I have the writing blahs. What are the writing blahs? They aren’t easily defined. Mostly it’s feeling blah about writing or editing. Look at that. I was wrong. It was pretty simply to define.
So, I seem to have these. I’m in the process of proofreading Knight’s Academy one (hopefully) final time. I’m working on a query letter (some), and I’m writing book two in the Knight’s Academy trilogy and a romantic suspense. I’m either burnt out or just experiencing the “blahs.” Which in all honesty, it’s probably both.
My sister told me the other day that I needed to take a break. My response: “I’m too busy to take a day off.” How sad is that? Am I really too busy to take a day off? Will my world suddenly end if I don’t tweet or Facebook or blog for a day? No. It wouldn’t, but why can’t I force myself to take a day off? I’m only causing myself the writing blahs by working over and over and over and over again.
But being a writer really means that we never get a break. Our minds are constantly working. We need to fix this, write that, tweet this, update Facebook with something totally witty, write out a saying that will go viral, etc etc etc. I even dream work! Then, when I think I’ve finally wrapped up a project, I notice a few things that I need to fix – and then it ends up in more edits! It’s like it never ends. Does it? Geez, I hope so.
This morning I took some time – after my usual “work time” – and helped my nephew learn to walk. (He’s 101/2 months old and walking a few steps at a time – and growing fast!). Last night, I played Spiderman City with my other nephew and one of my nieces. I took some time off to clear my mind. I’m still not in a “working mood” yet, but taking a break is sort of helping the blahs. Right now, I should be proofing or searching for agents, but here I am, writing a blog post, pretending my novel doesn’t really need me to make it work.
What do you do when you have the writing blahs? Any specific thing I might want to try? Trust me, I need the help this week!
Dreaming Awake 
Speaking for myself, I’ve got to agree with you — it *is* hard to turn my mind off and take an honest-to-goodness break, even when I can force myself away from the computer. (It doesn’t help that I seem to come up with some of my best wordsmithery the minute I’ve got a toothbrush in my mouth or pressed “start” on the microwave or turned off the light for bed.)
I’ve been through some blah times, too. It usually means I’m tired and/or my muse is on vacation without me. The best help for it seems to be finding something new for my brain to do — even if that new thing is just a different writing project, something quick and silly and unrelated to anything “important”. Sometimes I just need time to let the inspiration well refill — read, watch movies, listen to music, do something radical like go outside.
It be can frustrating to spend days or weeks in a slump where too little seems to get done, but everything needs time to recharge, from time to time. The happy news is, knowing for certain that writing is what I love to do, I know the blahs will always end sooner or later.
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Yes, the blahs do end eventually, but the getting there is the hard part! lol I’m so tired. I haven’t written in days. I’ve only been proofreading here and there.
Thank you! 🙂
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The only thing more exhausting than writing? Not writing! X) Hang tough, Em.
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That’s so true! 🙂
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I’ve got the writing blahs too. I think every now and then, as you say, you just get burned out. It’s frustrating advice, but just give it time. I know that when I’ve got writer’s block, I withdraw from anything creative for a few days, and after a while the inspiration comes back. I leave it a couple more days than that, so that when I finally give in I really am ready to get back to it. Take a break, do something that isn’t writing, and try not to think about it!
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That’s great advice! Although, a bit hard to follow. lol I haven’t written in days. I think what’s gotten me down is querying agents, etc. I haven’t even started, but it’s writing the query! I just need to buckle down and do it. After a small break of course! Thanks! 🙂
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Take a break. If it’s not working, do something different, no point trying to force it.
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You’re right! I, mean, it’ll take more time to fix that mess up than it would to get it right the first time. 🙂
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