The two things every writer needs

The surprising secret to getting words on the page

Writers, yours is a challenging calling, especially in the times we live in, where distraction is constant. Our attention struggles to stay put. Our ability to articulate ideas feels elusive.

Come away with me and get some rest. Put down your phone, come away and get some writing done.

The surprising secret to getting words on a page is to engage in a practice foreign to our culture: solitude.

Solitude is simply time alone, without distraction, without your phone. Time to think, write, reflect. It is rare, precious, and essential for you as a writer.

You need time alone to write, and you need time alone to not write. Time alone to daydream, pray, contemplate. As a writer, you must carve out time in your day to simply be. Your season of life might make this seem impossible. When I was parenting small children, I found it challenging. I had to ask for help—something we writers are sometimes loathe to do.

Today, I’m an empty nester. But my husband also works from home. I still have to carve out space and time for solitude. I rise early. I have designated a spare bedroom as my office, a place where I can shut the door and work. I’ll sometimes go for a run or walk alone, to think.

 Solitude is the fence around the garden of your soul, a boundary that allows you time and space to cultivate and nurture the truth in your mind and heart, coaxing growth into something you can share.

Before the sharing, there is the solitary effort. The struggle to think, and then to put those thoughts into cohesive prose. To develop ideas. To be unhurried.

Solitude also allows a reset, a step back from the bombardment of news and input and rapidly changing information that flows into our lives. A mini retreat, a respite from the noise.

Perhaps you were told, directly or indirectly, that taking time for yourself is selfish. I am here to reassure you: time alone is never wasted. Rather, solitary moments produce writing which will ultimately bless others. But we cannot wring such thoughts out of distraction and busyness. We need a bit of space.

If you lean toward introversion, you embrace and enjoy solitude. If you’re more extroverted, time alone, whether writing or just being, can challenge your resolve.

Finding a balance

Writers also need community. You need encouragement, advice, collaboration. You need support—whether in the form of coaching or childcare. It’s okay to ask for what you need.

The writing life balances both solitude and community. In fact, solitude allows you to appreciate community, and to bring something of value into that community.

A great place to find that community is at a writers conference. You’ll be surrounded by your tribe, people who understand this crazy calling, this compulsion to put thoughts and ideas on a page.

I want to invite you to be a part of a writing community: the West Coast Christian Writers Conference. This year, the conference will be held November 7-8 in Roseville, California. And I’ve got a coupon code for you to save $50 off the registration fee!

If you don’t live near the west coast, you can still attend virtually! See the details and register by clicking the button below.

Use the code KENT to save $50 off your registration.

Conferences provide opportunities to take classes on writing and publishing, to meet with editors and agents, to get feedback on your work. But one of the best perks of a writers conference is the opportunity to meet other writers. To make friends with other creative folks who share your passion for words and ideas.

Yes, it’s an investment of time and money. Just like carving out time for solitude takes effort and intention, going to a conference will ask something of you. But the return on that investment might just  surprise you.

Launch party

A quick reminder that it’s not too late to get your ticket for the online Launch Party for Live Like a Guide Dog. Click the button below to register. We’ll have trivia contests, giveaways and more. The party is online, on Zoom. You’ll meet bestselling author Michael Hingson, be able to ask questions, grab a free chapter of the book, and more.

Why not share this post and invite a friend to go to this party with you?