Saturday, December 27, 2014

The Party’s Over

Over the holidays, I did something I haven’t done since I started my latest series. I took five days off in a row from writing. That is, I didn’t sit at the computer and put words into the file for Fat Cat #3 (which doesn’t have a title yet). However, it wasn’t completely gone from my mind, except for short stretches of fun with the family.

Things kept popping up in my head and I noted them down. As soon as I could, I would perch on the edge of my office chair and type them into my notes. If that wasn’t possible, I’d stick the paper I had scribbled upon on the stack to the left of my keyboard. That’s my stack for whatever I’m currently working on, for the most part.

I dreaded getting back into the story, but, you know what? It wasn’t that bad. I’m so glad I did take the trouble to jot those ideas down because I used every single one, or will within a day or two.

Friday I did some gift returns, but did manage to get 880 words written. I’ll wait until Monday to do the rest of the gift stuff, I think. Saturday will be a zoo! Besides, I need a whole day to luxuriate in the freedom to write without thinking about the one gift left, the cards to mail, the peanut brittle (which I never did make), and the meal planning.

I love Christmas and love kids and grandkids being here. I also love the relaxation when everything’s over!


Have any of you taken a chunk of time off from writing during the winter holidays? Do you have any tricks for getting back into it?

8 comments:

Cathy Shouse said...

I took a few days off from writing and yesterday I had a newspaper assignment due. A deadline is always a way to "inspire" a person. Lol. My topic was more challenging than usual but I decided the words were coming so slowly, in part, because of my mental break from writing. It took me 3 to 4 times longer than if I had stayed mentally sharpened toward writing.
What I learned: Be gentle on myself or it goes even more slowly (if I mentally criticize myself) and celebrate that I am normally pretty efficient on this very complex task that is called writing.
Learning about our "process" is always helpful in the long run, I have found!

Terrie Farley Moran said...

I only took Christmas Day off from writing, but I am distracted everyday by the holiday hoopla. Should calm down soon.

Kaye George said...

It's hard, I think, no matter how we do it. Keep working or take time off. In the past, I've had much harder times getting back into the swing.

Unknown said...

No rest for Fat Cat. He needs to get in a lot more trouble.

Kaye George said...

That rascal found ANOTHER dead body in book 3!

Morgan Mandel said...

Since I did a Christmas book promo for 5 days leading up to Christmas, I'm now recuperating from that and from having the family over for Christmas.
I do plan on working on one of my books soon, but right now it's take it easy time!

Kaye George said...

I think it's good, maybe necessary, to take time off somewhere along the line.

Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredith said...

Yep, I actually felt like I was on vacation between Christmas and the weekend after New Years.