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Burnout

We’re coming to the end of 2024. For some, the end of the year is exciting, but for other, it can be stressful. Did you accomplish all that you set out to do back in January? Did you move forward with your goals? Just thinking about it may conjure exhaustion, and you wouldn’t be alone. I’ve been hearing and seeing a few people online and IRL, who are feeling the burnout.

I had my own phase back in 2022. If you scroll back, you’ll see that I wrote in January 2022 that I was going to finish my novel by March 2022, or quit the book all together. I didn’t even make it to March. By February, I was done and I limped to my March deadline with no interest in the book. I then decided I needed a few months to reassess and decide what I wanted to do with my writing career. I never thought I would quit writing, like I did in 1997 or 2008, but I needed to take a step back. Did I want to really pursue serious publication to build a sustainable writing career, or did I want to just keep this a hobby?

I spent six months thinking about it. I tried reselling and exploring other parts of my life. I wasn’t just a writer. No one should be all one thing. I learned a lot about myself, like that I wasn’t lazy (I had the hustle mentality to hit the thrift stores every weekend, list the clothing, and then drive 3-4 times a week to the post office) and that trying new things can lead to new interests and surprises. Around September 2022, I got an idea for a new short story and, with that, I eased my way back into writing.

I spend 2023 working on new material, got a promotion at my job, and by the end of the year, a new idea for a new novel. This novel is what I’m working on now and I hope to finish the first draft by the end of this year.

I have a friend who was experiencing burnout and I suggested that she live a little more life. I hate that writing is sometimes romanticized into a mysterious act that one can only do when they are locked away from the world. The reality is usually very different. People are writing on their lunch breaks, early in the morning before work or school, late at night after kids have down for the night, or only on the weekends because weekdays are way too hectic. The luxury of solitude and peace happens in spurts, not an everyday thing.

So if you are feeling burnout, live a little life. Get curious about the world around you. I believe that curiosity feeds creativity, so learn, or do, something new. It can be a small as trying a new restaurant, or as big as trying to start a business. You will learn about yourself and maybe have a fresh perspective on whatever you are in the middle of. I know that is easier said than done, but try. I think you will be better for it.

I hope all your writing projects are going well and you are taking care of yourself.