by CJ Myerly, @mdippedinink
As the new year rolled in, I had fantastic plans of writing an entire novel in the month of January. Not necessarily a bad goal, but we were moving several states away with a preschooler and an energetic toddler underfoot.
In case you’re wondering, writing an entire novel in January didn’t happen.
Have you ever made fantastic plans that just didn’t work out for whatever reason? What do you do when the goal you made turned out to be unobtainable?
I’ll be honest. My story still isn’t written. We’re currently living with my in-laws while we house hunt. Our preschooler has regressed with potty training and my toddler is clingier than ever.
Writing in my current circumstances is just plain hard. But God has shown me ways to grow my story while living in transition. Here are five ways I’ve managed to continue my story.
Research. Use the time to research and hone your limited knowledge. Even with a topic you know well, you can still learn more.
My current work-in-progress is about a widowed female mechanic with a daughter who has autism. As a former teacher, I have some experience with autism, but I have no knowledge about cars.
In the meanwhile, I’m reading a book titled The Out of Sync Life that deals with sensory disorders. I’ve spent time on blogs written by parents with autistic children. I’ll watch a YouTube video of people fixing cars. I even watched my husband do an oil change while snapping photos of the engine and underbelly. When a question pops into my mind, I use my phone to Google. (Just don’t trust everything you read.)
Brainstorm. Keep a notebook or your phone close by. When an idea comes, jot it down. Or sit for an afternoon, brainstorming ideas.
Some afternoons, while my kids nap, I fill a notebook with ideas. Not all ideas will be used, but when you hit a mental block later, you might be able to glide through with your notes.
Experience life. Once we find a house and settle in, I’ll be spending most of my free time writing. Until then, I’m trying to savor the moments with my family.
Take in the sights, smells, and sounds because that will enhance your writing.
Read. Melissa Tagg, Becky Wade, Denise Hunter are three authors who get my brain spinning with my own ideas. In a time like this, I reach for their books to use them as learning tools. Once I’m writing, my reading will be paused.
Above all, pray. The story on your heart is given to you by God. No matter what circumstances are preventing you from writing, use this time to pray for your story, your writing. Jesus used parables in the Bible. Fiction tells the story of God’s grace while entertaining and teaching. When we give our writing to the Maker of our dreams, all things are possible.
Then, when the storm of transition is passed, write.
CJ Myerly lives in Texas with her husband and two children. She balances her passions of teaching and writing by homeschooling during the day and writing contemporary romance while her family sleeps at night. She hates clutter, loves organization, and has a love-hate relationship with technology. CJ is an active member of the ACFW and My Book Therapy. She was a 2017 Genesis semi-finalist in the contemporary category and a 2017 First Impressions finalist in the romance category. She blogs about books, motherhood, and homeschooling at http://momentsdippedinink.com. To connect with her, find her on Facebook or Twitter.