burnout

Giving the brakes a little tap

Maximum Z burnout, crowdfunding, determination, mental health, podcasts, productivity, rewriting, screenplay, screenwriting, script, short films, story, stress, writing , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My list of “Stuff that needs to get done” seems to have grown exponentially – especially over the past few weeks.

A rewrite, developing a new story, reading the books of upcoming guests on the podcast, then recording & posting said podcast, lining up guests for the podcast, working on the crowdfunding for the short film project, and not to mention all the regular duties around the house.

It keeps a guy pretty busy.

There’s always that ongoing thought of “I need to work on this”, which eventually leads to “Oh, and I also need to work on this other thing, but I don’t want to forget about this other other thing.” Repeat ad infinitum.

Great as it is to check off stuff for that day’s list, there’s always a few other something elses (somethings else?) requiring my attention.

It can get a little overwhelming, so it’s important to be careful about pushing myself too hard so as to avoid some major crashing and burning.

But if slowing things down a little helps me feel a little more in control, then that’s what I’ve got to do. I’d rather it took a little longer than feel totally spent, and therefore non-productive.

I’m allowing myself the luxury of *GASP* not writing and doing something else, like reading or watching something. Cooking/baking also does wonders for me.

I might even go so far as to get out of the house and indulge in some kind of non-writing-related activity. An outrageous notion to entertain, I know.

But a mind at ease tends to yield better results than one under constant stress and self-imposed pressure.

Besides, it’s not like the writing and all the other stuff’s never going to get done. It just won’t happen as fast.

So many plates!

Maximum Z adventure, burnout, community, disappointment, frustration, organization, progress, rewriting, science fiction, screenplay, screenwriting, script, time management, writing , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The past few months have not been as productive as I’d hoped, writing-wise.

My initial intent for this year was to complete the rewrite of the sci-fi adventure. January started out strong, but more and more other projects needing attention kept shoving it to the side to the point where it’s practically invisible.

I’m hoping to get back to it soon.

In the meantime, there’s been an inordinate amount of other stuff going on. It’s getting to the point where I worry about burnout and spreading myself too thin, which could result in nothing getting done.

And that’s definitely the last thing I want to happen.

I’m trying to focus on one thing at a time, and also not stress about what I’m not focusing on. It can be challenging, but I’m working my way through it.

Another interesting aspect of this is seeing a lot of other writers touting their latest progress. Scripts completed, deals signed, etc. I’m happy for them, but can’t help but feel like I can’t get out of first gear.

I wouldn’t call it writer’s block; more like an inadvertent short attention span. I work on something, then remember I need to also work on this other thing, so I work on that, and so on and so on.

Sometimes it feels overwhelming, but doing what I can to keep things under control and manageable.

Granted, there are also times when things go smoothly and get completed. Those victories, no matter their size, are always savored, as well as act as a reminder that yes, I can do this.

I’m sure more pieces will begin to fall into place and that most of this will eventually get back on track.

Until then, one plate at a time.

Just a little escapist fun

Maximum Z adventure, burnout, characters, concept, deadline, frustration, midpoint, momentum, outlines, perseverance, persistence, plot, productivity, progress, reading, relatability, rewrite, scenes, science fiction, screenplay, screenwriting, script, sequence, situations, spec, story, storytelling, writing, writing process , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Despite the recent frustration of figuring out how a sequence should play out, I’ve been having a good time with the rewrite of the sci-fi adventure spec outline.

I’ve been working on this off and on for a while – this is probably the sixth or seventh draft of it. While some of the details have changed, a lot of it remains the same. The core concept of it all was what appealed to me from the start.

I get a certain charge out of coming up with these crazy scenarios and high-octane action sequences, not to mention coordinating and laying out all the pieces of the puzzle that is the plot. I always tell writers to “write something you would want to watch”, and this one definitely falls into that category.

Although my stories tend to lean more towards the fantastical, I try to make sure the characters and situations feel real and relatable – or at least as much as they can within the world of the story. Despite the extraordinary goings-on, it’s still about how somebody reacts to what’s going on around them.

I’m currently at the midpoint, so there’s still a ways to go, but like I said, I’ve got a lot of previous drafts from which I can cherry-pick material. There’ll probably be a few more rounds of rewriting, revising, and reorganizing, but I’m still enjoying it.

It’s quite easy to get burned out from working on a story by working longer than you expected to, but I’m fortunate not to have hit that point yet. If anything, I’m more jazzed about it probably because it really feels like it’s finally all coming together.

Not setting up a definitive deadline for having a completed draft, but if I can maintain this pace and output, there’s a strong possibility it could be by the end of the calendar year. Hoping so.

In the meantime, still having a grand old time with it.

Hope your writing this weekend is chock-full of the same sensation.

What comes after you ride into the sunset?

Maximum Z burnout, characters, dialogue, feedback, Netflix, opportunity, pie, rewrite, scenes, screenwriting, script, story, storytelling, Uncategorized, westerns, writing

And the journey continues...
And the journey continues…

At long last, the latest rewrite/polish of my western has reached a satisfying conclusion.

For now.

Several drafts later, it’s 6 pages shorter than the original, and packed with more character development and tighter scenes. That’s how I see it, anyway. Looking forward, as always, to the helpful feedback from trusted friends and colleagues.

This happened just in time, too. I was feeling pretty close to total burnout, so now I can rest and recharge, let alone even contemplate the idea of taking on another inevitable rewrite.

It’s an odd experience when you finish a project to which you’ve dedicated so much time and effort. You work, toil and slave away at it almost to the point of obsession, and then all of a sudden, poof! It’s done. You might not even know what to do with yourself.

“What now?” you might wonder. Treat yourself to a little reward? (Pie, as always, a great option) Take a break? Start something new? Maybe just kick back, relax and watch something (Netflix sent us THE MONUMENTS MEN, so maybe that) There is no wrong choice, so enjoy it. Bask in that glow of self-accomplishment. You’ve earned it.

I haven’t decided what to do yet, but knowing me, it’ll probably involve a day of not actually writing combined with thinking about the next big project, followed the next day with actual writing.

Not sure yet about the pie, though.

Reduce heat; let simmer for 2-3 months

Maximum Z burnout, Christmas, comedy, creativeness, creativity, goals, ideas, monsters, mystery, outlines, productivity, pulp fiction, rewrite, screenwriting, script, spec, story, storytelling, writing

I look exactly like that after finishing each draft, flour and all
Exactly how I look after finishing a draft, even though the flour wreaks havoc with my keyboard

It took a little longer than expected, but the revamped outline for the pulpy adventure spec is finally done.

As is my usual practice, I won’t take another stab at it for at least a couple of months partly because I’m feeling a little burned-out on it. This has been my primary focus for the past couple of months, and I just need a short break from it.

The other reason is I’m getting ready to jump into rewriting the Christmas-themed mystery-comedy. Notes are in place, so hopefully it won’t take too long.

But getting back to the outline, my original thought upon finishing it was the standard “It’s better than it was, but still needs a lot of work,” but experience has taught me that this may not necessarily be the case anymore.

I like to think I’m a stronger writer compared to a few years ago, so while I would never consider the material as it reads now as perfect, it may surprise me when I return to it as to how much better it is than I remember.

At least that’s what I’m hoping for.

On the other hand, I could read it and think “Where did that come from?”, “Well, that’s not going to work,” or even “Hmm. How much wine did I have that day?”

Taking it another step further, taking this break will enable me to pretty much forget a lot about the story, so I’ll be able to read it with fresh eyes and potentially come up with fresh ideas about how to improve it.

All things being equal, I like the way it turned out and am looking forward to getting back to it.

But first things first. Time to shift from the fight against monsters wreaking havoc to seeking out answers behind seedy goings-on in a holiday metropolis.

As always, watch this space for updates.