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Writing During the Holidays: Survival Mode for Writers
If you’re trying to keep a writing habit alive while the holidays are doing their annual impression of a runaway train: welcome. This post is your “minimum viable momentum” plan—so you can keep the story warm without turning December into a guilt festival.
Table of contents
The truth about holiday productivity
Holiday weeks aren’t “normal weeks with extra sparkle.” They’re broken routines, emotional load, travel, social obligations, weird sleep, and the mental overhead of being a human around other humans.
So here’s the mindset shift: your job in December isn’t to sprint. It’s to avoid losing traction.
The “minimum viable writing” rule
Pick a writing target so small it’s almost insulting. Seriously. Not because you’re lazy—because you’re protecting continuity.
Minimum viable writing (choose one)
- 10 minutes of drafting (timer starts, fingers move, done)
- 1 paragraph that advances a scene
- 1 page of revision or tightening
- 5 bullet notes for the next scene (not “research” — actual story notes)
If you do the minimum, you win. If you do more, you win twice.
7 survival-mode tactics for writing during the holidays
1) Make a “same time / same place” anchor
Don’t build a complicated routine. Pick one anchor and make it stupidly repeatable: “coffee + chair + 10 minutes” or “after shower + laptop + 1 paragraph.”
2) Write before you consume
Ten minutes of writing before social media, email, or news is a cheat code. Once your brain is full of other people’s problems, your story gets evicted.
3) Use a gentle timer (not a punishment timer)
The Pomodoro® Technique is often summarized as “25/5,” but the creator emphasizes it as a full system—not a grind tool. If 25 minutes is too big, shrink it. Your goal is awareness and sustainability. (Pomodoro® Technique official site)
4) Switch modes: “capture” days vs “create” days
Some days you won’t have creative bandwidth. Fine. Make those “capture” days: jot dialogue, outline beats, list sensory details, write the scene’s emotional purpose. You’re still moving the story forward.
5) Reduce stress with smaller chunks (yes, this counts)
Breaking a big task into smaller tasks is a straightforward, evidence-aligned stress tactic—because it lowers the “too big to start” barrier. (NHS stress tips: split up big tasks)
6) Name the burnout spiral before it names you
Burnout is commonly described (in occupational contexts) as a response to chronic stress that hasn’t been successfully managed. If your writing starts feeling like a failing grade, it’s time to downshift, not self-attack. (WHO: burn-out as an occupational phenomenon (ICD-11))
7) Keep one “proof of identity” streak
Don’t try to keep everything. Keep one streak alive: writing, walking, hydration, sleep, prayer/meditation—whatever makes you feel like you. Writers don’t just need time; they need steadiness.
If you can protect one tiny writing session a day (or even 4–5 days a week), you will start January already moving. That’s the whole game.
Bonus: use this to keep urban fantasy momentum
If you write urban fantasy, “capture days” are secretly powerful: collect modern sensory details, overheard phrases, and small real-world tensions—then let the supernatural layer press against them later.
Quick internal links (because discoverability matters)
- The Observer (Book 1)
- The Demon (Book 2)
- Reviews
- Spirit Type Test
- Newsletter / Blog
Want a fast taste of the series? Grab the free 7-chapter preview here: Get the free sample.
The January re-entry plan (do this once)
A 15-minute reset that saves your next month
- Write 5 bullets: what happens next in your story.
- Pick your next scene’s purpose (reveal, escalate, reconcile, betray, escape).
- Set a 3-day target: three minimum viable sessions.
- Put those sessions on your calendar like appointments.
That’s it. You don’t need a new personality. You need a runway.
Sources
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