The weather man is not my favorite person right now.
It’s Wednesday, and they’re predicting everything but fire and brimstone for the weekend: rain, freezing rain, hail, a foot of snow. Who knows what will really come our way?
I just returned from stocking up on supplies at the store. Madness! My friend who works at the grocery store said, “It will be worse tomorrow!” So far this winter, the weather has been cold but very calm and mild on the precipitation side, but we seem to be in for a change over the next few days. I guess it pays to be prepared. Get your bread and milk . . . not to mention chocolate . . . NOW!
It hit me: writing is the same way. Stay with me on this one.
You might be like me, in a season of calm, with not much happening on the writing front. I am “between gigs” right now, waiting for the next project. What to do? Prepare for the “writing blizzard.”
One of my favorite movies is Facing the Giants, and one of the main messages (paraphrasing here) is “God will send the rain when He’s ready, so you need to prepare your field to receive it.”
It takes faith to believe for more writing assignments, but we can “prepare the field” while we’re waiting. How do we do that?
–Study the craft. Read books about writing.
–Continue to write, even if it’s for practice or for a smaller audience.
–Brainstorm for future projects. You’ll be ready when the time comes.
–Read. We learn a lot by reading good writing.
–Watch and pray.
We can prepare our field not only for rain but also for a blizzard—a plethora of writing opportunities.
Just as it’s not easy waiting on a predicted snowstorm, it’s not easy waiting on new writing projects, but it will be worth it when the time comes. In the meantime, be like me on this blizzard watch: stock up on chocolate and other snacks! You’ll need them as you write that next masterpiece.
Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.
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