I am not sure if anyone else noticed but the world seems to
stop normal functions during the holidays. Black Friday, while being the
craziest shopping day of the year, is also the day the entire world seems to
speed up (and not in a good way) . Time flies twice as fast. We are all working
on Christmas shopping, holiday planning, parties, travel…the list goes on and
on.
As a writer, this time of year wreaks havoc on my flow. You
all know what I am talking about. We as writers are really creatures of habit
and during the holidays ‘habits’ i.e. sanity, flies out the window with the
reindeer.
So as this year I cannot
get off track I decided to give this some thought and share my plan of action
(in case anyone else is in need) It is after all the season of giving right?
First and foremost (and this is a little late in coming) do
as much as possible before it hits. Black Friday is your target date….okay fine you can have until December 1st
but not a minute more! Pre write as many blogs, and articles needed to het
through until January. Many of us have blogs that will allow you to ‘schedule’
a post. Do it! Santa knows we will forget! Oh
don’t shake your head in innocence you know you will…
Also you are going to need to add a few things to your
shopping list this weekend as we are going to create an emergency kit (you know
like an earthquake kit, but this one is for your muse.) Here is what I suggest…
Notebooks - I
suggest three sizes small, medium and large. One to fit any scenario you find
yourself it. For example, you are going to walk through the neighborhood at
your Mom’s with the kids and then eat some yummy chili. Grab the small
notebook, pen, and put them in your back pocket. If the muse strikes you are
prepared.
Pens, pencils and a
editing pen - Always, always, always…
Pocket Thesaurus and MP3
player - there are times when my muse is whispering in my ear but I just
can’t quite hear what she is saying. Music always helps translate and believe
it or not sometimes I can thumb through a thesaurus, see a word and lightning
strikes! Great for waiting in line for Santa, or rides to and from holiday
parties (as long as your not driving). Pick something small that will help cue
the flow no matter where you are.
Pack of Gum/ Tic-Tacs
/ Pick me up Drink - these are all for various reasons, to keep you from
chipping your holiday nails (if you tend to gnaw while thinking), jumpstarting
your brain after too much turkey, a smack of rejuvenation after spending five
hours at the mall for one present or to keep the kids sated for at least five
minutes so you can think in a straight line.
Reusable Coffee Cup /
Book Light - These are specifically for those of us who will be doing a lot
of car shuffling. The book light is for the late night drives back, so you can
jot items down or review your notes when the children finally dose in the back
of the car. (again, please not while driving). The coffee cup is so no matter
where you are if you see a convenience store you can run in and get some
coffee. Why the reusable cup? If you are anything like me you drink a lot of
coffee. This will reduce the garbage in the car you have to clean out come
January. (oh and it is better for the environment, 7-11 has travel cups for 2$)
Calendar / Spare Phone
Charger - we all live by schedules and most of us use a calendar to keep
track of deadlines. Make sure you have yours handy at all times this time of
year. I cannot tell you how many panic attacks could have been avoided if I
would have brought one. Many of us have them on our phones which is awesome.
Just make sure you can access it so when in doubt you can check if the guest
blog posting is due tonight or tomorrow (when in actuality it is due next
week). The spare charger is just in case. When things get hectic this is one of
the first things we tend to forget, so keep a spare to plug in no matter where
you are.
Last, a bag to put it all in. Most convenience stores are
selling eco-friendly shopping bags for 99 cents. Most have handles and are
pretty durable. Buy one and keep all your stuff in the back of the car so you
will always have it when needed.
If you are able, I would also recommend a mobile program
called Evernote. I have this for all my devices and I love it. It is basically a
thought organizer. You can put in on your phone, tablet and also have it for your
desktop. They can sync and keep everything up to date. You can create new
tasks, make lists, set deadlines and reminders right from your phone. You can
also attach documents to Evernote so if you are on the road and need to review
a document if you put it in your Evernote at home on the computer, you can
bring it up on your phone and review while on the run.
So that’s the list, customize it as you will, just make sure
you are prepared! You never know when your best ideas will strike and you don’t
want to be writing on wrapping paper with a crayon or eyeliner from the bottom
of your purse. (you know you’ve been there).
Happy Holidays!
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