Avoiding stress and burnout for writers
This week (13th-19th May) is Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme this year is ‘Move More’, and while physical activity is definitely beneficial to our overall health, the idea of ‘moving’ can also apply to taking care of our mental and emotional balance to make sure our writing projects are progressing in the right direction.
Being a writer can be tough on our mental health. The creative process of writing can be long and lonely one where we can be in creative flow some days, and full of self-doubt and negative self-talk on others. Writing can be an intensely private activity, so it can suddenly feel vulnerable when it’s time to submit your work for scrutiny and judgement – whether it’s submitting a competition entry, self-publishing on Kindle or sending your pitch and synopsis to a potential agent, this is where the rubber hits the road and your work gets judged.
A writing career can also mean dealing with different aspects of the publishing process simultaneously. You might have had some work accepted and now be in the production stage requiring edits or decisions about cover designs, while at the same time starting work on a new project as well as dealing with the admin involved in running a business as a writer; those invoices won’t chase themselves, and time for sales and marketing, building an audience on social media and responding to reader enquiries all has to be factored in.
Keeping all the balls in the air when you’re managing a portfolio of work in different stages can get stressful, so to be able to sustain a writing career it’s essential to take care of your mental as well as physical health.
Finding support
I’ve had conversations with several writer friends recently who’ve been feeling the pressure after submitting their work to agents and producers. Suddenly a writing project that had been entirely within their control is out of their hands, and it can be tough to sit patiently with fingers crossed waiting for a response.
One good bit of advice I’ve heard from various published writers is the necessity for support throughout your writing and publishing journey and the importance of finding a community of other writers who are on a similar path. Social media can help you connect with other writers through Facebook groups or by following relevant hashtags on Instagram, but if you’re looking for more structured support or advice, the organisations below are a good place to start.
The Society of Authors
The Society of Authors offers membership that covers all types of writers from a range of industries, from novelists to bloggers, poets to scriptwriters. They offer events, training and resources, and SoA members have access to unlimited free advice on all aspects of the publishing process including contract vetting. They also receive a copy of quarterly journal The Author and get discounts on books and SoA events. Emerging writers who are serious about building a career can join as an Associate Member and access all the same benefits as regular members.
The Society of Authors also have a wide range of health and wellbeing advice for both members and non-members available here The Society of Authors Health and Wellbeing Resources
You can find out more about membership at The Society of Authors here.
The London Writers Salon
Founded by Parul Bavishi and Matt Trinetti, London Writers’ Salon provides a home for writers around the world to grow their practice, refine their craft, build their creative life and find creative friends. They run daily online writing sessions in different time zones, offer events and courses and host a podcast where they interview writers they admire to learn about the mindset, practical tools and creative practices that have helped them build a successful and sustainable writing career.
Click here to learn more about London Writers’ Salon and their free and paid membership options.
Wellbeing in the Arts
Burnout is a real risk for writers. Long hours spent hunched over the keyboard, the pressure from family and friends who expect to see evidence of what you’re creating long before you’re ready to share it, plus the added pressure of managing a portfolio career or writing around a full time job or domestic responsibilities can pile on added layers of stress that can impact or even derail your progress.
Wellbeing in the Arts is an organisation offering mental health and wellbeing support for people working in the creative industries. They provide low-cost counselling and coaching as well as supervision, for example for those working on a piece with emotional triggers or running community writing workshops with individuals with complex needs. Sessions start from £15 and are available for any issue, whether personal or professional.
Wellbeing in the Arts are running a one-hour online workshop on Preventing Burnout at 1.00pm on 5th June. Offering tangible tools for prevention and recovery and to help build resilience to stress, tickets are £3.50 and can be booked here Preventing Burnout with Wellbeing in the Arts
Time for A Stretch
Writing requires stamina, so It’s important to recognise when you need to stop and take a break, to step away from the keyboard, go for a walk or spend some time on non-writing activities.
Physical movement is essential for the health of both body and mind. If you’re sitting at your desk for hours it can help to take regular breaks to avoid issues like back pain, hand or wrist problems or eye strain. The simple ergonomic exercises in the video below will help you stretch your body and relax your eyes – they just take a couple of minutes, don’t need any special equipment or gym gear and are easy to build into your daily writing routine.
Find out more about The Mental Health Foundation
If you’d like to learn more about the work of The Mental Health Foundation and their Mental Health Awareness Week just click on the link below – and take their advice; get the kettle on, make yourself a cuppa, give yourself a break and get moving!
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week
