If you have participated in CSU Writes’ offerings over the years, you know that our advice for writing over university breaks is not “one size fits all;” instead, we encourage you to get clear with your priorities and have a fabulous time making your winter break dreams come true.
If you plan to write over break, you can take it easy by identifying specific goals and outcomes you wish to accomplish by mid-January 2025. The key is not to pressure yourself, as you will be more likely to avoid your writing projects. The goal is to engage with you writing tasks productively and pleasurably. You are on “break” after all. Spend a few minutes early in break to craft realistic list of tasks that can be accomplished in the time you wish to allocate for writing (every day or for a few designated days) over break.
If you plan to take time away from writing for most or all of winter break, you will find it much easier to get back into your writing projects if you spend a few moments at the start of break leaving detailed instructions to your future self on where you will pick up your project or projects again in 2025. What will you need to read first? Who will you need to meet with and about what ideas specifically? What ideas will you percolate over the next couple of weeks? A quick sketch can provide great peace of mind while you are away—know that you will come back to greet your project like a familiar friend.
We are grateful to have written alongside or connected to talk about writing in 2024! You are the writers who build CSU Writes. We can’t wait to reconnect in 2025!