M.R. Merrick is a Canadian writer and author of The Protector series, a young adult mash-up between urban and epic fantasy that has drawn rave reviews from fans around the world. In this essay, he gives a raw accounting of the struggles encountered by many artiststo remain creative and productive.

Coming back from anything can be difficult. If you’re a professional athlete that takes a year off, you don’t jump in with whomever the front-runners are when you come back. Not right away. Not witho...