Samuel Johnson once noted that “to be happy at home was the result of all ambition.” I think he spoke of a writer’s harvest.
Another word for harvest is “yield” and it seems to me that sometimes, in order to have a harvest, we do have to yield, to let another go ahead of us, to step aside while another merges into life before us. We haven’t lost our goal or our plan to move ahead; we’re just yielding for a time. This happens in the lives of characters I write about, one story rises over another or falls back for a time
This blend of yield and harvest describes my writing life of late. I yield to the needs of my family and their health and mine as well and try not to feel guilty that I haven’t sat to write for several days now. I yield computer time to helping Jerry. Except for these contributions to the blog, I haven’t written much at all this month except letters and brief emails; I've finished edits for a novella and written blog posts for Writing Historical Novels. I’ve been reading instead - reading new writers, reading to research the time period of the book I’m “writing” (read “thinking about”), the one I’ll begin putting on to paper next month. I've agreed to read colleague’s works with an eye to endorsement. I consider that part of my writing life even though I’m not actually “writing.” But I’m home, stepping back into my space sitting like a frog on a lily pad surrounded by books and notes and timelines and photographs and letting my imagination roll me into another place and time – when the time is right.
For me, there is always a level of guilt about writing. If I write all day long and enjoy it, then I feel guilty for neglecting my family, the dogs, cooking meals. If I don’t write all day long, I feel guilty for neglecting a gift, a ministry, my passion for storytelling, for pushing aside the lives of these characters, perhaps not listening to what God wants me to do.
My only hope is that this kind of guilt can be addressed by confession AND by making a personal change.
So I’ll yield this month, pray, set sleep aside and start rising early to write so I won’t feel guilty of neglect of either family or passion. As the sun rises, I’ll have devoted some hours to what I love and believe I’m called to do and can then spend the rest of the day on the harvests that make me “happy at home.” It seems to be my rhythm of harvests and yields.
What does your season of yielding look like?
Comments
I started reading your books when I found All Together in One Place at Costco. I read the whole series and then tracked down all of your previous works. I drank them in like water, stayed up way too late many nights because I couldn't put them down. Then came the Tender Ties Series, in A Name of Her Own I so strongly identified with Marie. I waited and waited for each book to come out. It seemed an eternity between Hold Tight the Thread and A Clearing in the Wild. I think that is when I read Homestead, bc I was dying to read more of your work. I try not to buy them for myself bc my sweet husband always so please with himself when he can surprise me with your books for Christmas or my birthday. Why do I long for more of your books? Well for one I am a sucker for historical fiction, I love learning more about old times and ways (my mom always said I should have been born in "a little house on the prairie". And I love how you weave these truths through your stories. I love the ribbon of faith that you string through the these stories about women and what they have lived and survived. Perhaps if gives me a source of hope and strength as I weave my own story of my life.
I still sit, waiting with bated breath for your next works of art!
I like Sherrie's quote above -- this is your time for meeting family needs but you need to replenish your spirt with your writing, too, so I think your plans sound good.
My publishing hopes have recently taken more of a back seat to other commitments. I became our church's historian last fall and have since collected a mountain of information in preparation for creating several congregational albums. I love the work and yet I sometimes resent my inability to multi-task and fit in more of my writing each day. I'm not much of a morning person, but I've been staying up late to do an hour or two of work on my current story, then prepare my blog, read a few others like yours, and finally go to bed. Two weeks ago my hubby had a medical crisis. He's doing well again now, but such incidents make us focus on the real priorities and I find I miss going to bed at the same time as he does... those precious moments of quietness together, sharing the murmured highlights of our day. Now it's when I stay up to write that I feel most guilty.
The history project will be ongoing, but the brunt of the work will eventually ease off, so I suspect this is my season to yield my dream in favour of other important things. If anything is to come of my writing, it will be in God's time.
Carol suggested I read your blog. She thought your words of encouragement and inspiration might be just what I need.
I think it always helps to read another writers perspective on our craft. It's difficult when we work from home to "juggle all the balls". Or as one of my friends puts it, "wear all the hats".
You have given me good advice my friend. I'm so glad Carol pointed me in your direction!
Hugs and many blessings,
Katt