This post is for Alex Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writers Support Group (click the link for details on what that means and how to join. You will also find a list of bloggers signed up to the challenge that are worth checking out. The first Wednesday of every month, we all post our thoughts, fears or words of encouragement for fellow writers.
This month’s insecurity – I’m struggling to write.
It’s the holiday–I know that. My mind is on guests and friends and festivities rather than coming up with blog posts. I usually bludgeon my way through, but this year, I think I’ll sit back and let my energy rebuild for the New Year.
Do you feel less inspired to write over the holidays? Do you fight it or give in?
More IWSG articles:
Is NaNoWriMo Important if I Don’t Care About the Word Count?
Should I Continue My Newsletter?
Why do I get so few sales through Google Play?
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman
worddreams.wordpress.com 
Hard to get motivated for sure
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It isn’t that I don’t have the desire to write, more like I am being pulled in so many other directions. Self-discipline has got to be the main requirement to be a writer.
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I agree, but that takes time. Sometimes, you must be distracted. I’m going to give myself until January and then we’ll see.
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I’ll probably set a day when I will put the novel aside, say between the 15th and 20th.
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Everyone deserves a break. Especially when there’s festivities, loved ones and wonderful food around! Stop struggling….it’ll make it worse! Just enjoy the break & come back refreshed! Unless you’re on a tight deadline…
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I fear the malaise is extending to the December holidays. Sigh. January will be better!
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I definitely struggle to write during the holiday season. I’m struggling in general at the moment, so I might just take a leaf out of your book and take some time off to absorb the magic and start fresh in the new year 😀 That said, I have to force myself to write sometimes, because I know from experience that if I don’t, the ‘dry spell’ will last a long time. I find it hard to get back to it. Luckily, there are prompts for short bursts of writing, which make me feel better about neglecting the novels! They’re good practice too 😀
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I’m glad to know it’s not just me. I have a freelance job due in a few days and am struggling to get into it. Once I do, I know I’ll love it. Sigh.
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It’s difficult to concentrate with so much on your mind. Don’t be too hard on yourself, but if the inspiration to write comes along, I say jump on it. Have a great holiday!
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Thanks! I have a few projects to finish up. That actually will probably get me through December. Once January roles around, I’m usually wide awake again.
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I usually start new projects during the fall, spring, or summer…it’s rare for me to do so during the winter. I’ll probably just revise or edit an existing manuscript during holiday time.
To answer your question, it’s easy to create an account on submittable.com. Both agents and writers can submit. Writers can submit with or without an agent. They just leave in the agent info if they have one. Many magazines and publishers use this website.
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I’ll have to look into it. I don’t hear much chatter about it, so haven’t noticed it.
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Ghads. I’ve been inundated with this and that ALL summer and it’s not slowing down. I miss being here, giving you all my full attention. My attention has been divided, some of it in a GOOD way–I hope. 🙂 -D
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Well tell us-all what’s up, Tess! I miss your pithy, scintillating comments.
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Thanks for asking, Jacqui. I’m simply running off my feet. Look, how worn to the bone they look. 💡 😀
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Hehe
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That sounds like a plan to me. There’s so much going on, sometimes we just have to set writing aside. I’m a freelance writer and I am rushing to get things done for my clients because I know they’re going to slam me with work the first three weeks of December so that they can disappear the last week of the year!
Stephanie
http://stephie5741.blogspot.com
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What an enviable feeling–to know you’re going to be slammed with work. Ah, yes…
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Right now I’m more of a raving maniac. So much to do and I’m barely keeping up. 🙂
Anna from Elements of Writing
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It must feel good to have NaNoWriMo behind you–and successfully. Good job, Anna!
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During this time of the year, don’t even beat yourself up for not writing. Enjoy your family and the season instead. 🙂
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That’s my inclination. I have Office Hours for a tech class I teach–I suspended them for three weeks! Oh yeah. I did leave my email in case anyone was desperate.
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The Holidays definitely present a challenge to my writing schedule. But I’m committed to exercising my writing muscle daiily, even if it’s just a characterization, outline, notes, or whatever. I may write less during the holiday season, but I strive to write daily.
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I agree. I did go a full day without writing when my daughter was visiting over Thanksgiving. I’m surprised I didn’t miss it. But when I got back to it the next day, it was with energy.
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I would love to be writing, holidays or not, but family comes first, and I just don’t have the time to fit everything in. Don’t get me wrong, I love getting ready for the holidays and sharing them with my family. I just wish I had time to write, too.
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Too bad ‘writing hours’ aren’t like ‘reading hours’. I’d so go for that. My kids and I often curl up together with books. Writing takes too much cerebral energy.
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The holidays are super distracting, but I think it gives us a good excuse to procrastinate–and no one can argue with it! 😉
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Ha! I like that. Dress ‘procrastination’ up as a muse and I can fool myself!
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I’ve been so busy with promotional things for my book’s release I’ve barely had time to work on my current WIP (or keep up with blog reading and other social media), and now Christmas is coming and I’m feeling the stress. Not sure when I’m going to get to the baking and everything else. So it’s not so much as a lack of inspiration as it is a lack of time!
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Not to mention that great post you wrote on Carol’s blog. I couldn’t believe how many people had comments and questions. As did I. I’m so impressed with what you’ve done.
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Thank you! Very nice of you to say. I appreciate you stopping by to read it. 🙂
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I have a difficult time staying focused this time of the year, but I’m going to try and press through it. I do think taking a break when the joy of writing has fizzled, is a good thing.
Speaking of Scrivener, I purchased it a couple of months ago, but I haven’t had an opportunity to mess around with it. I’m getting a new laptop and I wonder if I can transfer the program.
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99% of what I hear about Scrivener is positive. The only reason I don’t try it is because I don’t have time to learn it! If I ever do get going with it, I’ll probably kick myself for waiting so long.
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I generally feel more inspired to write. I’ve got more days off from work and I usually have the mornings free. The trouble is that the family books up most of my time during the holidays, so I just end up being frustrated about not being able to write.
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I remember those days. Now that kids are grown and moved across the country and I work out of the house, nothing interferes with my writing (my husband’s a saint who does all the cooking/laundry/gardening/shopping for our two-person family).
So you’re blahs are more about frustration? I’ll go over to your blog and see what you posted for #IWSG.
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If you ever decide to hire your husband out let me know – he doesn’t even have to be a saint if he cooks, cleans and shops.
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Welcome back, Jacqui. I hope you had a wonderful time while gone from here.
I’ve had “the blahs” about just about everything for most of the last year, and you know why. I can’t shake myself out of it and the only thing that really gets me feeling human is being around my family.
When I was a teenager, we had a wonderful dog. If I said to him, “Ive got the blahs,” he would jump up and lick me all over. Now I have grandkids who slather me with kisses and hugs and a hubby and adult kids who indulge and support me.
Blogging is an activity paid only in friendship. Love the community but sometimes it isn’t what we need. There are other things in life and if we don’t experience them, we will have nothing to blog about.
Thanks for this thoughtful topic, Jacqui.
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So true, Shari. My dog’s good for that also, though he definitely is my husband’s dog. I have to bribe him to come visit me (which I do regularly).
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With family commitments, traveling and extra work do to the holidays I often don’t have time to devote to writing. and there are the blahs. I’ve always thought that deciding not to write is a positive action. I know it might sound counter intuitive but deciding not to do something is doing something. And resting is a needed activity. I guess I am saying it’s possible to actively rest.
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‘Actively rest’–I like that. I can do that.
I like your approach of having two disparate hobbies. I used to have that, then writing took over. Something to work on.
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I do suffer from this. There seem to be so many hundreds or thousands of books published every month that the market must be totally overcrowded and so getting anyone to read that manuscript you spent months and years fretting over seems to be a long shot at best.
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Yes. So true. I have three agents/publishers who asked for the mss who I am still waiting to hear from. It’s been weeks. Still, as long as I don’t get a ‘no’, there’s more faith than failure.
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Yeah, I think it’s a good time to give ourselves a break and recharge a bit. The month goes by so quickly anyway. I’m hoping I can recharge and come back better for 2016. Take care and enjoy the holidays!
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Thanks, Julie. I don’t know the statistics, but I’m betting a lot less people visit blogs during December than any other month. I know I do.
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Rest and Recharge. Enjoy the holidays, guilt free, and I think you’ll find it comes easier, after.
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Me, too, AV. I enjoy your first Christmas in your new home!
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Thank you. I doubt if it will be ready by then, so we’ll go back up north to be with family.
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If the force is against you, take a break and enjoy the holiday season I think is best. Personally I was in the midst of working when my scrivener refuses to open and it’s driving me mad. Was in full flow this morning and then an hour spent trying to sort the mess, without success – blah!
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Oooh, I almost never hear problems with Scrivener. Actually, never. That’s frightening. When Word does that to me, I can usually force the issue with Open Office. I don’t know that Scrivener has an option like that.
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I have emailed them regarding my problems and got an automatic response back saying owing to unexpected high number of tech problems they won’t be contacting me for two day!! I’ve explored all options that I can try on my own and only succeeded in locking up the computer. Grrr…patience I know. Although I have the bulk for the first draft saved elsewhere, so many of my notes and other pieces of work are on the system. I’ll need that holiday at this rate!
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That has got to be the worst tech support message I’ve ever heard. Two days because they’re so busy! I hope once you get their folks, they’ll have an easy fix. Hang in there, Annika!
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There are times when you need a break – and your creativity will be the better for it.
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I think that’s true, Colline. I have most of my December posts mapped out so autopilot will work pretty well.
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I seem to have the Blahs this holiday, didn’t quite know the word to call it – so now I do! It’s a start…
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I must say, your posts never reflect that. Love everything you do over there.
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I do try to keep my personal emotions out of the posts. The comments are me.
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