Post-Thanksgiving

Welcome back from Tryptophan land.

There's just a couple of days left in November, so if you're doing a NaNoWriMo, it's crunch time. And I'm not talking about the Snap-Crackle-Pop kind of crunch, either.

If you're not doing NaNoWriMo, you're preparing for December holidays, and possibly trying to figure out how to fit writing between all those holiday parties. Here's a hint or two:

*Vary your writing time. There's nothing wrong with waking up and writing to the sunrise. An extra 30 minutes in the morning has the added bonus of having that "deadline" feel - I have to go to work in 30 minutes, so I'd better get my writing done now. And if you can't get up in the mornings, don't be afraid to squish a little writing in mid-afternoon, or over lunch hour.

*Schedule yourself a day to write. It's okay not to accept every invitation - the brain needs downtime, and if you're always pushing yourself, you'll be tired. If you're like me, writing is rejuvenating, so make time for it.

*Take advantage of the minutes. Got a few minutes before meeting a client? Instead of FB, jot down a sentence or two.

*Don't be afraid to vacation - but make plans for coming back. It's okay to take a day or two off writing, as long as you make plans to start writing again. Not good intentions, not promises. Plans. If you're serious about writing, then writing is your second job (or first, if you're lucky.) You can't just not go back to work. So treat writing the same. Schedule your vacations ahead of time, on days you specifically know you won't be able to make time to write. And just like going back to work after a vacation, go back to writing when the scheduled days off are over.

Hope you enjoy your leftovers!