Hey, I've been struggling a lot with writing. What usually happens is that I write about 40-50k words in about a month (without actively aiming for any goal in particular) and then face a complete burnout for 2 months. I've been working on 2 projects (fantasy) side-by-side so that I can work on something else when I'm not feeling very enthusiastic about one project, but that isn't helping either. Do you have any advice? Is writing 2 fantasies the reason its happening? Even reading has been hard.
It’s normal for creative people to go through cycles of natural productivity, but those who aren’t satisfied with their cycle can learn to keep going with healthy self-discipline. That said, treating burnout is different than just treating a lack of motivation. Sometimes burnout is legitimately from too much work, sometimes it’s from non-writing-related stress that writing can’t solve, and sometimes it’s disguising writers block since the lack of productivity can negatively feed into itself. One of the best things you can do to help yourself is figure out the cause of the burnout. Knowing is half the battle because it lets you identify what can be fixed or worked on.
Burnout from too much work:
Some people can handle writing 40-50k words in a month and others can’t. Same goes with multiple projects; there’s a benefit to be found in Using Momentum: How a Secondary Project Can Help With Productivity (link embedded), but not every writer is going to work well that way. If burnout is caused by too much work, or too intense work, then some options are:
Learn to pace yourself. Set a schedule of how you should be writing every day, every few days, or every week. It’s okay if you start getting ahead of yourself if you have bursts of inspiration, as it’s good to stay flexible, but you want to avoid pushing yourself to write to the point of where you’d hit burnout.
De-stress. Everyone de-stresses in different ways, but some need a reminder to do it or else they go too far and hit the burnout. Be more mindful of how hard you work and try taking time to decompress regularly.
Accept the cycle. You don’t have to be productive all the time. Even if your cycle can seem disheartening at first, you’re getting work done reliably when you look at it over the course of a year. It’s fine to work hard then run free for a bit, as long as you’re comfortable with it.
“Accept” the cycle. Look at the cycle as a mark of your current writing productivity level and habits, then form a goal of where you’d rather be. With active prioritization, that includes self-discipline, a schedule, but also healthy self-care when it goes wrong, you can slowly train yourself to be more productive on a regular basis. Burnout is stress, so if you work to combat it then it’ll be less likely to happen, and you can steadily increase how much you write over time.
Burnout from non-writing-related stress:
Some writers struggle with working and assume that writing itself is the problem, but basic life factors such a rough environment, mental health, time, and a bunch of other things can directly affect writing and can contribute to burnout. Unfortunately this can be tough to work with because you can’t control your environment, and while you have sway over your own mental health, that doesn’t mean it’s perfect control nor that it’s easy.
When external stress affects your writing, looking at it as a writing problem won’t solve anything in the long run, but that doesn't mean you can’t continue working on your writing even if the situation isn’t ideal. Some options include:
Self-discipline. Sometimes you really can’t control your environment, but you can control how you react to it. Get yourself into the habit of writing even when you don’t feel like it, but also don’t go so far that you ruin your desire to write. Make a fair assessment of what’s a healthy amount of work for your situation. If the burnout hits, it’s okay to reduce your productivity expectations, but still try to write a bit. Something like a few sentences every day, or even take the time to engage with the story in a different way, like mood boards, character playlists, outlines, etc. Not all writing progress is done in an official draft.
Tackle the real problem. You can’t treat a symptom and expect it to take care of the underlying issue. It can take some time to figure out the true cause of the stress and therefore the burnout, but it’s more effective to work on the root of the problem.
Accept the cycle. it’s okay to take a bit to adjust and accept that the burnout will keep happening. It’s better if you also work toward preventing it, but you’re clearly still making some writing progress so it’s not causing a full block at all times. Sometimes we have to adjust our expectations of ourselves based on current life, then adjust them as we make changes.
Burnout disguised as writers block:
We all burn out at different rates, but sometimes what feels like burnout is really just a form of writer’s block. The stress of running out of ideas, writing not being satisfactory, juggling too many projects, even not having enough projects for a creative outlet, etc., can create the burned-out feeling. If that’s the case, Getting (Re-)Motivated About Your Story would be a good read. It’s more oriented toward a motivation-based writer’s block, but a lot of the techniques it outlines can be good for burnout too. Sometimes it’s not about cranking out the words but engaging with your material in a new and fun way.
These linked posts may also be worth checking out:
Tips for Improving Writing Productivity, Pt 1
Tips for Improving Writing Productivity, Pt 2
Tips for Improving Writing Productivity, Pt 3
Tips for Improving Writing Productivity, Pt 4
Overall, burnout is your body’s way of saying it doesn't like what you’re doing over a course of time. If you want, you can train yourself to increase that capacity for work, but it’ll take time, self-discipline, and it’s normal to experience a bit of trouble on the path. People don’t learn to run marathons overnight. The best way to tackle any issue is to figure out the source, which may be the two stories or may be something else-- you’re the only one who can really make that evaluation since life has an awful lot of factors in it. It’s also okay to take breaks from writing when you think you need it. Sometimes the answer is just to find ways that let you de-stress on a more regular basis.
Good luck with your work!
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