Ack! That is how I feel right now. So many parties, Christmas shopping, house cleaning to get READY for it all. I had fully intended to do some editing on my book during lunch yesterday. THEN I remembered…during lunch I had to 1)Buy a sweater or sweatshirt for the ugly sweater contest at the party I had to attend last night, 2) Purchase ugly things to put on said sweater/sweatshirt, 3) Purchase food for the party (I forgot to make anything), 4) Actually put ugly things on the sweatshirt. My lunch hour was shot. I got back home too late from the party to do any editing. Tonight is church night, so editing might happen, but only a little. Why do we finish up books this time of year? I really, really wanted a Christmas release. I could probably get the first round of editing done, but I can’t expect my beta readers to drop everything this time of year to read my book. I happen to know one of them is extremely busy right now, and the others probably are, too. I think I’ve actually probably lost one beta reader due to the fact she’s so busy all the time.
I don’t believe I’m going to have a Christmas release. The upside to this is that most of my book sales have always been in January and February, because people are finding books to download on their shiny new Kindles, Nooks, iPads, etc. The downside is that most people already own a reading device now, so there aren’t as many new ones, therefore, not so many downloads. It’s not like 2011 when I had GREAT sales in those two months, and one of my books got up to 134 in the Kindle store. There are too many writers publishing now. It’s hard to get noticed. And, I’m totally rambling and getting off-topic. Where was I? Oh, yeah.
So, do you feel like it’s a huge challenge to write or edit during the holidays? How do you handle this? Do you try to schedule some time for it, or do you just throw up your hands and decide to wait until after the holidays?
lauralynnelliott.com 
I read the title of this post as “Eating During the Holidays” – lol, shows what my mind is fixated on.
My sister had her work Christmas party last night and there were prizes for worst holiday jumper (sweater). She attached Christmas tree decorations to her top. 🙂
I managed to get a novella written over the holidays last year, well, the first draft at least, so I’m hoping to do some similar work this time around. Good luck with editing and writing and all the parties, Lauralynn.
Eating is a lot more fun than editing! I posted a pic of the ugly sweater on FB. It had a picture of Uncle Si from Duck Dynasty on it (you probably don’t know who that is).
If I didn’t have a day job, I think I could actually write during the holidays. And have a clean house, too! 🙂
Ah, Lauralynn, you are not alone!! Add in a billion sicknesses (times two little ones), neverending demands from the day job….and my sneaky creative burst in August where I added tremendously to my writing to-do list with a new pseudonym….argh! I’m going to accomplish as much as I can when I can, and I’m determined to be happy with that.
On your book — send it along when it’s ready and I’ll read it as quick as I can. I’m looking forward to it; it will be a good change of pace from my own ridiculous list. 🙂
Aren’t we all just crazy? I’ve decided I’m not going to try for a Christmas release unless everything comes together perfectly. And I’m not going to put pressure on you or others to read it quickly. You and I both would be so much happier if we could do this for a living and quit the day jobs. I actually LIKE my day job (except this crazy exporting stuff we’re working on), but I like writing better.
Huh, I read that as ‘Eating during the Holidays’ and I kept waiting for you to get to the eating part. Now I’m hungry.
As for the editing part, I have a hard enough time getting to that without the extra responsibilities of the Holidays. Good thing there’s no deadline 🙂
What is it with you and Emma and the eating? LOL.
I’ve been trying to set my own deadlines. But this one is iffy because it depends on my beta readers and cover artist. If I get it done in 2013, I’ll be happy. I’m already ready to start my next book.
I’m really lucky in the sense that I have an open enough schedule that I can easily move things around as needed to fit in writing. I need to be better about writing when I have the free time instead of letting myself get distracted by other stuff.
Here’s hoping that everybody gets Amazon or B&N gift cards this Christmas and uses them to buy copies of your book!
My schedule isn’t as bad as some, so I shouldn’t complain. But my full time job takes a lot of brain power, so I’m drained by the time I get home. 😦
Yes, those gift cards SHOULD be used on books, right?
I know what you mean; there are nights I come home and I feel like my brain’s been wrung out and hung up to dry!
The idea that you can use book store gift cards for anything *bug* books is boggling to me.
It’s because Amazon sells just about everything. I’m not sure you can buy a gift card just for books…you can use them on anything they sell. So maybe we need a campaign for buying books ONLY on Amazon.:). But then I wouldn’t have gotten those nifty headphones…. LOL
Oh yeah, I know. It’s more like my gut reaction to a bookstore gift certificate is “Must Buy Books!” — kind of like the Hulk if he was a bibliophile. *grins*
Good luck on getting your editing done.
I’m expecting an Amazon gift card this weekend when we have Christmas with my dad(expecting because he called Monday to ask what we wanted gift cards for;)), and I know I’ll be using it to buy books. 🙂
Thanks, Fallon.
I love it when I get Amazon gift cards. I usually use them for books, too.
Me I pull up the drawbridge three days before the day and do not let it down until after New Year – i do write during that period but i only do so if the urge is overwhelming and prob. not on anything I have been working on – the time is for me, family, relaxation, positively no deadlines and prob. over eating – def. over -sleeping:)
dont think the two can run together – festivities and deadines – way tooo much stress:) -relax – enjoy yourself and make up for it in New Year- all the best:)
I’m going to relax a little more now that I’ve decided I won’t have a Christmas release. That’s also going to put less pressure on my beta readers and my cover artist. I intend to enjoy the holidays!
Over the past week, I’ve been pulling my hair out. LOL It’s been extremely stressful for me. Just when I think I can get something edited or written, I find out I need to pick something up from the store or do something else to get ready for Christmas. Then I’ve been sick for the past week. It’s crazy.
I’ve decided I’m going to slow down with the editing and writing. It’s the only way I’m going to get through it. Send your story over when you’re ready. I could use a nice break from everything.
I know what you mean. That’s one of the reasons I’ve decided I won’t have a Christmas release. Especially if I’m going to have a release party. I think people are just too busy to do much of that right now.
I’m about halfway through my first edit, and I’m not finding too many things I want to change yet I think I’m going to go ahead and add that scene in Chapter One I was thinking of before sending it over. I should be done this week.