Writing breaks were a sin for the past few years, and that same tune continues this year. I’m working on two novels and have started brainstorming a third. By December, I’d like to do what’s logical: take a few writing breaks, even though that looks like a pipe dream at the moment.
Life’s been very hectic on the personal front, and I’ve already given up on social media for the time being. (Something’s gotta give, and for now, it is social media. That’s silenced the noise inside my brain, stabilized my diminishing attention span.)
Other than deadlines, one of the other factors standing between me and writing breaks is a belief inculcated during my upbringing: life is hard, and any kind of rest must be earned. I’m trying to tell myself life can be easy. Yes, really. If only I have the gumption to let a few balls drop. That is, before my years on this planet, and the exhaustion from the treadmill of the past years, snatch them from my fingers.
Let’s hope I succeed before it’s too late.
One of my novels is closer to completion than the other, and the idea is to finish them both and take one of those big writing breaks filled with consuming stories rather than writing them, some travel, much need relaxation, as well as time spent with family, friends, and in nature.
What have the past weeks been like for you? Deadlines? Crises? Relaxation? What advice do you have for an author seeking writing breaks?
If you’re looking for a literary thriller set outside the West, and love books by authors like Lisa Gardner, Tana French, Jodi Picoult, Mary Kubica, Ruth Ware, Rachel Caine, Ivy Pochoda, Louise Penny or Harlan Coben, check out my literary crime novels, The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon on Kindle Unlimited now. Add to Goodreads or snag a copy to make my day !
And if you’d like to read a book outside the series, you can check out You Beneath Your Skin. Find all info about my books on my Amazon page or Linktree. If you have an Amazon account, a Follow will really help my ranking stay afloat.
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Thank you for sharing!!… sometimes one needs to stop the world briefly, get off and reboot! enjoy a bit of life and all that it contains…. 🙂
Dust if you must, but wouldn’t it be better
to paint a picture, or write a letter,
bake a cake, or plant a seed.
Ponder the difference between want and need.
Dust if you must, but there is not much time,
with rivers to swim and mountains to climb!
Music to hear, and books to read,
friends to cherish and life to lead.
Dust if you must, but the world’s out there
with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair,
a flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
this day will not come round again.
Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
old age will come and it’s not kind.
And when you go, and go you must,
you, yourself, will make more dust!
(Rose Milligan)
Hope all is well in your part of the universe, your path in life is paved with peace, love and happiness and until we meet again…
May flowers always line your path
and sunshine light your way,
May songbirds serenade your
every step along the way,
May a rainbow run beside you
in a sky that’s always blue,
And may happiness fill your heart
each day your whole life through.
May the sun shine all day long
Everything go right, nothing go wrong
May those you love bring love back to you
And may all the wishes you wish come true
(Irish Saying)
Taking a break now and then is healthy. I hope you can take some self-care mini-breaks until you get a good vacation.
I’m hoping to go on a long-ish December vacation.
Hi Damyanti – I’ve almost stepped off the world … but am on a 2+ week hiatus break to get a few things done and put away … so I can be more settled in the world … I’m not writing books as you do … but the brain continues on … life is curious at the best of times … cheers and enjoy any breaks you can get, also all the best for rounding off definitely one, then the second, and then on to the third … ?! Cheers Hilary
I missed this comment but I’m so glad we’re back in touch again now!
I’m in the midst of a book launch, so the last few weeks have been very busy. I want to go back to writing!
I missed your comment! Book launches are so nerve-wracking.
They certainly are!
Burnout is real. We all need a break and some ‘me time’. <3
Absolutely! And some pampering and self-care is always worth it in the long run.
Necessary! 🙂
I appreciate your ability to carry on with the same dedication and spirit, Damyanti. I could borrow loads of it. Very inspiring. I am not sure if I think that all rest should be well-earned. After all, sometimes it takes a lot to breathe alone. All my best to you!
That’s so true, Sonia. It really does take work, and it’s sometimes so hard to unlearn the patterns of pushing oneself to the limit before finally feeling like we’re deserving of rest. Thank you for stopping by!
Nice to know you are still working on novels and I know you will be successful as usual when they are finished. It is really necessary for you to have regular breaks though for your continued good health.
Thank you, Ian! I’m excited to see how these projects will turn out once I’m finished. I’m trying to make the most of my creative energy at the moment, and just working on not burning out. So, like you said, breaks are becoming a regular feature of my working days.
Ah, the busyness of business! It’s frustrating to feel like the world controls your life instead of you. My day job has been extremely busy the last month in preparation for the beginning of fall semester and it’s been a struggle to get any writing done. I’m better at saying “no” when I’ve got too much on my plate, but I still feel overwhelmed at times. The upside is that life is never boring! Hope you get the break you so deserve! Cinda
So true! Sometimes it really does feel like my work life is inseparable from my personal life, and it’s as though I’m trudging deeper and deeper into the writing rabbit hole. I love my work, but I definitely need to practice maintaining a work-life balance and making space for other hobbies and relaxation time. I’m sorry that things are getting overwhelming for you right now! Speaking from personal experience, the storm always has to break at some point. I hope you get some room to breathe and that the crazy whirlwind of life calms down. And thank you for the kind words!
I’ve missed you and wondered where you’d gone, so I came looking.
Totally understand the need to give up something.
I’m struggling now with balancing work and three projects.
Self-care is very important during these times.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by, Joy! Life has been so overwhelming recently, and my mind is just completely frazzled at the moment. I hope you’re doing well and that you’re taking care of yourself, especially with all the tasks that you’re juggling right now. Self-care really is such a necessary part of staying healthy and happy, yet so often neglected. You’re incredible, and I’m sending you all the positive vibes.
Writing breaks are a must, and limiting projects, too, but, like you, Damyanti, I seem to have my hands in so many things that sometimes it’s hard to keep it straight. I’m trying to clear the decks right now and get a few things off my plate like a novel that’s close to completion before I begin some other things. Breaks are necessary for the brain, though, so make sure you take them. ;0)
You, too, Pam! I hope you manage to find the time to rest, because you deserve it. Breaks are the best brain food and we can’t do without them. Good luck with the novel, that’s so exciting! And here’s to getting all the projects in order and keeping the chaos at bay!
Enjoy your rest time, Damyanti. I ended the life-robbing cycle with a simple truth: ‘Goals are my servants, never my master.’
Words to live by! That’s a truth I’ll be taking to heart.
My problem is that I too easily forget my writing breaks, especially when I’ve set a deadline for myself for writing and editing an article for my blog. Ironically, that may be what keeps me up working on them all night. I’m burning myself out to where I end up having to think too much about how I write or edit the article. Guess I’ll have to start setting the alarm clock for those breaks.
I understand what you mean! It’s amazing how difficult it can be for us to force ourselves to take a breather or simply just to step away from our work for a while. And of course, that only leads to more challenges and stress. Setting an alarm is a great way to start and something I’ve found helpful, too.
Too much stress cuts into the margin of safety you need.
I’m pretty sure that, if I had not been as stressed as I was in 1989, with a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old, and a full-time job as a research physicist at Princeton, I might have survived whatever virus I got at a conference where I was presenting a paper – instead of the post-viral syndrome taking, this November, 35 years of my life, my entire career, and everything I wanted to give my family.
You’ve been warned. Rest is NECESSARY, not optional. Pace yourself – you have a lot of time ahead of you. The world will not end if you don’t meet a deadline, but YOUR WORLD will come to a crashing halt like mine if you are unlucky, because you don’t have enough cushion.
I’m so sorry about what you went through. Stress is such a dangerous thing, and yet so often ignored because we believe that pushing ourselves to the limits is the only way to achieve success or reach our goals. Of course, that’s not to say that working hard is any less important, but I’ve come to realize that balance and moderation is key. Thank you for the wise words. Wishing you all the best.
I took a break to visit family in Seattle and Camano Island. The book sequel MS went with me, in a sense, for feedback on the book description & synopsis. Ideas for the cover, etc. Back home one day, and my computer crashed! WHOA! New computer & printer arrives next week. Got a professional critique on the first page, and rewriting that. Preparing myself for the change over! Break time can be a necessity for many reasons. Number one should be to rest your brain and regroup. New ideas come from that. It’s earned for all the hours spent writing books! I’m a writer age 85, and that’s my take on breaks. Take them! 📚🎶
You’re so right! One of the many things I love about blogging is being able to read about everyone’s personal perspectives and experiences, and I really appreciate you sharing yours. I’m sorry to hear that your computer crashed, but you really made the most of the situation and took the positives to heart. Thank you for sharing the inspiration and wise words!
We’re having work done on our driveway and encountering all sorts of problems. That makes it hard to focus on writing! I’m hoping it will be over soon !
I hope so, too! All the best and here’s to all problems being resolved as soon as possible and the rest of the process going smoothly.
Okay, my take. There is nothing natural in saying you’re not allowed to take a break until you have produced X amount of things / worked yourself into the ground. This ‘work ethic’ thing was invented by the church and Medieval feudal lords to both get the maximum work out of the population and to keep them in order i.e. under the thumb. You feel like you need a break? Unless there’s a very good reason why you can’t, take a break.
Thank you for sharing, Mick! I never knew, so finding out the origin of ‘work ethics’ is definitely illuminating. I agree, breaks are so necessary for us to keep functioning, to stay healthy and happy, and for our survival. I’m working on putting that mindset into practice more often.
Absolutely necessary. Go for it!
I do hope you get a nice break from it, whatever that might be. I too was raised to believe life is hard, and any kind of rest must be earned. It became part of me and I don’t mind it. I like working hard!
Thank you, Jacqui, I really appreciate it! I can relate — I’ve become so used to being a workaholic that it takes a lot for me to force myself to take a break. Hardwork is undoubtedly important, but I’ve come to realize that breaks are just as necessary.
It’s said you have to “strike while the iron is hot”, and that’s what you’re doing now, but it is also important to take breaks, so you won’t suffer burnout. Speaking from experience here, as a former corporate workaholic. Stepping back from social media is a good start. 🙂
Yes, definitely! I’m proud of my progress and am attempting to make my motivation and writing flow last for as long as possible, but I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to some rest and relaxation. Burnout is a nightmare, and taking a break from social media has really helped ease the stress.
I am certainly not working as hard as you. You are very creative!
That’s very kind of you to say!