Dreams rarely die in a single moment.
No, most dreams die slowly, until like smoke, they drift away.
I do not have a green thumb. My house is where plants come to die. I forget to water, feed or give them the correct amount of sunlight. In other words, I fail to give a plant the attention it needs to thrive.
Lack of attention will kill a dream
That’s how a story dies too. The holidays sidelined my writing. I set aside my WIP to cook, clean and get ready for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving passed and so did another week. Now Christmas is upon us and next will be New Years.
A couple of days will soon turn into a couple of months. And here I sit. My muse is still whispering in my ear and my characters haunting my sleep. So, no excuse except I dropped my habit of writing every day. More fun to shop for gifts, eat, binge watch holiday movies or curl up with a good book in front of a roaring fire. Sigh…
Habits are hard to start but easy to break.
Life gets in our way and we stop writing. How to avoid the holidays sidelining your dream of finishing that novel?
- Steal a few minutes to write just 50 words.
- Do a quick brain dump of ideas. (I like to use colored sticky notes.)
- Organize those ideas.
- Write. Write every day. If you’re like me, those 50 words will turn into 100 and then 1000 words. Soon you’re writing habit will return.
Sometimes a break from writing is unavoidable and necessary. No one wants to experience burn out. But as with all things in life, moderation is the key.
Don’t let your writing break kill your dream of becoming an author.
Keep writing.
Want to read more inspiration on getting back in the writing? Click and read the links below.
Does your writing get sidelined by the holidays?
How do you keep your writing momentum?
Do you write every day, even throughout the holidays?
How often and for how long do you take a break from writing?
How to Keep Writing Day After Day Without Quitting (Even When You Don’t Feel Like It) By Ayodeji Awosika
This is What Happens When You Take a Break from Writing By Lindsey Lazarte
Taking a Break from Writing By Jennifer Ellis
3 Reasons You Should Take a Break From Your Writing by
PLEASE TAKE ANOTHER MINUTE AND LOOK ME UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY CLICKING ON THE LINKS BELOW.
AND STOP BY JEAN’S WRITING ANYTIME, I’LL LEAVE A LIGHT ON. 

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I’m not writing very long during my sessions this month but I am writing almost every day. Yesterday with the first day I’ve missed. For unfathomable reasons, at least for me, I never dream about my WiP in any shape or form. This isn’t to say I don’t dream because I do. Still, I would welcome some dreams story-related. I’m thinking I would struggle so much at the keyword if I had a dream or two.
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The problem with a late night haunting by my characters is that by morning I’ve forgotten it all. LOL
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Or, you can get completely whacked upside the head!
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Oh yeah, there is that. 😦
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Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
Check out this post from Jean’s Writing Blog that asks How do you kill a dream?
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Thanks Don
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You’re welcome.
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I’m a most days kind of writer, but I definitely do get sidetracked with the holidays. I like your idea of starting with just 50 words, though. I often set a timer and freewrite for that short amount of time when my writing habit gets stuck.
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I like your idea of a timer but I’d have to have one that didn’t tick. LOL
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