Giving ourselves a break By Claire Musters

Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

No words at all. Absolutely no inspiration. Nothing. 

That’s what I had when it finally dawned on me that my post for this blog was due. By this time each month I’ve usually had quite a few ideas, chosen one, written, uploaded and scheduled the post.

But this time round I knew I was flailing.

That is, until I stopped and then thought: but this could be the post. 

Because what do we do, as writers, when words fail us?

I know how important pushing past writer’s block is. I am what is called a ‘jobbing’ writer, as I not only write books but have regular articles that I need to produce to deadlines.

I have got all of those articles due in the next month either done or drafted. What’s left are two long-term writing projects. And one of them, in particular, has me rather flummoxed, which is not a state I am used to.

I know that my dried-up mind is actually reflective of my whole being right now. It has been an exceedingly busy season and every member of my household is drained and desperately in need of a break (so while I may be nervous about the amount of work left to do on my said projects, everything in me is screaming ‘roll on half term’ – which is next week for us).

One of the reasons I am able to be freelance and base myself at home for the most part is because I am very driven (something that my daughter recently commented on when she ‘shadowed’ me – she asked: ‘Don’t you ever feel like just staying in your pyjamas and not doing any work?’ More and more, in fact, but I usually drag myself into my office regardless).

I did that dragging on Monday. One of the next books I’m writing is a co-authored project with my husband. As a pastor, he’s a pretty busy guy, so we’d already had a conversation about the fact that Mondays, his usual days off, are going to need to be writing days for us both if we are going to make our deadline.

So imagine how I felt when I forced myself to write a few thousand words on our book only to go downstairs at lunchtime and find him ‘researching’ new jackets online. When I asked if any writing had happened, he just replied: ‘I’m too spent after the weekend. I need some down time.’ 

I was very downcast – and jealous if I’m honest. I’d had a little wrestle with myself before I’d started work that morning. I knew I was beyond exhausted so had wondered whether taking some hours off would be beneficial – but then guilt about the amount of work that needed doing got the better of me. 

Yes, I wrote some words. Will they make it into the final cut? I doubt it.

Which one of us had been wiser that day?

I do sometimes wonder if we can be too hard on ourselves as writers. Perhaps there is a sense of feeling we HAVE to produce something each day in order to validate what we do.

But I have come to realise that there is a place for downing tools, recognising when I’m trying to produce something out of nothing and giving myself permission to rest. So that’s what I’m going to try and do today (after meeting the necessary deadline – this one ;) ). 

My rest will involve some background reading that I know will help both my projects. For me, I know I need some sense of purpose – but I have also recently taken the time to read a different book purely because I wanted to, and knew it would inspire me afresh.

What about you? Are you as disciplined at making space to rest as you are at making space to write? If not, why not try it and see whether it benefits your writing.

What are the things that help you to feel rested? Let yourself engage with one of those this week…

PS Once I had written this, I discovered that Monday’s post was also looking at what we can do when we run out of words. After a mild moment of panic, I realised that it had an important, yet different, approach. Maybe, just maybe, there are more than just a couple of us feeling like this, so we shouldn’t be afraid of talking about it.

Claire is a freelance writer, speaker and editor, mum to two gorgeous children, pastor’s wife, worship leader and school governor. Her books include Taking off the mask: daring to be the person God created you to be, Cover to Cover: Ezekiel A prophet for all times, Cover to Cover: 1–3 John Walking in the truth, Cover to Cover: David: A man after God's own heart, Insight Into Managing Conflict, Insight Into Self-acceptance and Insight Into Burnout. Her latest edition to the Insight Guides series, An Insight into Shame, was published in May. She also writes Bible study notes and magazine articles. To find out more about her, please visit www.clairemusters.com  and @CMusters on Twitter.