Some quotes from Ethel Herr you’ll enjoy:

“Many people dream of being writers. Relatively few ever invest the necessary time and energy to become writers. As you no doubt have already discovered, becoming a writer involves a lot of writing.”

“By producing good art, I will satisfy both my imagination and that of my readers. Most important of all, I am responsible through my artistic expression to make order out of chaos of raw life and help my readers do the same.”

“The sharper our skills of observation and perception, the more we will have to say and the better we will be able to say it. Read the parables of Jesus and notice how carefully the Master Communicator observed details and used them in original ways to convey profound messages.”

“When I finished my memoir, I felt that a phase of my life was over. That some of what had pained me and overwhelmed me I had put behind me.” ~ Louise DeSalvo

I read about a writer the other day who decided to write instead of killing herself. Her first published story was written while she felt hopeless and depressed. This writer ‘turned her back on the razor blade’ and helped others with her stories that needed telling.

Are you in a similar place? Finding it difficult to write? Not all writing is meant for publication, but writing can be healing. Journaling our stories will enhance our creative work, help with our healing, relieve stress, and help us come to terms with our personal lives.

Has something interrupted the writing process for you? Feel free to share.

“As writers, we all pass through many emotional way stations- loss, exhilaration, despair, sorrow, rage, happiness, giref - as we work. We learn, too, that letting ourselves have our emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them as we work is an important (and all-too-often ignored) skill for us to develop.” ~ Louise DeSalvo.

“To write my first book, I stopped watching television. To write my second, I stopped having needless telephone conversations. To write my third, I stopped reading the newspaper.” ~ Louise DeSalvo

Charles Dickens may have written 7 or 8 hours a day, but not all of us have that kind of time. We have families, jobs, ministries, and other obligations that tug at us. What do we do?

Well, to complete a body of work, we need a plan. And time. Excuses will come and go, but to keep writing, we find time wherever we can. A schedule helps, as well as answering this question: What life habits are you willing to alter so you can be more productive?

These are areas I look at personally:

* Curtail online time with social networks.
* Limit television and movies and blogs.
* Limit reading material - not every book needs me to read it:-)
* Utilize one-hour increments. Much can be done in short snatches of time.
* Keep a small notebook in purse at all times for brainstorms.
* Delegate chores when necessary.
* Pray before taking on additional responsibilities outside the home.
* Learn to say no.

Last, and most importantly, a consistent quiet time with the Lord is foundational. Looking to Him daily through His Word allows Him to renew us inwardly. His life flowing in us will equip us for the writing we need to do!

Let me know how you find time to write!

“Use your experiences as shared examples of God’s goodness, not points of coercion.” ~ Ethel Herr

As we offer our writings in the spirit of gentleness, let’s never forget to Whom we belong. People are discouraged, anxious, and looking for hope. Before our words will flow from an authentic heart to meet needs, we have to guard our own communion with the Lord daily. How can we give if we’ve not received?

Even so, we don’t write to sensationalize, preach, or impress. God is gracious to give us this outlet of words, but if writing is a calling, no wonder we become prophets with broken hearts. God often leads us to minister and write experientially, because we’ve found Him faithful in our own troubles and trials.

So the heartbroken writer becomes a willing pen in His hand. Our lives aren’t perfect, we’ve not ‘arrived,’ nor do we have all our ‘ducks in a row.’ Some will naturally misconstrue the writing life, but the scribe of the Lord trusts the One who gives the grace to write in the first place.

Our journey may be a little more open than others, but only because we want others to know the beauty, hope, and peace of Christ amidst this world’s turmoil and darkness.

May His heart press through us in spite of our flaws. If we’re to give others what we’ve received, let us receive freely from Him and give much!

“A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him, I may think aloud.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Our friendship was so assured that we could be silent without the slightest danger of offense.” ~ Sir Arthur Helps

“It is my joy in life to find at every turning of the road, the strong arms of a comrade kind to help me onward with my load; and since I have no gold to give, and love alone must make amends, my only prayer is, while I live - God make me worthy of my friends.” ~ Frank Dempster Sherman

“A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil - but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small silly presents every so often - just to save it from drying out completely.” ~ Pam Brown

“The greatest good you can do for another is not to just share your riches, but to reveal to him, his own.” ~ Benjamin Disraeli

“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” ~ Carl W. Buechner

“One key, I have learned, is not to keep from writing when you’re feeling down.” ~ Louise DeSalvo

My circadium rhythms clash with spring. Days are short; my nights too long. I’m up all hours, sad, restless - looking for creative clues. I open my laptop and google depression. I read about seasoned writers who train themselves to capture moments of inspiration yet mine has vanished. Determined to go after it “with a stick” I spend a couple fruitless hours pecking at the keyboard. Finally, I hit “delete” and go to bed.

Throwing off the morning covers, I drag myself to the kitchen teapot. I turn the nob on the gas stove, staring into the blue flame. Energy - I need it to write, to clean up the dishes, to pull out of this funk. Overwhelmed by the Ought-To demon, I let out a deep sigh. Soon I’m sipping plum tea, wondering if I can organize my attention-deficit into neat little compartments for the day. No, that won’t work. I take my tea to the table, turn to a bookmarked page in my bible, and read out loud:

“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you…” (Isaiah 30:18).

But that’s it. I can’t see through the tears to read much more. I’m on overload and can’t “refresh.” The Lord nudges me to keep reading.

“He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it…’”(Isaiah 30:19-21).

Something washes over me. It’s Him - I know it. I pray, admit my need, give the day to Him, and relax about it. Eventually, I’m back at the keyboard, writing through my malaise.

This time I hit “save.” This time I have hope.