Burnout rarely arrives loudly. It creeps in until writing, posting, and even opening the laptop feel heavy. In this Author’s Mic™ midweek note, I name what burnout looks like, why it shows up, and how I reset without torching my author life. If you’re comparing your Chapter 1 to someone else’s Chapter 20 or living “always on,” you’re not broken—you’re tired, and there is a way back.

I start with a three-question energy check: What is my energy from one to ten without judgment? What one promise will I keep to myself this week? Can this wait thirty days without harm? Then I run a gentle reset—water, a short walk, a brain dump of everything on my mind, and circling only what must happen. The next day I make one meaningful move, like editing a page, sending a pitch, or scheduling a single post. The day after that I connect with one reader or one author, because community restores momentum.

If you don’t have an author tribe yet, borrow one while you build it. Set up a brief check-in with one or two writers every other week and ask the same two questions: What did you do? What’s next? Protect the energy you need to create. Office hours help. A clear no helps. Rest on purpose so you can create on purpose.

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Tags: The Author’s Mic, Author Burnout, Creative Burnout, Mindset, Self-Care, Boundaries, Writing Life, Indie Authors, Productivity, Bright Headed Publishing