Self Care for Writers During the Holidays
On a recent writers’ Twitter chat discussing the creative process, self care for writers popped up as a side topic. Because how can you be creative if you’re pulled in too many directions, focused on things like work and your family and the upcoming holidays? When there are so many things laying claim to your energy and attention, how can you justify taking the time to write?
The importance of self care is gaining momentum in the world, but this time of year especially, when there are so many demands on our time, it can feel more like selfish care, like everything else is worthier of our attention. But the truth is, if there’s a story inside you, you should tell it. And the only way that will happen is if you make the time.
Self care for writers: Spark your creativity this holiday season.
Kristen’s a firm believer that if you have a story idea, there’s no need to wait for the perfect moment. Everybody has a good story to tell!
While pantsing can be tempting, one of Kristen’s specialties is consulting with writers in the brainstorm and outline stages– she even offers a full outline edit with a one-hour consultation call! It’s time for your story to begin.
How can you make time for writing?
But don’t let this idea of making time add to your stress! If you look carefully, it’s already there. For me, I noticed in September that my calendar was full with places I had to be every day, but almost all of those activities were for other people (and by other people, I mean two certain middle schoolers who need to be driven everywhere). I go wherever my calendar tells me I need to be, so I added the class I like at my gym, and my writing group. Seeing the recurring writing group meeting on Thursday mornings helped eliminate the self-doubt that I should spend my time so (gasp) frivolously. The calendar is for important commitments, so if the writing group is on there, it must be worthy.
At a writing conference last spring, a presenter quoted Jane Yolen’s strategy of “butt in chair.” If you have your butt in the chair every day, you will develop a writing routine. But she also mentioned that some writers can only commit to five to ten minutes every day. You can write half a page in ten minutes. Over time, that adds up!
I Bet You Have Ten Minutes!
During the holidays, it can be especially hard to find the time for yourself. But there will still be ten minutes in there somewhere. Maybe you sit in your car in a parking lot before shopping. Maybe you dictate voice memos of your ideas when you’re at a red light. Or maybe you meet your writing buddies on a Thursday morning at a coffee shop. (And if you need more writing buddies, check out Good Story Learning, and find writers you can meet virtually from your favorite writing spot.)
You can’t control your family, maybe you can’t even control your schedule. But somewhere every few days, you can find a few minutes. Turn the notifications on your phone off. Close your laptop if you have to, and grab a notebook instead. You can’t write a novel in five minutes, but you can describe an idea. A spark. A character. Then, while you’re fully engaged in the holiday shuffle, you can think about what the next idea might be. Think of this time as your free gift to yourself.
The holidays are stressful for everyone. Often we could all use taking a moment to gather our thoughts before jumping into the next thing. The same is true with writing. As you go about your day, at work, commuting, making dinner, let the to-do list go for a minute and think about your work in progress. What would your protagonist think of the holidays? How would your characters react to your in-laws?
Self Care for Writers Means Saying “Yes, I Can!”
Writing is an endeavor where it’s easy to feel less-than. To tell your story, tune out the noise of the outside world. If you’re taking the time to put words on paper or into a doc or dictating to your phone, you’re a writer. You don’t need anyone’s permission. You don’t need to justify yourself, or the time you commit to telling your story.
Schedule ten minutes, a morning, a late night, whatever you can work into your schedule. Maybe keep a pen and notebook by your bed. Instead of reading for ten minutes before falling asleep (You all read before bed, right?), take time to write—maybe a journal entry, a character sketch, maybe the scene of the disaster you witnessed at Target earlier. Maybe you write your goals for the next day, or set a deadline for having your story outlined. (As Robert Herjavec from Shark Tank says, “A goal without a deadline is just a dream.”)
A Cup of Tea? A Desk by the Window? What Does YOUR Self Care Look Like?
How you spend your time is up to you. You can add to your story. Take the time to figure out some of the technicalities. Or maybe, if you’re feeling a little lost and need some inspiration, you can use the time to read a mentor text. After your writing self care time, you’ll feel better, maybe even energized. Definitely less sore than if you’d spent it at yoga. And then, when New Year’s rolls around, you can confidently make a resolution to turn that five to ten minutes into ten to twenty, and go for more days each week.
Committing to your writing is committing to yourself. You have a story to tell. A little self care will make it happen. Do you have other thoughts on self care for writers? Let us know in the comments!
Kristen is passionate about what an outline can do for your full manuscript and offers a rare service: a full outline edit with a one-hour consultation call. Book yours here!
