Signs of Creative Burnout
Greetings and salutations Scribblers!
We’re going to be discussing creative burnout and focusing on recognizing some subtle signs that it might be on the horizon so you can be proactive and stop it in its tracks.
Quick note, I am not a medical professional and I cannot diagnose anything. I’m merely inviting a conversation about burnout in hopes that it helps other people seek the assistance they need rather than being derailed from your writing goals.
Burnout is defined as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. So, what does that mean for creatives? It means all the stressors that come with the creative process start to add up and can eventually shut down our ability to be creative. Creative burnout can be characterized by a range of things, but often includes the inability to come up with ideas, finding excuses to not write, being irritable, loss of interest or passion, and of course, my personal favorite, myriad other health issues that can be instigated or exacerbated by burnout.
In today’s culture–especially in America, there is this idea that we have to constantly be creating in order to stay relevant and sell books, which can increase the chances of creative burnout. Not to mention that for many writers, creativity is tied to their income. Without it, they won’t be able to afford things like rent or groceries. That pressure builds up and exhausts our minds and bodies and can result in burnout.
Creative burnout can also come from within–it can be a sense of not being able to get anything perfect enough and constantly comparing ourselves with other writers despite each of us having our own unique circumstances and paths to follow. This can lead to us freezing up when we need to be creative.
If you feel as though you’re never going to measure up, stop and consider why you feel like that. Is it because of outside messages you’re receiving or is it a sign that you’re on the path to creative burnout. Taking the time to reflect on and identify the why behind the feelings we have is a great step to take in order to better understand our creative process.
Another possible sign that creative burnout is creeping up is finding reasons to avoid actually sitting down and writing. When you have time to write, do you intentionally come up with other things to do? If you’re intentionally pushing it aside, that’s your brain saying “I’m overwhelmed! Can we take a break?” And again, we’ve been trained to override our brains and push through mental and emotional stress and negativity and that’s not a great way to live.
So, your question here is to dig in and ask yourself why you’re avoiding your writing. Did you just realize you were supposed to pick up cookies for your kid’s picnic tomorrow and so you need to go to the store instead of writing or is your time entirely free for you to do what you want and you just can’t bring yourself to sit down and do it? Remember to be honest with yourself and push a bit more to get the whole reason behind why you’re avoiding your work. These things are always layered and nuanced and are going to shift based on all the variables of your life. Each person’s creative burnout will be its own journey.
A final sign that creative burnout may be on the horizon is that your creative well is dry. You may have heard other writers talking about needing to refill their well. This means that you’re actively consuming other peoples creative endeavors. You’re reading books, poems, looking at art, crocheting, watching TV shows or movies, taking pottery classes, etc. etc. Our brains need input if we want them to do cool things like make up stories and characters and worlds. If we don’t put anything good in, we won’t get anything good out.
This could mean rewatching something tried and true–for me, it’s The Magicians. If I start to feel uninspired, I start a rewatch. Or I’ll read one of my favorite books. I love rereading either Daughter of Smoke and Bone or Jade City. Both of those books inspire me and refill my creative well. But more than that, enjoying non writing creativity has a huge impact as well. I took a pottery class a few years ago and it helped to get me back on track.
So if you feel like you just can’t come up with any fun, creative ideas, this might be your sign to refill that well. A lot of writers will even schedule this into their process. For me, when I finish a draft or a major revision pass, I take two weeks to a month off from writing. I’ll still dabble a little bit, write down a scene if it comes to me or start thinking about what I might want to do next, but I spend that time getting caught up on TV, music, reading, and all the other creative pursuits I might have. I keep trying to crochet and I’m just so bad at counting, but two or three times a year, between projects, I give it a go.
So, if you’re feeling as though you don’t have any ideas to even pull from, stop and think about when the last time was that you just consumed other peoples creative endeavors? What is going to spark your interest and ignite the flame of creativity in your heart? Then, go read, watch, or do the thing!
Creative burnout can feel like a monster lurking behind your computer screen, but if you keep tabs on your feelings and reflect on why you’re thinking or feeling that way, you can try to head it off at the pass.
Of course, seek the help of a medical professional or therapist to go more in depth with any of these ideas–and remember that you aren’t alone. Making protecting your creativity a priority because someone out there, there’s a reader who needs your book.
Scribblers, thank you so much for hanging out with me today. If you have any tips for recognizing burnout before it takes over completely, please drop those in the comments below.
As always, your mileage may vary! If you have any tips for recognizing burnout before it takes over completely, please drop those in the comments below.
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