I think I might be on the beginnings of a burnout

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Despite posting a lot less than I used to, I feel more exhausted than normal. I used to be able to write 1k chapters within a day while having them edited and upload (granted the editing was very dodgy but still). Now, I struggle writing 500 words within a span of 3 days. It also doesn't help I'm trying to create longer chapters in general 1k-2k range. I still very much want to write and have even planned outlines for chapters ahead.

I just hate feeling like this. It's so frustrating. Especially, since my mind keeps imagining different scenarios in the stories.
 

Hans.Trondheim

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Despite posting a lot less than I used to, I feel more exhausted than normal. I used to be able to write 1k chapters within a day while having them edited and upload (granted the editing was very dodgy but still). Now, I struggle writing 500 words within a span of 3 days. It also doesn't help I'm trying to create longer chapters in general 1k-2k range. I still very much want to write and have even planned outlines for chapters ahead.

I just hate feeling like this. It's so frustrating. Especially, since my mind keeps imagining different scenarios in the stories.
Write down your ideas, just to save them. Take a break when you feel tired and everything seems bad.

As in total break from writing once you saved your ideas. Don't even hold a pen.
 
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FatElf

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Despite posting a lot less than I used to, I feel more exhausted than normal. I used to be able to write 1k chapters within a day while having them edited and upload (granted the editing was very dodgy but still). Now, I struggle writing 500 words within a span of 3 days. It also doesn't help I'm trying to create longer chapters in general 1k-2k range. I still very much want to write and have even planned outlines for chapters ahead.

I just hate feeling like this. It's so frustrating. Especially, since my mind keeps imagining different scenarios in the stories.
Lack of an outline or plan. Or maybe you wrote something you don't like and now fighting yourself to continue when you don't like the direction the story is going.

For the first take a few days to list all the major events until the end of the book or arc, that way you can always refer to that when you are struggling to write. "What needs to happen to reach X goal?"

For the second, re-read your story and try to identify where it started to change. From there, plan new events to turn things around.

I hope it helps.
 

Succubiome

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Despite posting a lot less than I used to, I feel more exhausted than normal. I used to be able to write 1k chapters within a day while having them edited and upload (granted the editing was very dodgy but still). Now, I struggle writing 500 words within a span of 3 days. It also doesn't help I'm trying to create longer chapters in general 1k-2k range. I still very much want to write and have even planned outlines for chapters ahead.

I just hate feeling like this. It's so frustrating. Especially, since my mind keeps imagining different scenarios in the stories.
If longer chapters is one of the stressors, have you tried going back to shorter chapters?
 

Paul_Tromba

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Despite posting a lot less than I used to, I feel more exhausted than normal. I used to be able to write 1k chapters within a day while having them edited and upload (granted the editing was very dodgy but still). Now, I struggle writing 500 words within a span of 3 days. It also doesn't help I'm trying to create longer chapters in general 1k-2k range. I still very much want to write and have even planned outlines for chapters ahead.

I just hate feeling like this. It's so frustrating. Especially, since my mind keeps imagining different scenarios in the stories.
It's fairly normal. Just take a 2-3 week hiatus where you don't write. Maybe take some time to read a few books, imagine the next scenes, or relax for a few days. After a little break, you should be able to get back into it. Though your ability to write a high word count will suffer slightly the longer of a hiatus you take.
 

TheEldritchGod

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Keep working on it. With a little time and effort, you'll completely burnout.
Don't give up now. You can do it. We believe in you.
 

John_Owl

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Start a new story for fun, let your ideas flow there. When you come back to this story after the run, maybe your thoughts will flow out naturally. :blob_sir:
This! I've currently got a total of 7 stories "started". but the only one I'm actually working on is my current upload. I've also gotten probably 20-30 one shots written, simply because I had ideas I needed to get out of my head (though most of those are too "taboo" to post, so they'll never be seen in the light of day.)
 

Tyranomaster

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Despite posting a lot less than I used to, I feel more exhausted than normal. I used to be able to write 1k chapters within a day while having them edited and upload (granted the editing was very dodgy but still). Now, I struggle writing 500 words within a span of 3 days. It also doesn't help I'm trying to create longer chapters in general 1k-2k range. I still very much want to write and have even planned outlines for chapters ahead.

I just hate feeling like this. It's so frustrating. Especially, since my mind keeps imagining different scenarios in the stories.
There are a few things that you should pause and self-evaluate to determine if it's actually burnout.

Do you feel different ABOUT writing while you're doing it? If so, then it could be burnout. If you don't, then it's unlikely.

Are you working through continuity issues? A problem that is easily confused with burnout is complexity. When you start writing a story, anything can happen. As you get further and further in, there are more and more internal continuities you have to consider. This slows down writing a lot, because you have to remember what someone did dozens of chapters in the past. These stack up more and more over the course of a story, which slows pace down a lot.

I think a lot of authors think they're experiencing burnout, when in actuality, they're just struggling with maintaining the continuity within their own envisioned universe.

As mentioned, writing outlines, or taking a break can help, and actually helps with both of these. Even when you take a break from writing, you're likely not taking a break from thinking about your story, and you'll hammer out a bunch of those internal continuity issues by thinking about them over time.

The prescribed cure for both tends to be the same thing, though I'd argue you can just power through the continuity issue, but powering through burnout is a no-go. Recognizing which one is the problem can help you develop as a writer too.

A lot of people say, "I've started a lot of stories, but I burn out after a few dozen chapters, and then move on to the next project." I think (and this is just conjecture) that many of those authors are running into the point where they have to consider continuity within their own story, don't want to, and so they drop it. That's completely fine, but understanding that it isn't the dark specter of burnout, but is actually just something every story that isn't episodic experiences can help you make the educated decision on what to do.
 

ForestDweller

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Same here. Haven't updated over a month and more.

Ever since I stopped trying to be popular, I decided I'd only write whenever I wanted to. And that desire isn't there. Having more fun playing video games.

I know it's inevitable though once the comments died down. Used to power through it but now, eh, whatever.
 

K5Rakitan

Level 34 👪 💍 Pronouns: she/whore ♀
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Congratulations! Do you know the sex of the baby yet?
 

beast_regards

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Congratulations! Do you know the sex of the baby yet?
It would be a fox girl!
1710622948327.png
 
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There are a few things that you should pause and self-evaluate to determine if it's actually burnout.

Do you feel different ABOUT writing while you're doing it? If so, then it could be burnout. If you don't, then it's unlikely.

Are you working through continuity issues? A problem that is easily confused with burnout is complexity. When you start writing a story, anything can happen. As you get further and further in, there are more and more internal continuities you have to consider. This slows down writing a lot, because you have to remember what someone did dozens of chapters in the past. These stack up more and more over the course of a story, which slows pace down a lot.

I think a lot of authors think they're experiencing burnout, when in actuality, they're just struggling with maintaining the continuity within their own envisioned universe.

As mentioned, writing outlines, or taking a break can help, and actually helps with both of these. Even when you take a break from writing, you're likely not taking a break from thinking about your story, and you'll hammer out a bunch of those internal continuity issues by thinking about them over time.

The prescribed cure for both tends to be the same thing, though I'd argue you can just power through the continuity issue, but powering through burnout is a no-go. Recognizing which one is the problem can help you develop as a writer too.

A lot of people say, "I've started a lot of stories, but I burn out after a few dozen chapters, and then move on to the next project." I think (and this is just conjecture) that many of those authors are running into the point where they have to consider continuity within their own story, don't want to, and so they drop it. That's completely fine, but understanding that it isn't the dark specter of burnout, but is actually just something every story that isn't episodic experiences can help you make the educated decision on what to do.
Wow, I never thought about it like that.

I think you might be spot on about the continuity of the story. Nowadays, every time I sit down and write I do find myself spending like 30 minutes re-reading old chapters just to make sure it all makes sense. I think I might just need to, like you said, "hammer out the details".

Thanks for the perspective:unsure:
If longer chapters is one of the stressors, have you tried going back to shorter chapters?
Short chapters worked at the beginning of the story but make a less sense now. It is mainly because some much more is just happening now. 1k chapters feel like they are missing important details.

It's fairly normal. Just take a 2-3 week hiatus where you don't write. Maybe take some time to read a few books, imagine the next scenes, or relax for a few days. After a little break, you should be able to get back into it. Though your ability to write a high word count will suffer slightly the longer of a hiatus you take.
I think I'll take this advice. A short break just to refocus and maybe edit some of the older chapters better.
I used to be able to write 2k a day and now I struggle with 2k a month 😁
RIP
 
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