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21 – Author Care

Too often we authors focus on craft care and career care, and forget all about author care. It’s more than just a “good idea” to take care of yourself, it’s a necessity if you’re going to do this writing task with excellence. Don’t kid yourself that you don’t need to take care of your needs. Remember, God’s #2 command is to love others as we love ourselves. So join us as we discuss how to take care of your most important asset as a writer: YOU!

 

Show Notes

As writers we get too busy doing. We get so busy writing, trying to meet deadlines, and getting that word count in, that we forget about savoring the gift of writing. Of savoring the gift of what God has called us to do, and nurturing that gift within us so we can write with creative passion instead of writing to meet a word count.

 

Tips for nurturing our writing hearts and taking care of the Greatest asset that God has given you: yourself!

1. Start and end your day with God.

• Consider reading devotionals. We highly recommend Streams in the Desert by Lb common, the revised version
• Focus on Scripture first thing in the morning.
• Focus on the Creator’s creation, the beauty around you. Take a walk, sit on the porch with a cup of coffee. Take time to soak it in.

 

2. Understand that it’s okay to take time to nurture yourself. To take moments, or time away from writing to make sure your feeding your spirit in other ways.

• You might need more sleep, or to read, or walk, or garden, or whatever you need.
• Remember that writing is a gift to be enjoyed and savored with God.

 

3. Stay away from things that take away your ability to nurture yourself.

• Avoid comparing yourself to others. It puts your focus on yourself and others rather than God.
• Your writing journey is for you and God. You can’t take someone else’s journey. Enjoy the journey God has for you.

 

4. Set realistic goals—large or small—and reward yourself for faithfulness. Or if setting goals doesn’t work for you, then don’t.

 

5. Even if you’re not feeling tired and burnt out, continue to nurture yourself. Keep making emotional deposits in your emotional bank.

 

6. Take a spiritual retreat—a few minutes, hours, or even days. Plan a specific time to get away and listen to God.

 

7. Plan to have Sabbath days. Get away from work for a whole day.

 

8. Live in the moment.

• Be aware of the delights in the moments that God gives you, whether it’s your dog coming up to brush his nose against your hand, or someone to coming up to hug you, or a phone call from a friend.
• Don’t look on these moments as interruptions. Look on them as living in a moment that for some reason God has brought to you, and take delight in it.

 

9. Understand that author care often requires a sacrifice.

• Be willing to take the steps you need to.
• Plan ahead.
• Enlist the help of friends and family to make this a priority.

 

Books mentioned in the podcast:

Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman

 

Don’t forget about our giveaway!

Courtesy of Tyndale House Publishers, we’re giving away a copy of Tyndale’s Inspire Bible, featured on the last podcast. Check our May 23rd newsletter for details on how to enter!

We want to hear from you!

What do you do that nurtures you? That restores you?

 

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Writers, are you taking care of your most important asset: YOURSELF?