I’m going to talk about something very real, and unmentioned, writer’s fatigue. What does that mean? It means you hit a wall you can’t climb. It’s exhaustion of not just the brain, but the soul. Because writing is more than sitting at a computer using fancy words, spouting facts, and hoping for the best. It’s the creation of a world, introductions of characters you’ve dreamed up, or in some cases show up and demand you tell their story. You want to get it right. You’re invested in ways most can’t understand. Because when you create anything you lend a part of yourself to it.

Creation is a personal thing. Almost spiritual. It’s just you, a blank page, and your demons. As you can imagine, that’s a battle in so many different ways. It can be cathartic, but if you do it back to back without giving yourself a proper break you go into fatigue, or as some call it burn out. It’s a tough business these days. There are so many people with the same dream, constantly changing rules, formats, and a number of other things. It can drain you before you know what hit you.

I slammed into a brick wall a few months ago. I lost the joy of writing. I forgot why I started. The rush I got when a new idea hit dissipated. The pure glee when my mind worked out a plot twist, and the ever-present notebook I carried everywhere “Just in case” I got a thought I could not afford to forget were lost in the wind.

This business took its pound of flesh from me, and I got a cause of the run downs. Literally and figuratively. I had an iron deficiency that left me sluggish and unmotivated. During that “down period,” I did a lot of soul-searching. I asked myself about my writing mission, and what needed to happen for me to love this again.

Since my new vitamin routine. (5-6 a day). I’m back to my old self. I’m back to my workout routine, feeling energized. Low and behold my brain kicked back on, and I’m working on things that make my soul sing! I’m a chameleon and a caterpillar. I’m constantly going into my cocoon and emerging as something new. My writing goes in stages because of this. I’ll investigate, research read, and then it comes out in my writing. It’s why I genre hop, from contemporary, to western, and then paranormal. Some people say that’s not the way to go about things. When I stick with one thing, I stagnate, and my soul starts to eat itself because it’s hungry. #truestory.

I’m sharing this story because some people will say writer’s block is a myth. They’ll make you feel bad for those periods you have when you’re not producing, or having a tough time. It’s normal. The question you should ask isn’t is this valid, but why. Our bodies and minds send us signals to let us know everything is not alright. It’s our job to listen to them and become sleuths. Break it down and examine it until you know the cause. Sometimes being able to write means going against the grain. *Gasps. Did she say that? Yeap I did. It means going with your gut, delving deep and taking risks, writing that story you’re not sure anyone else will want to read.

It’s staying in tune with yourself.  Make sure you remember your vision and the message you wanted to convey to readers. That can be harder than it sounds. I know. It may mean taking a break. Did I say, stop writing? No, but I did say get the hell away from the computer. Take a walk, watch a movie, visit a friend, read, read, read. Go to the library and browse for something new. Go out in your town, reminisce, discover new things, LIVE.

Writer’s live in their heads a lot. Too many times we forget how important it is to step outside of that.  I think we need to give ourselves permission to do that.  Listen to your body, your mind, and your soul to discover what you need, and then stand firm. Everyone’s journey in this life and this business is their own. Live on your terms, and take care of yourself. It’s a gift to discover in one’s lifetime the thing that makes them whole. Take care of it, and treat it with respect.