Losing it

[Platyrhynchos]

... or hitting the wall.

I'm reasonably sure I have nothing left in me. I looked at stuff I wrote a mere five years ago and thought, "Damn, you were good." Now, my gamers and columns suck. Pretty much suck yak rectum. I still have it when it comes to writing features, and I don't know why. Of course, five years ago I wasn't saddled with all the other crap I have to do now, so maybe that's part of it.

Still can't explain why I can crank out incredibly good features, but my gamers and columns are pieces o' feces.

Seriously looking toward maybe getting out of this and going for the 40-hour per week regular person job. Before I do, however, I would like input from those of you who have lost it and have hit the wall, and what you did to get it back. This would help me determine if I could possibly get it back.

Thoughts or ideas?

 

[Ace]

... or hitting the wall.

I'm reasonably sure I have nothing left in me. I looked at stuff I wrote a mere five years ago and thought, "Damn, you were good." Now, my gamers and columns suck. Pretty much suck yak rectum. I still have it when it comes to writing features, and I don't know why. Of course, five years ago I wasn't saddled with all the other crap I have to do now, so maybe that's part of it.

Still can't explain why I can crank out incredibly good features, but my gamers and columns are pieces o' feces.

Seriously looking toward maybe getting out of this and going for the 40-hour per week regular person job. Before I do, however, I would like input from those of you who have lost it and have hit the wall, and what you did to get it back. This would help me determine if I could possibly get it back.

Thoughts or ideas?

What would Chief Joseph have done?

 

[dawgpounddiehard]

Take a look at those features... what makes them so good?

From that, what can you use in your gamers? I'm guessing there are more things than you realize.

 

[Songbird]

Platy, that's the exact reason I asked the powers that be to move me elsewhere in the company to focus on other aspects of the biz (photography, design, etc.). I've covered so many games -- hundreds, thousands -- since starting this biz in '89, and trying to come up with something new every time has taken its toll.

The company has obliged my request. I'm starting elsewhere in the company in a week or two. I cannot tell you how much of a stress-relief it is to know that my game-coverage days are going to be over soon.

So I guess my suggestion is to talk to your powers that be and see if you can't do something different for your paper/company.

 

[SixToe]

Of course, five years ago I wasn't saddled with all the other crap I have to do now, so maybe that's part of it.

This is the key.

People put effort into the things they enjoy. When people have many hats to wear, tire of repetitive or mundane things, or are disrespected by managment, they may get the job done but the heart isn't in it.

I'll bet you enjoy the features because it gives you a chance to connect in some way to a story or source, dig a little bit and find something new. Then you can dive into a well of creativity that makes the story sing.

It may be time to move to a different part of the paper or get out completely, at least for a while.

 

[BillyT]

For what it's worth, you just made my day with the phrase "pieces 'o feces."

I never heard that phrase. I like it.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

A friend asked me a week ago if I had peaked as a writer... After a few seconds of thought I told him that I thought I had.

I think that's the case with a lot of people who have been doing this for over a decade... You get better and better and better and then you plateau and cruise... It's certainly not the case for everybody...

 

[Dollarhite]

Gotta agree with Mizzou. We ALL hit a wall. Athletes, writers, porn stars. Happens to the best of us. Just look at Ron Jeremy!

 

[HeinekenMan]

I have been suffering from the same ailment. There was a time when I'd spend hours perfecting a feature story. Now, I'm content to hack out something in 45 minutes, do a spell-check and send it off.

I think it's partly the result of laziness. I've become a minimalist, doing only enough to get by. The problem is that nobody calls me on it. If they did, perhaps it would light a fire. But nobody seems to care whether I write a gut-wrenching feature or a piece of fluff.

Also, when you're overworked, there's a tendency to pound out an assignment as quickly as possible and then move to the next one. That's become the norm in this business as people are being asked to do more with less.

A lot of people, myself included, enter this business with grand plans to be the best writer that ever existed. Then we learn that there are hundreds and hundreds of men and women just like us. They have similar talent and produce high-quality stories. It can zap your self-esteem.

 

[MCbamr]

I was a far better writer in college than I am now. The reason is that I left college and went directly into SID work, where there is so much less writing to do. If you don't use it, you lose it. It has taken me a while to get it back, and I'm still not happy with my work, but I'm finally to the point where I can see significant progress since my return to real writing.
The problem now, and this could be your problem, is that the internet responsibilities take so much time and effort. That takes away from writing.

 

[Taylee]

A friend asked me a week ago if I had peaked as a writer... After a few seconds of thought I told him that I thought I had.

I think that's the case with a lot of people who have been doing this for over a decade... You get better and better and better and then you plateau and cruise... It's certainly not the case for everybody...

Everyone hits the wall at one time or another. Those who get past it are the ones who'll continue to improve. Find a way to get the spark back. There's plenty of excuses for hitting the wall ... other job responsibilities, now I have a wife and kids and five years ago I didn't. Try to find a way past it. You do good features; bring that same desire and enthusiasm to other areas. I'm trying not to preach, just explain what I did when I hit the wall a few years back. I found new ways to challenge myself and the results really re-charged my battery and re-adjusted my attitude. It's been great since.

 

[Ace]

Gotta agree with Mizzou. We ALL hit a wall. Athletes, writers, porn stars. Happens to the best of us. Just look at Ron Jeremy!

I'd rather not look at Ron Jeremy, thank you.

 

[Pete Incaviglia]

Of course, five years ago I wasn't saddled with all the other crap I have to do now, so maybe that's part of it.

This is the key.

People put effort into the things they enjoy. When people have many hats to wear, tire of repetitive or mundane things, or are disrespected by managment, they may get the job done but the heart isn't in it.

I have been suffering from the same ailment. There was a time when I'd spend hours perfecting a feature story. Now, I'm content to hack out something in 45 minutes, do a spell-check and send it off.

I think it's partly the result of laziness. I've become a minimalist, doing only enough to get by. The problem is that nobody calls me on it. If they did, perhaps it would light a fire. But nobody seems to care whether I write a gut-wrenching feature or a piece of fluff.

Also, when you're overworked, there's a tendency to pound out an assignment as quickly as possible and then move to the next one. That's become the norm in this business as people are being asked to do more with less.

A lot of people, myself included, enter this business with grand plans to be the best writer that ever existed. Then we learn that there are hundreds and hundreds of men and women just like us. They have similar talent and produce high-quality stories. It can zap your self-esteem.

These two descriptions are me to a T right now.

I pitched a series to the Sports Ed. and Managing Ed. and it was met with luke-warm response (although every other reporter and photog in the newsroom though it was a great idea and some were willing to help).

Then, I see my fellow sports reporter volunteer to take a breaking news photo the other night, only to stay late, do more work and NOT have the photo run - without an apology or thank you from ANY member of management.

My attitude, for now at least? Same as the rest of the employees: Check, please!

If they just want to get paid, that's all I want.

However, I'm sure after a couple weeks of my personal "protest" I'll be back working my balls off.

 

[Bob Slydell]

For what it's worth, you just made my day with the phrase "pieces 'o feces."

I never heard that phrase. I like it.

Personally, I liked suck yak rectum.

And Platy, it's hard not to have your writing suffer, at least in your eyes, if you so much else to do. There are so many hours in the day.

Just fight through the slump and I'm sure you'll be fine.

I mean, you did come up with sucked yak rectum. Terrific.

 

[Pilot]

There have been some depressing threads on here recently, and sadly, I can identify with many of them. I haven't been writing very well recently either, and no one calls me on it. I don't care much ... just want to get it done and go home.

I think I go through slumps, an I'm hoping I'm in one now (it beats just sucking, I guess.) I'll go through a few weeks or a month or two where everything is just sort of bla ... not bad, acceptable, but nothing I put my heart and soul into. Then boom, it'll click again and I'll go for a few months writing stuff I generally always like.

I know I sound a little stupid talking about all this because I'm only two years out of school. I know I have not yet begun to feel depressed about my job or the industry, but on some smaller level, I still feel the same way, I think.

 

[TyWebb]

For what it's worth, you just made my day with the phrase "pieces 'o feces."

I never heard that phrase. I like it.

Personally, I liked suck yak rectum.

And Platy, it's hard not to have your writing suffer, at least in your eyes, if you so much else to do. There are so many hours in the day.

Just fight through the slump and I'm sure you'll be fine.

I mean, you did come up with sucked yak rectum. Terrific.

See Platy, you still got it. Just insert more yak rectum and feces pieces into your column and gamers.

Christopher Walken: "I gotta have more yak rectum."

 

[Rockbottom]

Shoot, kid, imagine how you'll feel in 10 years with 2,000 more bylines under the belt. With a wife -- and maybe an ex, and maybe Wife No. 2 -- and a kid. And a mortgage. And with the new crop of 20somethings dreaming in html and direct-to-web cameras glued to their foreheads.

It has got to be about the love of words, the love of the process, or both. Awards? Pish posh. Recognition? Ha! I am still waiting for them to put up the statue of me out front. But what keeps me plugging away is the process of the daily miracle, and knowing that my next great story (or maybe my first, depensing ...) will only come if I keep banging away at the keyboard.

Chin up.

RB

 

[SixToe]

Of all the bad **** that happens, there still is no feeling like thumbing through a paper just off the press or with a cuppa joe in the morning and knowing you played a role.

Then you get to do it again.

You'll get through it, Platy.

 

[I'll never tell]

If your features rock, start pitching your stuff to magazines. Maybe the writing gods are trying to steer you to you calling.

 

[Breakyoself]

if you are losing it, have the next parent that complains come in for a meeting. then beat the **** out of them. that should make you feel better.