I have one book out...I definitely was burned out by the time it was released. Those darn edits! Also, I definitely pulled back on my writing after it was released. I realize now that it was that whole "fear of failure" thing. As the mother of 7 children, 5 of whom are still being homeschooled, I don't have a ton of time to write so I am now making it a priority to work on my next book.
Thank you so much for discussing burn out. I feel like a lot of writers experience burn out but never discuss going through it. This makes me feel not alone.
Thank you for sharing this...I am a newer author working on book 3 and I feel this way sometimes and then realize a lot of it is because of the expectations I put on myself...good on you for recognizing it and I hope you find the joy in a new story soon
Burn out is real. After having writing as my job for 10 years now, I’ve learned to be ahead. I couldn’t write this year. Could. Not. My husband was sick and we spent a lot of time in the hospital. But I was still publishing books because I had my releases ready to publish through October of this year. It’s weird, but it helps. I’m finally writing again. And it feels so good. But I plan to get ahead again, as long as I can. Because even when you can’t write, you still have to make money. 😊 and, as you publish more, you have a huge backlist that helps.
I definitely understand feeling burnt out (especially in relation to a series). A year ago, I made the difficult decision to put my dystopian fantasy series on indefinite hiatus. And then I started working on an idea I was passionate about (which became my upcoming urban fantasy series). So, in my opinion, there's definitely no shame in putting a series on hiatus for a while so you can rediscover your passion.
It's okay to take a break, your writing will ALWAYS be there to come back to. Burnout is so real whether you're a full time writer, part time, or just doing it for fun. I think I experience burnout at least once a year LOL I usually just try to focus on the things that bring me joy for a little while (and that might not be writing) and making sure my base level needs are being met (i.e. eating healthy, drinking water, getting enough sleep, etc.).
I swear I have burnout after every single project. It's so unreal. I've slowly figured out it's because I don't balance work and life well enough. It's either all work and no life or the other way around. I'm working on finding a better balance and hope they will remedy the burnout. I know you must be really feeling it - especially after so many things have hit you this year. Fingers crossed it all gets better from here 🤞
I feel for you, been there, got better at taking time off between projects now so that I don't get burnt out. I also have a better idea about what I can realistically manage in say a month so am strict with myself about sticking to that!
Oh, Sarah ... that tax bill would have rocked my world in the worst way. :( I feel like I live in cycles of writing and burnout. I wrote a lot of short stories in HS, and then 8 years of academic writing (ended in 2017). So when I finally got a story idea just before NaNo 2020, i put everything i had into it. I got barely any sleep, didn't hydrate well, barely exercised...all because i HAD to write 50K. I took December off, and thought I'd edit and do all the things to self publish by the end of 2021. But i burnt out before the end of January 2021, and didn't write again til February 2022. I wrote steadily from Feb-July. Burnt out again. Started writing in October 2022. Burnt out in February 2023. And i haven't written since. You're not alone 💛
Holy moly a 5 figure tax bill! That would have given me a heart attack and major art block! No wonder you’re burnout from all the stress you’ve had! Let yourself rest and regroup, it’ll all come back!
I'm currently in the middle of burnout. Working a grueling job that was sucking out my soul didn't help. I'm now working a different job and it's a lot less stressful, which has already made massive improvements. Working on new projects definitely helps, but I'm focusing less on writing and more on other things as well. Like you, I completely dropped off most of my hobbies, and it shows. I still haven't clawed completely out of burnout, but I'm working my way there.
hahaha don't worry at all. I don't know the difference either. I pretty much cannot tell you which each word is at any given time. But I can tell you whether it's right or wrong. So there's that! And honestly that's how I experience burnout too. It's the absence of the desire to write. Or the desire is there but the follow-through is not and it's daunting thinking about sitting at the desk and writing.
So sorry to hear about your grandparents. Remember you have a back catalogue you can promote. That's so awesome. You have worked so hard that if writing is a struggle with burn out you can put your efforts into promoting your past work AND your seasonal books. Maybe that's your new idea, lol, with your Halloween and Christmas books you could add in a summer holiday romance or a spring break romance. My own (hobby) work in progress has come to a standstill but I can write lots of words for the same characters with different meet cutes/scenarios. I'm just beginning another one with the same people meeting on a holiday in Spain. (I've actually forced myself to change their names before I begin writing. I think the female lead will be Greer and the male, Jax (not Jaxon) his name will be Jacques with a french mum but all his London friends call him Jax.😂 I got excited thinking about this yesterday 😁 (I'm not sure about the name Jax but my other work in progress he is Jake. It's almost the same lol.) Anyway, do whatever you feel you need to keep your creativity flowing and your equilibrium balanced. I've started reading romances again (bookbub free ones) but they are really helping me come out of a funk.
For me, I've had what I would call "burnout" multiple times, and I still haven't released anything! LOL I've realized this year, that it was imposter syndrome, SM, and me being too much of a planner. I've learned to NOT be on SM, while I'm actively 1st-3rd draft writing. I designate one day to post, edit, etc for SM, and an hour day to be on and check out others. Developing a writing schedule for a few hours a day, and letting it go until the next day. I also moved to WFH at my day job (medical) and that helps take away some of the stress. That's been working for me. So I definitely get it!
I have experienced burnout from my full time job. I didn't realize how burnt out I was until I left that job at the end of 2021. It took me quite a while to recover from it last year. Unfortunately I'm back to feeling burnt out because of my current day job/career.
If starting fresh means to dive into a new book idea/series that makes you happy instead of feeling absolute dread then we’re all for it! Some people try to deny or disregard burnout and in retrospect when they look back at a job they did for years and experience burnout, they absolutely weren’t happy for the last few years. Sometimes a change of pace, scenery, project is just the thing! You got this, Sarah! I would say that I was super curious who the couple is for book 5 hoho so down the road even if you don’t go ahead with it I’d love to see a peek in your Patreon since I’m a member 🥹👀🎉 All the best, keep us updated hun!
For burnout I completely stepped away from writing. It’s easier since it’s just a hobby for me, but after several months of not trying to force any type of writing I’ve finally got the bug back. I just started working on an entirely new concept and I’m excited about it again. You’ll get there!
I FEEL this. I think artists of every kind can relate to this--visual, musical, and literary. I've been burnt out on noveling for over a year at this point, which is the longest I've ever gone. The most I've been able to muster is some poetry because I've been dealing with severe depression and some really hard things in my personal life. It makes sense because there's only so much our brains can deal with at once, so don't feel bad! I would recommend easing back into writing. Maybe try a different form of writing to start, like I did. Poetry or maybe just journaling! Get your fingers and your brain used to making words happen again. I've dealt with burnout a lot over the years and I know it can seem impossible to get your butt in the desk chair, but sometimes you just have to take time to deal with the important things/emotions first before you get back to writing.
i definitely understand the burnout. this past year has been really difficult for me given how hard the economy and just my goals overall have felt really heavy. within this past few weeks, i've been able to find my own creativity and passion again. i had to journal for a whole day about it and at the end of it, i realized that i used to romanticized the writing process more when i enjoyed it. so lately, i've been playing music like a main character movie moment and making teas/coffees and setting time aside with intention. it's been really helping and maybe you could try something like it or maybe just give yourself a couple days to come around to jumping back into it. Peace and grace will come 💚 enjoyed and appreciated the video
Thank you for sharing this with us Sarah! I hope you’ll give yourself time to heal and recharge after pushing through a tough time. I’ve learned to sense when I’m approaching a creative burnout and when I feel it coming, I know it’s time to back off, and take it easy for a while. Distracting myself with something else entirely is my biggest defense against burnout. Like getting lost in a good Sarah Sutton book for instance! 😉
You have had soooo many huge life changes in the last year. Add that to burnout and what a time you must be having. :-( Some seasons we just have to reassess and step back from things for a while. Throw yourself into something else.
Burnout is terrible. I definitely know what you are going through. I have been struggling with it since December 2019. At that time I had to lot of things going on, and then lockdown happened and it only made it worse. I wrote on and off, and it took awhile for me to accept what is happening. Like you, I have to tell myself to take breaks in between my writing. Eventually I started writing again. I still struggled with my writing, but I’m slowly getting there. Hopefully you find your inspiration again and get back into your writing
I had a burn out. The two years on medical leave kind of burn out. My brain gave up one day and the collateral damage was that I couldn't read or write anymore. It shot my creativity. I had to relearn many things and to be honest, it's all about babysteps and celebrating small wins ! I would also say that therapy and adressing my anxiety also really helped me understand myself better. I would still faint if I had such a big bill though 😅 I'm open to questions if someone wants to know about my journey.
If you haven't already, I strongly suggest you pop over to Becca Syme's channel and watch her series on burnout. As someone who has burnt out repeatedly (yes, I'm a slow learner :D), her advice is the best I've ever come across....I had to learn that between my own temperament and Life In General, I have to write/publish at a slower pace if it's going to be sustainable and that's perfectly okay. I know there's a lot of pressure in the indie publishing world to churn books out one after the other, but it's the rare person (basically super-human) who can do that indefinitely. Take great care of yourself....:)
SheIn is so cheap because they exploit their workers. Not to mention the damage and pollution fast fashion companies like theirs create for the environment.
Ah yes, this is the perfect video for this pointless comment. She is already feeling bad and stressed but keep piling on. Maybe all the organisations responsible for human rights who have done nothing about these situations will give you a medal. It's funny how the same energy is not expanded to apple and brand/luxury items, all of which are engaged in the same exploitation. Let's guilt the middle class, that sounds fun.
I have one book out...I definitely was burned out by the time it was released. Those darn edits! Also, I definitely pulled back on my writing after it was released. I realize now that it was that whole "fear of failure" thing. As the mother of 7 children, 5 of whom are still being homeschooled, I don't have a ton of time to write so I am now making it a priority to work on my next book.
Thank you so much for discussing burn out. I feel like a lot of writers experience burn out but never discuss going through it. This makes me feel not alone.
Thank you for sharing this...I am a newer author working on book 3 and I feel this way sometimes and then realize a lot of it is because of the expectations I put on myself...good on you for recognizing it and I hope you find the joy in a new story soon
Burn out is real. After having writing as my job for 10 years now, I’ve learned to be ahead. I couldn’t write this year. Could. Not. My husband was sick and we spent a lot of time in the hospital. But I was still publishing books because I had my releases ready to publish through October of this year. It’s weird, but it helps. I’m finally writing again. And it feels so good. But I plan to get ahead again, as long as I can. Because even when you can’t write, you still have to make money. 😊 and, as you publish more, you have a huge backlist that helps.
I definitely understand feeling burnt out (especially in relation to a series). A year ago, I made the difficult decision to put my dystopian fantasy series on indefinite hiatus. And then I started working on an idea I was passionate about (which became my upcoming urban fantasy series). So, in my opinion, there's definitely no shame in putting a series on hiatus for a while so you can rediscover your passion.
It's okay to take a break, your writing will ALWAYS be there to come back to. Burnout is so real whether you're a full time writer, part time, or just doing it for fun. I think I experience burnout at least once a year LOL I usually just try to focus on the things that bring me joy for a little while (and that might not be writing) and making sure my base level needs are being met (i.e. eating healthy, drinking water, getting enough sleep, etc.).
I swear I have burnout after every single project. It's so unreal. I've slowly figured out it's because I don't balance work and life well enough. It's either all work and no life or the other way around. I'm working on finding a better balance and hope they will remedy the burnout. I know you must be really feeling it - especially after so many things have hit you this year. Fingers crossed it all gets better from here 🤞
I feel for you, been there, got better at taking time off between projects now so that I don't get burnt out. I also have a better idea about what I can realistically manage in say a month so am strict with myself about sticking to that!
Oh, Sarah ... that tax bill would have rocked my world in the worst way. :(
I feel like I live in cycles of writing and burnout. I wrote a lot of short stories in HS, and then 8 years of academic writing (ended in 2017).
So when I finally got a story idea just before NaNo 2020, i put everything i had into it. I got barely any sleep, didn't hydrate well, barely exercised...all because i HAD to write 50K. I took December off, and thought I'd edit and do all the things to self publish by the end of 2021.
But i burnt out before the end of January 2021, and didn't write again til February 2022.
I wrote steadily from Feb-July. Burnt out again. Started writing in October 2022. Burnt out in February 2023. And i haven't written since.
You're not alone 💛
Holy moly a 5 figure tax bill! That would have given me a heart attack and major art block! No wonder you’re burnout from all the stress you’ve had! Let yourself rest and regroup, it’ll all come back!
I'm currently in the middle of burnout. Working a grueling job that was sucking out my soul didn't help. I'm now working a different job and it's a lot less stressful, which has already made massive improvements. Working on new projects definitely helps, but I'm focusing less on writing and more on other things as well. Like you, I completely dropped off most of my hobbies, and it shows. I still haven't clawed completely out of burnout, but I'm working my way there.
hahaha don't worry at all. I don't know the difference either. I pretty much cannot tell you which each word is at any given time. But I can tell you whether it's right or wrong. So there's that!
And honestly that's how I experience burnout too. It's the absence of the desire to write. Or the desire is there but the follow-through is not and it's daunting thinking about sitting at the desk and writing.
So sorry to hear about your grandparents. Remember you have a back catalogue you can promote. That's so awesome. You have worked so hard that if writing is a struggle with burn out you can put your efforts into promoting your past work AND your seasonal books. Maybe that's your new idea, lol, with your Halloween and Christmas books you could add in a summer holiday romance or a spring break romance. My own (hobby) work in progress has come to a standstill but I can write lots of words for the same characters with different meet cutes/scenarios. I'm just beginning another one with the same people meeting on a holiday in Spain. (I've actually forced myself to change their names before I begin writing. I think the female lead will be Greer and the male, Jax (not Jaxon) his name will be Jacques with a french mum but all his London friends call him Jax.😂 I got excited thinking about this yesterday 😁 (I'm not sure about the name Jax but my other work in progress he is Jake. It's almost the same lol.) Anyway, do whatever you feel you need to keep your creativity flowing and your equilibrium balanced. I've started reading romances again (bookbub free ones) but they are really helping me come out of a funk.
For me, I've had what I would call "burnout" multiple times, and I still haven't released anything! LOL I've realized this year, that it was imposter syndrome, SM, and me being too much of a planner. I've learned to NOT be on SM, while I'm actively 1st-3rd draft writing. I designate one day to post, edit, etc for SM, and an hour day to be on and check out others.
Developing a writing schedule for a few hours a day, and letting it go until the next day. I also moved to WFH at my day job (medical) and that helps take away some of the stress. That's been working for me. So I definitely get it!
I have experienced burnout from my full time job. I didn't realize how burnt out I was until I left that job at the end of 2021. It took me quite a while to recover from it last year. Unfortunately I'm back to feeling burnt out because of my current day job/career.
If starting fresh means to dive into a new book idea/series that makes you happy instead of feeling absolute dread then we’re all for it!
Some people try to deny or disregard burnout and in retrospect when they look back at a job they did for years and experience burnout, they absolutely weren’t happy for the last few years.
Sometimes a change of pace, scenery, project is just the thing!
You got this, Sarah! I would say that I was super curious who the couple is for book 5 hoho so down the road even if you don’t go ahead with it I’d love to see a peek in your Patreon since I’m a member 🥹👀🎉
All the best, keep us updated hun!
For burnout I completely stepped away from writing. It’s easier since it’s just a hobby for me, but after several months of not trying to force any type of writing I’ve finally got the bug back. I just started working on an entirely new concept and I’m excited about it again. You’ll get there!
I FEEL this. I think artists of every kind can relate to this--visual, musical, and literary. I've been burnt out on noveling for over a year at this point, which is the longest I've ever gone. The most I've been able to muster is some poetry because I've been dealing with severe depression and some really hard things in my personal life. It makes sense because there's only so much our brains can deal with at once, so don't feel bad! I would recommend easing back into writing. Maybe try a different form of writing to start, like I did. Poetry or maybe just journaling! Get your fingers and your brain used to making words happen again. I've dealt with burnout a lot over the years and I know it can seem impossible to get your butt in the desk chair, but sometimes you just have to take time to deal with the important things/emotions first before you get back to writing.
i definitely understand the burnout. this past year has been really difficult for me given how hard the economy and just my goals overall have felt really heavy. within this past few weeks, i've been able to find my own creativity and passion again. i had to journal for a whole day about it and at the end of it, i realized that i used to romanticized the writing process more when i enjoyed it. so lately, i've been playing music like a main character movie moment and making teas/coffees and setting time aside with intention. it's been really helping and maybe you could try something like it or maybe just give yourself a couple days to come around to jumping back into it. Peace and grace will come 💚 enjoyed and appreciated the video
Thank you for sharing this with us Sarah! I hope you’ll give yourself time to heal and recharge after pushing through a tough time. I’ve learned to sense when I’m approaching a creative burnout and when I feel it coming, I know it’s time to back off, and take it easy for a while. Distracting myself with something else entirely is my biggest defense against burnout. Like getting lost in a good Sarah Sutton book for instance! 😉
You have had soooo many huge life changes in the last year. Add that to burnout and what a time you must be having. :-( Some seasons we just have to reassess and step back from things for a while. Throw yourself into something else.
Burnout is terrible. I definitely know what you are going through. I have been struggling with it since December 2019. At that time I had to lot of things going on, and then lockdown happened and it only made it worse. I wrote on and off, and it took awhile for me to accept what is happening. Like you, I have to tell myself to take breaks in between my writing. Eventually I started writing again. I still struggled with my writing, but I’m slowly getting there. Hopefully you find your inspiration again and get back into your writing
I had a burn out. The two years on medical leave kind of burn out. My brain gave up one day and the collateral damage was that I couldn't read or write anymore. It shot my creativity. I had to relearn many things and to be honest, it's all about babysteps and celebrating small wins ! I would also say that therapy and adressing my anxiety also really helped me understand myself better.
I would still faint if I had such a big bill though 😅
I'm open to questions if someone wants to know about my journey.
Have you seen Becca Syme’s Burnout series? Tbh, you have seemed burned out. I should have brought it up to you. 😔
If you haven't already, I strongly suggest you pop over to Becca Syme's channel and watch her series on burnout. As someone who has burnt out repeatedly (yes, I'm a slow learner :D), her advice is the best I've ever come across....I had to learn that between my own temperament and Life In General, I have to write/publish at a slower pace if it's going to be sustainable and that's perfectly okay. I know there's a lot of pressure in the indie publishing world to churn books out one after the other, but it's the rare person (basically super-human) who can do that indefinitely. Take great care of yourself....:)
Yes! Becca covers this in great detail. I’ve burned myself out multiple times at work but not with writing. I def had to learn the hard way.
After my challenge to write a book in a week I am beyond burnt out :|
SheIn is so cheap because they exploit their workers. Not to mention the damage and pollution fast fashion companies like theirs create for the environment.
Ah yes, this is the perfect video for this pointless comment. She is already feeling bad and stressed but keep piling on.
Maybe all the organisations responsible for human rights who have done nothing about these situations will give you a medal. It's funny how the same energy is not expanded to apple and brand/luxury items, all of which are engaged in the same exploitation. Let's guilt the middle class, that sounds fun.