Writing Religiously: Months without a word . . .

For fifteen years I have labored to find an audience for my fiction. Just recently all my hard work has shown signs of paying off. I had a short, full-cast audio drama produced and one of my short stories was featured in a book. Additionally I have a (small, small, small, small) publisher actively interested in a novel I’m working on, and a deal to write about three more hours of content for future audio dramas. With these budding signs of success, however, I have one major problem.

I haven’t written anything* for months.

I know, I know . . . some of you are reading this and you’re ready to reach through your fiber-optic cable and beat the ever-living snot out of me. I don’t blame you. I feel the same way about other procrastinating authors, and myself. So what happened?

Life. Life happened my friends. I’m a full-time student working on my M.Div., while simultaneously serving full-time as a pastor at a large church. On nights that I actually get home at a decent hour, I’m exhausted, and let’s be honest, writing is hard work.

I find myself wondering, “Well, Nathan, if you’re too tired to write, maybe you’re not really a writer.” And believe me, I’ve tried to kill the writing bug numerous times. I’ve immolated the bug, burying it in the backyard of my soul, only to find it resurrected in the form of depression which can only be sated by writing some form of fiction.

So I guess I’m a writer.

I want to tell you all that the laziness of the writer’s-bug can be overcome by better time-management, or treating your writing time as a holy rite, or by lighting a candle to signify to you and those around you that this is “writing time” and it should not be disrupted by anything. I want to tell you that I’ve found the answer, but I don’t think there is one.

So, I’ve decided not to feel guilty about my months of non-writing. I’m still a writer. I’ll always be a writer. And one day . . . one day in the far future, I might come back here and give you the secret to overcoming the busyness of life. Until then . . . any suggestions?

*Excluding, of course, the pages upon pages of sermons, and reports on the eschatology found in the book of Daniel . . . but those don't count.