The One Big Lesson from My Holiday Writing Break
Is taking a two-week pause helpful or hurtful for writers?
Like many writers, I’m always seeking new ways to improve my craft.
Most of us want to enhance our prolific prose to maximize readership and engagement.
That’s why I experimented with taking a two-week break from Medium, and all writing, between December 20th and the start of the new year.
I wanted to learn how this time away would affect my writing. I had written on Medium once every other day in November, on average, and thrice a week in December. I also repurpose some articles for other digital media platforms.
Before my hiatus, I published a piece on Medium posing five questions related to the pros and cons of leveraging a writing “time out” from around Christmas through New Year’s Day.
I was interested to discover what insights my fellow writers could offer about whether this was a good idea. They say it takes a village and, luckily, some of my fellow villagers provided astute advice.
I was eager to learn if a half-month vacation from writing would help or hinder my progress.
Lessons Learned
So, what did I learn during my time away from the keyboard?
What great knowledge do I now have to share with my fellow writers? Well, let’s just say the answer is anticlimactic.
Although I’m sure you have heard this sage advice many times before, I think it’s worth reiterating for purposes of my little experiment:
Consistency is key for writers, at least for me.
When I began to write again last Monday, I was thrown off my game to an extent. I returned from the holidays feeling less clear-headed and in a rut of sorts.
But that’s a small price to pay for a little time off, right? What did I do to rebound from my writing funk?
I picked myself up, dusted myself off and started all over again, as the song says. Thus, I expect to be fully back on track by next week with some new and intriguing topics.
I learned that even a relatively short break from my writing routine proved more detrimental than beneficial.
The 5 Questions
Now that my high school science experiment is over, I can revisit the wise words some fellow writers had for me two weeks ago — albeit with newfound wisdom.
About a dozen people responded to shed light on the five questions I had asked about whether a writing pause over the holidays is a good or bad idea. Their answers ran the gamut.
So, what did fellow writers have to say? Some of their comments follow…
Keep Writing
I should have heeded the advice of Stephen Sovie, who advised:
- “I plan on doing business as usual during the holidays, except for adjusting the time of day on here, on Christmas Eve and Christmas.”
- “On Thanksgiving, I presumed there would be little or no activity, but I continued my routine as usual. That day I experienced the highest number of views and reads I ever had.”
- “I guess we have to realize that not everyone celebrates the same holidays as we do.”
I should have listened to Mike Grindle, who responded: “I’m still writing, but mostly working on some longer pieces scheduled for after the new year.”
Nicole Kinkade shared this nugget: “I took the 24th and 25th off, but I’m back to my regular schedule. I’ve always loved writing during the last week of the year. It’s a time of reflection and planning.”
Marcus Musick counseled: “I plan to write whenever I have time, but I most likely won’t be as active on some days.”
Mazlan Abbas chimed in: “I write more during the holidays because I have more time.”
On the Flipside
Others who graciously took the time to reply realized the neutrality and/or benefits of some time off from writing.
bluesapphire observed: “I don’t think a writing break affects your comeback on this platform. I’ve done it before, and it worked well for me. The stats eventually come back. The break serves as rejuvenation, and you come back with new ideas and style.”
Douglas Wrucke looked at it a different way: “A lot of people have time off for the holidays and some of them will use that to read even more articles.”
Nabila Asif Life Lesson Writer commented: “I think we should give more time and importance to our family during holidays. And some time should be reserved for us so that we can fulfill our responsibilities.”
Julia Kalman responded: “Your reflection on balancing writing commitments during the holiday season resonates deeply. It’s a reminder that flexibility and self-compassion are key during such times.”
Kristen Caven observed: “I’m taking a break because I need one…focusing on human interactions and catching up on my reading!”
Striking a Balance
I ultimately agreed with those who recommended striking a semblance of balance between some writing versus none at all.
Although this approach appeals to me the most, every writer is different. I’ll just have to wait until the next extended holiday break to find out for certain. But at least now I have greater insights.
Oksana Kukurudza's Sunflowers Rarely Break noted, “It’s my first holiday season on Medium and I have been trying to answer these questions for myself. I have decided to do a little writing and reading over the holidays on Medium. So, I will call it a scale back but not a decompress.”
Nicole Vames Sloane opined: “I think the extent to which one writes during the holidays is an individual choice based on how busy the writer will be during that time.”
“Write if you can but don’t force yourself. It’s all contingent on one’s time constraints.” — Nicole Vames Sloane
Final Thoughts
The time away from Medium helped me learn more about myself as a writer, which will be useful during the next extended holiday break.
When is that anyway?
The Medium community helped answer my ultimate question of whether fleeing my writing routine for the holiday break would prove helpful or hurtful.
It’s important to note, again, that every writer is different, of course. We all have our unique strengths and weaknesses. What works well for some writers may not work well for others.
Some of us can switch up our writing routines with no problem, while others — like me — well, not so much.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: In case you missed it, kindly check out my 2024 message for the ILLUMINATION community…