There’s no question many of us are plagued by a feeling of ennui these days. I decided to suggest three anti-ennui activities for both fiction and non-fiction writers. So. . . let’s get to it.
For Novelists:
Ennui Fighter #1—Pick up a great book by a writer in your own genre. Read it first for pleasure. Then dig in. Analyze the POV. Could it have worked with a different POV? How long are the chapters? How does the author handle the backstory? Is there a character who could have been fleshed out more? Did the book drag at any point? Did you skip over any parts in your first read? Why? You get the idea, right? This is how we learn from others.
Ennui Fighter #2— Post five reviews on multiple sites for the books you’ve read but not yet reviewed. It’s a little known fact that editors, agents and writers read reviews and recognize your name after a while. This comes in handy when you are submitting for publication or seeking endorsements from other writers.
Ennui Fighter #3— Gather some writer friends together on Zoom to do a series of round robin brainstorm sessions. Maybe two twenty-minute deep dives on each Zoom meeting. Repeat these meetings until you’ve spent twenty minutes on each author in your group.
For Non-fiction writers:
Ennui Fighter #1— Just as I’ve suggested the novelists do, you need to pick up a great nonfiction book in your category and carefully analyze it. How long is it? How many chapters? What kind of features did the author use? Questions? Sidebars? Bullet points? What makes the book stand out from others on this subject? Does the author have the credentials to write the book? How did the author “build” this book? (Remember, we all have content. How will it best be presented to the reader?)
Ennui Fighter #2— Explore what we call “felt need.” You might use social media to ask what kind of book your followers wish they had in their hands right now. Or start looking at the magazines beside the checkout stands at the Supermarket. They always use articles that meet the felt needs of their readers. Listen to conversations. Where are people hurting these days? You need to be constantly tuning in to your potential readership and giving them the tools they desperately need.
Ennui Fighter #3— Write and submit articles. Many of us are suffering from shortened attention span these days. Why not do a few fun and much-needed articles and get our writing pump primed that way.
So let us know what things you are doing to keep moving ahead.
Illustration: ID 26861147 © Piscari | Dreamstime.com
Karen Ingle
There’s the nudge I needed to get busy reviewing the stack of books waiting on my desk. (I just slid two more into my suitcase for this weekend’s long-awaited vacation, too!) I heartily agree that in-person and virtual writer/agent interaction is another potent shot in the arm. The encouragement I gained from the virtual Northwestern Christian Writers Conference has kept me putting pen to paper even when my computer crashed and I had to sit by while my backed up files uploaded (SLOWLY!) onto a new laptop. We writers need boosts like the ones you mentioned, whether we’re fighting ennui or hurdling obstacles. Thanks for this stimulus package!
Shelli Littleton
I love these recommendations. I’m so glad I started a new manuscript right before Covid, because it’s kept me moving forward and my mind in another world when the one around me is suffering (even though my characters are suffering too). And one thing I’ve noticed in analyzing books is that if the hero and heroine are kept away too long, I start getting frustrated; and it makes me want to skip over the secondary character chapters that don’t mean as much to me, especially on the second read. So I know there is an important balance there; the key is finding it.
Andrew Budek-Schmeisser
Ennui’s not really what I eel;
exhaustion’s more the ticket,
for things have gotten all too real
on this losing wicket.
I want to write, I want to build,
let’s meet and talk at Starbucks!
but day by day my body’s killed,
and I must pray for pluck
to face with humour what I must,
to find reason, yes, to breathe,
to step up and place my trust
where I profess belief.
It sounds a boring way to live,
but it takes all that I can give.
Sonja Anderson
For fiction and non-fiction writers who are intrigued by the last suggestion of writing articles, I love writing for the KEYS FOR KIDS, a devotional magazine. They also have a new teen magazine, UNLOCKED. They put out a call for submissions just yesterday, so go for it! They are wonderful to work with, have clear guidelines, and there are opportunities for both fiction and non-fiction writers in both magazines. See http://www.keysforkids.org or http://www.unlocked.org for more.
Kristen Joy Wilks
Interesting. I hadn’t thought about editors and agents reading reviews as well as authors. This should also encourage us not to get all snarky with our reviews, ha! I tend to only post reviews of books that I really enjoyed. Although I know that even a negative review can help readers find the books that they will love, it is difficult to think about the author reading my negative words. Though, if they have 3 sons like mine who are eagerly waiting for me to read them scathing one-star reviews of my work, perhaps I should not be so stingy with my negative reviews. Hmmm … more to think on.
Joy Neal Kidney
Working on an article to submit to The Des Moines Register about the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII. Nice to have something to complete that has fewer than 800 words.
Elmer Wolcott
I remember a similar question was asked in my recent best dissertation help service online mphil paper and I scored highest in that.
Olivia
We can always do more, but more importantly, we need to get rid of the guilt when discussing the organization – these words describe my true condition, I had to change jobs, now I work for this company – https://thebestessays.net/, I like helping those people who are not given to writing, I think I am doing the right thing by helping them.