Burn out

If you're feeling like you're burning out, give your permission to take a little break. Not stop. But it's okay to focus on something else for a day or two. Maybe research or brainstorming for the project you want to do after this one. Or get away and do something that has absolutely nothing to do with writing and everything to do with fun for a day.

Usually you'll come back re-energized and able to look at your MS with fresh eyes. At least that's what happens with me.

Remember you're actually paying off everything else you've built up in the novel at the end, so of course it can be complicated. You obviously love your story since you've made it this far already. Take a deep breath, cut yourself some slack, and go have fun. Then come back and wrap it up. You've got this.

Stop, take a couple days off to do what you wish, write a short story and then jump back on your project.

You're fighting wet cornstarch here. Don't keep pushing, you won't get through easily. So pause and the cornstarch will turn to liquid once more.

Work on something else. Trust me. It's better to work on something else rather than write forced material that was created on a burnt out mind.

It helps me to do something entirely different for a day or even a week. Last week I worked two ten hour days on galley proofs. This week I am doing some heavy donkey work, well, heavy work for a woman of my years. I am moving mattresses and cleaning closets. Already I can see that writing all day isn't as bad as I thought and I am getting new ideas. Sometimes I just take a break to read a book about something I am interested in, like beekeeping. iit really does help to take a break before you break your resolve. S6.

All of my best stories have required a break before I could tackle the ending. In some cases, it's been days. But often it's been weeks, months--or longer.

Trust yourself. Take a break. Let it coalesce. But don't give up.

I'm not sure how much this helps, but that's my experience.

Don't worry about it. Take a break. I had to take a break from my WIP for a few days to work out the climax in my mind. I was still able to come back to it and finished it in a strong way.

I finished the first draft on my new WIP, and tried to jump straight back into a final spit 'n' polish of the previous book. Didn't work, the tank is empty.

So, I'm taking a break until the drive comes back. I'm reading a lot [fiction and non-fiction], thinking of taking up a night-class, basically just having a life. The desire will return.

celticroots said:

I am so close to finishing a first draft of a novel I am working on. But it's taken forever to get this far. I love the story and don't want to give up on it.

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One option is to finish the story in any way you can, just so it's finished. The crappy ending can be fixed in rewrite. You may very well get ideas while doing the editing, since you'll be able to read the whole story in one shot.

My advice would be to take a short break and then to finish the piece. I actually experience this very often, normally halfway through writing a novel when the story is established but the climax is still a ways off. Normally, I trudge through it, gaining a little more momentum at the climax and denouement. My advice would also be to give yourself some space to recharge and get excited before starting the revisions/editing process. Starting on the wrong foot or in a bad space would hinder, if not ruin, the editing process.

Best of luck,

- Michael