In a post on the Stage 32 blog, Mary Helen Norris offers some advice for taking care of your writerly mental health. “The fact is, non-writers do not understand the relationship between a writer and their writing,” Norris says. “At times, the craft allows us to ride massive highs. Where there are mountaintops, there are also valleys.”
One of the biggest challenges is imposter syndrome. Even with publishing credits including short stories, a Doctor Who audio book, and a tabletop RPG adventure, Norris still feels like her writing is not enough. “Last Fall, I watched Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building and instantly fell in love,” she writes. “But I also felt like a fraud. This mystery book I’d been working on for literal years now felt like a child had written it.”
So, while writing can also be beneficial for mental health – there’s a reason therapists advise their clients to start a journal – it can also cause trouble when you compare your work to others’. It can also fuel vicious cycles. “I don’t write one day because I don’t feel up to it. But then I feel guilty so I try to write and it turns bad which makes me mad…” Norris writes.
“Give yourself grace when you have bad days,” she adds. “It’s not the end of the world and beating yourself up won’t help anyone.” While routines are helpful, there will be days when you’re not up to writing. Find ways to refill your creative tank. Ask for help if you need it.
