How to lessen long writing breaks?

I think I understand where you're coming from! I have a similar sort of experience with programming, another passion of mine. I'm constantly going back and forth — I love it and do it obsessively, and then I just drop it because something else catches my eye. When I start programming again, I'm not sure why I ever left it.

I try to be analytical about my habits. I try to determine what makes me leave, and what makes me come back. What makes it easier or harder to resume? For me, the key is preventing burnout and making it super simple to come back, which is a temporary solution until I figure out how not to "leave" in the first place.

For writing, I think what that would look like is taking regular, small breaks, and live a well-rounded life. If you don't make yourself tired of writing, I think you'll be more driven to continue over a longer timespan. I suspect, because you talked about doing it intensely, that maybe you're experiencing burnout, and the only suggestion I can make there is to write with a lighter hand.

I'd think about why you feel like you hate writing when you're away from it. What brings that feeling about? If you can figure that out, you may be able to find a strategy to defeat it.

And then, what makes it easy or enticing to return? Maybe a difficulty of coming back is "not having any ideas." But if you had an idea book from your previous stint with writing, filled with seeds desperate to grow, you could just open that book and read through it and remember what it felt like to be inspired and creative with stories. And you could pick something from there that rekindles your interest and write.

So I think you're correct that trying to figure out your individual reasons and patterns is key here. If you figure out why and how things are happening this way, you can devise strategies that go against inconsistency!

I love Evernote. I've got an Evernote folder that's filled with these small 300-ish word scenes/ideas. Even when I'm having an "off" cycle, I'm still jotting down little tiny ideas here and there. I've even got 4 line dialogue that came to me when I wasn't writing. The 4 lines are really funny and I'm really glad I was able to catch them when they popped into my mind.

The trick, for me, is to write out these ideas as if they're a scene in the book. The POV, the narration, the feel of the writing all matches the novel. Even if I'm not actively writing the novel, all the ideas I have are written as if they're ready to be plugged into a chapter. Even if they're just tiny 100 word ideas. Write them as if they're part of your book.

My theory is that every author is always writing in their head. Even if you're having an off couple of months, you're still absolutely writing...it just isn't making it to paper. Try to catch those little tiny blips of creativity as they float through your head. It's the little things that sometimes inspire me back into a large writing swing.

Catch the creativity, no matter how small. Even if those little snippets don't make it into the novel, catch it.

rawan said:

I'm very "off and on" with writing. I'm either intensely into it and motivated, or I'm not doing it at all and have no desire to (but I still think about it). When I'm writing, I do enjoy it and have a lot of fun, but it seems like any discouragement or life stress can knock me off my game. And then when I'm not writing, I'm convinced that I hate it and I'll never go back I think over the years I've gotten more and more consistent (it seems like my writing breaks are fewer months long, at least), but I'd like to be more consistent overall. Right now, I'm writing again, but I'm trying to learn from old patterns and keep myself going. Maybe being less intense about it might help? (And I'm not opposed to taking breaks from writing... I guess I just want those breaks to be real breaks, instead of "No, I shall never write again and I need to find new passions!").

So, if my question makes any sense at all... does anyone else deal with anything like this? Other than writing schedules or goals, what helps you stay on track?

I don't know if it's exactly writer's block. Maybe a cousin to writer's block.

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This sounds a lot like me. i'm trying to develop a habit but i'm not oing amazingly well so far.

I don't think this is writer's block. I think it is personality. You get bored with things easily when things are repetitive. This is an issue with Type-A personalities, as noted here.... https://www.hiresuccess.com/help/understandingthe4personalitytypes

Find a way to make the mundane fun (through challenges, rewards, games, something).

Yeah, personality can definitely be a factor. It also sucks when it feels like there's no end in sight with your manuscript, and every day starts to blend in with one another. Usually when I encounter writer's block, I'll force myself to write a couple paragraphs of the next scene, even if I know I'm going to delete it later on. In worst-case scenarios, I'll skip an entire chapter and continue writing past that point. That often helps.

You mention being "less intense" about writing. Rather than writing in marathon sessions, how about breaking it up with outlines? While many use an outline for the book itself, I'd recommend using outlines for chapters as well. Doing that may help keep things light and airy rather than tunnel vision focused. Break your chapters into outlines, then go back and fill in the details later, which will take less time since you've already outlined the chapter. Might be worth trying it out.

I read more when I feel I cannot write. That enables me, in turn, to write. If I have to read 300 pages to do so, so be it!

Just my two cents!

If I'm trying to break out of a cycle like that, the only thing I've found works is "butt in chair" therapy. Even that can feel daunting, so some days I tell myself, "I'll just write one sentence, and then, if I feel like stopping for the day, I will."

So far, I haven't stopped at one sentence. Once I sit down and start, I remember why I enjoy writing, and generally lose a couple hours to the process.

That said, I had a loooong dry spell that devolved into a case of, "I almost don't want to start again, because then I'll realize how much I could have gotten done if I hadn't stopped, and I'll feel like a loser for not keeping up." What finally broke me out of that funk was signing up for the solstice story swap. Having to complete a story by a deadline sort of kick-started me again, and I've been working steadily ever sense.

This might be a case of losing enthusiasm for your current project. If you prefer to think about the story rather than actually write it, maybe it's not the story you should be working on?

I used to work on three novels at once, along with another couple of outlines, and flitted between them without finishing any (although I made headway into all). On any given day I was thinking about or writing at least one of them, but not focusing properly on any. It was a frustrating process and the fact is none of those books is finished yet. Once I stumbled on the story I was seriously enthusiastic about, I was eager to keep going (and have been for 12 months now) -- resulting in a 10-book series that's 7/10ths finished. (Whew!).

I used to go through this kind of thing all the time. The only thing I found that helped was just making myself write no matter what. I write everyday. It doesn't have to be for my novel, or any of my WIPs. It doesn't even have to be for anything I can publish. I just write. I am part of an online roleplay forum that I write in almost everyday and I have my own novels and short stories. I just made a commitment to write everyday. Whether it was 1 sentence or 100 words or a whole page or more, I write everyday and it makes the block go away faster and I get more into my writing again. I don't know if that will help you, but it definitely helps me.

I also want to mention that KayMitch has an extremely valid point. You should probably be writing everyday. Keeps it fresh.

Emily Patrice said:

This might be a case of losing enthusiasm for your current project. If you prefer to think about the story rather than actually write it, maybe it's not the story you should be working on?

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Agreed. Another important facet.

4thewords.com

Seriously. The idea of losing a writing streak of only 444 words a day keeps me at my keyboard for a minimum of 444 words.

There are monsters to battle. Loot to collect. Words get written.

I know exactly how you feel. It's taken me five years to write my most recent novel because of this. But discipline and consistency keeps you on track where inspiration and drive doesn't. Word count can help some people, but if it doesn't (and it doesn't with me) I usually try to carve out a particular time to write just one sentence. That usually gets the brain going again. After that sentence I've found suddenly that I've written a page, or I've been sitting at the computer for hours just plunking away with no concern over how much I've written.

The amount doesn't matter so much as just writing *something.* It's easier to work with something than with nothing.