The busy December season is here. Many of us don’t have time or energy to sit down and write whole stories or chapters. But we can collect bits and pieces to craft later.
December is filled with rich imagery, memorable experiences, and traditions that connect past and present. In the same way you would take photos of December moments, you can capture pieces of writing too. Just a few notes of descriptions, reflections, feelings:
- Lights, sounds, smells, weather.
- A moment that makes you smile.
- A quotable comment at a Christmas gathering.
- A reminder of a past event you want to write about.
- Any little moment that you might want to weave into your writing later.
You can jot down ideas quickly in your phone notes app. Or speak them into your phone voice recorder. Write them on a sticky note or napkin. Even photos with a tag or caption can prompt later writing. Do whatever works best for you.
It takes less than a minute to collect a December highlight while it’s fresh, so you can write about it later. Simple notes, without polish or embellishment. Enough to spark your memory when it’s time to write.
In January, when things settle down, you’ll have seed material to shape into stories, blog posts, essays, or devotionals. It’ll be a fun way to relive your great December moments or traditions that connect with old-time memories. And you’ll have a wonderful boost for your next writing steps.
To get started: This week, capture one sound, one smell, one small moment. Just enough detail to remember, to recreate the scene in your mind later. Keep those moments in your notes, and tuck them away for a fun January writing session. Then just be fully present now and enjoy being in those moments.
Janet Eriksson 