It is my opinion that writing is a sport and I would compare writing a novel to competing in the Olympics. Most would not think so, but my fellow authors would agree that writing, while very rewarding, can be an exhausting task. Between staring at a computer screen for hours on end, and typing in a stationary position, one may feel cramps in their hands as well as eye and neck strain at the end of a writing session.
This is not me complaining by the way. Far from it. Most authors would rather pluck an eye out than quit writing. Speaking for myself, it has always been my dream to become a novelist, and I plan to write as long as my eyes can see and my fingers can type.
Which is why I can tell you from experience, being consumed by the thought of completing a project has kept me awake during the wee hours of the night. I’ve found myself writing for 15 hours straight at times. Some have even said they became a little manic with excitement, overwhelmed with their project to the point they were unable to sleep. This is why I find it so important to remind indie authors how important it is to take care of their physical and mental health.
As I engage with other indie authors on Facebook groups, or scroll through Instagram, I constantly see authors post about living with ADHD, or their stories of struggling with anxiety. A writer’s life can be very isolated, because they often spend a lot of time alone with their thoughts concentrating on their craft, and creating their art. One can find it mentally draining, especially if they don’t take breaks or have a set schedule for writing that gives them the ability to partake in other activities and still have a life.
The other side of writers not knowing when they’ve had enough is writer’s dealing with procrastination, an author’s worst enemy. As I stated earlier, writing can leave you feeling fatigued, and it is not always fun-no matter how much you love creating . Which is one of the reasons it is easy to put off writing in favor of doing almost anything else. Some writers may be so fatigued they develop brain fog or writer’s block.
To be honest, writer’s block is a myth in my opinion, but we’ll discuss that on another post. Either you know the story you are writing or you don’t. It can also be that you just don’t feel like writing, or your uninspired and that’s ok too. Take time off to live a little and refill your creative juices as you step away from your regular routine. This will give you new experiences to write about as well as allow you some time to get excited about writing again.
To sum it up, a writer’s job can be very fulfilling creatively, but it is still work and as such one should remember to take breaks and have days off. A healthy diet and an exercise routine is also not a bad place to start. Otherwise, you will experience burn out and you will not have a choice when your mind and body decides it wants to shut down on you.
