilarating. I lived about a 15 minute drive from work and every day I'd drive home at lunchtime, just to have another 25 minutes at the keyboard. Despite having mapped it all out really carefully, I had epiphany after epiphany as I got to the end and the story just seemed to explode off the page.

Then it was over.

Of course, I didn't know about editing in those days. And there's no way I could go back now.

 

[Weaver]

I just finished the last book in a trilogy that I was greatly relieved to finish, but I was surprised to find I felt a bit depressed ending the series. Yes, I know I could do other stories or books with these characters, and in fact they do have 'bit roles' in other stories I'm working on. Yet 'their story' is done. It really surprised me to feel rather bummed out when I finished writing and editing the last book.

Having never written a trilogy before, I'm unsure if this is normal or have I lost my mind?

My twin and I call this "post-project malaise": for a little while after finishing a creative project of any kind (a novel, a painting, a scratch-built Warhammer 40K Titan, whatever), there's a feeling of "Now what?" With writing, there's also that feeling of missing people we've spent a lot of time with...

You've just finished a trilogy; of course it's to feel weird for a while not to be working on it. Plus, if you know you're not going to write more about those characters, it makes sense that you'd miss them. Just because they're products of your imagination doesn't mean they're not also your friends.

 

[Addison]

To paraphrase a famous quote who's original speaker I forget, "When one book closes, another one opens." My advice is to draw up something to remember the book, the entire trilogy (draw as in colored pencils or watercolor) and pin it up in your room or writing area. Then you'll be tucking it in, letting it sleep as the other story(s) wake up.

 

[Mathias]

I find the best thing to do is take a break. After writing a trilogy you can find yourself in a sort of routine, writing every day, editing, ect.. When you are done with a huge story like a trilogy and jump right back into writing a new book or short story I find the characters and plot lines can be very similar to the story i just finished, even if the overall subject or even genre is separate. The best thing you can do is go out, take a break and live a little beyond the pages of your books. Then once you have refreshed your brain and let your previous stories go you can start fresh without familiar characters and lands filing your head.

You don't want to forget your previous work but you also don't want it to influence later writing greatly, take the experience but forget the characters. It can be frightening seeing as you have spent a lot of time with your characters but also exciting. Once you have taken a break take out a sheet of blank paper, pull up a blank word document and get excited about the new story, the new characters, and the new land you can create.

 

[ecdavis]

Thanks to everyone for the good advice. I took a break from writing for about a week, but I have too many ideas for other stories in this world and so I've started a new one. They are all interconnected and the characters in the one I've started are the children and grandchildren of some of the characters in the trilogy. I'm not rehashing old themes either, it is part of a saga from events that took place.

Addison, you mentioned drawing up something to remember them by -- well, I am a 3D rendering fan and I have quite a few renderings of them on my computer and one as my wallpaper (on my computer, not my house, now that WOULD be crazy!).

 

[Sheilawisz]

First of all, congratulations for finishing a Trilogy =)

It's quite normal that you feel this way, ecdavis. When I finished my first Fantasy trilogy (which I wrote from 2003 to 2006) I was heartbroken, I did not want to let it go, I was in love with my characters and I could not write anything else for three months...

Then, the creativity and writing energy came back to me and I started another series.

I finished another Trilogy last May 12th, after several years of dedication and hard work. I also fell in love with this story, and right now I am still kind of depressed because I did not want to finish it, to let it end... Anyway, we have to finish our stories and to celebrate the victory that ending a story represents.

Congratulations again, Cheers!!

 

[Devora]

I only get post-work depression because i worry if i'd be able to write more stories, or if I can get more inspiration to write.

 

[Caged Maiden]

Hmm... I've never actually felt like that. I wrote ten books (three trilogies and one of them got too long) all set in a fantasy world. When I finished them (they still need editing), I felt a sort of loss, because I am not going to write in that world again (but maybe I will if I feel like it later, or if they get published), but then I got all excited about my latest book, set in a very earth-like setting, far away from anything remotely fantasy. I don't know, maybe I'm the oddball, but I kinda like ending things and starting new things.

But then again, I've moved three times in the last ten years and I redecorate my house twice a year. What can I say? I like change. I'm all about revolutionizing things, leaving nothing untouched and keeping everything fresh. So I probably am not normal in that respect. My art tends to be like my life, always in a state of flux. So if it helps, I recommend getting a new idea you really can't wait to sink your teeth into and just being proud of the thing you finished. It's an inevitable end to beginning a story, the ending, and that's natural. But just like when your baby goes off to college (or in my case, kindergarten), it's nice to have another waiting in the wings. Yes, me second son is going to school this year, but I have two kids at home still. It's going to be a sad day when all my little ones are gone. What will I do with my time? Get a TON of writing done! HAHA. SO maybe take a break from novelling for a while and write a series of short stories, just something to get your creativity flowing. Then, when you get your next great idea, get back into it and see where it takes you. When one adventure ends for me, a new one is always waiting. Best wishes!