The holiday season is a whirlwind, isn’t it? Between gift shopping, family gatherings, decorating, and baking enough cookies to feed an army, it’s easy for creative pursuits to take a back seat. But as a writer with looming deadlines (and characters that refuse to leave me alone), I’ve had to figure out how to carve out time for creativity even in the midst of the chaos. Spoiler alert: it’s not about doing more—it’s about making little adjustments that help creativity flourish during this festive season.

As the air gets colder and the days grow shorter, nature has this way of slowing down that just feels... right. December and January almost feel like an invitation to do the same—to cozy up, settle into a slower pace, and embrace a season of “creative hibernation.” In a world that’s all about constant hustle, the changing seasons remind us that hitting pause every now and then isn’t just okay—it’s necessary. Slowing down can actually refuel our energy, spark fresh ideas, and help us reconnect with what really matters.

I was chatting with a couple of writer friends this month about the ebb and flow of seasons in our lives. And as my outside world shifts from summer to fall, I couldn’t help but think about the parallels between the changing seasons and the different phases of the writing process. Just as nature and life has its rhythm, so does our creativity. There’s a season for everything, and understanding where you are in your writing journey can bring a sense of peace and purpose. If the physical seasons were writing seasons, this is how I think they would go: