Holy Holidays, Batman, they’re here!

If you’re like me, when the holidays hit, everything else goes off the rails. I don’t write. I don’t edit. I don’t think about deadlines and plot points or much of anything writerly.

And I hate that.

The holidays are hectic, but less so than they’ve been in the past when we hosted 44 people in our 1,200 square foot house. Our get-togethers are much smaller and less elaborate these days. Thank goodness! But still…

We get random calls to stop by friends’ and family’s houses for a visit, and office holiday parties are scheduled without regard to our personal plans, because they can’t please everyone. Shopping is a nightmare (unless, like me, you’ve developed a significant catalogue stack and are OK with ordering on-line). No matter what, there will always be those last-minute runs to get forgotten items or ingredients, or to have something for people you didn’t expect to give you something or who showed up in town unexpectedly.

And don’t get me started on decorations.

So how do I cope with the holidays without totally dropping the writing ball? I try to spend more time people watching (the mall and department stores are excellent fodder for familial interaction, or scenes where people come unhinged over small things). Keep a notebook and jot down situations, expressions (including the bystanders), resolutions, etc., which might be quite handy in one of your WIPs. You’ll see lots of different clothing choices, new recipes (including for drinks and snacks), and gift ideas that you might be able to incorporate in a story.

Don’t let the holiday hassle spoil time with family and friends, and if, like me, you can’t find the time or energy to write, at least use the activities going on to give you a jump start on writing when the New Year doldrums hit and you’re stuck inside due to bad weather.

How do you cope with the holidays and your writing habit?

Oh, and by the way, Happy Holidays, and Write On!