Well, that didn’t last long…

Every month, I said. Every month I’d draft a piece of fiction. That’s what I pledged to do in 2023.

Well, January’s about done.

…

Sigh.

So, I had two projects to complete for writing this month. I was going to outline the next six-book series.(No, no spoilers yet!) I’ve… kind of done that. It needs more work, but outlines now exist. I was also going to draft a novella, one last piece for Madelyn of the Sky. And that… well, I have two pages written.

Woo.

So, what happened?

Well, part of it is history. Last January, I wrote nothing toward any work in progress. However, I then completed two projects in February. I made up for last time!

Part of it is simply January. I’m so tired this month. Part of it is, of course, the lack of sunlight, but part of it is that I survived the Holidays. As a pastor, December is a high-stress time of the year! Now I’m resting up.

And part of it this year is depression. I’ve been struggling to be with my family and complete my ministry tasks. Those come before writing. That doesn’t mean writing isn’t important. However, my family comes first, and my ministry serves people in need. They are more important than my fiction. And when I finish that, I simply don’t have the capability of creating worlds. My depression makes just that so, so difficult.

So what does this mean?

Well, it means I hope that February this year is like February last year. Hopefully I can catch up. And even if I don’t, well, that doesn’t mean I’m no longer an author.

Look, life happens. If a writer can’t write for a bit, that doesn’t mean they’re no longer a writer. It means that something came up. I have an intense drive to get back to my fiction. My writing isn’t over.

Why do I share this?

Well, if you’re a writer and you’ve not written in a while, it doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It means that something else has come up.

It may mean you need to check your priorities and be honest with yourself. Are you not writing because your family comes first, or because you’re busy gaming? Gaming isn’t bad, but it may mean you need to be honest about your priorities. You’re more a gamer than a writer! Go forth and game!

But what if life has happened? What if you’re struggling against depression? What if your family has appropriately taken your attention?

It means you’re being faithful to your various callings. Very few people are only writers. Most carry other roles in their lives, and the importance of those roles shift over time. Right now, other roles are more important for me. That will shift again as the year continues. Hopefully my depression will lift enough that this logjam in my life will clear, and writing will continue.

But for now… I’m still a writer. Just one that wants to get back to writing… soon!