The holidays are here, and if you’re anything like me, you might find this an especially difficult time to write.
With everything going on–traveling, buying gifts, going to parties and other events–it’s easy to see why you may not have as much time or energy to sit down and work on your play.
If that sounds familiar, don’t feel bad.
Sometimes, life gets in the way of writing. It happens to the best of us.
So here are my tips for dealing with a busy time of year without feeling guilty about not writing:
#1 Give yourself some grace.
Recognize that you only have so much hours in a day, and that your life has other priorities than writing.
Sometimes you just won’t have enough time to sit down and write–and that’s OK.
Furthermore, beating yourself up over that isn’t going to help things…if anything, it will only put more pressure on your shoulders during what is already a stressful time of year.
So just accept that you won’t be as productive during this time of year, and be OK with it.
#2 Decide to keep in touch or get some distance.
If you’re not able to write often during this time of year, there are 2 different approaches you can take:
First, you can continue to work on your play in short spurts. Even if it’s not long enough to make significant progress, a 20-minute writing session can be enough to keep your mind “in touch” with your play and what’s going on. You’ll stay connected to it, so that when your free time opens back up, you’ll still be in the headspace to keep working on it.
Or, second, you could take this as an opportunity to get some perspective on your play. Put it in a drawer and decide not to touch it until after the new year. When you pull it back out and reread it, you’ll have a more objective view how you can improve it.
#3 Level up your skills with the PSH Playwriting Course.
Inside the PSH member’s area is a fantastic new course with guidance on how you can write more impactful plays that jump off the page and wow your audiences.
This course has been designed to provide expert playwriting instruction from our very own Playwright-in-Residence, Andy Black, helping you to write more creative and technically sound plays.
If you’re serious about getting your play produced and making a name for yourself as a playwright, this comprehensive course will help give you a leg up on the competition and bring your vision to life onstage.
It’s an especially helpful tool during the holidays when you might not have time to write.
Complete the course between now and Christmas and you’ll find yourself able to write a stronger play in 2024!
