Most people have experienced burn-out at one point or another. To put it bluntly, it sucks.
It sucks even more when there’s no reason for it. Normally, burn-out is the result of pushing yourself to your limits and getting a metric shitload of work done. I’ve had post-insanity burn-out before on more than one occasion, the most memorable being after I wrote 60k in five days.
(I was insane when I was a new writer. Seriously. I took “write fast and don’t care if it’s crap” to an extreme. ^_^)
After crazy-ass stunts like that, it made sense to be burnt out. Now? I’ve maybe written a total of 5k over the past two months, and yet I’m exhausted. Even the thought of writing leaves me feeling tired. I’m sure part of it is due to my health issues exacerbated during summer, but not all of it.
Anyone else ever experience this? And if so… how the hell do you break out of it? 
July 18th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
I hate burn out. I’ve never had it happen that way, but my only suggestion is to force yourself to the best of your ability. Sucktastic advice at that.
July 18th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
I don’t know if I’ve ever left the last wreck that I was after the last burn out or not. It doesn’t feel like it. I’m not much help, either. I am purposely making it so I feel less guilty when I don’t write though. Down time is necessary.
I was overloaded there for a while and I just haven’t gotten back into writing. I did get a story going. It’s in permanent spin-cycle until further notice.
The one thing that did seem to help was to get excited about something about the story. Find the spark to want write, even if it’s just a scene about a character, and maybe it will snowball.
July 18th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Absolutely. My second ms, while I was waiting for word about my first-right in the middle of the story I “just had to write” I got sick and then I totally lost it. It took a week to write a paragraph. One of the most painful experiences of my life. It was only guilt and a skewed work ethic that kept me coming to the computer-day after agonizing day. I couldnt even look the book over when I was done.
Diana is right though-you need to remember why you liked the story in the first place-why it exxcited you. That definitely helps.
July 18th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
This happens to me after I finish writing a book. My brain literally shuts down for a while (usually about a week or two) before I can start another book.
July 19th, 2007 at 12:22 am
After I finish a book, I HAVE to take a few days off…
When I have burn-out the best is during that waiting period…I mean, who wants to write when it seems that all your stories are just being sucked into a large black hole. Even a rejection during that time is *feedback* and can help me shake out of the feeling.
Those are the times when I just force myself to write…it may all be crap…but as La Nora says, you can fix crap…you can’t fix an empty page.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:30 am
I just went through this, though I know exactly why I was burned out, but I think the main thing I took away from it was, if you push it, you make it worse.
Breathe, garden, bake, listen to music, anything that fills your spirit and read.
It’ll come back. It’s an art, you can’t force it. The reader will know.
July 24th, 2007 at 2:36 am
Ericka, totally. That’s when my burnout happens. When I send out something and am eager for a response. I’m having a small case of it now, because I have more than usual out. I just have to force myself through it. Write 1k a day. Sometimes it’s like pulling teeth and just as ugly of a result. But…it’s something to work with.