Writer's Block

I love it when I don’t have to force myself to write. When I first started my writing journey I admit I had a difficult time understanding ‘writer’s block’ or writers that moaned about not wanting to write. Really, I thought. Isn’t that kind of like a food addict saying “Oh, I must force myself to eat all the foods I love?”

Ah, but now I understand. Unfortunately, I have understood it all too well for a couple of years now. By understand, I mean I’ve experienced it. However, I really don’t understand. Why must one force them self to do something they love, something they’re passionate about?

When I’m in a slump, I pray, I give myself pep talks, I threaten myself (well, not really, but maybe I should), and then I pray some more.  The thing about prayer is that God will nudge, and encourage us to do something, but He won’t make us. We have to do that on our own.

Yesterday I wrote 3000 words or more on a manuscript I’ve already written over 50,000 words. I fell in love with the story, the characters, all over again. I gave my characters new twists, new adventures, new struggles and conflicts.

I’ve titled the book The Roof of the King’s House, but I’m thinking of changing the title to In An Eveningtide. It’s a modern version of 2 Samuel 11: 1 & 2. It involves the handsome Josiah, passionate about his ministry and God; Betty, Josiah’s sister’s best friend, who has loved Josiah since childhood; Leah, the spoiled, only child of wealthy, Jewish parents – Leah, who has a life changing encounter with Jesus; Tony, who marries Leah before he ships off to the war in Vietnam and returns a wounded, troubled man.

I love it when the words just flow from my mind to my fingers to the manuscript.