Writing and the Holidays

A holiday themed post is fitting, right? Or is it too much of a cliche?

Eh, I don't really care, so you're getting one anyway.

In my experience, holidays can be a magical time for writing. I have gotten two ideas for novels during the holidays, both of which lie buried in the dark corners of my hard drive. But just because those two didn't pan out, doesn't mean I'm going to give up.

The holidays are a stressful time, at least for me. There is all this shopping to get done, people to entertain, wrapping of gifts, parties, traveling, the list goes on and on. And in all this busy rushing around, where does one find the time to sit down and write?

Well, dear reader, you have to make time. You have to carve a bit of time from each day to sit down and write. Or to think about what you want to write (that totally counts, I do it all the time). On the other hand, when you're standing in those horrendous lines at shopping centers or mailboxes, take your smart phone out, open some sort of note app, and write. You're going to be looking at your phone anyway, why not put it to work? The same goes for those wonderful tablets! We have the technology to write anywhere we want.

Or just kick it old school: open your notebook and write away like the mad genius you are!

Another great thing about the holidays is that most people get a good chunk of time off to celebrate; at least, I hope they do. Instead of relaxing, take some time to think about the piece you want to write - which is relaxing, in my humble opinion. Listen to your characters (more on this later). Listen to your story (also later). Look for bits of inspiration everywhere.

Use the holidays to your advantage. Talk to friends and family about your work, they will hold you accountable - which can be a sharp double edged sword - and push you toward actually finishing. Don't be shy about sharing. Talking about it will help you out. I know this for a fact and am sharing it for that reason. See? Sharing!

I hope you all have a lovely holiday that is, more or less, stress free! Happy writing!