by Rachel D. Russell, @RDRussellWrites

“If you leave the hospital, I’m afraid you’ll die,” the emergency room doctor said, looking at my mother, then turning to me. Her eyes begged me to reason with my mother, who felt “fine.” But she wasn’t. She needed emergency surgery.

I convinced her to stay but soon realized that it was going to be a very long night. What I didn’t recognize, however, was that it was going to be a very long season.

At the time, it was the first week of November. My carefully crafted NaNoWriMo plans had been made and the first week executed to the best of my ability. I have a day job, but I’d made the commitment to use the evening hours to write. Not edit, not scan Facebook, not take freelance jobs. Write my novel.

No matter how “bad” I thought my writing was, I was going to lay down fifty-thousand words.

It never occurred to me that there might be a tremendous interruption to my world as I knew it. That wasn’t in my plan. However, instead of powering through wordcounts, my evening hours were spent at her bedside. The endless labyrinth of hospital corridors becoming memorized by my feet.

So, what’s a writer to do when life interrupts the crafting plans?

1.) Breathe. It’s easy to forget who’s really in control. In our day-to-day lives, we can readily begin to think that our plans put us in control. No matter what comes to pass, God is the master creator who is active in your life, even in the chaos and strife of this world.

2.) Read. I spent time reading well-crafted novels to my mother. This helped her pass the time and gave me an opportunity to learn from greater writers. I absorbed the rhythm of the story, the imagery. Reading aloud slows us down and allow us to appreciate the details and nuances.

3.) Share. On her good days, I taught my mother the Story Equation process. I showed her my character charts, explaining to her my character’s dark moment stories—I shared their wounds, lies, and flaws. I read my first chapter to her (though I think she only stayed awake for the first three pages). And then? I told her their story. It was a combination of my synopsis, rough plot outline, and the process of “telling myself the story.”

4.) Embrace. God put stories into your heart, trust that He will grow them within you. I draw on this season of life to enrich my characters. All the emotions I felt appeared on the page. My mom wanted me to tell every nurse who walked through the door about my story. Each time I told a stranger my premise, I fine-tuned it.

5.) Release. I had to let go of my structured plans, not because they were “wrong,” but I was reminded by loving friends that God is my source. I write for Him, and therefore, my self-imposed deadlines aren’t important. If you’re writing under a publication deadline, speak with your agent or editor to work out a reasonable extension.

6.) Write. It may be in short increments. It may only be 100 words at a time. With the time I spent telling my story, talking about my characters, and teaching the techniques I had learned, the subconscious parts of my brain were clicking away on the plot, even when I wasn’t able to sit and write. When I did write, I had better ideas. I filled in the gaps of my characters. I knew them better.

7.) Pray. Lay your burdens down and lift your heart and mind to God. As a believer, the Holy Spirit is with you and you do not walk alone. Ask Him to grant you peace in your time of trial.

I only reached 4K of my 50K word goal and I accepted it as my best effort in this season—a season that hasn’t yet ended as of this writing. What I’ve learned is that we can never know what changes are in store for us, but if we keep our hearts and minds focused on Christ, He’ll direct our steps through the storms.

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Rachel D. Russell writes contemporary inspirational romance filled with action and adventure. Set in Oregon, her stories incorporate the diverse and rugged landscape of the state and focus on redemption, hope, and healing. She’s enjoyed a long career in the federal government and has also become a prolific freelance writer and novelist. Rachel graduated from Southern Oregon University with a Bachelor of Science in biology, chemistry minor. She draws on her previous law enforcement experience and her love of the outdoors to craft her stories.  Rachel lives in Oregon with her husband and sons. Her hobbies include horseback riding and holistic health. Learn more about her writing journey and upcoming books at RachelDRussell.com. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and her wellness blog SoulSparkPublication.com.