E. Danielle Butler | STORYTELLER

While writing THE MESSY MIDDLE, there were days when I sat at my desk beside a candle and the words simply would not come.

I was depleted. I was recovering. Physical therapy was part of the rhythm of my days. And the more I tried to push through, the clearer it became: I needed to stop pushing.

In the quiet, with God and the people who helped carry me, I found my way back, not by forcing the words, but by making room for rest.

The middle of a project can get messy. For leaders, writers, changemakers, mamas, aunties, and all of us holding a lot, may we remember that a pause doesn’t mean we’ve lost our way.

This is the beginning of a little series on the real texture of writing a book: the pauses, the people, and the process that carries us through.

Rest and recovery aren't rewards. They are requirements for my creativity.

#TheMessyMiddle #WritingLife #CreativeRecovery