Running on the Hamster Wheel? Or Has Your Well Run Dry?

Whether we’re overwhelmed and running ragged as a writer, or we’re peering into the parched well of your creativity, we can all do with a bit of rest.

I’m approaching the seventeenth-month mark since my second book was released. That’s over seventeen months since my creative juices evaporated. In the past couple of months, I’ve become aware of several other authors/writers who have also slipped into the creative doldrums in the last year or two. It’s nice to know I’m not alone, if only for the hope that I’ll eventually move past this unfruitful season.

That said, for those of you who, like me, feel stressed about our author-to-do lists, discouraged about time, anxious about our writing paths and our progress upon it (or lack of progress), troubled about expectations, and confused as to how we’re supposed to juggle it “all,” I invite you to set aside an hour or so at some point soon to watch an interview, linked at the end of this post, with author and former publisher, Allen Arnold.

I first heard about Allen Arnold back in 2016, when his Story of With book released, and it had a significant and encouraging impact on how I approached my writing at the time. He has recently released his fourth book titled, The Eden Option, in which he invites us to step out of our Story 2 life–the “counterfeit narrative we’re born into”–and step into our Story 1, the “original, true story we were made for. A way of life that revolves around God where we are fully seen, known, and loved.”

About the interview:

Writers often feel trapped by the mountains of formula, fear, and forgettable tales. But what if they could break free of those obstacles and reclaim a creative life characterized by rest, purpose, and fellowship with God? Allen Arnold knows how to create great stories. As the publisher of more than 500 novels, he understands why writers get stuck…and what propels them forward. In this 2023 Story Embers talk, Allen helps writers reclaim four key qualities that Adam and Eve relinquished in Eden. The last half hour includes an interactive Q & A conversation about what it means to live and create through the power of a Story 1 life.

I realize the video is on the longer side, but the interview itself is about fifty minutes, and if you’re ragged and tired and empty, you might find this helpful and hopeful. Happy viewing! And if you do find it helpful, maybe pass it along to another writer buddy who might benefit from Allen’s encouragement. 🙂