I am a manic depressive writer so you can imagine my ups and downs. I am on disability from my mental illness and haven’t been working (a real job) for about two years now. Since I’ve been out of work I started plugging away religiously on my freelance writing (short stories and a novella). So far I’ve gotten a few acceptances, o.k. big deal. But lately I feel now since I have a few under my belt I need to produce more and more and more…and well you get it. Usually I write 2 to 3 stories a week, work on them for a few days revising, then send them out for submission. But my problem is lately I have been feeling burnt out from writing itself. And reading for that matter. Ok, ok…yes I have a life…kids (teenage) and yes I am one of those desperate housewives looking for an escape. I escape in my writing. Anyways, I try so many things to keep my juices flowing, I get manic even. Then I plummet down into a drought of depression with NO movitation. How do I keep a healthy balance? I’ve tried to schedule myself, but when I do my writing feels forced. Any ideas as to how to change this?
This is not a writing issue. It is a mental health management problem. You should consult your doctor for assistance with balancing your medication and other support services better. Then, when your manic depression is managed well, you can plug in your writing schedule wherever in fits best.
When you say forcing yourself, do you mean that you have to force yourself to begin a "session" of writing(something I myself have to do) or is the whole process forced? At least to me when the whole process of writing is forced? For example when you absolutely have to write something due to work or studies, or when I'm just not "in the mood" to write it doesn't really help calm/improve my mood.
Thanks NaCi, I have spoken to my doctor about this and he says I'm doing great. But just because I am taking my meds everyday doesn't mean I am always doing great. Ragner, what I meant by forcing myself to write was, trying to get into the habit of writing everyday no matter how I feel, just to stay on course. I don't have any deadlines as of yet. I took a children's writer's course that I completed back in July and hope to take some advanced courses soon. But right now my ideas are off the top of my head. But lately that feels like pulling teeth to do. Thank you both for your responses.
I'm in a vaguely similar situation as you. I don't have a writing schedule, but my problems are mostly that I don't feel like writing, yet I have good ideas, but yet when I write it down, it sounds jumbled and chaotic and I can't work it out in an orderly fashion. I'm so OCD that it bugs me to start from the middle and work my way down. I MUST start from the beginning. Sorry to turn this into a topic about me, it's just that I think we're both in the same/similar boat here, only I haven't written anything except term papers and essays for school and took one creative writing course back in high school.
Sometimes writing is hard. I like what Stephen King says - as much as I might comment on his work, I do respect him, and his book On Writing is good for morale; I read through a few pages whenever I feel down about my own writing. He says he always tries to write 2,000 words a day, sometimes it takes him an hour to do that, sometimes it keeps him late into the night: he needs to push himself, but he still does it. Though I don't agree fully with this, it's a good way to think. Writing can be a hard and lonely hobby, anyone who tells you it isn't is either lying or they have not been doing it long enough. I also suffer from manic depression by the way.
Thank you so much Link, WW and Lemex. It is good to know I am not alone in these matters. WW, what you and Cogito's quote said made alot of sense. I do need to keep a journal and regulate my sleeping and eating habits better. Sleep (for me at least) is so important. If I lose sleep then I become manic, which is very dangerous for me. Like I said, I have talked to my doctor about this and he says I am doing really good staying on the meds and trying to schedule my daily habits. I know what I have to do it is just something when I actually do sit down to write nothing comes to mind and it is totally frustrating. Like Lemex said, writing can be hard. And for me, maybe even harder. But it helps with my focus and concentration that I must keep it going (somehow in whatever manner I do it) You guys are the greatest here. Link, thank you too for sharing your experience.
