✨ Rewild & Wind Down Your Writing Year: Part 4
Writing During the Holidays… If You Want To
This time of year can feel like a creative tug-of-war:
Part of you wants to write.
Part of you wants to rest.
Part of you feels guilty no matter what you choose.
The holiday season is packed with:
social energy
family dynamics
sensory overwhelm
disrupted routines
travel
cooking
emotional spikes
exhaustion
nostalgia
expectations
It’s no wonder your writing rhythm gets thrown off.
So, let’s start here:
🌿 **You don’t have to write during the holidays.
Not even a little.**
Resting is allowed.
Stepping back is allowed.
Choosing peace is allowed.
Doing nothing is allowed.
And if anyone needs permission to ease off the gas —
sweetheart, it’s you.
But if you want to write during this season?
There are ways to do it that won’t drain you.
Let’s explore both paths.
🌱 If You Don’t Want to Write (Zero-Guilt Version)
This might be your truth if:
you’re exhausted
your nervous system is worn thin
you’re hosting or traveling
family stress is high
grief is resurfacing
winter depression is creeping in
you’ve been pushing yourself all year
In that case?
Put your writing down gently and walk away.
Your creativity won’t disappear.
Your ideas won’t dissolve.
Your draft won’t hate you.
Your muse won’t file a complaint.
Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for your writing life…
is give it space.
Rest IS a creative act.
✨ If You Do Want to Write (The Low-Spoons Method)
Here’s the truth:
Most writers don’t need long sessions this time of year.
They need short, meaningful, gentle touchpoints.
So instead of trying to “make progress,” try one of these:
1. The 10-Minute Holiday Write
Set a timer for 10 minutes.
Write one paragraph, scene, or idea.
Stop when the timer ends.
No pressure.
No goal.
Just connection.
2. The Cozy Notebook Method
Don’t open your laptop.
Just keep a notepad or journal nearby.
When a thought hits you, jot it down.
That counts.
It absolutely counts.
3. The “One Thing Only” Rule
Choose ONE thing each session:
one sentence
one idea
one moment
one detail
one character thought
Stop after that one thing.
4. Reading as Writing
Reading fuels your writing life.
A chapter counts.
A page counts.
A few lines count.
Reading is part of your craft.
5. Writing as Companionship
You don’t have to “produce.”
You can:
journal about your characters
brainstorm ideas
reread a scene
doodle your world map
write a letter to your future writer self
Creativity is not limited to drafting.
🌄 The Truth of Holiday Writing:
Writing during the holidays is not about productivity.
It’s about staying connected in a way that feels comforting — not exhausting.
And if the most comforting thing you can do is NOT write?
Then that’s the right choice.
You are not losing progress.
You are not falling behind.
You are not failing your story.
You are tending your life so that your writing can flourish afterward.
Next week, we talk about:
“Realistic Goal Setting for 2026 (No Hustle, No Shame)”
Mama Bear is already sharpening her pencils for that one.
With warmth and a mug of something cozy,
~ Stacy 🐻💛
The Mojo Mama Bear