On Being a Writer: Rest

I am joining a group of writers who are linking-up twice a week through the month of September to discuss some of the foundational ideas in writing. The topics for this link-up come from the book On Being a Writer by Ann Kroeker and Charity Singleton Craig. This link-up is being hosted by Kate Motaung on her blog entitled Heading Home. Today’s topic is Rest:

I’ve had a busy schedule as the school year has begun. I’m still working on a way to be sure not to lose my writing momentum that I worked hard to create over the summer. It’s insane how quickly demands can add up, but it is important to take time to rest. Without adequate rest one is prone to burn-out and more susceptible to illness. Neither of these conditions are things that sound appealing to me so as the first few weeks of school have come and gone I’ll admit that they came with a little rest from the regular schedule of writing. I’m looking forward to getting back on track in the next couple of weeks and plan to return to my regular routines fully by October. One thing I’ve learned from my journey of writing, however, is the importance of rest.

If I’m not well-rested my brain turns to mush. My words are futile and I can spend an hour staring at a blank screen. My purpose is weakened and my desire to pursue my passion wanes. Rest is one of the key components to writing, at least for me.

I’ve also been learning not to be too hard on myself. I set goals that I always intend to attain, but sometimes life gets in the way and that is okay. Writing is a passion and a purpose of mine, but it ultimately doesn’t define me. There are days when my writing must take a backseat to real life, relationships, and rest which I’ve come to accept as okay.

One goal of this blog is to write routinely in a positive environment. I feel that even though the months of August and September I have produced less unique content than months in the past that these were still successful months for fulfilling the purposes of my blog. I’m looking forward to what October will hold as I settle into a new groove. I appreciate all of your tolerance and continued readership during this period of re-adjustment. This much needed period of rest has renewed my drive to continue chasing dreams and I’m grateful for each and every reader who has continued to support me. Life moves in phases and sometimes we all need a little more rest to catch up on lost time. I’m excited to move on from this point, but am not naive to think that the coming months won’t have demands of their own. Life is all about balance and that’s why I rely so much on Christ and positive influences.

Be sure to make rest a priority!