by Alycia Morales @AlyciaMorales

In the process of writing a nonfiction book that is near and dear to my heart, I’ve set many deadlines for myself to finish it. And missed every one. As I’ve been working diligently to finish it this time, I’ve found myself discouraged, wondering why it’s taking me so long to finish something I want to finish, know I need to finish, and look forward to finishing. Have you ever found yourself in this situation?

I’m here to encourage you today. Your project will be finished. In good time. In due time.

Here’s what I’ve discovered in this process:

1. I’m not the only one.

I was scrolling social media one afternoon (not as a distraction; I was actually catching up on some things I’d been putting off), and a bunch of posts came across my feed about how long it took various authors to finish their books they’d been working on. Every one of them had been working as long as I have on one book. And these were multi-published, seasoned authors. Authors we know and love. Suddenly, I didn’t feel like a failure anymore.

Neither should you.

2. The good things take time.

Seeds don’t sprout and turn into fruit overnight. They take time.

Babies aren’t conceived and born the next day. They take time.

Millionaires don’t have an idea and make a million dollars the next day. It takes time and hard work to make a million dollars.

Our relationship with God, our husband or wife, our children, or anyone else we have a lasting relationship with doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to grow to trust someone at that intimate level.

Our books take time. Yes, some of us write faster than others. But I guarantee you those authors have been writing for a long, long time to get to that point. So if you’re just starting out, like I am, expect it to take time to produce a good book.

3. Taking a break is okay.

Throughout the writing of this manuscript I’m working on, I’ve had to take some breaks. The topic is difficult to write, because I’m writing through my grief journey. That alone should tell you how difficult it is to get the words from my heart to my head, and onto the page. Those breaks have helped me keep my sanity.

But taking a break doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve stopped writing. Putting words on the page, yes. But the writing process takes place in our brains, too. It’s the process of sorting through ideas, topics, how to arrange the material, worldbuilding, character development, and so much more. So while I’m not putting words into my laptop, words are being created in my mind for when I can sit down again and type.

4. I can still call myself a writer.

There have been multiple times throughout this process that I’ve found myself doubting if I’m truly a writer, or if I am just pretending to be one because it feels good to say I am a writer

Don’t you just want to shout, “Get behind me Satan!”? Yep, me too.

Just because you aren’t published yet doesn’t mean you’re not a writer. Just because you have five books in your desk drawer that will never see the light of day doesn’t mean you aren’t a writer. Just because you’ve had to wait a season while you prioritized pressing life issues and events doesn’t mean you aren’t a writer. Just because the process is taking longer than you’d planned doesn’t mean you aren’t a writer.

You have not failed until you stop. Don’t quit!

And so I carry on, putting words on the page as I find the heart, strength, and determination to do so and taking breaks in between so that I can continue until I finish. I hope you do too!

Alycia can be found at alywmorales.com. She hangs out on Facebook and Instagram.