But for the rest of us, we seldom (if ever) have circumstances that perfectly align with our “ideal” writing time or space. Even those of us who are blessed to have a designated room in our home to call our writing office, there will still be obstacles when we want to produce those needed words. If you have children at home, then it’s likely you write when they’re busy with their own activities. For those of you who work at a job besides writing, it can be very challenging finding that “right” time to write. When I taught kindergarten, I still had children living at home and cannot imagine trying to write a complete manuscript in those days! Whew! Even if you have plenty of time to write with no interruptions, there might be health-related issues that interfere with your writing. It can be a challenge to be productive if you have a throbbing headache or any physical illness/discomfort.
In our less-than-perfect world, having everything “just right” before we work on a writing project is not very likely. But for those of us who truly feel that we’re supposed to be writing during this season of life, we cannot postpone our writing as we wait for that ideal time or circumstances. We must keep writing and moving forward on our project, even if it means writing words one day that we delete (gasp!) the next day, we keep writing. I’m sure many of you have seen the admonition to “Just Write!” that seasoned authors have used to encourage other writers. I’ve seen this phrase many times in writing-related articles and writing books. Simple advice, but something we need to remember if we’re serious about our writing. 😊
I’m not sure who originally said this, but I’ll paraphrase a statement I’ve read more than once: I cannot write unless my muse shows up, so I make sure my muse arrives at 9 a.m. every morning. I love that! If we wait until circumstances are ideal or our muse is tapping on our shoulder, we’ll never accomplish our writing goals. Instead of waiting for the “just right” time, we dive in and “just write” those words, knowing that even a small amount of writing can move our story forward. And when we’re moving forward, we’re closer to completing our goal!
Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16:3
In our less-than-perfect world, having everything “just right” before we work on a writing project is not very likely.
Holly Sims loves Christmas and children, so when she’s asked to help plan a Christmas festival for foster children, she’s thrilled. As a newcomer to Pine Valley, North Carolina, Holly is eager to become involved in church activities and meet people. When she continues seeing a handsome but sullen man in town, she’s curious about him. Why does he appear so unhappy?
Rick Bates is fine with being an introvert. After being shifted from family to family throughout his childhood, he knows he cannot depend or trust anyone and must guard his heart. Running his small business and taking photographs of nature scenes are all he needs in his life. So why does he continue thinking about the auburn-haired woman he keeps seeing?
When Holly asks Rick to take photos at the Christmas festival, he’s ready to decline—until he learns it’s a festival for foster children. When he arrives at the event, Rick is in awe of the decorations, including countless twinkle lights. But the joy on the children’s faces stirs his heart even more. With help from a Christmas-loving lady, a friendly town, and a kitten named Taco, Rick knows the ice around his heart is melting.
She loves connecting with readers and other writers, and can be found on Facebook at Author Patti Jo Moore or her personal blog at http://catmomscorner.blogspot.com
