This week: Winter Creativity Edited by: Kit  
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What are your creative projects this winter? Or, if it is summer where you are, do you find yourself writing less?
Winter is a great time for writing. Or perhaps it is time to sort your port!
This week's Drama Newsletter is all about good activities for the time of the year.
Kit |
It’s winter in my part of the world. Early darkness, cold, snow, ice… The cats aren’t impressed. The garden birds are getting rather demanding – a couple even hover by the garden door if I am not quick enough refilling their feeders. I used to like the winter. It’s a perfect excuse to slow down a little, spend time on indoor hobbies, and of course I get to wear my cosiest hoodies. This year, though, I’m already looking forward to spring. And we’ve only just begun.
Perhaps it’s because of the storm last year. It was winter then, too, and we were without power for five whole days, nearly six. We had no electric, no heating, no hot water, no way to cook. The temperature inside the house was -7°C (19.4°F). That’s nearly as cold as a fridge. Ever since then, I really dislike the cold. And it has been cold these past weeks, with much more to come. Thankfully, my heating’s fine now, but still…
Sometimes I think it’s a shame that we humans are not a hibernating species. If we were we could eat as much as we wanted during most of the year, getting nice and round, and then we’d just hibernate during the cold months. Of course, spring does bring out the bugs and the big spiders – at least winter’s better when it comes to that – but I love to watch the trees come back into leaf, and before long the lambs will be bouncing in the fields, and I’ll get to pet the new-born calves. Unfortunately, we’re months away from that still.
So how to get through the winter? I got myself some nice new books. Curling up with a blanket around me, a cat on my lap, and a good book is something I will always find joy in. I’ve got both fiction and non-fiction waiting for me. I love the current trend of beautiful editions – lovely covers, wonderful art, sprayed edges – so it’s not just enjoyable to read the stories, it’s also nice to collect the books and have them look pretty on my shelves.
I haven’t done much writing last year. I started off well enough and then… it just didn’t happen. I am not sure why. Or, last year was rather stressful. Lots of health problems in the family, a family death, and my own health hasn’t been great. None of that inspired me to write. It is my hope that this year will be better, starting with this winter. I have a few story ideas, some in a whole new genre and direction than my usual writing, so we’ll have to wait and see.
I want to overhaul my Writing.Com portfolio. Go through my writings, my contests, my events. See what to keep and what no longer serves me. I have been on this website for nearly 22 years, so it’s about time I have a proper look. It is my experience that portfolios can get messy and less easy to navigate over time, both for visitors and for yourself. If guests to your portfolio cannot easily find material that they might like to read (and possibly review), they may just leave and be less likely to return. If you create a welcoming, guest-friendly environment, they are more likely to stay and plan future visits. It makes it nicer for you as well, if you know where everything is.
I also want to enter some contests and events. Checking out contest prompts can be an excellent source of inspiration, and events – especially the longer-termed ones – can help keep the flow going. I may be weird, but I quite like working to deadlines. Even though I’m a procrastinator. I guess it’s nice to have something that holds me accountable, even in a small way.
I may enter some off-site contests, too. If that is something you are tempted by, please check who is hosting the contest, especially if there is an entry fee. Unfortunately, not every contest organizer is legit. It’s worth taking the time to check if it is what it appears to be. I also recommend checking out their rules regarding copyright, to see what they want to do with your work and for how long, and of course the ownership of your work needs to remain firmly with you.
Other than that, I really am waiting for March. My birthday, the start of the new Formula 1 season, new life in my garden, baby bats, and the garden birds will stop eating me out of house and home.
If it is winter where you are, how are you spending it? And if it is currently summer in your part of the world, I hope it is not too hot! Yes, like a proper Brit, I complain about the heat as well as the cold…
Kit
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The Drama Newsletter Team
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Drama: January 07, 2026 Issue [#13537]
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