As I've posted about many times previously, I've spent the last few years working on a fantasy trilogy of novels concurrently with a sci-fi novel. Literally this month, I finally finished the final edits and plot summaries of the trilogy and will soon start the query process. As such, I have opted to take a much needed and earned break from concurrent large projects. I'm still plenty busy with the sci-fi novel and other things, but I'm not planning to start another major novel or screenplay to go alongside all that other work any time soon. I've decided to use this newfound extra time to pursue reading novels that I've been sitting on for a long time.
The funny thing is now I feel lazy. I was doing too much for so long that now it feels normal. So not overworking myself now feels weird, like I'm doing something wrong. There's a voice in the back of my head constantly saying why aren't you starting the 4th novel in the fantasy series or writing another feature. I have to keep telling myself that this is how normal people with healthy workloads live their lives. Can anyone else relate?
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Absolutely, Terrence Sellers. What helps me is to remember that ideas can come as you rest. But if you don't rest, your mind won't be open to the new. Fill your cup up first with rest and recuperation. Use that time to build relationships. See it all as part of the journey.
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I think a lot of creatives can relate to this feeling, Terrence Sellers. I've heard the same from pro athletes when they stop playing. The focus and effort to achieve great things becomes the norm and it can feel strange to not have all of that happening. But I also agree with Leonardo - it's good, even necessary, to rest and rejuvenate in between big projects. Reading books is also super important. It will only make you better when you get back into your next project.
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Thank for sharing!
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I definitely relate, Terrence Sellers. I'm bad at resting. When I rest, it's not for long. I jump back into a project or start a new one fast. I feel like I need to be working. I've been trying to rest longer. That might be another goal for this year.
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"The funny thing is now I feel lazy. I was doing too much for so long that now it feels normal. So not overworking myself now feels weird, like I'm doing something wrong."- I completely understand this, Terrence Sellers! I tend to run a million miles an hour until I exhaust myself, but whenever I try to slow down I deal with this exact same problem. I'm also trying to be better about this moving forward, but it's not easy.
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I think that after so much work you need to rest Terrence Sellers . Your brain will be happy and your whole life too. It's normal to feel lazy, I know what you mean (I'm hyper productive, I don't know what is to rest) The process of submission is rather stressing. I will soon have a novel published (I worked a long time on it), but the submission process and waiting for a reply was even worst. I found great advices for the query process in Jane Friedman's site, if you want to take a look. Good luck.
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As someone who's spent the past ten years making movies (based on books, mostly) while also writing book after book after book (25+ books later...), I think it's important to rest briefly in between projects - enough to wipe the mental slate clean from one project before starting another. Otherwise, my mind veers into worry and doubt. Even in times of important rest, it's important to keep 500 words daily in practice (a piece of advice an NYT bestselling author told me years ago) even if you delete them later. Just enough to remind yourself the next wave is coming and you must be ready to catch a fish (or many!).
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Doing too much, feeling guilty about resting and I can add, waking up to write a new idea at ghostly hours, is probably a 'writer's ailment'. I want to rest but I always pull my laptop feeling guilty for wasted time. I have become a creature of habit when it comes to writing.
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Andrea Zurlo Thanks for the recommendation. I will check it out. Currently, I'm preparing to query a novel for the first time and am looking for examples of good novel query cover letters.