Why I Took a Break From Content Creation

I’m going to distance myself from the word “quit”.

I didn’t quit creating content. I “took a break”.

Yeah, that sounds better.

Creatives often run into burnout. It’s right there around the corner from us and when we try to take that turn too fast, blammo. There it is.

That’s not exactly what happened to me (this time). The truth is, the pandemic hit. Then the Black Lives Matter protests started. I felt that more important voices than mine were speaking and that I needed to not detract in any way from that. It was a time to listen.

Then I just kind of…lost that mojo. I was too in my head about it. The importance and the fun of it was diminished for me. Not to mention that the one video that the Youtube algorithm picked up was the least important to me but got the clicks. (Sharing my thoughts on the author of American Dirt being paid a cool mil for a book that Mexicans felt didn’t express their culture in an accurate way.) A true content creator would go in that direction. As an indie author, there’s no way in hell that I want to go down the path of reviewing books and keeping up with writing world scandals. Romance Writers of America kind of imploded for similar reasons shortly after my last video, so, yeah, I felt a little vindicated but it wasn’t what I wanted. At all.

So what do I want?

I want to write. I want to rant. I want to live in a world where the pandemic is in the past.

It’s a short list but only two of those are things that I can actually control. I gotta do me, baby, and that’s where I’ve been. Trying to stop over-planning and getting down to the doing. Back to the writing.

I’ve been putting off publishing my First Real Book. I have a couple of novellas, sure. But it’s not the same. I have dozens of mostly-written books. But it’s not the same. Writers write. And authors publish.

I don’t do New Year’s resolutions, and as I write this it’s damn near the end of January. But for anyone who’s ever taken “too long” of a break - like me - it’s okay to just do a little bit. To get back in the saddle whenever.

You’re either alive or you’re dead.

While I’m alive, I want to write, to rant, and hopefully this year to actually publish. And maybe every year after that, if it’s not too ambitious. I’m even thinking about freelancing a bit, or starting up a different Youtube channel. Maybe contributing again to my original Author Journey channel. I don’t know. Whatever seems fun. Whatever makes life even just a little better. Because at the end of the day, that’s all we can ask to make for ourselves.

If you ever want to chat about writing, feel free to contact me. Us writers got to stick together.

Love everyone, tell the truth, and I’ll see you on the journey!

Later!

- Sasha K.