Overcoming Writing Burnout

4 Suggestions for Finding Your Love of Writing Again

Writing burnout is very real, and it can be debilitating if writing is your primary income. I'll be honest and admit that over the past few years, I've struggled with this fatigue, no longer feeling passion or excitement about my work. Each word felt like pulling teeth, and my career (and bank account) has suffered because of it.

But there are ways to overcome this burnout. I'm happy to say that - though it took some time - I have gotten my love for writing back. Since I know I'm far from the only one who struggles with this problem, I thought I would share a few of the ways I found to help overcome writing fatigue.

Try Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Okay, let's get the most niche of my suggestions out of the way first. If you read my intro post, you know that I'm a big TTRPG enthusiast, and I hinted that these games helped me find my passion for writing again. Let me explain.

Tabletop Roleplaying games are collaborative storytelling games, like Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and Vampire: the Masquerade, though there are dozens of other systems with a variety of rules and mechanics, catering to nearly every type of story you can imagine. In most of these games, a game master - sometimes called a dungeon master, storyteller, ore lore keeper - walks players through a story, crafting a setting, characters, and challenges for them to interact with. Each player creates a character that they control, deciding their actions within the story and sometimes rolling dice to determine how successful those actions will be.

I called it "collaborative storytelling" because that's, at it's core, what every TTRPG is. It's a group of people working together to tell one cohesive story. If you're a writer, this can be a very challenging concept at first. Most of us are solitary workers, used to being in charge of all aspects of our stories. The idea of a game master, other players, and random chance playing a role in what happens in a story can be scary.

That's what makes it great, though.

Being a player or game master in one of these games forces you to conceptualize stories differently. Instead of looking at the big picture, how each little piece fits together, you can only focus on certain aspects of the story being told, the parts that are in your control, and you have to be flexible, allowing yourself to change directions if the story doesn't go the way you expect.

For a lot of us, burnout can be the result of having a detailed outline we no longer feel passionate about, feeling like we have to slog our way through a plan. And while I absolutely support outlining your projects, sometimes it's necessary to toss that outline in the trash if it's just not working anymore. Sometimes you have to look at the characters you've written and ask yourself, "Does this plan still make sense?" or, even more importantly, "Does this plan still feel like something that would be fun to write or read?"

Collaborative storytelling through something like TTRPGs can be a great way to work on that flexibility. As a player, you can learn how to create vivid characters whose actions you understand so deeply that you know what they will do in any situation. (I can honestly say that I've played characters in these games that I'm more attached to than any I've written in a book, because they have no script. I have to constantly think about their actions in any situation I may not be prepared for.) As a game master, you have to learn to set up the boundaries of a story but be willing and able to shift and adjust if the characters go in directions you weren't expecting.

So how can this help with burnout? Well, for starters, it's fun! Playing these games can be incredibly exciting and emotional and rewarding. It can get you excited about stories again. Maybe try making the protagonist of one of your projects as a character in one of these games. I can almost guarantee you it will help you to develop an even deeper attachment to and understanding of them. And it might help you find that spark you need to fuel your own storytelling again!

Don't know anyone who plays these games in your real life? Neither did I. But there are outlets for finding online or local groups. Roll20, Reddit, DnDBeyond, and so many more. If this is a topic you all would be interested in learning more about, leave a comment. I have a lot of suggestions and resources regarding this hobby.

Immerse Yourself in a Story

If that suggestion was a little too niche or nerdy for you, don't worry, I've got you covered.

I'm pretty sure almost every writer has read a book, watched a television show, or played a video game that has become a hyperfixation, a story they can't get out of their heads. And I'm sure most of us have looked at those stories and had the thought, "I want to write something like that!"

Sometimes the key to banishing the burnout is to bring back that desire to "write something like that." That can be easier said than done, however. I know that when I'm burnt out on writing, I often don't really want to read, either. If anything, reading other books can trigger my insecurities or anxieties, making the burnout even worse.

But amazing stories are told outside of prose. If reading is too overwhelming, consider a television series or a video game. Preferably a medium you enjoy that can hold your attention for hours, creating a story and a world you're excited to immerse yourself in. Recently, for me, that was a rewatch of Yellowjackets and a playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3. Both are stories with rich characters that i could wax poetic about for days.

Whatever it is that appeals to you, allow yourself to be immersed in it. Read fanfiction, watch video essays, talk about your theories and headcanons with anyone who will listen, and just generally engage with this story you love.

For me, I've found that doing this can leave me with a newfound excitement for creating stories that others will feel this way about. It serves as a reminder for why I love stories, and it can give me some great ideas for how to tell a story that excites me again.

This may not be a solution for everyone. Your mileage may vary on any of the solutions I'm presenting here, but in my personal experience, burnout can sometimes stem from a lack of drive to create. And sometimes finding that creativity again can be as simple as immersing yourself in a story you love deeply, and remembering why you wanted to be a writer in the first place.

Write Fanfiction

Alright, so we're back to the nerdy suggestions, but hear me out! It doesn't have to fanfiction specifically, that's just the most common type of writing for the format I want to discuss. But, really, any kind of writing could work here. As long as you're willing to share it.

This is a suggestion specifically targeting those of us who tend to work alone, writing and polishing our drafts in full before ever showing them to anyone else for feedback. That's a totally valid process and one that, as a traditionally published author, I abide by 90% of the time. However, sometimes the thing you need to get excited about writing again is immediate feedback and encouragement.

I love fanfiction for this reason. It's low pressure writing because it's not a career, and the world and characters are often already developed for you. It's a sandbox you can play in. And, even better, it comes with its own built in readership in the form of fandom.

A couple of years ago, at the height of my burnout with my current manuscript, I tried writing fanfiction for the first time in years. I did this anonymously in a fandom very different from the genres I usually write in, posting each chapter as I wrote them, with minimal editing. This was writing purely for me, purely for fun, to see if maybe going back to my writing roots could help me find that spark again.

And it did! With each posted chapter, I got a few comments and likes from readers excited to see more. It wasn't a lot. I was no Big Name Fan by any means. But each comment gave me that little boost of confidence, making me eager to write and post the next chapter. Within a few months, I'd written more words of fanfiction than I'd written of my professional work in over a year. Some might assume that would be counter productive, taking my focus off of my professional writing. In reality, however, it had the opposite effect.

Writing fanfiction in this way reminded me why I love writing so much, how much fun it can be. Every single comment was a reminder that I love making readers happy. And that ever-expanding word count showed me that, yes, in the right circumstances, I am able to produce thousands of words in a week that I'm proud of. All of those reminders renewed my confidence and showed me a path forward with my manuscript. My productivity actually increased!

Again, you don't have to use fanfiction for this solution to work. Maybe you have an original idea for a serialized story you can post chapter by chapter online. Maybe you just have a personal little network of friends you can send chapters to as you finish them to discuss, not necessarily for critique but just to get excited, hear what they are enjoying, and get the thrill of having readers as you go, rather than long after the manuscript has been revised and edited a dozen times.

If you're someone motivated by feedback, this could very well be a huge help in overcoming your burnout and helping you find the passion for writing again.

Take a Break

This won't be an option available to everyone. If writing is your primary source of income, for example, a break might not be an option. But, if you are able to take a step back from the project you're feeling burnt out on, it can be a very healthy decision.

A lot of times burnout stems from doing something. For many of us, eating a meal too many times in a row can diminish our craving for it, even if that meal is our absolute favorite. Taking a step back and doing something different can be a good reset.

This doesn't have to mean taking a break from all writing. If your burnout is centered on one specific project, try writing something completely different - a different genre, for example, or a different type of project all together. Is your project a novel? Try writing an essay. Is your project a screenplay? Try writing a short story. Or, circle back to my previous idea and write some fanfiction.

If your burnout is connected to all writing, then taking a break from it all together isn't a bad thing. Again, I know this isn't possible for someone who writes for a living. But for those who write for themselves or are still in the aspiring stage, don't be afraid to take a break and maybe invest in another hobby. Like tabletop roleplaying games perhaps? (Look at me, tying it all back together!) Another hobby, separate from writing, can help you rewire your creative process. And then, when you are ready, you can come back to your writing with fresh eyes.

Just Know, You Will Get Through This

Burnout sucks. Especially if writing is your career. It can feel soul crushing and scary. There may be times when you're left wondering if you'll ever get back to a place where you enjoy putting words on the page again.

But you will.

It may take a long time. It may take more than the suggestions I've offered here. If you care about it, though, and you want to get past the burnout, you will. Just don't give up, and don't lose confidence in your abilities. Every writer is susceptible to creative fatigue. I've been a professional novelist for fourteen years with several published novels, and it happened to me. It's not a matter of skill. You're no less of a storyteller because you're feeling burnt out.

If you try any of these suggestions and find them useful, I'd love to hear it! Or if you've found other methods for working through your own burnout, I'd appreciate you sharing them in the comments!