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How To Tackle Writing Fatigue

By on July 17, 2018
How To Tackle Writing Fatigue - Writer's Life.org

Everyone has days where they don’t feel like writing. But when they days turn into weeks and the weeks turn into months, it can become a big problem.

Do you have writing fatigue? Some common symptoms are:

Feeling as though everything you write is awful
Being unable to get past the initial stages of an idea
Being consumed by negative thinking that means you can’t focus on the task at hand
Feeling as though you are stuck in a rut and writing the same sort of thing over and over again
Changing things and feeling as though they are no better
Running out of ideas

If any of the above sound familiar you might have writing fatigue. But what can you do about it?

Get out of the house

A change of scenery can work wonders for the imagination. Fresh air and exercise will get that blood pumping - and who knows what you will see or hear when you are out and about that will inspire you with a brilliant idea for your story?

Take a break

Sometimes you suffer from writing fatigue because you do need a break from writing. Let yourself have some time off from it, just don’t let a break turn into a permanent one! Sometimes putting something aside and coming back to it after a few weeks can help us to see new things and spark new ideas that allow us to get over whatever problems we were having when we initially became frustrated.

Read something inspiring

Sometimes need to get back to what inspired us to start writing in the first place. Reading over favourite books or even just finding inspiring quotes can help to lift one's spirits and help us to recollect why we write, what’s important to us and get us back on the right track once more.

Reset your goals

Take a look at your writing goals. Perhaps you have been pushing yourself too far and have set goals that are impossible to reach. Or maybe your goals aren’t driving you far enough and have allowed you to become lazy. Take a look at the goals and deadlines you’ve set yourself and see if you can change them to keep you more motivated.

Look after yourself

Get plenty of rest, eat healthily, learn how to relax and unwind and don’t forget to exercise. Keeping the mind and body fuelled with goodness will help you feel energetic positive and focused -all important for being your best writing self.

Coming across a roadblock in your writing is frustrating, but there are ways to deal with it. Every writer will experience times where they find it difficult to write, and writing becomes sluggish and even dull to them. The critical thing to remember is to work through this, don’t give up and persevere and eventually, you’ll get back into the flow. Using the tips above will help you get there faster and hopefully make instances of writing fatigue as short-lived and painless as possible!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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