I took a seven year break from writing books.

In my teens and my early 20s, I was a fervent writer. I couldn't get enough. My mind was full of stories, and most of my spare moments were dedicated to writing these down. Out of the many ones I finished, I self-published seven novels and four novellas, I had book signings at bookstores, and I frequented writing groups.

Then in 2016, my life completely changed. A series of shifts and breaks in my relationships and spiritual life led me to a completely new place by the end of that year: living overseas and teaching English in Spain with a new partner.

I started a new novel while I was there, but it was never finished. Two years later, I began another novel, but again, it's still incomplete. Over the next few years, I wrote about my spiritual path and my personal life instead of focusing on fiction.

My identities had completely changed: I was no longer a wife, I was divorced and had a boyfriend. I was no longer a Christian, I was someone who was vaguely spiritual. And I was no longer a novelist, I was writing blog posts and emails to friends. I was in completely uncharted territories.

During this time, I had so many doubts and thoughts about my writing journey. They were all over the place:

• "I wrote fiction when I was younger, now I'm more mature."
• "I can't believe I abandoned so many stories through the years. Am I ever going to finish one again?"
• "I'm saving up all my ideas and I'm going to get them down eventually. Not today, though."
• "I'm so embarrassed I never finished my Le Garde series, I should take it down from Amazon because they'll never get book 3."
• "I don't have time to write a book, I have a baby now."

I read Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and was inspired by her take on creativity. She was frank and loving about how most writers and artists overthink their creations instead of letting the process take care of itself.

Then I discovered The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. She implores creators to partake in morning pages: writing stream of consciousness for three pages first thing in the morning. When I first discovered this practice, I did it consistently for months, and it unlocked something deep inside me. Pages were filled with my words, and these pages filled up entire notebooks.

These deep spiritual truths from her book resonated with me:

These two books were some of the signposts leading me a new book. I started writing my novel, Virtue in These Bright Stars a few weeks after I got the initial idea and I finished it in four months.

I cannot tell you how relieved I felt when I finished it! I finally had my groove back, and it took:

• Patience and time
• Surrender to the process
• Discipline and commitment to the story

This period of time, as confusing as it was and as uncertain as I felt about where I was going, was essential to my growth. I needed the time to process the changes I'd gone through, to practice writing in other genres, and to develop a new skillset with coaching.

Through it all, I rebuilt my relationship with God, remarried, and gave birth to a daughter. I'm so grateful to be where I am today with my husband, our family, and my creative and spiritual path. I hope my story can help inspire you to stay patient, surrender to the process, and commit to your idea. You can do this, no matter how long it takes.

Emily Loveall, Life Coach

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