Joseph Jarrett

I cannot even begin to tell you how much of a struggle it is to write sometimes. You’re probably thinking to yourself, “But Joseph, this is what you do.” Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. I’m still a human. I get exhausted just thinking about whatever god-awful responsibility reality is going to throw my way today. It’s something we all have to deal with. I can guarantee that every other writer you’ve ever enjoyed has sat down and heavily sighed at the thought of typing.

            Creative energy causes you to feel drained in a different way, though. People think that saying someone is a natural storyteller is a compliment. I have a bone to pick with that statement. I do not believe storytelling is natural, but rather a skill that one has to grow and build. Writers do not win awards for effort; they do not receive participation ribbons and trophies. They have to work to get their recognition.

            Now, I am smart enough to know that I am not in the ranks of the award winners. I’m a novice at best. I do, however, put all my heart and soul into the work I do because I want to get to that tier one day. That’s why I’m tired. Because I am constantly letting the gears spin in my head, trying to think up the next best thing. I want people to hear what I have to say, and I want them to read things that they resonate with. It may sound cheesy or cliché, but that mission really does give me the drive I need to push through. If I am being entirely honest, which I always am, there are days I really don’t want to think about writing at all. I want my brain to be quiet. I don’t want to feel the early onset carpal-tunnel I’m probably developing from clicking away on my laptop all the time. Yet I come back to it anyway.

            It never fails that even on my worst days, I find myself needing to create and do something. With a Diet Coke in hand, I consciously make the choice to push aside the exhaustion. I don’t expect to create a masterpiece, but practice makes perfect. My mother has always said that she will when she’s six feet under. While she uses this as an explanation for living life to the fullest, even when exhausted, I like to apply it to my work. I like to think that if I can force myself to spend twenty minutes being creative, that I will be doing something worthwhile. I had to change my mindset and make it known that being able to write and to think of stories and theories is a gift. I am lucky to do this, and I should never take it for granted.

            One of my friends at work told me that she shifts her mindset almost constantly to keep herself motivated. Any task we do, any action we make in life requires a certain mental commitment. We have to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror and say, “You can do this, and you’re going to do it.” So, when I’m feeling burnt out, I say that to myself and move forward.

            I wish I had a checklist or a step-by-step process that I could give you to help with that burnout. The simple truth is that it doesn’t exist, and it likely never will. That’s okay. We have to find what works for us, especially those of us who write. We all have our ways of coping and reenergizing. Life is exhausting. Writing is exhausting. But, damn, isn’t it fun?