Overload?

I’m hearing from a few too many authors lately that the pressures of the business are starting to interfere with their ability to create.

In the last six weeks about a dozen authors  - all really good ones – have voiced something in this vein to me. That’s a lot of writers who are wondering how much longer they can keep going at this pace and still stay creative – the pace being a combination of producing a book a year, year after year, being involved in all the business aspects of being an author, dealing with the never ending news about our business and reading in general, listening/reading to other authors via blogs or conferences or readings complain/discuss how tough this gig is,

Several of the authors I’ve discussed this with are doing a lot of soul searching about writing versus publishing and thinking they might not have what it takes anymore to play this publishing game.

One author who has written 7 novels  - all successful - out told me yesterday he has to make a concerted effort not to read any publishing news in order to get his daily pages done.

Another author told me she has two separate computers – one to write on – one to go online with and do email with – to keep the book away from the business.

I’m feeling it a little myself, and on a recent vacation, no matter what book I picked up - nothing was engaging me. Instead I found myself in an art store buying paints. For the first time since I graduated art school and went into advertising, I’ve been drawing and painting again and feeling a huge relief that for a few hours a week I can get away from anything related to books. (I’ve noticed my writing is going better since I’ve been painting again.)

I’ve read a lot of artist’s biographies and I know how many have suffered how much for art. But this does seem like something new – because it’s not the starving writers who are complaining.

It’s the successful ones.

I’m going to be writing about this more  in upcoming weeks but I’d like to hear from you. 

Not just authors – agents and publishers too. Are you seeing a problem you haven’t seen before? Experiencing one?

Is it too hard to escape to the metaphorical garret and just create because the web is there 24/7 feeding you, education you to the harsh realities of the publishing game?

Or is it really that we are in a true readers decline and books are becoming more and more marginalized?

Or do I just know a lot of authors going through a tough spell all at the same time?

Please write me at mjroseauthor@aol.com and tell me what you think.

Comments

[Lorra Laven]

Hi MJ --

The reason, I believe, your art is again flourishing is because you're doing it just for you.

I'm a musician by training (and a would-be writer) and I find that when I'm practicing for a concert, I don't really enjoy my own playing. There are too many little voices demanding that I perfect the myriad details in the piece and, of course, the niggling fear of playing poorly in front of an audience.

I can hear the music and enjoy it again only when I turn off the lights and play in the dark. No score demanding my attention; no fear of audience critiques; just me and the thrill of making music.

I'm sure it's the same for writers: shut out all of the distractions, ignore the fear of failure and you will again enjoy the process and, just possibly, do your best work.

[T]

MJ, I'm so glad to hear that you're painting again. It feels good, and it helps clear the head. For the past year I've found that I need to set aside at least one day a week, sometimes more, for painting and other art work and when I go back to the writing, some of the things that needed solving are solved.

[anonymous]

Great topic, MJ. I'm feeling everything you're talking about. I keep counting the years until I can retire, relax, have a life, and write what I want to write. I figure I'll be dead by then -- either physically or mentally. Something is horribly wrong, and I don't know how to fix it.

[Lisa Hunter]

Great post. I turned in the manuscript for my new book over a year ago, and spent the past few exclusively months on PR. I sometimes feel as if I have a full-time PR job and the book is merely the product. When people ask me what I do, I have to remind myself to say "I'm a writer" and not "I'm promoting a book right now."

[Michele Lee]

That is why it is so very important to have some other. You know, something outside writing, something different. That's why I got back into weight lifting and why I accepted PTA president from my son's school. It's something else to do. another project with faster conflict resolution and enough problems to engage my time. I also find myself needing "intake" days. Where I don't write or edit at all. I read, I watch movies or tv, I take creativity in instead of just putting it out. I think a book a year is maybe too fast for me, but that seems to be the demand doesn't it?

[Dr.Sue]

M.J., I am glad to hear about your painting, too. In addition to the need for distraction and relaxation from all the pressure that others have mentioned, it's important to exercise other parts of our brains. Both writing and promoting books are heavily verbal activities, and I think writers sometimes suffer from "word overload" which can feel a lot like burnout. It's important to give those parts of your brain a rest by engaging in an absorbing, non-verbal activity like painting, music, or a sport.

[Lisa Guidarini]

M.J., I only know I keep so busy between reading for review, reviewing, blogging, working my "day jobs" (library and book shop), freelancing, etc., that I hardly ever can find the time to write creatively. Okay, I'm saying to myself, here's some "free time" and here I am blog hopping! But I think this, too, adds value as it's informative, it makes you think and it also allows you to interact with others who are in the same general boat. Plus, it's just dang fun!

Knowing how much work it is for authors I do what I can to help them out, between the reviewing the interviewing, etc. I use my blog platform for the Northwest Suburban Library System (Chicago) to profile authors. I also book signings for them, and the occasional workshop for the writers' group I facilitate for the library.

All this keeps me so busy, especially after you add in family and "real life," volunteering at the school, etc., I'm pulling my hair out! So I commiserate, and I haven't managed to find the answer, either. It's tough, I know.

[spyscribbler]

Oh wow, M.J., I hear you. Just last night I was recalling the days when I first started writing. I would stare at the screen grinning and toying with word choices. I had a blast!

Now it's just write, write, write. Can I write faster than the darned bills come in? I'm tired and frustrated.

My day job is music. (*waving at Lorra, a fellow CIM-er!*) I burst into tears listening to a student play, because I wanted to play her piece for fun, because it was beautiful. But I don't have time! These days, I don't enjoy any art. I write like mad when I'm not teaching, and when I'm not writing, I'm playing or teaching music. All I do is work.

That's the problem with hobbies turned into day jobs. They become work, and then you need another hobby to balance yourself. The trick is deciding whether you'd be happier leaving your hobby a hobby. Me, I'm dying for the day that I can drop the "professional" from my musician title, and become an "amateur" again.

That's why I write.

[kristin ohlson]

Thanks for this post, MJ. I think everyone thinks "it's just me." I actually don't know if it's comforting to hear that authors more successful than I feel this way too, since it's a confirmation of everything that feels so wrong. I've started to think that writing the things I want to write are going to have to go back into the hobby realm, where I have no expectations about them other than the pleasant mental puzzles they offer-- like suduko. That I'll have to figure out some other way to make a living.

[Shawn]

There's a difference between writing to earn and writing to simply enjoy it. I think the key here is to enjoy what you're doing regardless of what you're going to get in the end. And yeah, I guess it's also good to engage in other art modes, just to get back on the groove.

[Carolyn Burns Bass]

This post really spoke to me. Not that I needed permission to draw and paint, but seeing others use their multiple creative talents is affirming.

I am a writer by trade, but an artist at heart. I learned to draw before I could write. I still dabble in drawing, but most recently I've found an enriching outlet in digital photography.

[Allison Brennan]

I've separated my writing life from the business life by doing what that other author MJ mentioned does: I write on one computer that isn't hooked up to the internet, has no games, and I leave the house to write. I send all my emails, read blogs, etc. from my home desktop. I've found that leaving the "business" on one computer and writing on another computer has not only increased my productivity, but the writing is better, too.

It's not easy, though.

[Clea Simon]

Interesting post. I've found that commerce can cut both ways. I dislike that I feel pressured to do a newsletter, a blog, and maybe a video for a book. I mean, it's a book -- just read it (that's what I want to shout). But on the other hand, I'm enjoying my blog more than I expected. It's a social outlet I can enjoy at home, in its own way.

On the other hand, I also still have to do a fair amount of non-book writing to pay the bills. I always tell myself I hate that. But on days when I have to do the money writing, I'm always more productive with my personal projects. Knowing that my time is limited makes those few hours more precious.

[Clea Simon]

Well, that was then...

A few weeks from that last comment and I find I'm on a new kind of deadline -- I've become desperate to get the next book drafted before my upcoming (Dec.) pub date. Once the new book pubs, I'm afraid I will be so caught up in promotion I won't be able to do much creating - so I've got to get the raw down and hope that at least I'll have time/energy to revise. Oy.

Glad you're painting. Maybe that's the answer - the other art?