The last month has been all over. I attended a major conference, learning the history of Jerusalem that will help my role as a pastor. I visited both my and my wife’s families. My bride and I got away without our insanity of kids. As such, my regular writing schedule has suffered. As in, I’ve done basically no writing for a month, nor any writing-related activities like submitting stories to markets and such.

That said, I’ve found time to be reading. Oh, it was so good to dig into a number of novels. Some fantasy, some horror, a short story collection, all good reads. I lost myself in worlds I didn’t create.

This time of creative rest rejuvenated me. Rather than putting words on a page, I absorbed words from a page. I got to admire the craft others had worked to develop.

But now I’m home. Life is returning to what I laughingly call normal.

On the way home, I felt my brain shift. My wife and I mapped out a broad outline and started worldbuilding for a new series. (Obviously I need another project!) While away, I was all about reading. But now, now it was time to get back to writing.

Reading is good. Brains need to be fed. If you’re a writer, you really do need to read.

But you know what?

You’re not a writer if you don’t write.