What Happens When Your Writing Routine is Suddenly Disrupted?

by Beth Vogt @BethVogt

I had a new experience last month.

I broke two bones in my right wrist—yes, my dominant hand. This is my first time ever breaking a bone or two, and it was all thanks to our sweet dog Jo. She's 12 years old now, getting a bit deaf, and she meanders quite a bit when we take her on walks. I like to take photos when we go on our morning walks. Of the sunrise. Or the occasional deer. Some cheerful sunflowers. Her meandering and my photography spelled disaster early one morning when she tripped me. Down I went, hitting the asphalt hard.

So here I am wearing a hard cast through October, voice dictating my blog post. It's been interesting, to say the least.

Here's one thing I learned: it hurts to break a bone, even two little bones in your wrist.

Some are of you are thinking, “Duh, Beth!” But as a first timer to x-rays and splints and now a cast, I really didn't know. I’ll be much more sympathetic to people wearing casts in the future.

Here's another thing I learned: it's just an arm cast. Is this inconvenient? Yes. I had just settled into the routine of writing sprints every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. These 90-minute writing times were so helpful to producing word count for my work in progress (WIP).

Now this.

I'm trying voice dictation, which is anything but perfect. As I work on this blog post, it's pretty user friendly. Other days, it's been so grumpy, acting like I'm speaking some unknown language and refusing to correctly type every other word I say. That's not fun at all.

But you know what I realized? There are people who face far more challenging things than an arm cast every single day of their lives. Eventually, I won't be wearing this cast. But they will still have to navigate their obstacles.

One more thing I've learned: I can choose to be as grumpy as voice dictation or I can choose gratitude.

Some days I've been grumpy. (Just being honest here.) I can't write in my daily gratitude journal, but once again thanks to voice dictation, I can speak what I'm grateful for into a Word document. Just a few things I’m thankful for:

• I didn't get a concussion when I fell.
• I didn't need surgery on my wrist
• My husband’s been so helpful and picked up a lot of slack.
• Family and friends have been so encouraging. 

Just one more thing I want to share with you, my friends. I've been reminded God sees us where we are. And he loves us. He gave me two specific Bible verses that encouraged me when I was feeling grumpy, and I'd like to share them with you:

For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand,

who says to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.” Isaiah 4:13 NASB95

Even there your hand will lead me, And your right hand will

Lay hold of me. Psalm 139:10 NASB95

How have you adjusted when your writing routine was disrupted? What lessons did you learn?

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What Happens When Your Writing Routine is Suddenly Disrupted? from @BethVogt on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” She’s authored 15 novels and novellas, both contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Beth is a Christy Award winner, an ACFW Carol Award winner, and a  RITA® finalist. Her newest contemporary romance novel, Dedicated to the One I Love, released June 20, 2023. Her novel Things I Never Told You, book one in her Thatcher Sisters Series by Tyndale House Publishers, won the 2019 AWSA Golden Scroll Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Learn How to Write a Novel and The Write Conversation and also enjoys speaking to writers group and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to discussing the lives of imaginary people. Connect with Beth at BETHVOGT.COM.