When Writing Isn’t Enough

  I’ve rubbed elbows with enough writers to know that there comes a point when we all feel like our writing stinks. We begin to wonder what the point is in writing. We may even announce that we aren’t a writer after all, and we quit.

Here’s a quiet truth nobody seems to be willing to say…Sometimes writing just isn’t enough.

Where The Breakdown Happens

This feeling does not occur overnight. It is something that builds over time, but goes ignored or unnoticed. Most often, when you immerse yourself into the work and spend every waking hour writing, you set yourself on the fast track to a writing breakdown.

The first sign might present itself disguised as extreme tiredness. So you start going to bed early, but can’t drag yourself out of the bed in the morning. You load up on caffeine, thinking you just need that extra dose of java to get you going. But the coffee doesn’t work. Instead, you become irritable and frustrated and want to run away and hide.

How To Recognize The Signs

Feeling frustrated with your writing is not a good thing. Confidence is usually the next thing to plummet. There are some warning signs, though, that writing is beginning to overwhelm you. If you are already beginning to feel like writing isn’t enough, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you get out of the house more than once per week?
• Do you socialize on a regular basis?
• Do you have a hobby?
• Do you spend time away from writing, doing other things that are not related to writing?
• Do you take courses to educate yourself on improving your writing?
• Do you attend conferences to network with other writers?

What To Do

If you answered no to more than two or three of these questions, be warned: You will begin to see the signs of writing fatigue in the near future. Start combating now by using each of the above questions as a stepping stone towards becoming a better, healthier writer.

If you feel like writing just isn’t enough, you’re correct. It isn’t. You have to have a life of your own. Think of it like having a baby. If you aren’t already a well-adjusted person, who has done all the things you’ve wanted to do as a carefree spirit, when you have a child, you will probably find it difficult to bond. You’ll find yourself filled with regrets and unfulfilled wishes. The same goes for writing.