A Very Humbling Thought About Writer's Block...
Albert Einstein famously said, "Once you stop learning, you start dying."
I've heard this quote countless times over the years, but it hit me hard today. I've recently dug back into studying writing. Today, for example, I listened to a Q&A by Brandon Sanderson on world building while painting walls in our shop.
I've mentioned here and there that I've been going through a season of struggle where writing is concerned. In conversations with friends, I've chalked it up to being overwhelmed. There's just too much going on, and my brain is too full. I can't write because there's no room in there to create anything.
And it wasn't a lie; I was overwhelmed. But what is overwhelm, anyway?
Sometimes we're really truly consumed by situations either outside of our control or by our own doing, and those experiences are often used to remind us of our great need for God. Our reliance on Him in all things. We're told to cast our anxieties on Him, because He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7) That kind of overwhelm is meant to drive us toward Him.
But there's another possibility that can't be ignored. And it might be more humbling to admit.
Sometimes we're overwhelmed because we're disorganized and lazy.
Hang on...let me just... *grasps chest and struggles to stay upright*
It HURTS our pride to admit it, but sometimes we're just letting too many tasks go undone, and THAT is the source of our overwhelm. One of those very important tasks as a writer is to nurture our 'craft'. To be continually studying, reading, learning, growing.
When we stop feeding our writing with good knowledge, it all starts to slowly shrivel and die. When we're simply chasing inspiration and not forcing ourselves to be disciplined and just write regardless of how we feel, things begin to stagnate.
This is where I'm at today. I hope to have an exciting update for you soon on the progress of Book Two in the Song Giver series.
What I can tell you is that King of My Heart by The Worship Initiative & Shane and Shane is playing on repeat and deeply moving my storytelling heart.
More to come!
- Laura Fran