Welcome back once more to the Finder’s Archives. My little corner of the internet, where we get into some interesting (and sometimes, not-so-interesting tidbits) from all around.
Now, you’ve (hopefully) seen some of the previous episodes of the Finder’s Archives, especially the last episode – but one thing that’s struck me recently is that while everyone talks about how to write this, or draw that, or do X with their game, it’s rare, at least within our circles, that we talk about the writer’s block or the burnout.
So that’s what I’m going to look at today, especially as I’ve found myself in a bit of a creative slump as well. Now, first, I should explain that normally being creative comes easily to me. I literally have hundreds of ideas written down in various notepads, computer documents, and in little notes on my phone, that I can tap into at any time. Some of the people I’ve worked with can testify that I can come up with crazy ideas, pretty much at the drop of a hat. Usually, for me, it’s a matter of getting a name for something and then taking it from there. My very own RPGSuperstar entry (in reality the one that actually got me into writing in the first place, or at least gave me a taste for it) started simply as a name that got stuck in my head. The Brass Helmsman. Everything else was just worked out from that name, and that’s how it’s been for most of the past 2 years.
However, as some of you might have figured out by now, that’s not the case at the moment. At the moment, I find it difficult to get words onto paper, even when otherwise sitting idle, where I’d normally be doodling away or coming up with weird ideas. (This includes when I’m bored at work, which happens rather more often than it should. 😛 ). So today, it’s time to talk about some of the mechanics used to get through it. Before that though, I think it’s useful to define the two.
Writer’s Block
Writer’s block, to me, is defined as that moment where you WANT to write something, but nothing comes out. Usually, I’d say that this is where you have a specific goal in mind, sort of like “I need to finish this adventure… but I can’t think of what happens next.” This is something all creatives get to a greater or lesser degree, be it on a single piece that you just get stuck on or whenever you open up a page to write ANYTHING, and nothing comes out. It can also vary in length, from a few minutes (basically just needing to clear your head) to several years.
Burnout
Burnout, to me, is far more dangerous. That is the point where you no longer WANT to write for something, or where you know that you should do X, but you simply cannot be bothered. Some people might call it ennui, but that, to me at least, is something else. This is the point where you know you have a deadline hovering over you, but in spite of that, you simply cannot get yourself to sit down and get your head back in the game.
So…. What do you do with these?
Well, I’ve found a few that work for me, to a greater or lesser degree.
Feedback from others
This is where you banter back and forth with others who create for the same thing(s) as you do. I, personally, have 3 people that I banter with often, to try and keep the creative juices going. In one case the banter with 3 others, even turned into a wacky book that we’re writing for 5th Edition D&D, inspired by an old AD&D book, that 2 of them never even HEARD of before. Simply put, we were just chewing the fat, and talking about some weird ideas that had occurred to us at various times, and that eventually turned into this book. (It’s not out yet, since it’s currently in layout, but we hope to have it out before the end of summer).
Personal Reflection
This one sounds pretentious, but what it really is, is that you sit back, look at some of your previous work and go “Alright. I did that, and I am happy with the result.” Do NOT fall into the trap that so many of us do, of going, “Oh, if only I did that first, or change this.” In most cases, you had a deadline, and as long as you did your best to get that out, then you’ve done everything you could. This is one that a lot of creatives struggle with because most of us have a hard time being happy with things not being entirely perfect, or reflective of our vision for X. (It should come as no surprise that many creatives (including myself) struggle with some degree of Impostor Syndrome).
Push Through
Sometimes the heat is just on, and you just HAVE to do X within a certain amount of time. That’s the time where you have to force yourself to apply the best of your abilities to the task, even though it’s one where you most of all just want to walk away from it. This can be hard to do, especially if it feels like you’re giving sub-par work. But you should try to be confident in your abilities. Once you’ve attained a certain level of expertise, you can still knock out a good product (even if it might not be GREAT like you’d prefer), but on occasion that is OK too. Especially if you’re unlikely to be the only hand working on the product. This is why many writers have 1 or 2 editors on their projects. It’s not just to catch errors (though it is that too), but it is also for them to have someone to spitball with, who can see where your “good work” can become “great work.” (As a personal anecdote, that is actually how THIS book came to be, where Mike and I had been stuck with a project that was abandoned completely by the author, and where we took it on and finished it up.)
The Break
This one is the major one, and one that all of us sometimes need, if nothing else from our daily work. This is the one you need if you get to burnout. It’s where you step away completely from your creative output, for a period of time, and just enjoy not working on it. If you have the option thereof, and don’t feel like it’ll extend the period needed, use this time to either find your way back to what brought you to the table in the first place, gave you the love and passion you needed to be creative within this field, and then rekindle that love. For me, this is a step away from writing and editing books, and more into reading them once more. Fantasy and sci-fi novels get devoured at an astonishing rate when I’m “in the zone,” old rulebooks get looked at (and BOY, do some of them evoke memories, which I’m sure a lot of you can relate to, with the release of the 30th Anniversary Star Wars RPG), and the fire is stoked once more.
Sometimes though, it is necessary to step away ENTIRELY. If you are REALLY burnt out, you need to call it quits for a time. That may come from various issues (for me, work stress can be a major one), but the end result is that you need a break from the writing. That period of time is not one that can be easily defined, as it is an individual process, but you’ll know when it is that you need this time off. Take it, and come back stronger. And know, that even if it takes you months or years to come back, the community and your friends will welcome you back with open arms.
Kim Frandsen
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