Q: What’s the opposite of a wannabe writer?
A: One who is experiencing burnout.
At one end of the spectrum we have someone who says he wants to write, but who can’t discipline himself to actually sit down and write. And then there are write-a-holics—those who can’t not write—who write at every opportunity—who seek reasons TO write instead of looking for excuses not to write.
Which writer are you?
If you want to write, but you can’t find the time, can’t make the time, won’t sacrifice anything to create the time, I suggest examining your motivation. You say that you want to write, so why don’t you? What is stopping you? I know the answer to this question; you just aren’t in tune with your true motivation.
In order to shift from wannabe writer to “I am a writer,†you must get in touch with why you want to write? Once you discover your motivation for wanting to write, you will either begin to honor it by writing or you will realize that it is superficial and you’ll walk away from your writing room.
To discover your true motivation, ask yourself:
• Why do I want to write?
• What emotion would I be feeding?
• What objective, value, result, benefit do I seek?
• What deep or surface need/desire would I be acknowledging?
• What is the purpose of the book or article I want to write?
• What principle would I be honoring by writing this book/article/story?
• What stops me from writing? (Make a list of obstacles.)
• What fear keeps me from writing? Fear of failure? Success? Ridicule? Lack of confidence as a writer? (fill in the blank)
Then there are those of you who (like me) are more likely to suffer burnout than writer’s block. You love to write and do it as often as possible. Some of you, like me, do it full-time. You can get so engrossed in a writing project that you forget to eat or pick up your kids from school. If you’re really on a roll, you might write all day and night like a college student cramming for an exam. And then you crash and burn. Here are some preventative measures that work for me:
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Eat right—you know, veggies, fruits, whole grains. Go easy on the chocolate, coffee and fast food.
• Exercise regularly.
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water.
• Take regular breaks. Stretch for 5 minutes, jog around your house once an hour, vacuum a room, take a shower, brush the dog, grab a gulp of water and a piece of fresh fruit, call your mom/sister/husband/son…, go out and get the mail, chat over the back fence with a neighbor for 10 minutes.
• Expand your creative endeavors. I garden and do needlework, for example. You’ll be amazed at how much more creative you are as a writer when you explore other creative venues.
• Acknowledge your spirituality. Attend church, read inspirational books, meditate.
• Help others. Taking time away from writing in order to do good only serves to enhance your writing. Try it.
• Get out among people often enough that you don’t forget how to use your social graces. If your public attire resembles your working attire (fluffy robe and bunny slippers or holey sweats), you spend way too much time in your home office.
Writing is a pleasure to some and a necessity for others. Writing for publication can thrill some while intimidating others. The writing process can feed the soul or drive you crazy. Use these prompts and tips to help you find your level of comfort as a writer whether you are still trying to find your motivation or you are bordering on burnout.
For more information, resources and several books on writing and publishing visit Patricia Fry’s website at http://www.matilijapress.com