Writer's Advice for the Holidays from Fort Worth Writer's Boot Camp

From our parent organization, Fort Worth Writer's Boot Camp:

It is often hard to find the time to create during the holidays. Between decorating, making it to at least some of the party invites, and enjoying the season with family, it can be difficult, if not downright impossible to have some quiet time to write. It’s actually okay to slow down a bit and enjoy yourself, but don’t stop writing altogether. Don’t feel guilty about it, either. See it as an opportunity to recharge after your years’ worth of hard work.
Tips to keep your writing on track during the holidays:

Journal. Sometimes you just need to be able to center your mind on the writing tasks at hand. Journaling can be a perfect way to get all of those extra thoughts that come about due to the holidays down on paper, but not distracting you from your writing.
Make the most of the time you do have. If you know you’re going to be at three holiday parties in one week, make sure you’re not spending too much time doing mindless activities, such as scanning social media for the latest bombshell news.
Get up 30 minutes to an hour earlier. Enjoy those quiet times in your house, when it’s dark and cold outside, to get words down. Early morning coffee will get the words flowing pretty quickly.
Don’t “over celebrate” by drinking too much! While it is well known that Hemingway liked to “Write drunk, edit sober” it really doesn’t work well for most writers. Indulge, but make sure you make it home safely and get plenty of rest.
Speaking of rest- don’t be the last one to leave the party! Make your rounds at the holiday parties, but leave at a reasonable time. This will ensure you will be rested well enough to get up and write the next day.
If you have family in town, spend as much time with them as you can. They won’t be around forever, so make the most of the time you have with them. If they’re crazy, then this will just give you opportunity for research on that next book!
Finally, relax. Enjoy your surroundings. Recharge your battery so that you can roll right into 2018 with gusto.

Happy Holidays from Fort Worth Writer’s Boot Camp and Sleeping Panther Press