In which a bunch of authors & editors are invited to answer the question: How do you deal with creative exhaustion?
Author Nicole Murphy became my hero a few years back. She threw in a career for a chance – just a chance! – at a writing career. It paid off. Today she answers the question: What strategies do you recommend to writers & artists to address creative exhaustion?
Try to avoid it by working out how your creative process works. Do you get fired up by constant writing, or can you only work for certain periods? Do you need to focus on one project at a time, or do you need to have several things on the go so you can swap when necessary? Do you need to play around with other creative outlets eg music, or design, or painting, in order to let the writing muse play? Then once you’ve worked out your way of being, try to stick to it as much as you can. Maybe you want to keep writing, are really into the story but know it’s best for you to have weekends off – make yourself have weekends off. It’s worth that feeling of disappoint now to have a career in a few years time.
– Nicole Murphy learnt by experience that she’s a simple creature who needs time and space to create. She made the changes and it was a big part in the publication of her urban fantasy trilogy Dream of Asarlai by HarperCollins.