Writing, Hobbies, and Burnout

Why are some of my favorite writers fading away?

Maybe time outdoors has displaced time at the computer. Or, perhaps they are burned out

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

“Never, never, never give in!” — Winston S. Churchill

Lately, many of my favorite writers, who had published a story every day or two, are fading away from Medium. Some of those writers now publish a story every few days or once a week. Others are absent altogether. I wonder what is causing this phenomenon.

Here are several ideas about what could be going on:

1. It’s springtime in the Northern Hemisphere. People want to get outdoors and enjoy life. Maybe they’re working in the yard, gardening, or riding their bikes. Or, perhaps they’re watching or coaching their kids’ baseball or soccer games.
2. Maybe they are suffering from burnout. Researching content for stories takes time and effort. Their energy might be depleted, or they could be exhausted.
3. Maybe the financial return is too low. If they’re like me, they publish between three and seven stories each week with an average return rate of pennies or a dollar or two per hour of work. They could be wondering if this is a good platform for…