Battered, Broken, and Blocked: A Writer’s Worst Nightmare

So… I’ve done it again.

I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.

I’ve taken on another project I thought I should have been able to accomplish, only to find myself stalling halfway through.

And now?

Now my brain refuses to cooperate.

The fog won’t lift. The words won’t come. My creativity has quietly folded its arms, planted its feet, and declared, “We’re done for now.”

So I sit.

I stare at a blinking cursor, waiting for inspiration to strike. Waiting for clarity. Waiting for energy. Waiting for motivation to magically return all at once.

But nothing comes.

And if I’m honest, that’s one of the hardest places for a writer to be.

The strange thing is, I know God called me to write.

I don’t doubt that.

He’s opened doors I never could have opened on my own. He’s carried me through twenty-seven books, introduced me to incredible readers, and continually reminded me that these stories matter.

So if He called me here…

Why do I feel so stuck?

When Your Head and Your Heart Disagree

My marketing brain immediately starts crunching numbers.

“Maybe I need a better launch strategy.”

“Maybe I need to write faster.”

“Maybe I need a more marketable series.”

My creative brain begins frantically searching for the next perfect plot—the one that will finally take off, find thousands of readers, and solve all my problems.

But my heart?

My heart keeps whispering something completely different.

Rest.

Not because the work isn’t important.

But because I’ve forgotten that I was never meant to carry it alone.

The Questions Fear Keeps Asking

Recently I discovered the Anointed Scribe Podcast, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

After what felt like a strong, rattling wind tearing through the house I’d built on my own expectations, God began asking me some uncomfortable—but freeing—questions.

Not, “How can you work harder?”

But…

“What are you so afraid of?”

As I prayed, I realized fear had quietly become my writing partner.

Here’s what it had been telling me.

“If I slow down, I’ll lose the readers I have.”

But God reminds me that He is my Provider.

If He can call Abraham to trust Him for descendants beyond imagination, He can certainly bring the readers He wants to reach through my books.

My audience has never been limited by my hustle.

It’s always been held in His hands.

“If I don’t keep up, I’ll miss opportunities.”

The publishing world moves fast.

Algorithms change.

Trends come and go.

Everything screams, “Hurry!”

But Scripture tells a different story.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise…” (2 Peter 3:9)

God has never been late.

Not once.

His timing has always been better than mine, even when I couldn’t see it.

“If I’m not producing constantly, God can’t use me.”

This one hit me the hardest.

Somewhere along the way, I started believing my usefulness to God was measured by release dates, sales numbers, newsletter subscribers, and word counts.

But that’s not the Gospel.

Paul reminds us:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Maybe this season isn’t about producing more.

Maybe it’s about depending more.

Maybe God is leading me to a place where His faithfulness will be unmistakable because the results could never be explained by my own strength.

So…Where Do I Go From Here?

One day at a time.

One prayer at a time.

One small act of obedience at a time.

I’m learning to shrug off fear and choose peace instead of productivity.

Will I keep writing?

Absolutely.

I believe with all my heart that God has more stories for me to tell.

The words will come.

But perhaps the pace will look different than I imagined.

Maybe there will be fewer frantic deadlines.

Less striving.

Less pressure.

More walking with Jesus.

More creating with the Creator instead of trying to create for Him while forgetting to walk beside Him.

And honestly?

That sounds like a much sweeter way to write.

Can You Relate?

Maybe you’re a writer.

Maybe you’re an artist, a business owner, a parent, or someone simply trying to be faithful with what God has placed in your hands.

If you’re feeling battered…

Broken…

Or blocked…

I hope you’ll remember this:

God isn’t asking you to prove yourself.

He’s inviting you to trust Him.

Faithfulness has never been measured by speed.

Sometimes the holiest thing we can do is stop striving long enough to hear His voice again.

If you’re in a season like this, I’d encourage you to check out the Anointed Scribe Podcast on YouTube. They’re not sponsoring this post—I simply stumbled across their messages at exactly the moment I needed them, and I believe God used them to remind me where my foundation truly belongs.

Friend, may God strengthen your hands, quiet your fears, and fill your heart with His peace.

The words will come in His timing.

Until then, keep walking with the Author of every good story.

Grace and peace,

Sarah