The Final Push: How to Stick with Your Writing Goals During the Busiest Month of the Year
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December already! If you’re like me, you’re wondering where the heck the past 11 months went.
If you haven’t quite accomplished everything you wanted to, writing-wise – well, you still have the month of December to go.
If you did blast through all your writing goals, congratulations! You can take it a little easier this month. You may even want to start planning for next year.
This is the busiest time of year for many people, so it’s important to be gentle with yourself. It’s great if you can maintain your regular writing practice. But if your schedule is all over the place, then you have to spend a few extra minutes putting your writing time into your calendar, to make sure to squeeze out time for it.
Even if you only write for 15 minutes per day, that’s something. But this is also a terrific time to:
Do some research for a project
Read over your latest project, and make some notes about what you need to do next
Read a craft book
Register for a class starting next year – locally or online (try Gotham Writers, Grub Street, and The Loft offer some excellent online classes; or universities like Harvard Extension School, Stanford Continuing Education, or UCLA Extension)
Plan your writing goals for 2025
Indulge in some Artist Dates – something fun that feeds your creative spirit that isn’t writing
Play with other forms of writing than you usually do
Peruse “best gifts for writers” lists at Writers.com, Reedsy.com, or at Etsy, and buy yourself a treat
There is no shortage of writing-related things to do that will keep you connected to your work.
Or, you may decide to take the month off. I know – heresy for those whose mantra is “write every day.” Sometimes, though, the best way to refill the creative well is to rest. Your work will still be there when you come back in January.
If you do take a break, it helps to make a list of what you want to do when you return. This will be different depending on what stage you’re at in your project.
If you’re starting something brand-new, then jotting down a few notes will help jog your memory – and the time away will help the unconscious to keep creating in the meantime. Or you may make a plan of what research you’ll need to do. Or your next step may be to create an Inside Outline or story map.
If you’re in the middle of or revising a project, then making notes of what comes next will be invaluable. Otherwise, it may be difficult to get started again. Notes will also spur your unconscious to keep percolating on the project – you may be surprised what happens! It’s also, always, a good idea to take some time away in between drafts. You need some distance to be able to see clearly what needs to be done in the next draft.
If you’re getting ready to pitch or publish, now is a great opportunity to research agents, write your query and synopses – or if you’re self-publishing, to create a plan and timeline for what you need to do before you hit “publish.” (Do you need a final edit or proofread? Do you need to have a cover designed? What is your marketing plan?)
Once you’ve taken a little time to plan for what you’ll do when you come back to the page – RELAX! Enjoy your time off, guilt-free. But do have a firm date when you’ll start again, otherwise it’s easy to procrastinate indefinitely.
Any little thing you can do to keep connected to your writing is a good thing. But don’t beat yourself up if it’s not the perfect amount of time to spend, or if you don’t accomplish everything you want to. Enjoy the holiday season, and be ready to come back strong in the New Year.
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