Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Insecure Writer's Support Group




That's right, after more than a year of not taking part, I thought it's time to sign up again.

For those of you wondering what this bloghop is about:

On the first Wednesday of every month, a (very large) group of us writers get together to share our insecurities and encouragements with other writers.

If you'd like more information or if you want to join, please click here.

What could I be insecure about? you might ask.

Well. Lots.

At the moment, I'm struggling with exhaustion. I don't mean this in a medical sense or anything like that (I don't think), but ever since the rough year I had in 2014, I've been trying my best to stay positive, stay strong and keep moving forward.

For the most part, I have to say I've done that, and I'm incredibly proud about that fact. But half way through the month, I've signed a contract for a new job which, although full-time, has flexible hours depending on the amount of work I need to do to meet my objectives.

Which means that, for all intents and purposes, I should have a great year in 2016.

But almost as soon as I was able to take my first real breath that didn't feel like I'd get sucked under at any second, the exhaustion hit. I guess I've been so busy being tough and strong or whatever that the moment I didn't have to be anymore, my energy gave out.

So although I'm used to setting huge goals every month, I decided to give myself a little break until January. You know, to rest and recover.

My muse has other ideas. I keep feeling these urges to get back to writing, but every time I finally get to the point where I can sit down and write, that exhaustion is back. And that means I'm constantly swinging between not wanting to write and wanting to write, while fearing that forcing myself to write will just end up pushing me into a full blown writer's burn out.

(If you haven't experienced burn out, you're lucky. But let's just say it's a six month long writer's block on steroids.)

I honestly have no idea about what I should do to rest myself out enough to start writing again. Or even if I should disregard my exhaustion and write anyway.

And now it's 9:15 pm and it's probably a good idea to just turn in and sleep.

Sigh.

How are you doing? What do you do when you're exhausted beyond belief? Do you still write, or do you recharge those batteries? If the latter, how?


38 comments:

  1. I read a lot when I'm exhausted with writing. That usually gives me the jolt I need to start again. I hope you're getting some sleep and that tomorrow you feel like creating!

    ReplyDelete
  2. How well can you write when you're exhausted anyway? Get some rest first and then see how you feel.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Recharge the batteries. Seriously. You'll be happier and better for it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Rest, recover, and return to writing (and everything else) full strength! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I hope you beat your exhaustion. You've had a busy time this year.

    With me, I just need to hide from everything (particularly my kids) to catch up on sleep. Maybe a few hours away from writing won't hurt.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Welcome back! I think the older we get the harder it is to recover and bounce back to our former schedules. My 2014 was heartbreaking and so busy. The burnout is real.
    I think you are smart to limit your goals until your energy returns. Creativity needs energy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Burnout sucks, but it happens. Giving yourself a bit of a break is probably the best idea. I hope 2016 turns out to be a great year for you, and welcome back to the IWSG!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rest. Do what uou can. And say 'no' sometimes. I know all about fatigue. I have chronic issues with it. Hugs aND chocolate!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just have to rest. Can't let yourself get super burn out as then that can lead to health crap and such.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Like others have said - give yourself a break. I find it helps to do something different and fun. Like now & then I'll start a new drawing project that is pure self-indulgence, just 'cos I can. That's the biggest thing, you need to give yourself permission to look after yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Misha, I think you need to get some rest before you can write... take care of yourself xox ♡

    ReplyDelete
  12. I sometimes push myself to write despite exhaustion, but usually I give in. I need a nap or a good night's sleep. I notice that my sleep goes from normal to heavy if I've been doing too many things.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Do something non-writing related. Go to the movies, visit a friend, binge of Netflix. Just find something fun to do and get on with your life. Sometimes you have to go through the snowstorm if you want to get to your front door.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Congrats on the new job. I recently started one that sounds similar and finding time to write around it has been tricky, to say the least. I'm going to try and aim for a certain amount of words per day, even if small, rather than having sporadic binges. All I can say is give yourself time to have a rest and then look at things again, come up with a plan.

    ReplyDelete
  15. When I get writing fatigue, I keep trying to write, and it keeps making me more tired and unhappy until I finally give up and go do something else for a while. Recharging the batteries—it's a goo thing to do once in a while.

    Which is why I'm taking the rest of the year away from it. With luck, I'll have a successful 2016 because of it.

    ReplyDelete
  16. It sounds to me as though a break might be a good plan.

    Would it work to make notes, or dictate them, when your muse gets lively, but not do anything with them until next year?

    ReplyDelete
  17. I would write down the new ideas, but otherwise get some rest.

    ReplyDelete
  18. You do need to refill the creative well!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I hope you can give yourself permission to rest a bit and recover. Might do your creativity some good also.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I like that idea of reading instead of writing for a while. After a bit, I bet your muse will tell you it's ready to go again.

    ReplyDelete
  21. The obvious solution to fatigue will be rest and diversion of energy to some other thing which is not taxing your mind. Perhaps you should try a holiday and have a change of scene. Somehow, I wonder how can a writer take a holiday because even if you take a holiday the thought of writing will continue to haunt you. I suppose the best thing is to sleep and make an easy schedule for writing. Or perhaps this will be a golden opportunity to catch up with the books you have not read.

    Have you read the novel TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD BY HARPER LEE for which she got the Pulitzer Prize? Now another book that she wrote more than fifty years back GO SET A WATCHMAN has been published.

    Take care, best wishes

    ReplyDelete
  22. I've been in your shoes, struggling with wanting to write (or feeling I should be writing) but too exhausted to write. I decided that it is okay to take a break. For me, that was in the form of getting lost in books and marathon binging on my favorite shows. I don't know about you, but forcing myself to write when my muse just isn't into it doesn't make for a productive or relaxing experience. And even though I may not be increasing my word count while I'm taking a break, ideas are still churning away in my head. This helps for when I do get back to writing.

    Congrats on your new job.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Sometimes we have to shift priorities, either to give us time to write or permission to get other things done. Trying to do it all can burn us out on every level.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I'm not sure what I would do...if the stories were calling I think I would feel it relaxing to write. Otherwise I'd just curl up and read :-) Congratulations on the new job!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Welcome back. We're you're exhausted, there's not much you can do about it. Just take your time and get well again. That's when the creative juices will start flowing again. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  26. sometimes a break can help ... so long as you keep challenging yourself and it's not a procrastination break; set your goals and keep pushing :-)

    ReplyDelete
  27. I do write through being tired but when I have started setting a quit time at night so I don't stay up late writing. We have to find a balance or we will burn out.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Very important to take a break when we need it. If your muse keeps talking to you- you can always record what she says into an audio file (On a phone or talk into the computer typing program or something to get the ideas on record). Good luck and be good to yourself. :)
    ~Jess

    ReplyDelete
  29. That kind of exhaustion is hard. It's like trying to climb a wall but there's a 600 pound backpack on you and there's no way you'll be standing anytime soon. So rest up. Watch a movie or something. Do a thing that will help you. Read a book, that always seems to help me.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I read a lot, which is quite relaxing, and also educational. I think subconsciously, reading also helps to keep the muse on her toes...

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hope you get squared away soon, Misha. I'll be thinking about you and sending positive energy your way.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Sorry to hear about the burnout. We've both been there. We just rest and take time off. Better to recharge than burn yourself out even more. In fact, while everyone else was doing NaNoWriMo, we pretty much took the entire month off to rest. Now we're both on our next project and feeling completely refreshed. Good luck, and we hope your burnout goes away sooner than later!

    ReplyDelete
  33. When I'm really tired, I like to take naps; I wish that adults could take naps at work the way that kids do in kindergarten and preschool. I think it's perfectly fine to give yourself a break, because exhaustion can be draining. If you still feel the urge to write, you could follow Meg Cabot's advice and just write a page a day; she said that even doing that will still result in a 365-page novel after a year.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Swinging between not wanting to write and wanting to write is something I'm familiar with. Giving yourself a break is a smart idea. If you are getting ideas still (which is awesome) then just jot down the ideas so you won't forget them and leave it at that--unless you have the time and inclination to write more.
    Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Thanks so much for the encouragement and support, everyone!

    ReplyDelete
  36. No, when I'm exhausted I can't write. I sleep, take a walk, see a movie, spend time with friends, anything to recharge my batteries. Lately, I've been going to live theater.

    ReplyDelete
  37. You have been through so much, Misha. It is understandable to be mentally exhausted. I think you definitely need a break, even if it's just a short one. For me, doing anything non-writing related usually helps. Even something physical, is a great escape from my mind. Perhaps watching all those movies you have missed out on over the years is one way to go. About the ideas, you can always write them down, or make notes on your cellphones with the voice recording function, so you can listen to it again, when you are ready to resume your writing. Don't feel bad for needing a break. We all need one from time to time, to return stronger.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I'm with everyone that says to rest and recharge. While recharging may mean going on walks, gardening, painting or some other thing, you should do what it takes to avoid burnout. The job is important so you can support yourself, so don't do anything that would mess with that. Whatever feels good, do it and don't stress! Easier said than done, but it's worth a try.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for commenting! I love to read what you think.

Feel free to ignore the check-box saying "Prove you're not a robot." My word verification is off, but I moderate comments to posts older than two weeks.