What's a Weary Writer to Do? by Emily Conrad

In myself and in many of my friends--both writers and not--I see widespread weariness like I've never seen before.

As Christian writers, many of us feel a certain sense of responsibility. When we see the weariness around us, we want to offer words to help.

Though our hope remains the same--Jesus!--expressing that hope in meaningful ways when we're weary ourselves becomes a challenge, doesn't it?

It certainly does for me. So, what's a weary writer to do?

A Day of Rest by Patty Nicholas

As my wedding day approaches, an endless to do list grows to mountainous proportions, and a deadline is looming ominously. I have felt the Holy Spirit impress upon me the importance of maintaining a day of rest in my schedule. 

Sunday, after church, I had roughly six hours of time where I could have cleaned bathrooms, written on my work in progress, which is due in a few short weeks, or performed any plethora of other tasks that needed attention. 

Photo by Patty Nicholas

Instead of jumping into work, I sat down and prayed. I asked God to show me where to start on my extensive list. The next thing I knew it was two hours later. I had fallen asleep. Several years ago, as a new widow, I found myself on my own, trying to maintaining a home, working a full time job, babysitting my young grandson in the evenings, and starting my writing career. I sat with bible in hand, and prayed a very similar prayer. 

What God showed me then is equally true in my busy schedule of today. I needed to honor a day of rest. The Lord emphasized the importance of a rest in him by repetition. You can find the word Sabbath 146 times in the Old Testament, and 56 times in the New Testament. With a word repeated this many times, I took notice. 

Leviticus 24:8 Every Sabbath he shall set it in order before the Lord continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 

Photo by Patty Nicholas

To rest is also a healthy practice. God knew what he was doing when he told us to take a day to honor Him, to reflect on His goodness, and to give our bodies a chance to recover so we can be ready for the next week to come. Let’s face it, we may think we know what our week will look like, but only God has seen tomorrow. 



But what about meeting my deadline, or what about my mile-long list? It is my sincere belief, that when I am in obedience to His will for me, then He will bless my efforts. I trust that everything I have committed to will get done in a timely manner.

God knew what he was doing when he told us to take a day to honor him, to reflect on his goodness and to give our bodies a chance to recover.

What about you? Are you tired, over worked and over committed? How do you rest? 

Multi award winning writer, Patty Nicholas lives in the mountains of North Carolina. She is a busy event planner for the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove, and is a member of the Blue Ridge Writers Group. She is a mother of two grown daughters and grandmother of three. She writes Bible studies and devotionals as well as contemporary romance. Devotions are published in compilations by Lighthouse Bible Studies.

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Five Ways to Maximize a Writer's Break by Mary A. Felkins

Congratulations! We’ve made progress on our daily word count goal and now a well-deserved break is calling.

Shouting, maybe?

We agree to climb out of our writing cave and then what? How will we answer?

Whether we plan a break or the break comes begging... “Can we stop for a bit, please? My backside and brain is numb”... there’s wisdom in making the break count.

Otherwise, what was meant to refresh and renew the heart, mind, and spirit can result in wasted time.

Five Ways to Maximize a Writer’s Break

1) Gather names and scene ideas
It may sound counter-productive to take a break while also keeping our WIP in mind, but we can still use the time off to tune into our surroundings. The simple observation of a couple enjoying a hot dog purchased from a street vendor and shared while sitting on the dock might be a refreshing change from characters eating at a restaurant. The unexpected always adds value to our readers. Going up the road to run a quick errand? (okay, for me that means a Coke Zero from the gas station) Use the time to study people--without being creepy. We might meet someone whose demeanor inspires the creation of a new character among our current WIP cast. And not only is a kind introduction a neglected common courtesy, someone's first or last name could be a perfect fit for our WIP.

2) Don’t gather names and scene ideas
When we're led to leave our WIP behind, we may be surprised when ideas come looking for us. I’ve often gathered story inspiration when and where I least expect it. For example, working out at the gym alongside another member, learning of their upbringing, career, and/or life experiences, has provided a field ripe for harvesting character backstory. Double bonus if their first or last name is one I can use.

3) Give Our Characters the Floor
Like a child with several siblings, it could be our characters are struggling to get a word in edgewise while our busy brain has been fussing over what to do with them. Hands free from wild keyboard tapping, let’s sit still and let our characters do the talking. They might tell us what they’re feeling about what just happened or what they fear might happen next and we can incorporate their “feedback” into our stories.

4) Pray. Often.
It doesn’t matter how long or rich our time with God was in the morning if we’ve left Him in the dust by lunch time. Stuck on a scene? Plot all wrong? Characters aren’t right? God isn’t baffled. He knows our story from beginning to end and holds the final product in His hands. Let's maximize our break time by asking Him to illuminate our minds, redirect our stories if necessary, and inspire new ideas from His endless warehouse of creativity.

5) Do absolutely nothing
A break is a break for a reason. In my experience, productivity comes to a halt if I persist in writing when God has called me to rest. When away from our work, we’re free to sit outside and stare at a tree, if necessary. Great reward awaits when we completely disengage from WIP and retreat from mental writer land.

I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother…is my soul within me. Psalm 131:2 (NIV)

The best thing about taking a break is God—the Author—doesn’t need one. He never tires. And doesn't scramble to make up for "lost time" because we’ve stepped away for a few minutes.

Hours. Weeks. Or years.

He Who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:3-4 (NIV)

How do you use your writing break? I’d love to hear what’s worked (and what hasn’t) for you.

Let's maximize our break time by asking Him to illuminate our minds, redirect our stories if necessary, and inspire new ideas from His endless warehouse of creativity. @MaryAFelkins #amwriting #writerbreak #SeriouslyWrite 

The best thing about taking a writer’s break is God—the Author—doesn’t need one. He never tires.
He doesn’t scramble to make up for "lost time" because we’ve stepped away for a time. @MaryAFelkins #amwriting #writerbreak #SeriouslyWrite

Mary A. Felkins writes weekly story-style devotionals on her blog and is a contributor to Refresh, an on-line publication of Lighthouse Bible Study magazine. Her debut, inspirational romance novel, Call To Love, (www.pelicanbookgroup) will be released November 15th, 2019. The completed cover anxiously awaits being partnered with the story behind it.

Raised in Houston, Texas–and forever a Lone Star girl-she and her husband Bruce moved to the foothills of North Carolina in 1997. They have four (adolescent to young adult-sized) arrows in her quiver. She can be lured from her writing cave if presented with a large, unopened bag of Pnut M&Ms or to watch Fixer Upper. A surprise appearance by her teen idol, Donny Osmond, would also do the trick, although she’d likely pass out.

If, upon introduction, she likes your first or last name, expect to see it show up in one of her novels.

Call to Love, inspirational romance coming in November...

What if saying yes to love means trusting the kind of man you said you’d never marry? What if pursuing a woman’s heart means restoring a painful past?

Tracy Cassidy, a fiercely independent ED nurse, must choose between her dream job or staying in her hometown to help support her mother’s faltering ministry. Even if it means risking her heart in love with the kind of man she said she’d never marry.

Why sign up to be Laurelton’s next cop widow?

Tom DeLaney, a hyper-vigilant cop and new hire from Texas, is wearied by years of failed rescue attempts to save his marriage to his ex. A free man, he moves to the foothills of North Carolina. Thing is, he hadn’t expected to fall for Tracy, his supervisor’s sister. But when his adolescent son is diagnosed with a chronic illness, he faces the risk of loving another woman with keep-out issues.

Fears related to the death of Tracy’s cop father and Tom’s inability to forgive the past threaten to sabotage any chance at love.

To trust again means surrender. Will they risk their hearts and answer the call?

Connect with Mary
To receive Mary’s weekly story-style devotions and quarterly book news via email, join other #Felkinsfans at www.maryfelkins.com
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New Year, New Possibilities by Annette M. Irby

2019*

Happy New Year!

A fresh year, a fresh start. I love this feeling, don’t you? Anything is possible. Here’s how to make the most of this new opportunity:

* Pray. Without God, we can do nothing. This truth can stump us at times, unless we take it very literally. Our breath comes from God. Our lives were His idea. So, let's cover our year in prayer. What does God want this year? How can we grow closer to Him? He's asking certain things of us. How can we both find and achieve those things? It's time to get alone, set an atmosphere, seek Him. Hear from Him. Enjoy Him. 

* Believe anything is possible. Nothing is impossible with God. How wonderful is it that God included several verses to this effect in the Bible? See Luke 1:37, etc. If you’ve got big dreams, keep believing they can come true. Work hard. Rest. Pray. Let God show you the next steps—or possibility a new dream.  

* Plan. I recently ordered a new type of planner. It’s put out by Susan May Warren and her team at My Book Therapy. It’s called My Brilliant Writing Planner. She includes sections for spiritual and physical goals and chances to review how things are going. And of course, there are areas for setting goals and making plans. If we’re going to make the most of this new start—this new year—let’s prayerfully consider our goals and make plans to reach them.  

* Celebrate every step in the right direction. There are plenty of opportunities to become discouraged as we chase our dreams and walk out our callings, so we should make a point of celebrating every effort we take in the right direction. Maybe that’s making time to write every day. Set a goal to do that daily. Celebrate the first day you sit down and write. Once you’ve gone a week—celebrate! A month—celebrate. You’re creating habits that will help you accomplish your goals. 

* Rest. We all need a time of refreshing. God commands rest, for our sake. It’s not lazy, it’s necessary. Take time to feed your soul, be encouraged and refueled. Then, you’ll be ready for work again. 

All His best on your new year, friends!

Your turn: What plans do you have for 2019? How do you make the most of a new beginning? 

~~~~~

Coming in March

 

FL on Whidbey Island

Finding Love on Whidbey Island, Washington

Could what drove them apart be what draws them back together?

Liberty Winfield lives with loss every day. She’d rather leave her history behind her, but when faced with moving back to her hometown, the past becomes unavoidable. She takes a job at the florist shop owned by her ex-boyfriend’s family from a decade ago. Now he’s unavoidable.

Clay Garrison knows the pain of ruing his mistakes. Most of his regrets center around Liberty. If he could undo his poor choices, he would. Liberty is back. He has one more chance to make things right. She doesn’t believe anyone could love her unconditionally, so he sets out to prove her wrong. He must also try to right the biggest wrong of their past, knowing that in doing so, he could lose her forever.

Will addressing the past together help them find love?

~~~~~

Annette M. Irby**

Annette M. Irby has been writing since her teen years when she sat pounding out stories on a vintage typewriter just for fun. Since then, she’s joined Christian writing groups and launched blogs so she could share the joy of writing. She likes to say she’s addicted to color as flowers and seascapes inspire her. In her off hours, she enjoys gardening, photography, and music. She lives with her husband and family in the Pacific Northwest.

Learn more here on her Seriously Write Page.

Links to connect with Annette:

Website: www.AnnetteIrby.com

Twitter: @AnnetteMIrby

Facebook Reader Friends Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/252272708574760

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/annette-m-irby or @AnnetteMIrby

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/annette_m_irby.com   

Book Review Blog: www.annetteirbyreviews.blogspot.com

* Graphic of 2019: Pixabay

** Author Photo credit: Sarah Irby at Irby Photos

Soul Care for Writers by Edie Melson

Edie Melson

Oh, friends, we're in for a treat today! Raise your hand if you've ever been burned out in your pursuit of your calling. Yeah, I see those hands in the back. (waving at you with my own raised hand) This fall, I learned about a book written by today's guest that has helped me find rest in the middle of the mayhem. Perhaps Edie Melson's advice will help you as well. Read on! ~ Annette

Soul Care for Writers

By Edie Melson

Those who write have opened themselves to specific stressors. We pull from what’s inside us to create a gift of words. Our specific goals and dreams are as varied at the words we use. But ultimately I believe we each fight this battle to bring forth words to make the world a better place. We are hope givers, joy bringers, and light shiners.

To do this though, we must have something to pull from. Writing is an exhausting endeavor and we cannot do it effectively when the well is dry. So we must constantly return to the One who understands us—and our craft—best.

God is the ultimate author, and it is His inheritance that we showcase when we put pen to paper. God planted a seed in each of us that bears the fruit of words. But this seed must be nurtured—shaded in the healing covering of His presence and watered by His spirit and His word.

It’s not always possible to stop in the middle of chaos and retreat to a place of peace. But we know from Jesus’ example that He often walked into chaos and brought peace. We carry His strength with us, so in the midst of deadlines, family struggles, even writer’s block we have that same inner core of peace inside of us. We just need to bring it to the forefront.

Tips for Soul Care When Chaos Threatens 

1.      Stop and Pray. I always pray before I begin writing—whether it’s an email, social media update, blog post or my current work in progress. In the spirit of transparency, you need to know that it took me way too long to develop this habit, but it makes all the difference. 

2.      Take a creative break. I know, deadlines are looming and it doesn’t feel like you’ve got thirty seconds to spare. But taking five minutes to reignite that creative flame may save you hours of work.

•  Free write using a writing prompt
• Download a coloring page and spend five minutes playing 
•  Write out a Bible verse on a piece of paper. Doodle around it and add color, underline words that speak to you.

3.      Take a walk. Not only will it get your blood pumping, it will get your creative blood pumping. When you return from your walk, take an extra couple of minutes and write down what you noticed on your walk. 

4.      Turn up the music. When I need creative inspiration, music is one way I get that. I may turn up praise music and sing along, or movie themes and do a little (very private) dancing. 

5.      Pull out your camera. I’m also a photographer and something magical happens when I take time to view life through the lens of my camera. It helps me remember to filter out and focus in on what’s important. It doesn’t matter if you have a big professional camera or are using your cell phone. The effect is the same. 

6.      Write in a different place. Go to a different spot in your house. Visit the library (if you like quiet) or a coffee shop.

There are many things that deplete our creative energy, both outward and inward. We must be responsible to take time to renew our reserves and reconnect with the One who called us to this endeavor. When I take time for soul care, I reconnect with God. It’s during these times of closeness, His Spirit floods mine with truth. It’s the truth of who I am and more importantly—Whose I am—that brings me relief.

Now it’s your turn. How do you nurture your writing soul? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Blessings,

Edie

~~~~~

Soul Care When You're Weary by Edie Melson

Soul Care When You're Weary

Our lives are busier each day, and the margin we have available for recovery and peace is shrinking. Edie Melson helps you find Soul Care solutions using devotions and prayers and opportunities for creative expression. She has learned that sensory involvement deepens our relationship with the Father and gives rest to our weary souls. She will teach you to tap into your creativity. Reconnect with God using your tactile creativity. Warning! This book may become dog-eared and stained. Draw in it. Experiment with your creative passions. Learn the healing power of play. Allow God’s power to flow through creativity. Soul Care When You’re Weary will become your heart treasure.

~~~~~

Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers observing life through the lens of her camera. As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. No matter whether she’s talking to writers, fellow creatives, or readers, her first advice is always “Find your voice, live your story.” Her latest book, Soul Care When You’re Weary is available online and in bookstores. Soul Care for Writers will debut in May 2019.

Her blog for writers, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month and has been named to the Writer’s Digest Top 101 Websites for Writers. She’s the Director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Conference, and Soul Care Creative Conference. She’s on the board of directors for the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association and the Social Media Director for Southern Writers Magazine. She’s also a regular columnist for Just18Summers.com and PuttingOnTheNew.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.