Five Tips for Surviving Burnout as a Writer
By Carlos Luis Delgado
Here’s a story about a young comedy writer who got his first TV gig. He wrote for a political comedy show, but not that one. Coming up from scrounging a living as a serial part-timer to the steady salary of a television writer was a dream come true. Now, all that he had to do was… write.
And he did — a lot. Every day, even on holidays. He kept his eyes and ears glued to the news, always on the hunt for new material to mine. A new lead to follow. A new butt of a budding joke. Writing became his life. This was what he had dreamed of — or, was it?
One day, the words stopped coming to him. Not that he couldn’t write. He could produce material, but not at the quality he was used to. And no matter how much he slept, he was always tired. Especially at the keyboard. What was happening to him?
It was burnout. We’ve heard the term spoken in hushed tones around the office.
Haven’t seen Steve in a while…
Oh, haven’t you heard? Steve quit. Bad case of burnout.
For writers, burnout manifests in many forms, including the legendary writer’s block. But, all of these symptoms fit into what some call the Three Stages of Burnout. These stages apply to people in all professions from copywriters to physicians, the writers of prescriptions. Let’s take a look at these stages and some strategies for stopping or reversing your progression.
1. HONEYMOON STAGE
When we start a new project, we often come into it with energy, optimism, and creativity. It’s important to establish healthy coping mechanisms at this phase to support you once work becomes stressful. And be certain, it will. All work is stressful at some point. Better to accept it now and prepare, then to hold-off and despair!
Common symptoms:
Beaming optimism
High productivity levels
Unbridled creativity
2. STORM CLOUD STAGE
The second stage of burnout begins with an awareness of some days being more stressful than others. Maybe your last script was riddled with editor’s notes? Another car dealership ad? This is the “stress” that most professionals are familiar with. While they still enjoy their work, the reality of the grind has set in. Coping mechanisms are crucial to maintaining productivity, creativity, and energy while getting through this phase. Some symptoms may manifest physically as well as mentally.
Common symptoms:
Lack of sleep or reduced sleep quality
Lower productivity or quality of work
Growing pessimism
3. “STEVE QUIT” STAGE
The third stage of burnout is the one generally talked about by the public, because it’s usually the most noticeable. Any remaining optimism has been overshadowed by continued stress and anxiety. This is when you may start begrudging assignments or skipping edits in favor of taking the extra time necessary to properly revise your work. Slap-dashing first drafts and sending them off willy-nilly? Sounds like you’ve got burnout. I’ll just use the same opening that I used for that last car dealership ad. It should fit… Actually, I’ll just use the same script. More time for Netflix!
Common symptoms:
Persistent tiredness in the mornings
Noticeable drop in work quality
Denial of problems at work or at home
At this point, there are several strategies you can use to pull back on those burnout feelings. The most effective will be whatever has worked for you historically, but consider trying something new!
Here are Five Tips that writers have found useful to overcoming burnout:
1. Set an intention! Jot down on a sticky note why you wanted to work that gig or write that article. Was it morbid curiosity? Was it to pay rent? The reason matters, as silly as it may seem. Remembering that reason can help you get through those stressful times.
2. Learn to absorb constructive criticism. Everyone experiences criticism and rejection. Learn how to absorb constructive criticism instead of taking it. Be like Kirby. Inhale criticism and make it a part of you. If it doesn’t work, spit it out!
3. Eyes on your own paper. Don’t make comparisons to other writers. Learn from their work, but don’t set your worth by them. There will always be better and worse writers than you. Focus on improving your craft and enjoying the writing process!
4. Communicate, communicate, communicate. Reach out to a therapist, mentor, close friend, or family member. Venting is necessary, preemptive, and a form of self-care. It’s a great way to get ahead of potential stressors down the road. When in doubt, just reach out!
5. Take five minutes, five hours, or five days. Take a break, a mental health day, or a sabbatical. Spend a day in the park. Watch the sunrise and then set. Choose to do something unrelated to copywriting. You’ll be astounded at what a good break will do for you.
Remember that comedy writer from the opening story? Well, luckily for him, he managed to catch himself before his burnout became unmanageable. He took a break, as impossible as it may have seemed, went on vacation, and reminded himself of his intention, prior to taking the job. He wanted to write funny fake commercials, like the ones the show used between segments. This writer returned to work refreshed, and ready to set some healthy boundaries. Gone were the days of working seventy-hour weeks or giving up personal time to research. And now? Well, you may know this writer as Steve Kirby.
We hope these tips help take your copywriting to the next level!
If you think you’ve got what it takes to write professionally, apply to be a copywriter for Write Label. Write Label is the world’s leading writing platform, offering clients fast, efficient, crowdsourced creative writing solutions.
