Hot Freelance Writing Season Just Ended? It's Time to Take a Break

Freelance academic writers are seasonal writers and not by choice. We go with the flow of the academic year. The summer months go by slower than molasses with sometimes week passing without a single writing job to be had. Spring break brings in a moderate number of orders as students head off to vacation. The holiday break lights the fire of the peak season, culminating in speed typing exercises and sleepless nights as the writing season peaks leading into June, facing the homestretch in July. It's this season that most writers are thankful for. It's the hot season, financial prep time for the start of the dry season. The vicious cycle repeats itself in an endless loop. As writers tend to overwork themselves during the hot season, they need to be reminded to take a break as soon as the season normalizes or slows down. Let's count the reasons why it is important to take a break.

Psychological Resistance

When a writer has written over 5000 pages on similarly placed topics, the brain tends to resist the urge to do any more writing. Not because it is not capable of processing the required work, but because it is bored with the topic. Just like anybody, constant repetition tends to get boring and the brain, being a highly intricate analytical machine, will tend to resist the constant repetition that comes with writing the same topic in a hundred different ways. Give the brain the rest that it needs. Do something else, even if its just binge watching a show on Netflix or YouTube.

Writer's Block

If you find yourself conscious of the topic you must write about but facing a blinking cursor on a blank electronic page, it's time to take a break. Creativity has its limitations because the brain has its limitations. Sometimes, the actual sources for the work to be done are already lined up and yet, the writer finds that even reading the materials doesn't inspire any creative thoughts. Get rid of the block by writing something non-work related. Even doodling on the screen or on an actual page can help to relieve the stress that the brain is under. It unlocks the reserve writing juices and removes the block. Listening to music can also help as relaxation experts believe that music tends to inspire people facing writer's block by urging the brain to imagine the story the music is trying to tell.

Illness

Don't wait to get sick before taking some personal time from work. If you wait for your body to break down before resting, then it will take you longer to recover and get back to work. Take a few days to sleep in after the hot season. Give the body the physical rest it needs to recover from the constant stress of having to meet client deadlines and revision requests.

Completing a Lengthy Paper

If you are writing a lengthy paper of about 150 pages or more at the moment, remember to take regular breaks between writing sessions. Remember the deadline for the paper, then schedule your work day around it. Don't try to cram the full 150 pages into 3 days. Make sure your client knows that the paper will take time to write. Schedule your workday as if you were reporting for work at an office. Have a punch in and punch out time. Stop for coffee breaks twice a day with a one-hour lunch break. Leave the computer by 6 at the latest to allow your physical system to wind down at the end of the day. That way your body really engages in rest and relaxation even during the peak season.

Don't take your health for granted. Your brain, eyes, and hands are the nerve center of your occupation. Take care of your major body parts immensely involved in your work. Unlike computers, the human body was never designed to work on a 24/7, 365 days a year basis. Taking regular breaks will allow your body to serve you within the workplace for a longer period.

Freelance writing in this field has certainly taught me how to self-regulate my stress levels throughout time. I find that most of the content written here are true - and I've found to be applicable in most cases. In particular, I find that the quality of my work is enhanced when I learn to take small breaks in between of writing sessions. Before, I used to go through hours-long writing marathons just to fulfill the requirements that were set on me. When I finished, I often would find so many small mishaps spread throughout my writing. This definitely does not help me. Because of this, I find that trying to set a reasonable standard, ensuring that I am well-rested prior to everything, and capitalizing on my productive hours were all better than trying to overly dump myself with immense stress. We have to set reasonable standards for ourselves truly.

The main benefit of working as a freelance writer, without a company employer, is that I can set my price for the paper and then take a 2 day or week-long break after. I am a freelance writer who appreciates the writing season by choice. The down time for students at school allows me to have my own regular vacation schedule akin to the school year schedule. I don't fret when the school breaks come because I make that I have enough cash to get me through the break with change to spare till the writing season picks up again. I will not contradict what was written in the above article though because I know that there are academic writers out there who actually have to endure the listed situations. Health should never be taken for granted. However, in our line of work, it would be better if the writer knows how to schedule frequent breaks to avoid potential health complications.