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Audrey Caylin: When You Have To Wait

Saturday, April 8, 2017

When You Have To Wait



Just admit it: you don't like to wait. No one does. Waiting is just... waiting. And patience doesn't come easily to any flawed human (but if it does to you, please tell me your secrets in the comments).

(but don't comment on how ironic this post is, because I'm asking you guys to wait until the 22nd for my next post.)

So today, I'm going to talk about the hardest thing for writers: waiting to write. And not just procrastinating, but literally being told to wait to work on an idea.



Story time: the first day of March, I was out and about and got viciously attacked by a plot bunny. I had to write that story. I ended up creating a super aesthetic pinterest board (sorry I can't share it :P), putting it together with another idea I'd wanted to write for a year, and then incorporating an element I was super excited about. I even had a title (one that was more than a word long, too xD)

I was all set to get some plotting done.

Over a month later?

No plotting.

Why? I didn't procrastinate. I wanted to work on that idea more than anything. I was ready for it.

But it wasn't ready for me.

WHAT BEING TOLD TO WAIT LOOKS LIKE.


So, no, my plot bunnies didn't invite me over to tea and say nicely, "it's not time for you to write with us, Audrey."

And no one told me, "you're not ready to write that story yet, Audrey."

No. Circumstances, time, and might I even say God seemed to be saying, "not yet."

Why do I say that? Because I had everything ready to write: time, ideas, motivation, no writers block. Yet my plans kept getting foiled every single time.

The plot bunnies are there, skipping around in my head, but I'm not allowed to let them out yet.

I've had this happen with several ideas. Last year, I had a dream that inspired a novel, coupled with the poem Footprints in the Sand. To this day, it has been one of my favorite ideas I've ever had. Yet I still haven't written it. The first chapters are roughly scribbled in a notebook, and the plot continues to run wild in my mind.

But there's so many things about I don't know yet. And even if I tried to plot it, I don't think I would find them out. Why?

I'm not ready for that story.

Being not ready for a story doesn't mean you aren't a good enough writer, or that you're stuck in writer's block. It simply means you're not supposed to write that story yet.

WHY YOU HAVE TO WAIT.


Well, it's just what it sounds like: you're not ready. I'm sure it's happened to you before: you put time and effort into an idea, think about it for hours, but when it comes to writing anything down, nothing comes out. It's not a rare kind of writer's block; it's a story you're not ready for.

I like to think of it that something is going to happen in my life that needs to happen before I write that story. Back in October, I almost quit Found. Really, I just needed to get over a certain thing in my life to realize that hope was a major theme in the novel.

I believe that the same thing is going to happen with that footprints story.

A lot of what we write reflects where we are in life. And when you can't get that story out, it's like God's telling you, "Not yet. But soon. Soon, you're going to need that story and you're going to write that story."


WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT READY FOR A STORY.


Wait.

Yeah, ouch.

What if the idea vanishes?

Write it down. Just a little note, a scribble. Don't plot it out or anything, just write down the title or what inspired you. Chances are, you'll come back to that story one day and be ready for it.

Let it run around in your mind. Don't worry; it probably won't vanish. If anything, it will just evolve. It's actually pretty fun to watch a story idea in your head, knowing that you're not going to write it yet, but simply enjoying seeing where the question "what if?" will take you.

It's like planting an apple seed and wanting to eat the apples. You have to wait. You can water it. You can care for it. You can watch it. But you can't eat the apples until the apples are there.

I firmly believe that the story ideas we get aren't random; they're part of God's plan for our lives. So just because a great idea isn't for this moment, doesn't mean it's never going to be used.


********

That's my wisdom for Easter week. :P This has been happening to me for the past month and a half, so I thought I'd share my thoughts on it.

Speaking of waiting... I'm excited for Easter! I'll still be going around and checking out your posts and answering any emails/tweets/comments up until Good Friday, then I'll be dark for a week (sounds scary, right? xD). And there will be a sort of surprise on the 22nd, a unique post to celebrate my 6 month blogversary! (seriously. it's only been 6 months. I mean, what?!? I feel like I've been here forever)

 I hope you have a beautiful Easter!

<3

Audrey Caylin


So... have you ever had to wait to write a story? Was it worth it? How do you pass that "time of waiting?"

Labels:

24 Comments:

At April 8, 2017 at 5:35 AM , Blogger Amy said...

I can SO relate to this. Patience is not one of my virtues (to put it mildly...) and I'm definitely going to try take your advice when I next face a "blocked story" ;)

Great post - I look forward to what you have planned for the 22nd!! Have a wonderful Easter! <3

Amy @ A Magical World Of Words

 
At April 8, 2017 at 10:57 AM , Blogger Marrok Macintyre said...

Cool post, and nice reminder. Funny thing is I'm pretty good at waiting, now I don't really know I'm that patient but I can wait. It's something I've had to do pretty much all my life.

Being able to wait has come in handy though, like right now I have quite a few book series ideas nocking around in my head. And even though I do want to work on them I have to wait until I finish the series I'm currently working on.

Have a Great Resurrection day!

 
At April 8, 2017 at 11:10 AM , Blogger Karyssa Norton said...

You are SO right, Audrey! My thoughts this week have been kinda similar to this. :P I told you that the plot bunnies attacked me to, and I have also come to the conclusion that maybe I'm supposed to wait to write the story. Thank you so much for sharing this! :)

I can't wait to your post on the 22nd. Hope you have a wonderful Easter! :)

 
At April 8, 2017 at 12:09 PM , Blogger R.F. Gammon said...

This was beautiful. Thank you so much for this, Audrey. I've been feeling this all the time and it's actually really annoying, but I know that it'll all happen in God's timing.
thefloridsword.blogspot.com

 
At April 8, 2017 at 2:45 PM , Blogger Savannah Grace said...

This was so beautiful, Audrey! And YES I've had to wait to write a story - it's sometimes annoying, but half the time it's more of a 'okay, this story NEEDS to be put on hold so that you don't ruin it by writing it at the wrong time' kind of wait, and that doesn't seem so bad to me ;).

I'm excited to see your 6-months-of-blogging post! Turns out we've been blogging for almost the same amount of time (How cool is that?!) - but I totally missed my six month mark, so I guess I'll have to wait to celebrate until I hit the one-year mark xD. Have a wonderful Easter, my friend!

~ Savannah
scattered-scribblings.blogspot.com

 
At April 8, 2017 at 7:25 PM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

I battle with patience so much =P I hope what I said helps!

Ahh, thank you! You too! :D

 
At April 8, 2017 at 7:27 PM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

O.O What are your secrets!?!? Time? Experience? xD That's awesome to have the waiting game down so well!

Ack, yes. :P It would be nice if all those other ideas would wait until we're done with what we're currently working on.

Have a wonderful Easter!

 
At April 8, 2017 at 7:29 PM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

The plot bunnies seem to be in the writing neighborhood, then! I hope those story ideas go well for you. Sometimes I wish we could just write three dozen books at once ;)

Thank you! Have a great Easter! <3

 
At April 8, 2017 at 7:30 PM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

Thank you! I'm glad my post came at a good time for you :) (God's timing is just so incredible!)

<3

 
At April 8, 2017 at 7:34 PM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

Oh, yeah. That waiting :P I guess that isn't as bad as "I want to work on this story but I'm already working on three others sooo..." xD

Really!?!? That's so cool! (part of the new 2016 blogger dynasty, I guess. I noticed there's a huge group of bloggers who started in 2014, so we're the next generation ;) Mine 6th month just fell around my post date, so I figured I'd do a little thing on it. I can't wait for your one-year!

Thank you! You too!

 
At April 10, 2017 at 4:56 AM , Blogger Jem Jones said...

I've had a few ideas that I wrote as a line or two in my notebook - ideas I really loved - but I haven't felt like I could write them yet. Thank you for explaining to me that it's okay to wait for both myself and them to mature!

And you've only been blogging for six months?? Your blog is so polished and awesome-looking, I would have guessed you'd been doing it for years! :)

Jem Jones

 
At April 10, 2017 at 6:09 PM , Blogger Jessica said...

It seems waiting is a part of all areas of life.. I appreciated this post, Audrey. I've never thought of waiting in this sense before (probably because I don't write novels). But I know with other writing, waiting can be really good, because it gives time to really chew over my thoughts and ideas, and then when it comes to writing them down I can explain them more clearly.

Looking forward to your next post! ;)

 
At April 10, 2017 at 7:31 PM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

Thank you, Jem! I'm glad it helped!

Awww, thank you -- that means a lot <3 I've found blogging to be one of the most fun adventures I've ever embarked on!

 
At April 10, 2017 at 7:33 PM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

Thank you, Jessica! Sometimes I think there's more freedom in just thinking about ideas for a while; nothing's on paper yet, so the limits are as great as your imagination.

Thanks for reading!

 
At April 11, 2017 at 5:10 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

I am absolutely going through this with a couple of ideas at the moments. I have ideas and images for stories I love, love, love. But I just can't write them yet. They're not ready, I'm not ready, and basically we're in a holding pattern until the right time comes. In the meantimebI work on on other books while I wait for everything to come together. It's a little frustrating, but I'm just trying to hope that it'll be worth the wait in the end!

 
At April 12, 2017 at 1:05 PM , Blogger Emily Drown said...

Hey, Audrey!

I recently discovered your blog around the time you were accepting beta-readers, and I just wanted to drop in to say that I'd love to beta-read for you in the future! I didn't sign up last time because my life currently is the definition of B-U-S-Y, but I hope to do it when the next opportunity arises. :D

Lovely post, by the way.

 
At April 12, 2017 at 7:47 PM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

Wow, I didn't know so many other people were going through this! It is definitely a waiting game for everything to come together. Every day, a little more falls into place, but until there's enough there, all we can do is hope that they'll turn into amazing story ideas.

Thanks for reading!

 
At April 12, 2017 at 7:49 PM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

Hello Emily! Welcome to the blog again :D

I totally understand. It wasn't until today that my life started to slow down a bit, actually, and beta reading does take a bit of time. I might be having that novel go for a round two though, so feel free to email me if you're interested :)

Thank you! Thanks for reading!

 
At April 15, 2017 at 7:11 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ugh same!!!! I was attacked by a small plot bunny on a road trip a week ago and started freaking out. I started planning it out... but yeah, like most bunnies, I realized it needed time!

Thank you for this post! It's totally encouraging :)

- Andrea at A Surge of Thunder

 
At April 18, 2017 at 12:49 PM , Blogger Savannah Grace said...

Though I'd let you know that I tagged you :D. No pressure on you to do it, but here it is ...

http://scattered-scribblings.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-sunshine-blogger-award-x2.html

~ Savannah
scattered-scribblings.blogspot.com

 
At April 20, 2017 at 9:10 AM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

Aren't plot bunnies the most loved yet infuriating little things? xD

You're welcome! Thank YOU for reading!

 
At April 20, 2017 at 9:12 AM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

Eeep! Thank you! I think this is the second time I got tagged, so I'll have double questions *checks out the link* Oooh, this will be fun! :D I'm planning on catching up on tags in May.

 
At May 25, 2017 at 10:06 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

I honestly hate the fact that ideas come to me faster than I can put them onto paper :/

 
At May 26, 2017 at 10:20 AM , Blogger Audrey Caylin said...

I KNOW. I literally get book ideas and wish I could write the whole story in an hour :P

<3

 

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