Writing Through the Holidays: How to Stay Creative When Life Gets Busy

From Edie: Learn how to stay focused and creative during the holiday season without burnout. These simple, realistic tips will help writers protect their writing time, enjoy the festivities, and still make meaningful progress on their projects.

Writing Through the Holidays: How to Stay Creative When Life Gets Busy

by Larry J. Leech, II @LarryJLeechII

Oh, the insanity is about to begin. That mad rush to the end of the year. 

• Watching Hallmark movies.
• Holiday travel.
• Cooking holiday meals.
• Baking holiday goodies.
• Christmas plays.
• The parties. Oh, so many parties.
• Wrapping presents.
• Watching the calendar flip from 2025 to 2026.

Some people love it. Others, well, not so much. They’d probably rather hibernate and wake up in March.

Each of the above alone could cause stress. All of them together, well, be wary of someone approaching with a strait jacket in their hands. 

The older I get, the more I must remember that I:

• Absolutely positively prioritize family.
• Meditate.
• Remember the real ‘reason for the season.’
• Can’t ‘do it all.’
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Somehow manage gift-giving.
• Must decide if an event is really important.
• Meet one-on-one with people instead of in large groups.
• Exercise. 
• Remember loved ones who have passed away.
• Respond with kindness.

But, but, but what about that writing-related project, you say? 

Well, give it the attention it needs, obviously without sacrificing time with family or friends. Yeah, I know, it needs done. We all have deadlines this time of the year. Squeezing out the final push of the manuscript is easy for those with a lot of energy. For those who don’t, the added pressure of finishing by a certain date can suffocate creativity and make the process feel like torture.

Don’t despair. You can cross the finish line with determined focus and uninterrupted time. Spend just thirty minutes a day writing or editing. That’s it. One can accomplish a lot in 1,800 seconds. Pick one. Don’t do both. Focus is the key.

Close your email. Get off social media. Put your phone on silent. Crank some music, if that helps. Whatever you do, stay focused. 

Years ago, an author felt the urge to write a novel. A homeschooling mom of four teenagers, she had no clue how to carve out the time to write. After much thought, she explained to the family one night at dinner that she would commit to writing at the top of the hour from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The remaining 50 minutes she would homeschool the kids. Interruptions would be permitted for two circumstances—the kids were killing each other or had set the house on fire. She wrote her novel within a year—ten minutes at a time.

Because she focused.

Give your project the focus it needs so you can enjoy the holiday season doing all the fun stuff you want between now and 2026.

I will do the same. But first, time to kick back and watch another Hallmark movie and see if it has come up with a second storyline. 

TWEETABLE

Writing Through the Holidays: How to Stay Creative When Life Gets Busy from @LarryJLeechII on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Usually with a hot beverage nearby, Larry J. Leech II spends his days working with words—as a writing coach of award-winning authors, as well as Acquisitions Editor and Master Book Coach for Illumify Media. More than forty years ago, Larry started his career as a sportswriter in southwestern Pennsylvania where he covered prep sports, college sports, and the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers. In 2004, after 2,300 published articles, Larry shifted to book publishing. Since that time, he has ghostwritten thirty books, edited more than 450 manuscripts, and coached hundreds of authors through the writing and publication process. For nearly two decades Larry has taught at numerous general market and inspirational conferences nationwide. When he has a minute, Larry likes to hang out on Facebook and Instagram. You can also find out more about him on his website: larryleech.com.

Still Called to Write: Finding Purpose in Your Writing Life as You Age

From Edie: Discover how your calling to write continues with purpose and strength at every age. Be encouraged that God never retires your gifts—your experience, wisdom, and voice matter now more than ever. Keep writing with confidence and joy as you grow.

Still Called to Write: Finding Purpose in Your Writing Life as You Age

by Martin Wiles @LinesFromGod

And now, in my old age, don’t set me aside. Don’t abandon me when my strength is failing. Psalm 71:9 NLT

As a young boy, the thought of being sixty seemed far away. That was the age of grandparents or even great-grandparents. If I imagined myself at that age, I, like Scarlet in Gone with the Wind, would typically say, “I’ll think about that tomorrow.”

Then, it happened. Suddenly, I was there. I began planning for retirement at sixty-two, but the economy went sour, and retirement became a distant possibility. Before I knew it, I approached sixty-four, and my wife planned a birthday party for me. 

Stop “What If-ing” Your Life: A Gratitude Practice for Writers Who Worry

From Edie: Learn how to stop “what if-ing” your life and worrying about the future. This encouraging post helps writers shift from anxiety to gratitude, take life one day at a time, and find peace and joy in the writing journey.

Stop “What If-ing” Your Life: A Gratitude Practice for Writers Who Worry

by Beth K. Vogt @BethVogt

I consider November the month of gratitude.

“But Beth,” you say, “Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November.” (Unless you’re Canadian. Then it’s the second Monday in October. Waving at all my Canadian writer friends.)

But I digress in a friendly kind of way.

Self-Publishing Success: Two Keys to Effective Marketing as a Self-Published Author

From Edie: Learn how to market your self-published book with confidence. Discover relational, authentic ways to share your stories without feeling pushy.

Self-Publishing Success: Two Keys to Effective Marketing as a Self-Published Author 

by A.C. Williams @ACW_Author

When was the last time you got excited about something? 

I mean, really excited. Maybe it was about a movie or a television show or a new restaurant or even maybe a recipe you prepared at home. We can get excited about all sorts of things, can’t we? And when you are excited, what’s the first thing you do?

I guess it’s different for everyone, but for me, when I’m really excited about something, I tell people. 

That, in its most basic sense, is marketing. Marketing is sharing what you’re excited about with someone else who might benefit from it too. 

Why Every Writer Needs a Creative Hobby (And How It Protects Your Writing Life)

From Edie: Discover why creative hobbies outside of writing help prevent burnout, spark fresh ideas, and sustain long-term creativity. Learn how play, rest, and non-writing pursuits can strengthen your writing life and keep your imagination thriving.

Why Every Writer Needs a Creative Hobby (And How It Protects Your Writing Life)

by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

Y’all…I’m in my sourdough era.

I know. I know. 

I do not have time to babysit a starter or schedule my life around dough. I don’t. 

But … I do love fresh bread. 

And … I have this little quirk that means I really love learning new things. 

And … did I mention fresh bread? 

And really, having a hobby that involves entire days where you do nothing but wait for the dough to ferment? I mean, come on. That’s a rather perfect hobby for an author. Right? 

Emotional DNA for Writers: How to Write Characters Unlike Yourself

From Edie: Learn how to write believable characters whose experiences differ from your own by tapping into emotional DNA—your internal library of feelings, instincts, and empathy. This practical guide helps writers create authentic emotional depth, avoid stereotypes, and bring every character to life with honesty and nuance.

Emotional DNA for Writers: How to Write Characters Unlike Yourself

by Sarah Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer

One of the biggest challenges we as writers, both fiction and non-fiction, face is how to write characters whose lives, choices, or personalities are completely different from our own. We create characters, both “good” and “bad” who act in ways we never would. How do you write a serial killer if you’re not one? Or a grieving father if you’ve never lost a child? Or a jealous friend, a corrupt politician, a runaway teen?

It’s not about searching your soul every time you want to put a real villain in your story, since the chances are that you’ve never killed anyone. (And, if you have, I don’t want to know!) It’s about understanding the emotions that drive the bad guys —and recognizing that you’ve felt versions of those emotions yourself, even if you’ve never acted on them. In so many words, you’re lending your emotional DNA to your character.

Publishing Paths for Writers: Understanding Your Options with Traditional Publishing (Part 1)

From Edie: Discover what it really takes to secure a traditional book deal. This practical guide for writers explains agents, proposals, advances, royalties, platform expectations, and how to know if traditional publishing is the right path for your writing career.

Publishing Paths for Writers: Understanding Your Options with Traditional Publishing (Part 1)

by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells

Authors have more choices about how to feature their work than ever before. 

Essentially, the three most common tracks are traditional publishing, hybrid publishing, or independent publishing.

Traditional Publishing