The True Toll Of Being Vulnerable In Your Writing

Everyone needs a break sometimes

A few final pencil strokes and I was done! All I had to do now was type it up and hit the “submit” button.

Another story had been completed and added to my arsenal of writing. This left behind feelings of deep accomplishment and satisfaction.

The process left something else behind in its wake, however.

Utter fatigue and exhaustion.

To the extent that I could not even imagine picking up a pencil and doing this all over again. Such is the life of a writer who chooses to be utterly open and vulnerable in his stories.

Why do I put myself through this?

After all, I frequently pick out the most painful moments of my life and turn them into a story for others to read and enjoy. I dig down very deep and leave precious little out along the way. The end result is that it always leaves me feeling tired and depleted.

“Is that not a little too masochistic in nature?” I hear from the readers in the back.

A fair question. I do understand why others would think this way. These are very tough stories to write. I also do not recommend this type of writing unless you are very self-aware and are in tune with your triggers (Heck! I don’t even recommend you read them unless you are in tune with your triggers!).

But in reality, it is all very therapeutic for me. I find writing these pieces to be a healing journey. Things that I have bottled up and would never talk about with anyone, burst forth from the dam and splash down on the paper in front of me. That is a satisfying feeling.

That is not the only reason though. The main objective is to reach the lives of others who may be experiencing something similar. To offer them the hope that life does go on, and that the dark days are always followed by the light.

This is not just fluff. It is fact and Newtonian in nature. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Things do get better if you let them.

All that being said, it is an emotionally exhausting writing journey.

This takes us to the main point of this piece.

As writers, we need to give ourselves a break and mix things up a bit. We need to step outside of our writing comfort zone and try something new. This in turn will keep us fresh and stave off any potential burnout coming our way.

For instance, I cannot consistently produce stories that poke at my trauma and expose my vulnerabilities. It is just too difficult. Healing…yes… but also very hard writing to do.

Recognizing this, I purposefully take breaks from producing these pieces. In between them, I try to create something entirely new and challenging for myself to write. This gives me a breather and lets me shake things up.

For me, poetry is something that immediately comes to mind. I love reading it, but cannot write it worth a damn! It is something I will embrace, however, as it lets me try something new and become a better writer in the process. This is how I stay fresh.

What about you? Do you need to explore some new topics that will give you a much-needed breather in return?

Adding the occasional outsider to your usual writing repertoire. A brief dalliance in something new before returning with an enhanced sense of passion and purpose to your main writing mission.

We are all different beings. What works for one person may not for another. However, if you start to sense that dreaded feeling of burnout approaching, try mixing things up so you can stop it in its tracks.

We all need a break sometimes!