Dealing With Fatigue, Malaise As A Writer

For the past week, I have forced myself to do the things I need to do... at home, at work and at my writing desk. (Lots of headwork on my Mall Demon Urban Fantasy Series.)

I am fatigued. I sense of malaise has plagued me. I am thinking my recent cross-country trip to care for one of my parents who has been stricken with a life-changing health condition has affected me more than I thought.

This emotionally exhausting crossroads in my life has now affected my production. It's been a challenge to work on my writing projects. I simply haven't had the desire to do it. I firmly believe that writing involves actually writing whether you feel like it or not. So, it's kinda like giving yourself a pep talk.

"I know you don't feel like it, but get your butt in that chair and write 2,000 words. Now! Mister!"

But during the past week, that voice didn't really help much. As I get back into my normal schedule this week, I have forced myself to tap out thoughts on my WriteMonkey screen (fewer distractions that way). It is almost like I needed that week "off." Still. The not writing doesn't sit well with me.

Maybe it's my Catholic upbringing that's channeling guilt for my lack of production last week. I'm not sure. (I'm no longer Catholic by the way...but the effects on my psyche have stuck.) One thing's for sure. I hate that I wasn't productive. Not even vatfuls of coffee last week helped. Writing this blog post is like a cathartic "in your face" expression to that fatigue, that malaise. Or maybe, the most fitting expression is one borrowed from cinema: "I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"

I'm not gonna take it anymore... at least, not until next time.

Can anyone relate? What do you do when you're too fatigued to write?