We live in a world that tells us to hustle harder. But what if the next creative breakthrough comes not through more effort, but through more rest?
This past week, I took my own advice and paused—truly paused. No writing marathons, no editing sprints, no endless content planning. Just rest.
Here’s what that looked like last week for my husband and I when we took a pre-planned vacation that we almost cancelled.
Rest Is Not a Reward—It’s a Creative Need
I’ll be honest—it was hard to slow down.
The first few days, I felt restless. I kept reaching for my phone, thinking about my next deadline. But the fact that rest felt uncomfortable told me everything I needed to know: I needed it more than I realized.
And once I settled into it, something beautiful happened. The ideas didn’t stop flowing—they just started flowing differently. I felt joy again, not just in what I create, but in why I create.
We don’t have to go on a vacation to rest, but it helps. Another way that I find rest is in reading.
So How Do We Encourage Reading in a Tired World?
In my last podcast episode, I mentioned a stat that stopped me in my tracks: only 51% of Americans read a book last year.
As a writer and lifelong reader, that’s a gut punch. But it also lit a fire in me. What can we do—not just as authors, but as humans who love story—to help others reconnect with books?
I brainstormed 30+ ideas, but here are five I want to highlight first:
1. Make Books Visible
Read in public. Carry a book into a coffee shop. Normalize the reading life in little ways.
2. Recommend Thoughtfully
Skip the trends—ask people what kind of stories they need right now. Give books as invitations, not assignments.
3. Host Casual Book Chats
Book clubs are great—but even a simple, “Hey, want to read this with me?” can spark something lasting.
4. Write (and Share) Bite-Sized Stories
Whether it’s flash fiction, novellas, or serial episodes—readers are busy. Let’s meet them with story formats that work with their lives.
5. Embrace the DNF, Celebrate the Hook
Let readers stop books they don’t love. And let’s write stories that make them say, “Just one more chapter…”
I’ll be sharing one encouragement idea per week in upcoming episodes and blog posts, so stay tuned!
Coming Soon: Swords, Swordfighting, and Legendary Lore
Next week, I’m kicking off a new one-month podcast and blog series all about:
- Swordfighting in books and films—what’s real, what’s dramatized
- Swords as legendary objects (think Excalibur, Narsil, and lightsabers)
- Real historical swords and the stories behind them
- How fantasy writers (like me—and maybe you!) use these symbols with purpose and power
If you love swashbuckling action, timeless symbols, and the history behind the blade, this series is for you.
📚 Book Deals of the Month
Looking for a great fantasy read? I’ve got two free gifts for new readers:
Dark Secrets – a novella prequel to Dark Blade Forged
Champion in the Darkness – my first published fantasy novel, packed with purpose, courage, and faith.