Words Can Wait, Memories Can’t: Writing Through Sick Days and the Holidays
I spent an entire week sick, and honestly, I’m still not 100%.
My cough is kicking my butt.
We came down to Arizona for the holidays—this is where I grew up—and I’m always so excited to spend time with my family. I look forward to this all year. But this time, it came with a fun little bonus: being sick right before and right into the trip.
And of course, because my brain is my brain, there’s a running soundtrack underneath it all that goes something like:
“You’re behind on your word count for Heart of a Hacker.”
“You had goals.”
“You should have pushed harder.”
It is hard enough to stick to a goal when life is “normal.” It’s even harder when something you cannot control (like getting sick) knocks you over, and you still somehow feel guilty about it.
I do have zero days built into my plan, so technically things will balance out. But I was behind before, and I’m more behind now. Add in a busy time of year + traveling + prepping for the holidays, and it’s a perfect recipe for self-imposed pressure.
So today’s reminder—for you and for me—is simple:
Give yourself some grace, even when you feel like you “shouldn’t” need it.
Writing Through the Seasons of Life
One year is a long time.
We talk about yearly goals like they’re just numbers and neat little plans, but a lot can happen in twelve months. Illness. Kids’ schedules. Emergencies. Travel. Surprise opportunities. Burnout. Grief. Joy. All of it.
There will be seasons where you write a lot.
There will be seasons where you honestly don’t remember the last day you wrote a single word.
Writing has to fit into your life, because you cannot always fit life into your writing.
One thing that really helps me is remembering this:
Thinking about your story is still a form of writing.
I am always thinking about my stories. Heart of a Killer, Heart of a Hacker—there are scenes and lines of dialogue and plot twists running in the background almost constantly.
Is that words on the page? No.
But those scenes don’t exist until they form in my head. That counts.
So if you’re traveling, sick, taking care of kids, exhausted, or just not in a drafting season, notice the moments where you’re still “writing”:
when you imagine a new scene
when you figure out why a character is acting a certain way
when you realize the real theme of your book mid-shower
Writing requires think time, and that counts as part of the process.
Let Life Feed the Story
I say this a lot, but it’s worth repeating: get out of your house for inspiration.
The holidays are no different.
If you travel back home to see family—great. If you don’t, find another way to get out of your usual space (house, apartment, etc.) and experience something else.
Go see a movie.
Take a walk.
People-watch in a coffee shop.
Drive around and look at lights.
If you are home with family, lean into that nostalgia and inspiration. We write what we know, often more than we realize.
Use:
the people around you
the places you revisit
the old memories that resurface
the new memories you’re making this year
Let them feed your stories later. You don’t have to be actively drafting to be gathering material.
Body, Brain, and Business: A Quick Check-In
This part is hard for me.
My instinct when I fall behind is to go harder: catch up, stay up late, do whatever I have to do to “fix” it.
But that’s not always the best way to handle it.
Your body, your brain, and your business all matter.
If you don’t feel good—if your body aches (like mine currently does) and your brain is foggy—words may not flow easily, no matter how much you push.
So take stock and be honest:
How does your body feel?
How does your brain feel?
What does your business actually need right now?
If you need rest, rest.
And when you start feeling like yourself again, it can really help to reset your space too:
wash your sheets
wipe your counters
clean your bathroom
clear off your desk
Give yourself that “fresh start” feeling. Sometimes your brain can’t reset until your environment does.
Let Yourself Be Present
I love visiting my family. I’m not exactly exhausted from it—I genuinely enjoy sitting and talking and just being with everyone.
But that does make writing harder.
When I’m here, I don’t want to lock myself away in another room for hours. I don’t want to miss conversations or watching my kids play with their new toys or eating meals together.
So when I do write, it’s:
while everyone else is out (like when my Nana is at physical therapy), or
later at night when the house is quiet and everyone is in bed.
I don’t want to miss out while I’m here, and that matters.
It’s okay not to write for a few days to soak up the memories.
Writing isn’t going anywhere.
But you never know when your last visit with a loved one will be.
Especially if you live out of state like I do, it’s okay—important, even—to give your focus to the people in front of you.
Routine… or Vibes?
Routine is rough on my best day at home. Add travel and holidays and my usual chaos and, yeah, it’s not exactly a schedule-filled planner over here.
The funny thing is, I actually have more of a routine at my grandparents’ house than I do at home.
We’re up, showered, dressed, and ready. I don’t know if it’s just because that’s how they operate, or because their days have a steady rhythm that mine don’t—but I always notice it.
I need to find a way to bottle that and take it home with me.
Right now, though, it’s all vibes.
I’m writing when I can. I’m not going to sacrifice visiting or watching my kids play or eating meals with everyone just to chase a word count. I’m looking for the moments where I can write and taking full advantage of them—but I’m not going to lose out on real life to do it.
The words will wait.
The memories won’t.
If you’re also sick, traveling, overwhelmed, or just not hitting your goals right now, this is your gentle permission slip:
Give yourself grace.
Let life be life.
Notice the ways you’re still “writing” even when there aren’t words on the page.
And when things calm down—even a little—your stories will still be there, waiting for you.
