Writer Burnout

I didn’t really consider it my resolution, but around January 1st, I got fed up with how long SC, my big bad book, was taking to finish. My—well, my resolution, to this issue was to write 500 words before bed every day so I’d finish it faster. And for the first week, with the help of late nights and coffee shops, I did it.

Of course, writing 500 words before bed meant I started getting to sleep later. Two days ago I read an article about millennial burnout and got scared so I skipped my daily 500. But yesterday I felt like crud for skipping and stayed up past 6am to write over 1000 words to make up for it. Which is like, the exact warning sign from the article.

BTW You can click here for the article if you’re curious.

Of course, I could always stop procrastinating and quit leaving my daily 500 for bedtime, but I’m all about setting realistic goals for myself. Besides, I’m waking up past noon at this point, then getting the usual stuff done before I can even sit down to write.

Side note: This is why writers are irked when we hear, “You’re a writer? I wish I could write, I just don’t have the time.” Well neither do we, Petunia! Stop being so presumptuous!

I’ve written anywhere and anytime I’ve found for myself. I’ve written on vacation in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. I’ve written in every high school class I’ve ever attended (and been yelled at for it), I’ve written at lunch and on the bus, I’ve written in funeral parlours and restaurants, on airplanes and at parties. Shut up, Petunia.

And even with all that writing, I’m over nine years in on a project that’ll take another few years yet. This is how you know you’re a writer. When you can’t stop. If I could, I wouldn’t be doing it.

But I digress. The point is, I need a normal-er sleep schedule. This is getting ridiculous.

This was originally posted to my other blog, Precarious Reader, which is dedicated to content about reading and writing.