Do Holidays Mean No Writing Work?

We hear comments like this all of the time:

• "You know, editors are on vacation in the summer so there is not need to submit."
• "Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is all about the family. I'll pick up the writing after the holidays."
• "My family is heading to the lake this summer. I'll write when I get back."

These are big mistakes. And, like fireworks, these delays will blow up in your face. 

Look, I fully get we all need breaks every now and then. That is fine. But these extended breaks will truly kill you.

There is an expression in swimming my son always refers to (actually it is his coaches who drill it into his skull). Every day out of the pool is equal to two days out of the pool. For anyone who works out, you know just what I mean. You know that feeling when you took a couple of days off from working out. It hurts!

For those of you with kids, you know now why the teachers scream over and over again to be reading over the summer. Coming back in the fall will simply kill you!

So, do you need to lock yourself away for hours working on your writing at the computer? No. Research some. Go the old school way and write out scenes and ideas free hand (it is called pen and paper for you millennials). Take the paper with you as you sit by the pool. Have a drink and write those hot scenes between your hero and heroine.

Do something. 

I promise you, it will pay off.

As for myself, I am on a plane on the 4th to NY. Will I have my computer with me? Yes. Am I working on proposals for my writers? Yes!