The Reality of Writing
I wouldn’t say writing is a particularly glamorous job, but then again, I’m not a particularly glamorous person (most of the time).
Once or twice a week, you might find me at a cafe sipping a chai latte while glaring at my laptop screen. But on the average work day, I’m at home.
And if the weather is getting colder, you might find me curled up in bed (with three different blankets draped over my shoulders, and fingerless gloves on my hands).
But the interesting thing about being a full-time author is that I’m not just a writer.
I built and continue to update my website myself. I post writing prompts to Pinterest, and create my own content for social media (like Instagram). Plus, I help other people reach their writing goals, market my books, write and publish articles to my website, collaborate with other writers, and the list keeps growing…
Burning Out
Sometimes it’s difficult to balance staying creative and excited about my stories and books when I also have to be consistent on the business/content side of things as well.
So what do I do when I realize I’m completely burnt out?
First, I take a step back.
It’s hard to solve a problem that you aren’t aware of, so I take some time to figure out when, how, and why the burnout began.
The most common motivation-stealing culprit for me is stress.
Struggling financially, grieving the loss of a loved one, and other stressors make opening up my laptop to write feel like an impossible task.
When stress is my reason for burning out, taking a break to deal with life is usually the best strategy.
But sometimes stress isn’t the cause.
Forgetting the Point
There are times when I forget why I write.
After all, becoming an author wasn’t my first career choice, and if you had told me seven years ago that I’d be writing and editing books for a living, I’d probably compliment you on such a great joke…
I write because there are stories that need to be told.
Stories filled with excitement, adventure, humor, and a dash of romance.
Stories that share hope and light when you’re in a dark place in life.
Stories with vibrant worlds that show how complex life and people are.
Stories that prove that evil never wins, even if it seems like it has for a while.
And stories that leave you thinking about them long after you flip the book closed.
Or, to sum it all up, I want to write stories that inspire, encourage, and amuse.
That doesn’t mean that everyone will enjoy my books, but it does mean that if I publish any of my writing, I want it to do at least two things out of these three:
- Inspire
- Encourage
- Amuse
When I’m discouraged or burnt out, reminding myself of why I write gives me a reason to open my laptop.
These stories aren’t going to write themselves, after all.
Before You Go…
What about you?
If you’re a reader, then what kinds of stories do you enjoy? And if you’re a writer, what kinds of stories do you like to write? What encourages you to keep going when you feel burnt out?
Let me know down in the comments!