by Beth K. Vogt, @bethvogt
“When you can’t create you can work.” Henry Miller (1890-1981), author
Life has been a bit hectic the last few months. Stressful. At times, it’s been complete chaos.
Anybody else able to relate? During the same time as all the franticness – think interruptions, unexpected demands on my time, illnesses – I had set a major writing goal for myself:
I was going to get a huge jumpstart on my third novel in my Thatcher Sister Series. My deadline is next May, the same month my youngest daughter graduates from high school, and I don’t want to be finishing a novel and planning a graduation at the same time.
Let’s just say my goal was not met, no matter how hard I tried to stay on course.
I caved to frustration more than once … tried again and again to tackle my word count. Failed again and again.
I am not creative in chaos.
And then a wise friend challenged me to stop. Regroup. Accept the season I’m in. To stop and see what God was doing in my life rather than continuing to force myself to accomplish my goal.
She was right. Something had to change – rather, someone had to change.
Me.
But letting go didn’t mean I quit. No. Instead, I adjusted my goal.
Chaos was killing my creativity, but as author Henry Miller points out, I could still work.
Instead of immersing myself in writing my book, I’m plotting scenes. Plotting isn’t creative – at least, it’s not for me. I’m staying on the surface of my story as I determine things like:
- the Point of View (POV) character
- the main emotion
- the basic dialogue
- a symbol or metaphor
When January 2019 arrives and life is calmer – and yes, it’s reasonable to expect things will settle down in the New Year because some life circumstances are changing – I can utilize all my brainstorming, be creative, and start writing my novel.
Because I did the work now when I couldn’t be creative.
If you’re in a season where’s it’s difficult to be creative, what work can you be doing instead? Plot scenes? Write blog posts? Organize your office?
Things I Never Told You by Beth K. Vogt
It’s been ten years since Payton Thatcher’s twin sister died in an accident, leaving the entire family to cope in whatever ways they could. No longer half of a pair, Payton reinvents herself as a partner in a successful party-planning business and is doing just fine—as long as she manages to hold her memories and her family at arm’s length.
But with her middle sister Jillian’s engagement, Payton’s party-planning skills are called into action. Which means working alongside her opinionated oldest sister, Johanna, who always seems ready for a fight. They can only hope that a wedding might be just the occasion to heal the resentment and jealousy that divides them . . . until a frightening diagnosis threatens Jillian’s plans and her future. As old wounds are reopened and the family faces the possibility of another tragedy, the Thatchers must decide if they will pull together or be driven further apart.
Includes discussion questions.
Beth K. Vogt is a non-fiction author and editor who said she’d never write fiction. She’s the wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice) who said she’d never marry a doctor—or anyone in the military. She’s a mom of four who said she’d never have kids. Now Beth believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” Beth’s first women’s fiction novel for Tyndale House Publishers, Things I Never Told You, releases May 2018. Beth is a 2016 Christy Award winner, a 2016 ACFW Carol Award winner, and a 2015 RITA® finalist. Her 2014 novel, Somebody Like You, was one of Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Books of 2014. A November Bride was part of the Year of Wedding Series by Zondervan. Having authored nine contemporary romance novels or novellas, Beth believes there’s more to happily-ever-after than the fairy tales tell us. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Novel Rocket and The Write Conversation and also enjoys speaking to writers group and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to discussing the lives of imaginary people, and their youngest daughter, Christa, who loves to play volleyball and enjoys writing her own stories. Connect with Beth at bethvogt.com.