by Priya Sridhar
I’ve volunteered with several organizations; at least one has proved disillusioning. Yet many large creative projects and events require unpaid labor of love. Otherwise, nonprofits would go bankrupt in a matter of months.
A few scandals have plagued popular writing organizations. Who bears the emotional brunt, in addition to any victims? The volunteers. That experience inevitably leads to burnout, that loss of energy and willpower to engage in such creative activities.
What We Give when We Volunteer
Contrary to what sitcoms and Ivy League colleges believe, volunteers don’t join creative organizations for brownie points or résumé padding. I certainly didn’t when my local NaNoWriMo group needed a new municipal liaison; I joined to ensure a safe space for the creative nerds in Miami like myself. Meeting to write at Panera Bread once a week allowed me to write and not think about the state of the world, a stressful home situation, and my (lack of) career at the time. (Slush reading and volunteering for magazines is a different ball game, where writers and editors may do so to gain experience and understand what powerful words stand out from it. That form of volunteering may lead to paid gigs later.)
Another reason to join an organization as a volunteer is to give back to your community. When a person feels helpless about the world, putting in time and effort to improve a small public square can make a huge difference for the body and mind. Cleaning garbage off a beach, planting saplings, or donating clothes to shelters provides physical benefits; organizing a writing session, painting a group mural, or tutoring young creatives provides intangible ones.
Do some people join for work experience or social recognition? Certainly. If you work with them, always assess how intentions match with actions. Opportunistic volunteers disrupt, while curious ones contribute. Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves.
When an organization takes a volunteer for granted or betrays their trust, it dismisses all the hard work that individual has put into the organization. This kind of mistreatment can come from a person or from management. Either way, it hurts. The exhaustion and sadness from burnout can also linger for months, if not years.
How to Recover?
I’m still figuring this one out in real time. The scandal that changed my relationship with NaNoWriMo emerged in 2023, and the emotional fallout still wreaks havoc years later. Recollecting what happened feels like a chronic ache rather than a paper cut sting. Due to the pandemic, I only scheduled in-person write-ins in November 2023, right before the news about the scandal broke, and when I felt confident in the facility’s ventilation. The thought of scheduling another in-person write-in twists my insides now.
Many former volunteers and I have talked about how much we put into NaNoWriMo. Local members in my group have voted on a new Discord server name, but the previous unity has evaporated. We keep missing each other when scheduling write-ins.
Some steps align, however, with treating burnout in general. No solution is one-size-fits-all; recovering requires strategy.
Commiserate. Chances are, you aren’t the only disappointed volunteer. Large organizations have large groups. Due to the law of averages, you can find people in the same boat as you: disappointed and burned out. Knowing you aren’t alone makes a huge difference.
When the NaNo news broke, so did the official volunteer server. In fact, it had to shut down for legal reasons. If you can meet in person, I’ve found that gathering to commiserate over hot food is therapeutic. I generally go for locally made pizza. Hot food is generally key; if you’re not a pizza person, ramen that accommodates lifestyle choices and allergies is another option. The reason I think this works? Because hot food warms you from head to toe and allows you to relax while feeling catharsis. You can open up about what’s been troubling you.
Grieve. Accept that you won’t be okay for a while. A cause you believed in failed you. It’s okay to not be okay with that anguish. Feeling frustrated with the subsequent hurt and exhaustion is perfectly normal.
Truth be told, I haven’t found my peace yet. I’m still angry, hurt, and betrayed. It may take a couple of years, and I have to accept the negative feelings. But there are other things we can do to heal as well.
Take a break. It’s okay to step away from volunteering for a while. Take some time for yourself, get your nails painted, lounge in bed with a comforting book or a laptop to binge-watch a show. I’ve been catching up on indie animation pilots for self-care.
You may worry about doing nothing while the world is on fire. Firefighters have cots and beds in their stations so they can rest between emergencies. Otherwise, they can make crucial mistakes while exhausted. Rest like a firefighter.
Set boundaries. This step is the most important. People will ask for your time and effort for different activities and chores. Know your limits and boundaries. Above all else, protect your body, mind, and confidence.
If you’re not ready to volunteer? Don’t volunteer. You don’t ever want to return? Don’t return. You’ll do more good healing. Forcing yourself to participate can do more harm in the long run.
Rebound volunteering. Mind, this one only applies if you want to return to volunteering. If you need a rebound activity to occupy your time and mend your heart, find a short-term local event. Your area will probably have different activities. Local libraries often list these opportunities on their websites.
Create an event if you don’t see one you like. Find a few friends online or in real life and do something you love. If you enjoy reading, donate books to prisons or Little Libraries. If you’re not a social person, knit scarves for vulnerable LGBTQ youth in the fall. Do you love holidays like Halloween or Thanksgiving? Collect change for UNICEF at local debates or help cook holiday dinners for people without stable housing. The activities are there.
Prioritize you. All these activities have one thing in common: focusing on you. Assess how you are feeling and what would heal your mind, body, and spirit. Do not give in to that knee-jerk determination to please others or fill your time.
Unfortunately, volunteers can’t guarantee when the disappointment, exhaustion, and distrust fade. After a community you supported with your time and energy lets you down, you need time to recover. Volunteer labor is important, but even more so is the volunteer. Focus on your healing process. Let it guide you to the next, healthier place where your talents might find a home.
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A 2016 MBA graduate and published author, Priya Sridhar has been writing fantasy and science fiction for 15 years and counting. Capstone published the Powered series, and Unnerving Press published Offstage Offerings. Priya lives in Miami, Florida, with her family.