Finding Time to Write – Almost An Author

“It is time to seek the Lord…”
Hosea 10:12 (NIV)

“While some procrastinate more than others, few of us (if we are honest) can say we never procrastinate. For a myriad of reasons, we put off doing things – especially, it seems, getting words on paper. It’s no wonder God seems to call a number of people to write similar things. He knows how few will actually finish what they start.”
Marlene Bagnull, Write His Answer

I winced at the thought my lack of writing was an act of disobedience. It seemed I always had an assortment of urgent tasks calling my name. Admittedly, everything else was more appealing than the hard work of pounding out words; it’s even easier to take out the trash than to sit down and write!

The first part of Hosea 10:12 says to sow righteousness. If I am to sow right actions then I need to do some active waiting on the Lord. What is active waiting? It means to do what you know to do until the next step clears. And then to do the next right thing after that, and so on.

Another portion of our verse says “break up your unplowed ground.” What fertile soil is waiting for you to dig in and excavate its potential?

How do you make the most of every opportunity to write? Try some of the following tips to create time.

Exercise:

Make an appointment. Schedule time on your calendar, just like you would for a doctor visit. Guard it faithfully.
BIC Time. When you put your “Butt in Chair,” put blinders on to everything else but writing.
Set a timer. You can do anything for 15 minutes. And it will inspire you when you see how much you can accomplish in a short interval.
Accountability Partners. Ask another writer to hold you accountable, and then be kind when they do!
Prayer Warriors. Do you have your own prayer team? Ask like-minded people to cover you with prayer power to shield your thoughts.

Our verse in entirety says, “Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers His righteousness on you.”

One more thing; Hosea 10:13 reminds us to guard against self-sufficiency. Seek the Lord in all you produce and your words will reap the fruit of His love, as you wait for His blessing!

Resource:

Marlene Bagnull, Write His Answer, p. 47

Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.

Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad.

Visit Sally’s blog at www.sallyferguson.net

Time to Write—The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself

We writers are an odd lot.

We’re driven to write, spending time composing poetry, writing books, researching articles. We doodle titles, character names, and plot ideas on scraps of paper. All the while feeling guilty about the time we spend pursuing our dream. I call it writer’s guilt.

So how have I solved this dilemma?

Years ago I made a conscious decision to give myself permission to make writing a priority. I gave myself the gift of time to write. Not only has giving myself this gift gotten me closer to achieving my goals and dreams, it’s given me a self-confidence I didn’t expect. The more I make writing a priority, the better I get at it. Then the more success I have, which leads to the courage to push myself and reach for the stars.

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Here are the steps I took to set aside time for writing:

Come up with a schedule and keep regular, consistent hours. Notice I said regular hours—not normal ones. For years I wrote with young children. That meant writing in the afternoons and after they were in bed. Just because you’re working odd hours doesn’t mean you can’t have a schedule.

Respect your dream. If your best friend, or child had a dream you’d encourage them to pursue it. Give yourself the same support that you’d give someone else. Trust me, you’re worth it!

Be consistent. If you’re not accepting calls from your mother-in-law because you’re working, don’t spend the afternoon on the phone with your best friend. Stay focused on your writing. This is even more critical if your time is at a premium.

Recruit a support team. Instead of adversaries, enlist your friends and family to help you reach your writing goals. Communicate those goals, clearly and frequently. Ask for their help to reach them. After all, what mother doesn’t want to help her baby succeed!

Share your victories. Let those that help you share in the joy of goals accomplished and milestones reached.

What do you do to make your writing time a priority? What interruptions do you struggle with the most? Share your thoughts and we’ll all support each other.

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