I've lost my inspiration and drive to write...

[isa0005]

Hi all,

I'm isa0005, some of you might know me, some of you might not. Either way, I have a but of a problem,as the title of the thread might suggest and I need to talk about it.

So yeah, I've lost my inspiration and drive to write... I've had 'writer's block,' if you could call it that before and I've generally gotten over it but right now, things seem different. Every time I look down at a page or go to type something I'm filled with this sensation of utter disgust and dread. Every idea is worthless and stupid and every sentence or paragraph is wrong. I've also noticed that I get this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I've tried doing all the things I usually do to get my creativeness going yet nothing seems to work, I've tried just leaving it and seeing if something comes and while we've had a few bursts of creativity, they haven't really amounted to much.

I know this year has been pretty tough, university, relationships, moving out of home for the first time, mental and physical health have been playing havoc. I've written some of my best material and some of my worst from stories to the good ol'fashioned academic essay.

I'm on holidays for the moment and I've spent most of it being a bit of a potato as honestly I'm feeling pretty burnt out, happy-ish I guess, but utterly burnt out.

I don't even know what I'm doing, with my life and writing in general and am generally feeling kind of stuck...

Anyone got any advice?

Cheers,
isa0005

[Admiral Van Tromp]

Hello. I'm an amateur and I probably have written a lot less than you, but I can overcome writer's block most of the time with feedback. I see you have posted some of your work online (I think I read Dans l'ombre de l'Aigle when you were posting it), so you already have some feedback. But I'm talking about physical face-to-face contact with someone that has read what you have written and has suggestions, praise and criticism. It usually cheers me up and helps get a couple dozen more pages out. The more times you do this, the merrier.

I also like reading older stuff. I usually remember most of it as terrible and it's nice to see you weren't as bad as you thought. If you were better than you remember, perhaps you're better than you think you are right now.

[McScottish]

Two things usually help me, if I can't will myself hard enough; music and reading.

Now reading may not seem all that great, not with what you've just told us, but when I write an AAR or participate in a role-play or whatever I like to 'go ham' with it - I will download books regarding the topic, scour the internet for information, even go as far as buying books to read through them. Even books not on the subject sometimes help. For example, I wanted to write an AAR on the Late Roman Empire, so I spent hours of days pawing through Karen R. Dixon & Pat Southern books, reading Ammianus Marcellinus, and generally getting a feel for the time, place and people. On the other side of the spectrum, I read a book on the Pakeha Maori of New Zealand, and inadvertently started spewing ideas that had almost nothing to do with it!

Music, well, it's music isn't it?! It can change emotion, stimulate the mind, encourage the imagination and much more; I like to listen to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, Classical, Sabaton, and many, many more, and I would encourage you to do the same.

Lastly, and I am guilty of doing this all the time, don't burn yourself out...just take it easy, take it slow if you have to, and write increment by increment if that's how you feel. You can always come back to things, you can always have a slouching day, perhaps observe/hear something in your day-to-day life that gives you an idea (I saw a tree in a thunderstorm once...then thought of vikings and Odin, go figure!) and then see what you can write.

Oh, and I agree with Admiral Van Tromp entirely, that's some good advice right there.

[Zeion]

It can be tough sometimes to understand yourself.

From my perspective, it seems that your statement of being "burned out" seems to be pretty spot on. I would just try to give yourself some slack, find joy and passion in other things, and take a step back from writing. Give yourself room to breathe (literally), and don't try to push yourself. Sometimes activities that are totally different can be supplemental and very helpful in a tangential way. For example going on holiday, visiting places, meeting people.

Take it easy on yourself.

[Boriak]

It could simply be a hurdle in your craft and/or your life. If you push onward now you might get back on track and be better at writing.

I suggest taking some time off and just see what grabs your attention.

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

Hey, isa0005.

I'm sorry to hear you're struggling with your creativity and feeling burnt out. It sounds frustrating and difficult.

It's probably not going to sound all that helpful, but I agree with pretty much everybody! Admiral Van Tromp is quite right that just because you think everything you write at the moment is dreadful, that doesn't necessarily mean it is.

But even if it is dreadful, that doesn't matter. You're feeling burnt out. Well, nobody's going to be writing really good stuff in that sort of state! So - as my eminent and very wise fellow-posters have said - don't worry about the writing for now. Tell yourself you're having a complete break from writing. In fact, unless there are urgent financial reasons why you have to know right now what you're going to do with your life (or at least the next bit of your life), don't worry about that, either. By the sound of it, you've had a really rough year. You probably need some time to recover from that - anybody would. So make sure you're looking after your health (both physical and mental) and get any help you need with that. And try not to put pressure on yourself to sort out your life/writing/general creativity. 'Stuck' is an awful feeling, but recovering from being burnt out is probably the most important thing for you to do right now - so try to think of that as what you're doing with your life at the moment, and remember that it's a good, useful positive thing to do.

And - if it helps you at all - stick around here and keep posting. It's good to have you around.

[Iron Aquilifer]

Following on in a similar vein to the posters above, I will deliver some suggestions. I may be retreading the steps of others but what is writing if not plagiarism of our ancestors

As a foreword I have (also?) begun my first year of University, moved from home to a new city I have never been before, with few of my close friends close. I have only managed a few thousand words to my creative projects and instead have become quite "unfocused" both in terms of writing and personal direction. Perhaps not the same degree as you yourself are facing, but it is important to be constantly reminding yourself that you are not "weak" or "different" (in negative connotations) to be feeling down. Everyone has periods of this, though an upsetting sum have it dominate their lives for years at a time.

Anyway:
- Total break from writing. Being burnt out and exhausted will not only have adverse effects on your writing, but also your own health. Locking the door to your writer's study for a while will allow you the space necessary to recharge, whether that is allowing experiences to develop new/old ideas from a fresh perspective or to give your creativity a rest.
- Break from story writing. This is what I generally do when I find myself literally staring at the wall in search of ideas to continue a piece. Rename the document to "postponed", or "ended", or something to that nature, open up a fresh notepad, and note down the barest essentials of the themes and central conflict(s) you want from your story. The story can wait. World-build, note out of context scenes from movies or novels or TV or real life that you find interesting or cool or worthy of putting your own spin on.
- New Hobby. Throw yourself into something different (or similar) which can stimulate you in a new fashion. Maybe amp up your gym attendance, or sign up to that local medieval society you heard about. What about baking, or model collection (whether it is for tabletop gaming or not), or picking up a controller and getting right up to date with the latest blockbuster games. It can be temporary, one session at the Judo dojo, or a month-long project of painting the 20th Maine Volunteer Regiment in its defense at Little Round Top. Just something productive which allows you some personal gratification.
- Multiple Writing Projects. You are writing a classic fantasy piece where you are blocked at the chance meeting between princess and white knight. Close document, and open up your mystery thriller and resume the chase scene through the streets of downtown Chicago. But now you remember how the princess would react to the arrival of the knight. Close document, back to the fantasy. Different pieces of different nature (be that genre, theme, ect) where you can put words to paper (electronically) in a constant manner.

These may help, or they may not. Either way I wish you the best and hope you are able to continue with your obvious passion.

[Tigellinus]

I'm going to go against the trend and not suggest anything like taking a break.

When I have difficulty writing, I write, I have to.
For me, over the years - and this is evident in all of my unfinished works - I have written in bursts.
I will write for a few days or weeks, inspired by some brilliant flash of will to write! Its great, glorious, and horribly short-lived.
I decided I wanted to write, and continue to write. So, I used the same determination I used when I had to write a 14,000 word Classical Studies essay in one night for a pissed off teacher after I traveled to France. I started writing every day, at least a thousand words every day.

I'll be honest, if you start writing in the state you're in; your writing won't be the best. It won't be your best, you won't like it, you
ll hate it. It will all seem wrong. It will be wrong. But, after that first little hurdle, you'll stay in that writing trance and you won't come out of it. The inspiration won't fade, and you'll have the will to write more and more and more.

Its 12.34am. Merry Christmas everyone!

The reason I am still awake is because I was busy sorting out dinner for tomorrow, and so couldn't write my thousand words. I cannot even sleep anymore without first doing my thousand words, it is too much of a habit now. Something that must be done, part of my daily essentials.

I am sorry, this has probably been very unhelpful. But, if it is helpful, I am grateful to have been of service.

Thanks

Tigellinus