Reigniting Passion for Writing through Writing: A Gathering for Burned-Out and Stuck Writers

Are you burned out?

That was the first question laid down to all the attendees at Scribblory’s event last April 29, 2023, held at Conrad Hotel, Pasay City. The program aimed to help participants overcome creative blocks that hinder their writing and to inspire them to write with passion and purpose.

The program started with a self-introduction activity facilitated by Scribblory’s founder, Elaine Marie Factor, where the participants answered writing-related questions drawn from a hat. It was a fun way to get to know each other and break the ice.

The first part of the event focused on exploring the effects of creative blocks. Through speed writing and listing exercises, participants dug deeper into their creative blocks and set a bottom line on how to address them.

Here are some main key points shared and discussed from the event which you can ponder upon to identify if you’re on the verge of experiencing burnout or being stuck as a writer:

1. They find it hard to be happy about other artists’ success/achievement, especially those who they know, those they journey with, or those who are close to them.

2. They have the tendency to say or do things that discourage fledging artists.

3. They become critical about other artists’ works.

Do these sound familiar to you? Don’t worry, burn-out doesn’t last forever!

The program continued with ‘tried-and-tested’ creative unblocking activities that helped the participants identify the root cause of their burnout from writing: acknowledging the child in all of us where participants reflected on their favorite trait as a child and how criticisms they received as a child still affect their adult selves. This exercise helped them gain a better understanding of themselves and their creative processes. As a group, they explored their own habits, childhood upbringings, dreams, criticisms, and the writing projects each one is working on. The creative unblocking activities were able to point out what should be done, what’s working, and what’s not.

In the third part of the event, participants listed their fears about their writing projects and identified the things they could gain from accomplishing their goals. This activity gave them a clearer vision of their writing projects' purpose and inspired them to work towards achieving them. The writers were able to renew their commitments on writing over a cup of tea, other refreshments, and snacks while peering at the blue bay seen from the wide windows of the lounge.

That Saturday afternoon did not just turn out to be a writers’ gathering, but unexpectedly a girls’ day out too where this intimate group got to gather and destress from their busy lives. There were parts of the program where they got to share their “true” selves by removing personal façades. Each one had their share of thought as to where they are at writing. This has helped tap into the inner core of each writer by fixing not just what’s bothering one from the outside but more of healing what’s on the inside.

Now, who would have ever thought that the key to overcome being burned out and being stuck is through a therapeutic discussion on writing? The event ended with a closing prayer, where participants lifted up to God their writing projects and the causes of their burnout and being stuck.

In conclusion, the "Reigniting Passion for Writing through Writing" event was a meaningful experience for the participants, uplifting the souls of these stuck writers, and igniting in them a renewed sense of passion, commitment, and perseverance. Through the different activities, they learned how to overcome their creative blocks, gain a deeper understanding of themselves, and reignite their passion for writing. The event reminded them that writing is not just about producing a good piece, but also about the joy of creating something from the heart.

Written by Nichelle Dizon and Aiko Gillera Hara