Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Insecure Writers... I'm Lost Edition!


It’s time to celebrate all my insecurities with you. Thanks to Alex J Cavanaugh and his brainchild, I now have that opportunity.

I’ve already done this. This post, I mean. I wrote it up and had it ready to go and then I did something strange. I deleted it.

It was dark, and even for me, a bit whiney. So I made an 11thhour decision to axe it and do something else.

I struggled with it because, well, in case you haven't noticed, I’ve not been around much lately. And I don’t only mean in regards to posting. I’ve not really visited anyone else in a while either. I’ve kinda gone incognito.

Why? It isn’t NanoWriMo, I decided not to do that this year (we’ll see, I did change my mind one year and signed up on the 15thand still managed to get it done). It isn’t the giant barn/office we’ve built in the past two months, my work there is more or less done.

Lately, just turning on my computer feels like it’s a burden. I’m burned out. I’ve continued to write, mostly on lunch breaks at my job, so I’ve been doing short pieces and not really working on my big projects that I should be doing. I’ve continued to work on art projects that have deadlines – even if those deadlines whoosh past with fantastic speed.

So, I’m not making an an nouncement, I’m not making a decision to change anything. I’m just giving a state of the blog update. It’s in a “I don’t really feel like it” kind of mode right now.

I need to write more. Not just write in general, butactually write in the projects that I’ve committed to. So, I am committing to this: I’m not starting ANY new stories until I’ve got some of my in-progress stuff complete.

35 comments:

Unknown said...

I feel for you. I'm going through a depression right now, but I suspect there is a burn out, too. I've got to recommit myself to finishing all these projects that have been languishing. Here's to both of us getting our writing back on track.

PT Dilloway said...

Going incognito is good sometimes. I spent most of yesterday in blackout mode because I learned from 2000 not to pay attention to early election returns. I try to wait until it's a done deal. Anyway, days like that sometimes I look around and realize I haven't missed a whole lot.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I certainly want to read more of your work, so if it takes going dark, do it.
And you amused the Ninja Army today!

vic caswell said...

dude! i'm just getting off of a months long break from blogging (i had to re-prioritize and really just chill). breaks are a necessity. don't let it get you down!
but ALSO!
don't disappear completely!
because we <3 you like halloween candy!

M.J. Fifield said...

I agree with PT. Going incognito is good sometimes. I've ignored my blog a lot this year because I just haven't felt like it.

cleemckenzie said...

Here's to NaNo to make you whole in the writing dept. I wish you the best and totally understand how you fee about burn out. I'm right there with you.

Jess said...

Aww good luck!! Just write what you have to, and I'm sure it'll be great :)

Good luck!!

Ink in the Book said...

I say don't quit writing. It's herder to pick back up. Changing to the dark side may work...

Tonja said...

When I get burnt out, I use Jedi tricks on myself and commit to only a few minutes at a time. Usually once I get going I forget how much I didn't feel like doing it.

Andrew Leon said...

I'm glad to see a post from you today, because I was about to send you a harassing email.
I do miss your comments, but I get needing a break, too.
You know, just as long as you get my stuff done :P
Kidding. Mostly. :P

Anyway, I do need to email you, but there's been a lot on my mind, and I haven't done it. This week, though.

Brinda said...

You've got the writer's blues. I feel it from here. I need to finish a project too, so I do understand.

Deborah Walker said...

Good plan, Rusty. I know the temptation of the shiny.

Cherie Colyer said...

Sometimes a break is needed. Enjoy the time off and come back to it when inspiration strikes.

Anonymous said...

I'm going on a social media hiatus all December. We all need breaks sometimes. I recommend a clean break from writing for a few days and attack those big projects once you're raring to go again.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I've felt like that at times. I never totally quit and I've always come back. Hope you crawl back into the light soon.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

But, but, I kinda like the whiny you. If you are burned out, man, I suggest a nice vacation, a spa, and a long one hour back rub from a Japanese girl. That will make you right as rain.

Donna Shields said...

Everyone needs a break.

Golden Eagle said...

I think we all need a break from blogging, whether it's a short or a long one. Good luck with your projects!

Mel Chesley said...

I hate when I get burned out. Take the time you need to re-energize. Otherwise everything will come off looking like you were burned out when you wrote it. Funny how it works that way.;)

Nicole said...

I agree with some of the other comments that breaks are very needed to re-energize. Hope you find the best way to pursue your passion!

Cindy said...

I think it's good you're going to focus on those projects. It sounds like you have a demanding job and I know how hard it is to work full time and try to fit in writing (not to mention taking care of a family) It's tough...very tough. So do what you have to do.

M Pax said...

I've certainly had those moods. Just write what calls to do. Writing is what usually pulls me out. Don't put pressure on yourself, just do what you can and what you enjoy.

Jay Noel said...

It's okay! At least you're posting once a week. I'm the same way. I just try to do what I can.

I kinda got the feeling A-Z took a lot out of you. It did for me too. Got a little burned out.

Hope you find your writing mojo!

Anonymous said...

i definitely understand the feeling. I took a little blog break due to emotions I was going through and came back with a fresh start. I am really looking forward to making some new blog friends and committing this time!

Briane said...

I think all Michael's erotic Halloween posts put him over the edge.

If you're getting burned out on writing, only, then maybe just write something else. If I start something and it's not doing it for me, I give it up. Why should a hobby be a chore? Why should work be a chore?

If you're burned out on other stuff, that's harder. But I can recommend one thing that helped me: "Three Good Things." If you're feeling down, depressed, burnt out, incognito, then each day, begin your day by thinking of three good things that happened to you the day before. And write them down. The trick is you have to be specific (Not "I didn't die") and positive (Not "I didn't die, twice"). No matter how small the good thing, there are good things. Like maybe you hit all green lights on the way home.

Do that for a year and see how you feel. I did it. I even posted them, every day, for a year. Leftover pizza was on a lot of them.

http://www.thinkingthelions.com/2009/06/leftover-pizza-will-probably-make-it.html

Ella said...

It happens, blogger burnout...
Just make an appearance once in awhile! People will miss you~
ooh, dark is good...
You need an ART DATE-red chalk, a camera, some fortune cookie sayings could work magic! :D
Hang in there!

Matthew MacNish said...

Lot of people missing you today, Rusty!

Trisha said...

Understandable Rusty! Hope you are making some progress on those stories! I think my goal for 2013 should be to actually have one story that I think is ready for publication, that I can send off to some betas. ;) It's something I've only managed once, and after I managed it I had to go back and rewrite.

Gina Gao said...

I totally feel you in this post.

www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

dolorah said...

This sounds like my own plan. I need more than a month of blog hiatus to complete it though.

Good luck Rusty. You are missed.

.......dhole

Jen said...

I realize this was last month's IWSG post, but it really speaks to what I've been going through lately! I'm in that "don't really feel like it" place with blogging. I've often wondered if I should just take a hiatus and take care of writing for a while.

Ah...we'll see! Best of luck to you!

~Jen

Unknown said...

I can really relate to this Rusty. I go through shifts all the time when it comes to blogging. Sometimes I really love it (ALWAYS love reading others), but many times it seems like a huge suck (I'll stop short of saying waste) of energy.

Part of mine is just knowing that I can't usually get back to all of the bloggers who leave comments, etc. so I feel like I'm not playing the game in the right way. But I do try.

Hope things even out soon! Just don't quit writing--the blogging is just a 'thing', you know.

This is my first month of IWSG and glad I stopped by!

Becky Fyfe said...

I definitely feel for you. I think I'm sort of there right now too, but I'm fighting with myself about it and writing anyway.

Callie Leuck said...

Hmm. Apparently this is an older post. But MJ linked to you so I thought I'd pop over. She seems absolutely ecstatic about her cover art. Many congratulations!

It sounds here like you do (or did) need to take a break and do a little living. It happens to all of us from time to time! Hope to see you back around someday. :)

Anonymous said...

Hang in there -- and think about joining Write1Sub1; it's one of the most supportive writing communities on the web.