Grace in the Midst of Writer’s Block and Beyond

I had a writing crisis this summer. I was asked to write an article for a ministry blog on a certain topic. I had three whole months to write it. And I had two solid (I thought) ideas. I was sure that if I dedicated just a few hours over a few days, the first draft would basically write itself. After that, all that remained was editing and a few proofreads to tighten the prose—piece of cake. Yet when the deadline inched closer and I sat down to write, the words refused to flow. I had a general sense of what I wanted to write, but what came out was a stilted, roundabout theological explanation that was oversimplified, broad, and impersonal. My mom could tell: “This is a rough draft, right?” So I tried again. I went back to the drawing board and chose a different topic. I brainstormed with my parents, outlined a new article, and began anew. I tried several times, switching out a few subtopics on the way. After a series of starts and half-starts, I finally drafted an article that met my word count. I knew I could do it, I thought. But something was still missing. “Are you going to edit this?” my dad said. I knew what he meant: the article was personal but unfocused and shallow. By now, the deadline was approaching within a week. How was I to write something worth publishing in just a few days―then edit―then proofread? I didn’t know if I could do it. Maybe I just didn’t have the right experience or skill to write for the prompt. Should I try to salvage what I had written, or start all over again? Should I ask for an extension? Should I stick with the same topic, or choose something different? What was I to do? Written and read by Ashley Kim. Read the article: https://sola.network/article/grace-in-the-midst-of-writers-block-and-beyond/ Related: https://sola.network/article/writing-about-her-faith-interview/ http://ashleyikim.com/