Got the Morbs?

How to keep writing when you’re feeling blue

Ever sit down to write and the words won’t flow? Not only are you blocked, but you’re sliding off a precipice into an existential crisis, blindsided by thoughts of sadness and futility. 

Why bother writing? What’s the point of writing anything? Why don’t readers flock to your words? 

If so, you may have the morbs. The morbs is Victorian slang (derived from the word morbid) for temporary melancholy. It can describe what some writers experience when they hit the wall and feel overwhelmed and depressed. 

What can you do when the rejection gets unbearable, when you feel your writing just doesn’t matter, and the morbs come for a visit?

Gain Perspective 

First of all, remember what you’re feeling is normal. Writers throughout history faced frequent rejection and self-doubt. No, not every reader wants to read your book. You probably won’t end up on a coveted bestseller list or land an agent or get invited to posh writer soirees and that’s okay. 

This crazy writing thing you’re doing, this path of ups and downs and bumps and potholes, is not the same for everyone. You write, you edit, you submit, you get published. It’s excruciating and your soul hurts, but you continue because you’re a storyteller and that’s what you do.  

The writing business is subjective. One editor may like your story while five hundred others might not. It only takes one acceptance, but finding that editor is the proverbial needle in the proverbial haystack. Be prepared to sift through a buttload of hay to find that needle. 

Take a Break

If you’re overwhelmed, take some time away from writing. While this might sound counterintuitive, it’s part of the process. Not every writer can write every day. If you can, good for you, keep on typing you beautiful maniac. But if you need a break, for the love of all things holy, take the break. Go for a walk. Watch a movie. Meditate with fifty cats. Whatever keeps you sane, chill out and do it. You’ll return to your writing refreshed, ready to tackle your stories with a new outlook.

Find Your Community

While writing can be a solitary endeavor, it needn’t be. Talk to other writers, even if you’re an introvert who lives in a hermit cave. Making connections in the writing community keeps you sane and lets you bounce your doubts and fears off other writers. Commiserate with those going through the query trenches like you, the fellow scribes anxious about success. This isn’t a competition; you’re there to support each other, so make writer friends. 

This Cloud Shall Lift

There’s an old writing adage: Give yourself permission to suck. This goes hand-in-hand with another adage: Your first draft will always suck. Not every writer produces a flawless manuscript on the first try. Time invested in your writing craft will make you understand how pieces of the story (plot, characters, setting, tone) fit together. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and understand you’re not locked in the morbs dungeon forever. Sooner or later, when you’re ready, this sadness will pass. With self-care and awareness, you’ll be energized and ready to tackle your next story. 

Get Back in the Saddle

Don’t let self-doubt or fear of failing stop you from writing. Keep writing, even if your output isn’t stellar. In Zen in the Art of Writing, Ray Bradbury wrote, “Quantity gives experience. From experience alone can quality come.” The more you write, the more comfortable and skilled you become with writing.  

Impostor syndrome can make you question everything, but it’s important that you return to the keyboard or the notebook and keep cranking out words. 

Remember above all else, you’re a writer. You’re not an “aspiring writer” (I loathe that vacuous term) but a writer. For reals. 

You’re a writer if you’ve written a bestseller or not. You’re a writer if you’ve landed an agent or not. You’re a writer if your work receives a thousand reviews or no reviews. You’re a writer if you have legions of devoted fans or none at all. You put one word after another and tell stories, creating characters and worlds the only way you can. Keep at it, even if you get the morbs. Don’t let despair keep you from writing. You got this.