Writing during the holidays is undoubtedly a difficult habit to maintain. Between parties, family get-togethers, plays, and other events, the holiday season can seem like a complete blur. Hence, finding the time and space—both mentally and physically—to keep up with writing during the holidays can seem nigh on impossible.
Don’t think it’s achievable to maintain a daily writing routine during the holidays? We’re here to help! While it’s perfectly fine to want to take a writing break when life gets busy (and you should, if that feels right for you), sometimes all you need to keep a routine is to revamp your approach. Read on for 8 great ways to stay on track with your writing during the chaotic holiday season!
Note: This article has been updated as of 20/11/23
1. Set your writing goals
Before things get too busy, take a moment to write down three goals you’d like to accomplish with your writing during the holiday season. You’ll want to avoid large, overarching goals when you do this. Excessively large goals will only add to your stress and create more pressure around writing during the holidays.
You may feel tempted to set a big goal, like editing your entire book or hitting a 2,000-word daily word count. Scrap those and focus on smaller, more achievable goals! For example, three possible goals could be to outline your book, work on your query letter, or research editing, querying, and publishing options. Choose goals that work for you during the busy holidays.
2. Get friends and family involved
One of the best accountability tools to ensure you keep writing during the holidays is to get your family and friends involved. Explain how important your writing is to you and ask them to help you find writing time during the holidays. After all, if you never tell anyone that you need solitary writing time, how will they know to give you the space to do it?
Talking to those close to you about your writing will help them to understand your boundaries and how to respect them. It also makes your intentions to work public, so those around you can hold you accountable if you need it. And while you’re at it, why not drop a few hints to your family and friends about which great Christmas gifts for writers is on your holiday wish-list this year!
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3. Write every day
It probably sounds impossible to write every day during the holidays. With so much going on and so many people around, how will you ever find the time? It’s easy to get overwhelmed and frustrated about not being able to write during the holidays, but it’s certainly manageable if you change your approach, and definition, of writing.
Firstly, it’s probably a good idea to toss any plans to binge write or write for long periods of time out the window. It’s unlikely you’ll have the ability to do this and, anyway, you don’t need to sit in one place writing for hours to be productive. Change your approach and focus on shorter writing stints—this could mean trimming your daily writing slot down to 30-45 minutes. When you don’t have time for even that, keep a notebook to hand so you can make quick notes about your book throughout the day.
4. Write in the morning
Even if it doesn’t fit your usual schedule, try slotting aside time first thing in the mornings to write during the holidays. Set your alarm for an hour before everyone else wakes up to get your writing done. Initially, this may be hard to get used to. But once you do, you’ll see that there are a lot of benefits to a morning writing routine.
Writing before everyone else is awake means you’ll be able to sit at your writing desk with a fresh mind and fewer distractions. Afterwards, you can go about the rest of your day with the satisfaction that you’ve got your writing out of the way. You’ll also create a daily habit and, in many ways, writing in the morning can be a meditative experience. Who knows, by the end of the holiday season, you may find you’re a morning writing person after all!
5. Stay flexible with your schedule
If you’re unable to stick to a morning writing routine, don’t worry. It’s okay to be flexible! Undoubtedly, there will be days where there’s a lot going on and you’ll struggle to get in your morning writing time. When this happens, take a deep breath and try not to stress out about it.
Even busy days can offer plenty of writing opportunities, as long as you’re flexible about it. In these cases, aim for small pockets of writing time throughout the day (10-15 minutes here and there). It may not seem like much when you’re caught up in the holiday whirlwind. However, these short sprints can add up to a good chunk of writing time by the end of the day.
6. Use travel time wisely
Many people travel to visit family during the holidays, and there’s no better time for writing than when you’re in transit to somewhere else! Not only can a change in environment be conducive to your creativity, but you often have hours of free time during travel in which to write.
It’s rare in our busy, hyper-connected world to find hours of uninterrupted writing time, but air and train travel offer exactly this! On flights, you’re often forced to disconnect for hours at a time. And trains provide an excellent (and relaxing) ambient for writing, too. If you’re driving somewhere, try recording yourself talking through the plot of your book or brainstorming story ideas as you drive. You can go back and reference these audio notes later. And did you know that thinking out loud can make you a better problem solver, too?
7. Try a smaller project
It can be stressful to try to write a book or edit your work-in-progress during the holidays. Many of us are stretched more thinly than usual during this time of year, and it’s natural to struggle to find the emotional energy to focus on edits or a book plot.
Don’t worry about finishing your first draft or overhauling your current WIP (remember Tip #1 about setting achievable writing goals this holiday season?). Instead, why not take some of the pressure off and try a new smaller project? Write a short Christmas story based on your kids or keep a detailed journal about the events around your annual family get-together. The holiday season can provide plenty of fodder and inspiration for fun, smaller writing projects!
8. Look after yourself
Self-care is incredibly important for your mental health, and even more so during the stressful holiday season. Don’t feel guilty if days go by without you having the chance to write. On the other hand, finding other ways to maintain a balanced lifestyle can help your writing, even during the holidays.
Aim to get a little exercise every day, even if it’s just a quick 15-minute walk (walks are a great way to brainstorm plot solutions, after all). Try to eat healthily (while giving yourself space to indulge in holiday treats) and get plenty of sleep. While it may not seem like it, all these habits can have direct positive effects on your writing, and your overall well-being.
