As writers, it’s not uncommon to continuously search for new opportunities and attempt to come up with new story ideas. But there is always the threat of trying to do too much too soon, which can take a toll on our mental health. There is the struggle with mentally pushing yourself forward with your writing. The threats of approaching deadlines and losing the opportunities in front of us become strong.

You might be putting too much pressure on yourself when it comes to the deadlines you created (or were already upcoming). You might also just need to alleviate some stress by only focusing on certain projects. So take a step back and ask yourself: is my current writing process beginning to negatively affect my mental health? Do I need to make some changes to support myself?

Here are a few things you can do to support your mental health when writing.

 

Learn to Let Go

Someone much smarter than I recently told me, “You don’t have to take advantage of every opportunity that’s placed in front of you.” That’s absolutely true.

Of course you want to go the extra mile with your work and career, take advantage of opportunities you do come across rather than wait for the fabled “right time.” Writers who are serious about their work need to do so. They need to be proactive and take initiative. But the various opportunities out there are overwhelming. If you look up “writing contests” or “literary journals looking for submissions,” hundreds of opportunities flood your screen. Even if you narrow down the niche you’re looking for to “science fiction” or “poetry,” for example, the flood of chances keeps pouring in. You end up asking yourself: what if I tried this? Or this? What if I submitted here? Or here?

That’s when things get overwhelming. It happened to me. I was incredibly excited to discover databases with all kinds of literary journals and contests to submit to, including writing fellowships and residencies. I thought I should at least try to submit to all of them at least once. But by then I was working on several projects at the same time. I started to feel like a failure when I missed a deadline. My writing wasn’t where I wanted it to be because I wasn’t focused on a specific piece that I could improve and lend my skills to.

The point of this story is that you don’t have to pursue everything. Just because an opportunity presents itself doesn’t mean you need to pursue it. Sometimes you realize you really aren’t the right fit. Other times you simply have too much going on. Take the time to sort out your priorities and (potentially) let a few things go. Tier your opportunities like you would tier literary journals:

1) The writing projects that you’re most excited about

2) The writing projects that you can push back

3) The writing projects you might abandon

It might be difficult, but you can always come back to opportunities if they present themselves at the same time each year. (No one said you had to apply/write for anyone all within one year and one year only).

 

Address Time Anxiety

There’s a specific type of anxiety called time anxiety. This anxiety involves feeling anxious about the passage of time or feeling like you’re wasting the little time you have. For me, this usually crops up when I have deadlines fast approaching. I feel as if I’m running out of the time I need to write what I want to. I always get the feeling that if I don’t turn something in early, I’ll run out of time.

If you have deadlines set up for yourself, sometimes the best thing you can do is push them back. Take the time you need. It might be longer than what other people do, but everyone’s lives are different. There’s nothing wrong with taking a break, pushing a deadline you made back, or readjusting the goal you created so that you have more time.

Also, address anxiety but don’t try to get rid of your anxiety. If you recognize when you’re feeling anxious, you can take steps to help yourself. Take control of your projects and know when you need to stop to take a break. Also, think of ways to de-stress and ease overall anxiety, including breathing exercises or other calming techniques. Just know that a writing career lasts your entire life. Your opportunity to be successful with your writing doesn’t dry up within a year or two.

 

Know You Are Enough

One of the biggest mistakes a writer can make is to believe that they aren’t good enough to be a writer. That their writing will never mean anything and that they should just give up since so many others are doing what they do, and those others are likely doing it better. When you struggle with your mental health, you experience certain mindsets that repeat cycles of negativity. For writers, this regularly means self-doubt, lack of confidence, and perfectionism with their writing.

First, don’t compare yourself to other writers. All writers perform on their own unique path. Just because a writer is younger or considered “more successful” than where you are in your career doesn’t mean you’re unqualified as a writer and you should give up. Each writer’s path unfolds at different paces. Don’t let these false ideas mess with your writing. Remember that writing is brave, and that there’s no single path to success.

 

Step Away

Lastly, sometimes stepping away from the projects you have lets you decompress from your writing and regroup.

Taking a break isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes your brain needs to relax, and that means you need to stop thinking about the tasks you have in front of you. A writing project involves a lot of brain power. You need to hone your writing skills, focus on the story and characters, and keep deadlines in mind. Spending too much time on multiple projects and stressing yourself out about getting things done eventually takes the fun and enjoyable aspects of your writing away. Take some time for yourself. That might mean getting some sleep, listening to calming music, or even just drinking a glass of water.

There’s nothing wrong with keeping your brain healthy. If you sense you’re falling into any negative mindsets, even if you aren’t currently writing, ask yourself what you can do to take care of yourself. Keep writing and pursuing opportunities, but do so mindfully. Find a balance between your writing and your mental health as you continue on your path.

 

 

E. M. Sherwood Foster is a fiction writer, poet, and graduate student at the University of Cambridge, St. Edmund’s. She is also the creator of the Foster Your Writing blog. Her work has appeared in over twenty literary journals, including Aurora Journal, Sour Cherry Mag, and Paragraph Planet. Her chapbooks have been published by Yavanika Press (2022) and Ghost City Press (2023). You can find more of her articles here.