Recap:

Last week I gave you and your loved ones some ideas for Christmas gifts for writers. Where sometimes knowing what to ask for, or what to gift a writer, author, or whichever title you prefer, is the hardest. It’s nice to have some ideas. Did you take any of last week’s ideas into account? Or were there items that you asked for that weren’t on the list? I hope it helped and hope everyone gets what they want/need for Christmas. With that in mind, let’s get into the pros and cons of writing during the holidays.

The Challenges of the Holiday Season:

This is not a post bashing the holiday season, but there are certain things to keep in mind that will both benefit and hinder your writing. One of the major challenges of being a writer during the holiday season is the time aspect. The demands on your time from your family, extended family, and friends impact what you spend your days focusing on. And that’s okay, but being able to recognize that your time’s limited, take some extra care to turn your writing space into a distraction free zone. If you have Scrivener, you can set it to the Compose mode and it blurs out the background, notifications, or any other distractions on your computer and only shows the page you’re working on. If not, check your computer settings to see if you can mute notifications for a certain time period. Then, the most challenging ask, put your phone out of reach. Whenever I hit an uncomfortable part of my story, post, or any time I’m questioning what I’m writing, I reach for my phone. You can keep it nearby, but try to get it out of arm’s reach, so that you have to get out of your writing space to get to it. No matter what, treat your writing time as your time, and close the door to get some work done if you need to.

Days are shorter. The lack of daylight hours can impact some writers. While there are plenty of night owls out there, the change affects day writers as well. Not only do the shorter days impact our writing, night or day writers, they also impact our moods. Seasonal depression goes up, whether because of a lack of vitamin D or a greater feeling of isolation, to painful memories. Respect your moods, and do what you need to so you can find that joy during this time of year, but also respect your writing. Sometimes getting lost in the worlds you build can be the best medicine for this time of year. I can’t give you every answer to help with all the unique circumstances, but I hope that some ideas above and below can assist during the holiday season.

The Benefits of the Holiday Season:

While there may be some hardships during this time of year, it’s also the time of year that distant friends, family, and strangers attempt to reconnect or connect for the first time. The family gatherings, whether large or small, allow us to share stories from the past however many months or years we’ve spent apart. Something I learned about later in life was friends-giving and other such celebrations. Sometimes you aren’t close to your blood relatives, so find the family in your friends. Sometimes that re-connection can recharge a low battery you didn’t know you had. This can also be a great time to make new friends in and out of the writing community. Find a writing group and work together to have some fun experiences during these holidays, even if it’s just coffee/hot cocoa and talking about writing.

There’s also a certain magic in the air during the holidays. Many romance writers find inspiration but also use it for your own inspiration. There are certain challenges that winter brings, depending on your area. Use that as inspiration for your story, or build it into a side story if the timelines don’t match up. Knowing how your characters would spend their cold months or holidays can help you contrast what they do in the warm or non-holiday months. As I’m writing this post, it’s been snowing for a couple of hours straight at work. I was glad to beat the snow to work. It impacts the drive, my mood, and where my focus goes. Weather like snow and rain can have that same effect on your characters. Sorry, a little diverted there, but I feel that’s still important information. The magic of the holidays can inspire hope for the better, especially with New Year’s Eve right around the corner. There’s a sense of new beginnings.

Conclusion:

The holiday season can inspire us and hinder us, but the way you use both sides of the coin is up to you. Listen to your family members’, friends’, and strangers’ stories. While you may find some challenges during this time of the year, make the best of what brings you joy this season. Get some extra exercise, happy food, or anything else you need to counteract the shorter days of the year. Find the story in this holiday season by creating a holiday, or using a pre-established one, to develop your characters even further. In the end, I hope that all of you enjoy your holiday season in whatever way you celebrate. Keep writing, keep learning, and as always, stay fresh, my nugs!

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