A Tough Week…

For Writing Streaks and Challenges.

Amazing how such a good time of the year can be so tough on writing. After all, it is the holiday season full of fun and family and travel. And that’s the problem… it’s the holiday season full of fun and family and travel.

More streaks and challenges break in this last week before Christmas than any other time of the year. But thankfully, next week is the start of a new year and challenges and streaks can be fired back up then for the long winter.

After forty years in this business, I have observed general times of the year where writing comes easy for most. And times when writers just sort of lose focus. I talk a great deal about the “time of great forgetting” that runs from around the first of May to the end of July.

Over the years I have done my best to help writers become aware of that time and do things to get through it.

End of February, first of March is another bad time as well when the New Year’s resolutions are long forgotten.

But the worst week for writing is the one before Christmas and in the middle of all the different holidays. Brutal for many, many writers.

And even worse for those with families who do not understand or support the writing.

So my suggestion is just get the minimum and be happy. Say if you are in the short story challenge, just get a quick story done and in and forget the rest. For those on streaks, just hit them quickly each day and be aware of the week.

For me, over the years I have learned to use this week or two before Christmas as a clean-up week, finish a few projects, but put no pressure on the writing.

(Notice I am writing this December 24th blog streak post in the middle of the day to get it out of my way instead of doing it late at night like I normally do. (grin))

Writing for me ramps back up after Christmas and hits full speed again on the first week of January with all the excitement of the new year ahead.

So hope you all are having a good holiday season, no matter how you personally celebrate. And go easy on yourself with the writing. The week before the start of the new year is the time to focus on challenges, on streaks, on writing.

And if you want to read the most brilliant post I have ever read about the short story challenge, read Tina Back’s comment on my Great Challenges post. Fricking amazing. And spot on. Thank you, Tina!

Great holiday, folks!