Do You Recognize the 3 Early Warning Signs of Author Burnout?

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The three early warning signs of author burnout are that your tasks no longer feel fun, that you can’t focus, and that you never take a break. I hit all three after my books started selling. Here is what they look like and what I did about them.

What is author burnout?

The World Health Organization describes burn-out as a syndrome from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed (28-May-19). It has three parts: feeling drained or worn out, growing mental distance or negativity toward the work, and lower effectiveness. The WHO counts it as an occupational phenomenon, not a medical condition. Authors who publish regularly can end up there as well, because writing, editing and ads turn into a job. This post is my own experience, not medical advice. If you are struggling to cope, the NHS says to see a GP, so talk to your doctor.

Why did the fun go out of publishing for me?

When I started, I was producing books and learning every day, and it was exciting. The first sales were amazing. Then the sales grew, and at some point the fun started to go away.

One reason is hedonic adaptation. Things that please us reset our idea of normal. Go to Disney World every day and it becomes a burden. In the same way, even when some of my books were making good money every month, that was the new normal, and one slightly lower month felt like something was going terribly wrong.

The second reason was that most of my tasks were repetitive. So I handed those steps to virtual assistants who could go through them carefully and accurately, and my books kept getting published on schedule. My own business keeps things simple on purpose: break the work into parts and do one thing at a time until you’ve figured it out. For more on that, see the lazy author’s way to self-publish.

What are the 3 early warning signs of author burnout?

1. The tasks are no longer fun. Writing a thousand words a day, editing, working on covers and running ads leave you numb. Your hobby has become a job and the tasks sap your energy. Slow down and find out what is wrong with what you are doing.
2. You can’t focus. When you sit down to work, the enthusiasm has gone, and Netflix, the news, social media and your phone call you away. Mix things up within the same niche, or find a community or a coach.
3. You are not taking breaks. You pound away hour after hour and your creativity seeps out. If you feel stuck for ideas, read what to do when you lack creativity to self-publish. If you burn out, your books stop moving.

Help Guide, a nonprofit mental health site (last updated 15-May-26), lists similar signs: loss of motivation, detachment, procrastination, constant tiredness, and less satisfaction from what you accomplish.

How do I avoid author burnout?

1. Take breaks. Get out into nature and take walks. Help Guide suggests 30 minutes or more of exercise a day, or 10-minute bursts, and a daily time to disconnect from your phone, email and social media. Eating well and moving are good for your hobby too.
2. Stay in your niche. When I felt the first signs, I did not switch niches. I started helping other authors, which is why this blog and my YouTube channel exist, and I stayed inside self-publishing. If you switch, you restart everything and you will hit the same wall in the new subject. If you write about woodworking, ask how to make it more fun without leaving woodworking. If you write Viking romance, which is close to home for me in Norway, stay with the Vikings. I made the niche-switching mistake in my early days. An audience follows you through your books only if you stay in a genre.
3. Think long term. In my experience it takes 3 to 5 years to build an audience and about 10 to make a killing from it. It is a marathon, like the Bergen Marathon here on the west coast of Norway. When you hit the wall you can quit or work through it. Be the tortoise, not the hare.
4. Get help. Join a community or hire a coach. I work with a business coach every two weeks so I don’t skip the steps that matter for my long-term goals. Don’t try to go it alone. The habits you skip now catch up with you, as I explain in if you don’t fix this now, you’ll hate yourself later. If you decide on a coach, how to choose a self-publishing coach shows what to check first.

If you are feeling burnt out and want someone to help you plan a pace you can keep, book a free 25-minute discovery call with me.

Are you feeling author burnout? Tell me in the comments.

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