Weirdly Healing Things to Do When Youāre Feeling Creatively Burned Out...
Write a fake 5-star Goodreads review of your WIPāas if you didnāt write it. Go ahead. Pretend you're a giddy reader who just discovered this masterpiece. Bonus: add emojis, chaotic metaphors, and all-caps screaming. Itās self-indulgent. Itās delusional. Itās delicious.
Give your main character a Pinterest board titled āMentally Unstable but Aesthetic.ā Include outfits, quotes, memes, cursed objects, and that one painting that haunts their dreams. This is not about logic. This is about āØvibes.āØ
Make a ādeleted scenesā folder and write something that would never make it into the book. A crackfic. A āwhat if they were roommatesā AU. The group chat from hell. This is your WIPās blooper reel. Let it be silly, chaotic, or wildly off-brand.
Interview your villain like youāre Oprah. Ask the hard-hitting questions. āWhen did you know you were the drama?ā āDo youĀ regretĀ the murder, or just the way you did it?ā Bonus points if they lie to your face.
Host a fake awards show for your characters. Categories like āMost Likely to Die for Vibes,ā āWorst Emotional Regulation,ā āHimbo Energy Supreme,ā or āBest Use of a Dramatic Exit.ā Write their acceptance speeches. Yes, this counts as writing.
Write a breakup letter⦠to your inner critic. Be petty. Be dramatic. āDear Self-Doubt, this isnāt working for me anymore. You bring nothing to the table but anxiety and bad vibes.ā Rip it up. Burn it. Tape it to your mirror. Your call.
Create a āwriting comfort kitā like youāre a cozy witch.
A candle that smells like your WIP. A tea that your characters would drink. A playlist labeled āfor writing when Iām one rejection email away from giving up.ā This is a ritual now.
Design a fake movie poster or book cover like your story is already famous. Add star ratings, critic quotes, and some pretentious tagline likeĀ āOne soul. One destiny. No chill.ā
Write a scene youāreĀ notĀ ready to writeābut just a rough, messy outline version. Not the polished thing. Just the raw emotion. The shape of it. Like sketching the bones of a future punch to the gut. You donāt have to make it perfect. Just open the door.
Let your storyĀ be bad on purposeĀ for a day. Like, aggressively bad. Give everyone ridiculous names. Add an evil talking cat. Write a fight scene with laser swords and emotional damage. Just remind yourself that stories are meant to beĀ played with, not feared.