A time to write and a time to be a sponge

When I asked a group of Christian poets and writers what one thing they need most in their writing lives, a common response was “time!”

The King James Version (KJV) of Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven,” and then that entire chapter goes on to put all sorts of usages of time into perspective.

As poets and writers in Christ, we also need to know, there’s a time to pray and a time to listen…

• A time to read and a time to study

• A time to revise and a time to edit

• A time to soak up everything around us

• A time to write again.

Keeping a notebook or laptop handy can help even snatches of time become productive. For instance, when I wrote inspirational romance novels, I worked out my best dialogue while hanging clothes on the line. Now, my best poems usually come when I’m watching wildlife from our deck, whereas insights for devotionals often arise after discussing the Bible with Christian friends. The important step then is:

Take a sec to write it down before that inspired word is forgotten!

These little writing times might not multiply quickly, but they do add up! For instance, commuting to work can be a good time to work out a plot or record notes about a new project. Washing dishes might provide time to ask, “What do I feel drawn to write?” then listening to the answer that fills us with the most enthusiasm, so we can hardly wait to get to it.

Interruptions can produce insights too, though, for, in God, no time is wasted. If words seem to plod along, it just might be time to take a break, elevate those tired feet, and get refreshed enough to write again.

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2017

…