Living With the Stress That Accompanies Being a Writer

Nov 13, 2010
Toby Welch

Writing Can be Stressful - Ildar Sagdejev

Being a creative person creates stress of a kind unknown in other professions. Learning how to cope with it will make you a better writer.

People are told to write to relieve their stress. They take journal writing classes, jot down their thoughts and feelings, and keep stress diaries. But for writers, the act of putting pen to paper can be a stress itself, not a way to de-stress and unwind.

Barbara Meredith, a writer of non-fiction Canadian maritime history, shared her thoughts on writing stress during a phone interview. “After years of being in administration, I can easily say that being organized reduces my stress when I write. I focus on the morning hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and warn friends that I do not answer the phone during those hours because I am writing. It really seems to work because once I've 'put the word out there', it helps me keep to the task at hand.”

The Stress of Always Having to Create

For those of us who hope to enliven readers with our words, the stress of always having to create something can be overwhelming. Having to come up with great story or article ideas can make us anxious. As a writer, we live with the fear that our writing is never good enough and that the words we deliver moments before deadline aren’t going to be adequate. The solitary life most writers lead can be another stressor.

Brian Brennan, award-winning and best-selling author, keeps his writing stress to a minimum as he explaine during a phone interview, “I manage to avoid stress in my writing life. I try not to take on too much work at any given time, only accept deadlines that I can manage comfortably, and only deal with editors and publishers that I respect and trust. I used to work full-time as a journalist, and there was considerably more stress involved with that job. These days, it's "serenity now" all the way.”

For writers who make their living stringing words together, stress can be notched up to a higher level. You are your own boss. It is totally up to your efforts whether or not you get your next paycheque, put food on the table, and make the next mortgage payment. Thoughts along that line can be incapacitating, leading to more anxiety. At this stage the stress can be debilitating and the words may not flow.

It is essential to stop this downward spiral before it begins. Do not allow such thoughts to linger for more than a moment. Replace them with positive notions and remind yourself why you decided to become a working writer. Recapture the feeling that had when you started on your writing path, the sheer joy of putting words together. Never forget that you are in charge of your own career, not your editor or your agent.

Reduce Your Writing Stress

There are things you can do to keep your writing stress level to a minimum:

Get lots of exercise.
Eat healthy foods. I know, I know, you’ve heard it a hundred times before but this time put food in your body that will fuel it and keep you working at peak form.
Set realistic writing goals. Pounding out a 150,000 word novel in 30 days may not be feasible in the real world.
Give yourself more time to accomplish things so you aren’t always rushing around.
Visualization is not just for athletes. Picture what your writing goal looks like – the cover of your published novel, your byline, your e-book for sale on your web site, etc.
Take a mental minute vacation and imagine yourself in your favourite place on the planet.
Don’t compare yourself and your career to other writers. We all go at our own pace and envy eats up a lot of energy.
Write in a different genre to keep the creative juices fresh. Just for fun!
Make lists to get that jumbled information out of your head.
Take a “personal day.” Take a writing sabbatical if you need more than a day.
Keep your work area tidy.
Get out of your cocoon and into the world. Being among different people in new environments will stimulate your creative process.
Leave town and get a change of scenery.

Author and former editor Eileen Schuh shared her thoughts during a phone interview, “Although the process of writing is not stressful to me (in fact, it is a great stress reliever), my chosen career as a novelist does put stress on other aspects of my life. The solitary nature of the art, my obsession with my characters and their stories, and the uncertainty of being successful (i.e. published) are the main stresses created by my writing. I am very fortunate to now be at that point in my life where I do not have to also deal with financial stress.”

Schuh continues, “I combat the solitary nature of the art by becoming actively involved in the online activities of writing groups (such as the Writers Guild of Alberta and Crime Writers of Canada), and participating as much as possible in events such as conferences. I also make a point of setting aside time to spend with family and friends, and ensure I schedule a good dose of exercising (one of the best stress relievers!). Each October, I curl. With a team depending on me, I won't make excuses to sit at home in front of computer all winter!”

Schuh concludes, “Although a writer gains much satisfaction simply from writing, she also wants her efforts validated through publication. The length of that journey toward validation and the uncertainty of reaching one's destination can be stressful – especially if finances come into play. This stress, as with the stress of many jobs, is acute because one feels one has a responsibility to achieve something, but not the authority or tools needed to get the job done. To gain a sense of control and reduce this stress, I continually research the publishing industry, imbibe in extensive networking, and persistently practice my querying and pitching skills.”

Writers can’t avoid deadlines but we must not forget we are creative professionals. Too much stress can crush that creativity. So sit back and take a deep breath...