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How do you keep writing when you’re exhausted? How do you know if writing is really your calling? How do you know if you should take a break and how long of a break you should take? What if you don’t enjoy writing anymore? How do you find another story you enjoy telling when you’re so discouraged that you want to delete every draft you have off your computer?
—a discouraged writer
The pen is mightier than the sword, but in a duel, I'm taking the sword.
ekseaver.wordpress.com- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
- Total Posts: 1789
@e-k-seaver How many times have I been through this?
More than I can count.
Pray, first off. Surrender yourself to God. Ask for Holy Spirit to led, guide, and direct you. Ask Him to write not just through you but for you. Release the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon your laptop, your writing, your notepads and pens, your fingers.
Take a nap. Drink some tea or coffee. Read a really bad book that convinces you that you’re the best author on the face of the earth. (Seriously. It works.)
Is writing your calling? Well, apart from Jesus, is writing what you do in your sleep, what fuels you to go through the day? Is it where you find a glimpse of heavenly joy and peace? Is it what you feel empty and purposeless when you’re not doing it? Is it what you have felt impressed upon your heart to do, like a gift that you must use for the glory of the Lord?
Then it’s your calling.
Take a break. Take a long one. You don’t have any deadlines or contracts, so let it go. I’ve taken breaks that span roughly four months before–it’s okay. Sometimes, I’ve come back to my writing rejuvenated and other times I haven’t.
So then I wrote something that I really wanted to write–a fluffy, funny, passionate Christmas romance that made me feel so happy about my writing and so full of joy. I’ve never written that much in such a short amount of time either. Write a story you’re never going to tell or share with anyone, something silly or short or depressing of whatever–that one thing you really want to write, just for your enjoyment.
If you don’t enjoy it, then don’t do it. If it is your gift and your calling, then you come back to it–I promise. Maybe not within a couple of days or even a month or two, but you will. You can do nothing else.
Girl, I have been so discouraged, especially lately. I’ve come to the point recently where I pretty much hated my writing, my characters, my story–all of it. But the solution does vary. Sometimes the discouragement only last a moment and all you needed was a nap. Sometimes it lasts months and you really need to back off. I really don’t know what to say. I haven’t entirely come out of that valley myself yet–it’s a very steep climb up the hill of enjoyment. All I can say is that if you seek God and His will for you–ask Him; He said He’ll answer–then He’ll fill you with exactly what you need to be filled with. And if that’s an overwhelming love and passion for writing, then you will start loving your writing again. Pray every time you sit down at that computer and ask for His guidance and His Holy Spirit to do the heavy lifting, then meet Him halfway.
Anyway, I hope some of that helps. I completely understand. I’m going through the same thing with you. You have my love and prayers, girl!
@e-k-seaver Hey friend,
First of all, I’m sorry you’re dealing with so much discouragement. That isn’t a fun spot to be in whatsoever, and my heart goes out to you. <3
Second of all, the fact that you’re asking whether or not you need to take a break is a pretty good sign that you probably should. Seriously. I’m going to echo some of what @gracie-j said here–shut off your laptop and don’t even look at it for a few days. Go for a walk. Eat some delicious baked goods. Go find a cat and pet it. Spend some time doing things that bring you joy, and above all else, take care of yourself. Rest is important.
(Also, you’re in the midst of querying your novel, correct? If so, then goodness gracious, no wonder you’re exhausted–that’s such hard work to get to that point!! Your brain is tired. Like, I’ve-just-run-a-marathon-and-oh-my-gosh-I-just-want-to-sleep-for-a-year tired. Let it rest.
Also, it’s okay if you don’t know if writing is your calling. You’re already fulfilling your calling, which is to be a child of God. He loves you a lot, alright?
It’s hard. I get it. I mean, I really get it. I was burned out of writing for about… 3ish years I think? Like, I wrote some, but I spent more time staring at a blank page than actually writing. (Seriously. It was sad.) Now, I’m back and more excited about writing than ever, but that didn’t happen overnight–it was a really long process. I’m not saying that’s what you’ll need, per se, but sometimes you have to get a little unraveled before you can spin a yarn, you know? Recovering from discouragement or burnout, just like anything else, is a process. Whether it’s a month or a few days, it’s okay to give yourself permission to take that break.
Be patient and kind to yourself. You are loved, and your writing is important, even if you do want to chuck it in the dumpster at the moment. I promise it will be okay.
“Seven seconds till the end. Time enough for you. Perhaps. But what will you do with it?”
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