Writing during the Holidays

'Tis the season for wondering where the sun is, subbing dinner for chocolate and wine, a seemingly endless amount of gatherings and neglecting all your hard cultivated habits from the 11 months prior.

Which includes writing. How could it not? The frivolous little stories you fritter away at are the easiest thing to ignore when you can't possibly do everything at once all month. You are NOT a machine.

It would be so easy to let AI write this, you think during a particularly weak moment after the sun has set (after not ever really rising) at 4pm. But, if Scrooge won't pay for more heat, then you certainly can resist giving in to the temptation to let a machine take away your writing.

Besides, would AI really know what to do with a twenty year curse trapping a bunch of guests from rival Courts living the same Soiree out day after day? Whatever the answer is, I'd rather not find out.

So, if you too are feeling the holiday writing rut, fear not, I have a few suggetions to get you through this difficult, busy month to finish your year of writing strong.

1. DON'T make your setup cozy. That's right, you thought I was gonna say get a blanket, a heated one maybe, and hot chocolate, extra marshmallows, with a side of wine or bourbon. ALAS. Instead, envision yourself as a Dickens character. Shed some layers, be really cold, cut the heat down, embrace the shiver. And watch your best writing come out.

2. DO reward yourself with a treat after. See ideas from step 1.

3. NO music. Trust me. The dark, silence and cold is bound to shake up your usual process.

If you dare to try these steps, let me know what you think! Did you have a good writing session because you were so desperate for that blanket?

Congrats, and Bah Humbug.