Writers Burnout

Hello

This might be the shortest blog I do, or not. So recently I have been a little unmotivated to write. I still have been able to continue through my 55 Genres challenge and get them written. I'm not too concerned about it. But I have felt a little disheartened to write other stuff, like features I have written that are in various stages of requiring rewrites. I have figured out my lessened enthusiasm is because I am waiting on hearing back about a full time writing job. Right now I am working in a day job I have no interest in (with added annoying co-worker). So when I think about rewriting features like an alien invasion animated comedy, or vampire thriller set in Estonia, I think about how these features would require large budgets, (large to me is anything over a few thousand). I am someone with no connections, no awards such as "winner of Austin Film Festival" (or insert your favorite contest). So let's say I spend time rewriting...PurgaStory. An animated comedy that is Lego Movie meets Last Action Hero and then runs around Warner Movie Lot with Yakko, Wakko and Dot.

• I rewrite it. I'm happy with the work.

• I send email queries to potential agents, managers, producers.

• My email says....Hi, I'm Kevin....uh...I write stuff and I like this thing I wrote so want to read it? Oh and I love stories and funny things.

• WOW! Sign Kevin up immediately right?

OK, different tactic. Contests. Win a contest and THEN query? But then contests are a bit of a lottery aren't they? Take out all the contests that...aren't going to really benefit a writing career. Then you have to really be winning the contest to get recognition. Then you have to remember that the person reading your script is just an opinion. You may have written a masterpiece but that reader just wasn't into it that day, that genre, that type of writing.

And a feature takes time to get into shape. A lot of hours put into it. Just to reach a point of "hit and hope" with contests. Or, for me, "hit and hope" with email queries that project as much confidence as me telling my first crush I sorta like her...a bit...kinda..I mean if she liked me that's cool but if she didn't then that's cool too!

So then my mind wonders should I just be focusing on shorts. Is that what I need to do? If I want to get paid to write? It'd be nice if I got word back from that job soon. Getting the job or not at least I'd be over the wait for the confirmation.

Anyway, that's my mindset these days. The fantastic benefit of doing this 55 Genres challenge is, despite me feeling a little close to despair, I have no lack of confidence that I will write the next short. Next short is a High Epic Fantasy. It is due this day week, the 27th February. Do I have any ideas what to write about? No. Am I worried? Not one bit. I'm as certain as anything that I will have a high epic fantasy written by my deadline. It's really cool to be that confident of being able to create a new story and get it written, even while feeling a little down on my own writing, productivity etc.

With that said, I do need to do something productive. To feel better about myself. So I've tried to come up with some ideas to work on besides feature writing. I could try an audio play series. I did one in college. Could do it again. It's a lot of work and I'm sure I'll get about 10 listeners if I'm lucky but it might be worth doing? My comedy podcast Tyrants In Training needs a season 2 so I'm planning that.

Today I am going to tentatively start on rejigging this blog and website of mine. I'm going to finish off this blog and then work on it for a little. That'll make me relax a lot easier and I'll feel I'll have done something good. So that's the end of my blog for today.

Oh, Dark Fantast genre was written with some time to spare. A badly wounded witch and her unconscious daughter hide in a small shack during a rainstorm as an elven hunter and wizard closes in to burn them at the stake.

I'm not sure I really nailed the Dark Fantasy genre in this one but I like the idea of a story revolving around this witch and her daughter trying to escape a witch burning. If I can do the X meets Y style again. It would be Mad Max: Fury Road meets 1917.

And that idea came to fruition while I was telling myself I have nothing to write. I was asked in my final interview how do I avoid burnout, maybe I could have just pointed them to this blog?

Anyway, have a good week.

Kevin