WRITING | WRITER | CREATIVITY

Dear Writers — Know When to Put Your Pen Down

A practice all writers never knew they needed.

This is a call to action for all writers. It’s meant to relate with you, support you, and advise you.

It talks about a practice you might have never given a second thought.

The Act of Knowing When to Put Your Pen Down

A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres, and techniques to communicate ideas and inspire feelings and emotions.

And to a certain level, you can tell that it is obsessive. Yes! Writing can be obsessive.

In a recent book narrated by the Atlantic,

The narrator sees writing as a passport from what he sees as the mediocrity he’s been born into. — Tobias Wolff

This is the bane to which many writers cannot know when to put their pen down or, more so, how to do it.

• They are used to escaping the mediocre through writing.
• They are obsessed with being the medium with which others are informed.
• They want to be the author, the content writer, and a columnist per excellence.

Don’t get me wrong just yet. It is indeed good to be obsessed with your craft. To be a master of written words and a wordsmith like the endless versatile talents on the pub. But the power to put down your pen is also relevant.

Just like the power to say no surpasses the power to say yes, so does the power of knowing when to drop your pen surpasses that of writing.

You might not know it now, but you need that power, too. Meanwhile, might I digress?

Do you believe writers also strike?

In a recent conversation with a fellow creative who is not a writer, I asked him, ‘Do you know writers also strike?’

Before he could utter a word, I read his countenance in a flash, and the streaks on his face gave a dismissive and contemptuous look like he had no regard for the profession or those who practiced such creative exercise.

So I gave him an example of the Writers Guild of America, which recently ended its five-month strike. It might feel unreal. But they all put down their pen.

Despite their love for writing movie scripts that become a brand to the entire world. Despite their love for writing sci-fi stories that transcend reality. They put their pen down when they needed to do so.

In this scenario,

• They were undervalued — The writers argued that they received worse pay and less stable work in the online streaming era.
• They were unappreciated — The writers demanded more protection against AI involvement in storytelling.

Dear writer! This is a case study for you. When you are undervalued and unappreciated for so long, it might be a sign for you to put your pen down.

Let’s progress!

The example of the writer’s guild gave a souring view of what might be occurring in some writing societies. That might not be the case for you if you are an independent writer, like a freelancer writer. But these cases apply to you and might be reasons for you to put down your pen.

Have your boundaries been crossed?

Everyone has a boundary. More so, everyone has a boundary for different situations. As a creative, you should also have boundaries.

Chances are that you do. You might not know them. On many occasions, no good result comes out of a boundary that has been crossed.

If, as a writer, you or any of your clients have crossed your boundaries. Then, it might be time to drop your pen.

A significant example is when you get burned out. Before it occurs, you must have indirectly crossed your creative boundary, or your client has made you do it passively.

Also, with the increasing need for writers to increase productivity by many startups, a need arises for you to take note of signs that might mean you have stepped over your boundaries.

Some signs to note are:

• Persistent fatigue and exhaustion
• Emotional exhaustion and detachment
• Physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomach issues
• Decreased performance and productivity

Observe your boundaries and know that you might have to put your pen down and recover once you cross them.

Have you lost your balance?

Writing is one thing. Balancing your life outside writing is another thing.

This is included because writing can be too reflective, and while continuously exercising its creative ability, you might lose balance in your real life.

Take note of the following;

• Frequent physical ailments or illnesses
• Cognitive decline or persistent mental fatigue
• Deteriorating relationships with family members
• Self-care neglect and embracing of bad healthy habits

All these are signs you are losing the balance between your writing and life. Hence, it might be time to put down your pen and relax or fix up the situation.

In this regard, when pursuing your career and passion as a writer, also delve into the intricacies of balancing your life: physical health, mental health, and family.

My Advice

To end with, writing is an essential exercise for your creative mind. But also take some importance in knowing when to put your pen down.

Thank you so much for reading my article today. My gratitude towards you knows no bounds. I will be publishing another article very soon.