I don't know if I really believe in writer's block, but I do believe in writer's burn out and that often comes, as you say, from writing a lot all packed together, but also losing focus, or focusing on the wrong things. We all have to make a living at this, that's a given, I think very few of us without day jobs could afford to just write for fun or love, but I think if you start to focus too much on the marketing and the selling, you lose track quickly of the heart of it, which is the writing. The writing is everything.

I had that happen a bit over the past year, and I realized that focusing on career and selling had dragged my mind off track of where it needed to be for the writing. I understand completely that idea of keeping writing, writing more, writing faster, and it backfired. I had a spate of rejections and bad ideas, and eventually felt like I wouldn't know a good idea if it slapped me in the face. Of course, getting that many rejections in a row made me a little gun shy, and I thought I was maybe just out of steam, and talent.

The cure to that was 1) some honest feedback from my agent, Natasha Kern, who set me straight on where I was missing the boat and 2) complete faith and encouragement from her that I could get back on track. I needed to hear the hard stuff, and Natasha nailed it. I was focusing too much on selling, etc markets, etc, had me thinking in terms of hooks and gimmicks instead of stories and characters that I felt strongly about, and it was why my ideas were all falling flat. I'd lost track of the basics: story ideas that excited me, and characters who had layers and heart. I was getting too caught up in selling instead of writing. I realized what the real problem was, my focus and where I'd gone off track, the ideas and the writing came back big time. Now I'm back in the writing groove. :) I think this could be a writing growth thing that most commercial writers hit -- there are milestones and obstacles we all will face, and it's how and if we surmount them that counts.

Now, I'm also taking more time. I think writing can't be approached like we're on a factory line. I have a couple Blaze contracts, but they're not pressing, and I'm working on an ST and I'm taking as much time as it needs to be done right, not pushing to get it out there before it's ready. I think we need to learn that patience, and the payoffs, both creatively and career-wise, will be there.

It sounds to me like you are honoring your imagination and your muse, and taking your time, and letting it work itself out, which I think it is the best thing. Best of luck with it,

Sam

Welcome, Denise!

I hear you totally! I've written 23 books in the last three and a half years so I can totally relate. I can't even count the number of proposals in that time period, too. I had burnout a couple of times in there, generally around major emotional upheaval, too. I found that I have to schedule in at least one REAL vacation--meaning no work at all. Not so much as a pad of paper :-). DH enforces this, or I'll take something along, LOL.

But truly, when the vacation is done, I am so rejuvenated, I can go back to work for months and feel so much better.

Hugs to you-- been there, done that and know your pain! Welcome to the blog!!

Shirley Jump

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www.shirleyjump.com