Burnout is the biggest threat to a self-publishing author’s well-being. It makes it challenging to write and lowers writing quality. It can even make an author question whether writing is for them.
Burnout isn’t the same as writer’s block. Burnout isn’t project-specific. Instead, it is an inability to write anything. When writing is forced the quality is poor, and the writer feels that work is difficult labor that must be pushed through. They may feel like they are sinking in quicksand every time they try to write.
The good news is that this condition is temporary. The bad news is that recovery time, depending on the level of burnout can take months or even years. It’s best for a self-publishing author to avoid burnout rather than care for themselves on the long road to burnout recovery.
Here are five tips to help self-publishing authors avoid burnout.
1. Self-Care
Self-publishing authors need to be sure they are eating a healthy diet, getting adequate sleep, exercising appropriately, and managing any medical conditions they have with the help of their medical practitioner.
All well-being, including avoiding burnout, stems from overall health. The brain is an important organ in the self-publishing author’s body, and it functions best when the rest of the body is as healthy as possible.
2. Creative Input
Authors, especially fiction authors, need to consume stories to fill their creative wells. Self-publishing authors should continue to read books, watch movies, attend theatrical productions, and do anything else that exposes them to stories.
Some authors hide from stories when they are creating for fear that they will accidentally plagiarize what they are consuming.
Most authors can avoid this by being aware that it is a concern and mindful of what they are creating. If an author still feels they may accidentally plagiarize other author’s stories, they should consume stories in a genre that is different from what they create.
3. Set Realistic Goals
For many self-publishing authors, the reality of the trade is that the more books they produce, the more their careers can grow. Many new self-publishing authors try to expedite their success by pushing themselves to create at a rate beyond their sustainable abilities.
Self-publishing authors should assess how much they can comfortably write before feeling like their creative well is dry and then set daily or weekly writing goals slightly under that amount. Not completely emptying their creative well each time they write will allow them long-term sustainability.
4. Learn to Say “No”
Self-publishing authors need to master the word “no.” It is an incredibly difficult word for many because they fear that they will say no to the wrong thing. They will miss a big break.
Self-publishing authors should engage with the reader community but they need to decide what works for them and how to best maximize their time and energy. Self-publishing authors don’t have to be on every social media platform, go to every author event, and run ads everywhere the internet allows.
Self-publishing authors need to clearly understand their strengths and where they can get the most returns. This doesn’t mean not doing marketing or engaging with readers, and it means not spreading oneself thin for fear of missing out.
5. Take Mental Time Away from Writing
Some self-publishing authors become so consumed with writing that their whole life revolves around creating. Their downtime is consumed with books and lectures on writing and self-publishing. Their free time is spent at author events and book signings.
It isn’t bad or wrong for self-publishing authors to love writing and make it a huge part of their life but having a life completely focused on writing can exhaust the creative brain and lead to burn-out.
Every writer should have one hobby that has nothing to do with writing. This could be quilting, woodworking, video gaming, or other hobbies that don’t revolve around creating stories. These hobbies give the mind time to rest and recover so when the author returns to their writing work they feel refreshed and able to give their all to their writing again.
InstantPublisher cares about self-publishing authors’ health and well-being. We offer a wide variety of book publishing services to meet the wide range of needs of self-publishing authors. We make self-publishing easy and affordable. Visit our website today to see how InstantPublisher can support your self-publishing career.