Writing Over The Holidays

by Rachel Hauck

It’s the holiday season and if you’re anything like me, you’re busy. In fact, you’re probably more busy than I am because I don’t have children.

I have a book due and it’s overshadowing the Christmas season. But it’s not the deadline’s fault, it’s how I write. I fast draft a very ugly novel, then I rewrite. Almost from scratch. I layer and fine tune, change and deepen.

I write fast but nevertheless, it takes me a while to think things through. To figure things out. To take the norm and turn it upside down, inside out.

When I calculate how many pages I can rewrite and edit a day, and how many days until the deadline, adding in a visit from a friend and a short visit attached to a business trip, I come up a wee bit short. I can’t afford to take off the holiday!

But I’m going to anyway because despite how much I love writing and how much I am bound by honor to make my deadline, there are moments when “other things” are more important.

Ack, I know. From a writer’s perspective, what is more important? It’s taken me eight years to admit it’s okay to take a break for family, for a vacation or for other worthwhile causes like ministry or even lunch with friends.

But did you now the Lord gives to His beloved in seasons and times of rest? He does!

Psalm 127

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat for he grants sleep to those he loves.Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth.Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

The Lord impressed this verse upon me the other day. He proved His Word true by the fact that when I awoke from a brief nap, I had the perfect opening line for my rewrite!

Then a pastor friend talked at dinner the other night about “rest” and letting the Lord use him even in a season of rest.

It’s hard for most of us to step back and not do. We feel like it’s more holy and Christian. Or it’s the American way. We may even feel like we don’t know what to do with the rest and quiet.

Maybe we should learn to get used to it. God does want us to rest. He blesses rest. Especially when we rest in and on the Him.

I know that when we writers are not at our computers working, no one covers for us. If I don’t get my 20 pages done, a co-writer isn’t going to take up my slack.

But wait, if the Lord is my co-writer, maybe… just maybe… He will make up the difference. So I can enjoy time with my family over Christmas.

So if you’re debating writing over Christmas, reconsider. At least for a day or two. Trust the Lord to take up the slack, give you words and story in your rest.

Now do what your therapist says… Enjoy Christmas!

JOY!!

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Writing Over The Holidays by Rachel Hauck (Click to Tweet)

The Lord gives to His beloved in seasons and times of rest~ Rachel Hauck (Click to Tweet)

God does want us to rest~ Rachel Hauck (Click to Tweet)

New York Times, USA Today ​and Wall Street Journal best-selling, award-winning author Rachel Hauck loves a great story. She serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a past ACFW mentor of the year.  A worship leader and Buckeye football fan, Rachel lives in Florida with her husband and ornery cat, Hepzibah. Read more about Rachel at www.rachelhauck.com.