Mental health resilience for writers

Becoming an author is tough. But so is being an author.

Awareness of author mental health has increased lately. It’s something I’m particularly interested in, as someone with a background in psychology, publishing, and writing. So the highlight of the 2024 London Book Fair for me was a panel session called ‘You’ve Got This! Mental Health Resilience for Writers’.

Chaired by author and Society of Authors chair Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, the panel included graphic novelist Hannah Berry, writer and lecturer Dr Lily Dunn, communications director at Canongate Books Anna Frame, founder of thy.self Chloe Pierre, and GP, lifestyle medicine physician and TEDx speaker Dr Richard Pile. I would also recommend Lily Dunn’s excellent write-up of this session on her Substack newsletter.

I have been exploring the psychological side of being a writer further in my own Substack newsletter, The Author Mindset. I find myself mostly concerned with psychological blocks that prevent us from finishing our manuscripts and getting our books published. Things like impostor syndrome, perfectionism, and procrastination.

But the key takeaway for me from this session was that this is only half the battle. Once you’ve finally crossed the finishing line and become a published author, these problems don’t go away. Being a published author comes with its own mental health challenges. Indeed, for some authors, it’s where the problems can begin. So how can we cope with these challenges? And how can the publishing industry support us?

The mental health challenges of being a début author

This session was in response to a Bookseller survey in April 2023 that found that authors struggle with lack of support. Over half (54%) of the 108 authors surveyed said that the publishing process had negatively affected their mental health. Anxiety, stress, depression, and low self-esteem were cited. Contributory factors included lack of support, guidance, or clear and professional communication from their publisher. Just 22% described a positive experience overall with their first publication. There’s surely a lot the publishing industry can do to improve on this. There are also things we can do as authors to protect our own mental health and build resilience.

Lily Dunn said: “There’s so much build-up when you’ve been working on a book for years and years, and it’s finally out there. You can go a bit crazy.” She said this is also about personal responsibility: “it’s not up to your publisher or agent to deal with that issue.” She has found meditation helpful, for example. There are a number of guided meditation apps out there, including Headspace and Calm.

Do a mental health check-in

The panel started with a reminder that it’s important to check in on our own health – physical and mental. “Never forget that physical and mental health are the same thing,” said Richard Pile. Chloe Pierre spoke of the importance of mental health check-ins, and said that there are many resources out there, which we can access any time. “What are you feeling? What’s coming up for you? In your writing process, what’s bothering you, and how can you move forward?” she asked. It’s important to “make time to just be – not just focus on your project.”

It’s also important to monitor the language, framing, and self-talk we use. “How we speak to ourselves is really important,” said Pierre. “When do we check the quality of what we’re saying? If I said this to someone else, how would they feel? If someone said it to me, how would I feel?” It’s important to learn to be more kind and compassionate to ourselves.

Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin said it’s easy to use negative language, and that reframing makes a huge difference. It’s also important to manage the gap between expectation and reality, success and failure.

What does success mean for you?

Success can mean different things to different people. Anna Frame referenced a 2016 interview with Jilly Cooper in The Guardian, in which Cooper said: “Jeffrey Archer and I long for a kind word in the Guardian, while literary writers have lots and lots of kind words in the Guardian but probably long for Jeffrey’s and my sales. It must be irritating.”

How do you define success? Do you want glowing reviews or soaring sales? (Or both!) Or simply to tell your story? Frame said we should ask publishers to define their measures of success too. And “talk to your agent or publisher before you’re even signed, about your expectations, and what you’re willing and able to do.” This is an issue not just of managing expectations, but setting boundaries.

Dealing with rejection and comparison

Rejection goes with the territory in publishing – whether you’re a début author or more established. “It happens at every level,” says O’Loughlin, “Multiply-published authors still get rejected.” But comparison is also a problem, especially if you’ve not got a publisher yet.

Hannah Berry agreed that failure is an integral part of the process. Yes, it stings at the time, especially if you’re comparing yourself to other authors. But it’s important to “look at what you have achieved, what you’ve done. You’ve finished something to be rejected. With every failure comes an attempt at success. It’s important to keep that as an achievement.” She also advised that “everybody’s path is different – so don’t compare yourself to others.”

Anna Frame also noted in the Q&A that a tiny proportion of writers write full time. “Don’t assume that the writers you love are surviving in their writing alone.” None of us should feel a failure if we’re not writing full time. That’s the norm.

Berry reminded us that rejection isn’t personal: it’s just the work. And other people’s opinion of creative work is always very subjective. Frame agreed: “There are so many different editors and publishers out there who have different tastes.” She also pointed out that there are two different reasons publishers buy books: “1) to make money; and 2) because it feels important. Books can be rejected because there isn’t an editor who feels passionate about that work. If they don’t have that passion in-house, it isn’t the right publisher for you.”

Find your people

We all know that writing can be a solitary activity. And there’s plenty of research into the negative mental health consequences of social isolation. So social support is important for everyone’s mental health. But it’s also helpful for writers to meet other writers, in order to support each other, compare notes, and share industry knowledge. I also think that resilience is about community, rather than an individual ‘grit your teeth and push on through’ personality trait. So finding your people, your community, is one of the best things you can do to build your mental health resilience as a writer.

There are lots of options out there, whatever you write. Hannah Berry spoke about the Comic Creators Network run by the Society of Authors. “It’s a tight-knit community. You feel like you can talk to people about anything; there’s no situation where you feel like you’re alone.” From writing groups to conferences to online networks, social support for writers is easier to access than ever.

Sometimes you need a particular kind of social support. Lily Dunn said that having your personal story out there is a very specific experience, and you can’t really predict how you’re going to feel. When her memoir Sins of My Father (2022) was published, she reached out to other writers who had memoirs coming out around the same time – and they were a huge support to her. She also mentioned that Substack is brilliant for feeling in control, knowing your audience, and building a community – and you can charge for your newsletters too.

Hannah Berry suggested finding “opportunities to work with other people. A collaborative atmosphere is so nourishing. There’s something wholesome about being able to work collectively. But we often don’t consider it.”

Writing may be solitary, but publishing is a team sport. Anna Frame said: “remember that publishing is a business – and once you’re published you’re part of a team. The route to publication can be a very vulnerable time for writers, whether it’s your first or tenth book. It’s OK to speak up if you feel something’s not right. Just because things are quiet doesn’t mean nothing’s happening. To a large degree it’s a matter of luck as well as hard work. We can celebrate successes together, and commiserate failures. Publishing should be a team sport.”

Create boundaries

Without boundaries, you can risk burnout, especially if you take on too many projects. Chloe Pierre suggested asking yourself: “What do you need, and how do you express that to others? Know when to ask for help.” Lily Dunn advised: “Find that thing that relaxes your brain. Many of us have portfolio careers, are parenting, and doing a lot. Find that sweet spot.” Richard Pile also spoke about purpose earlier in the session, and asked. “Are you putting all your eggs in one basket? Living a purpose-driven life is great – but what if it doesn’t work out? Think about your whole life, not just your next book.” As with so many things, balance is essential.

Communication is key

During the Q&A, a member of the audience asked about how to communicate with your publisher if you’re not able to make a deadline – perhaps because of a mental health issue. Chloe Pierre said it’s hard to ask for an extension the first time – but communication is key. “Don’t be scared to ask the question, be honest, and be open to what the response might be.” Anna Frame agreed, and offered a publisher’s perspective: “Don’t put off the conversation. It helps if you can give good notice, but any publisher should care enough about their authors that they want to help you. They may be able to flex the timeline.”

Final thoughts

It’s encouraging to see that mental health is increasingly recognised and talked about in the publishing industry – including the mental health of authors.

Writing is a private, solitary activity – yet publishing is public. Authorship is partly about navigating this tricky transition from private to public, and the fears, frustrations, and anxieties that come with it. It’s one that we can anticipate and strive to build resilience for. But it’s also one that the industry – agents and publishers – can make smoother with awareness, understanding, and support. And that benefits everyone.

Resources

• Health and wellbeing resources for writers from the Society of Authors
• You’ve got this! Mental Health Resilience for Writers – Lily Dunn’s Substack post
• Bookseller survey finds debut authors struggle with lack of support – The Bookseller, 24 April 2023