Is anyone else feeling daunted by the weeks ahead? I had three holiday parties this weekend -- one of which I hosted -- a record for this homebody. I'm so full of latkes, cookies, and conversation that I can hardly think, much less write. Looking at the calendar this morning, I realized that I have to give my writing schedule serious thought if I'm to do any writing in the next few weeks. I could just give into it, but I really don't want to. This fall has already been so busy.

My first thought is to take my laptop with me when I travel this year. I'm not able to write creatively on planes so much, but I have a big project to revise. A nice long flight may be the perfect opportunity. And I'm going to *try* to get up earlier in the days before I leave, despite the dark mornings. If I can sit down even a few mornings this week, I'll feel better about my writing.

Most helpful of all, I got an email this morning from my writing partner asking if I could meet tomorrow evening. That'll put writing firmly on the front burner before the holiday stupor takes over completely. Hallelujah for writing community: It's so helpful to have people who remind me of my priorities.

How are you making time to write this holiday season? I love time efficiency tips -- even if I'm not always so great at following them. Tell us what how you're planning to keep writing over the next few weeks.

Earlier this fall, a writer going by rockerz5997 posted this question on the forum: "I'm trying to write a story in diary form, but I'm wondering if I should just switch it to first person because I'm worried about it being too difficult. Any tips?"

Lucy responded, "If I were you, I'd try writing it -- or some of it -- both ways and see how it goes. And more importantly, I guess, see how it reads. It might be easier to write in just normal first person, but it might also read better that way." Since no one else has offered advice, I thought I'd highlight the question here. Has anyone else written an epistolary novel, using diary entries? What were the problems with the form? What aspects worked well?

If writers were big joiners, we wouldn't be spending so much time alone with our computers, right? So parties, and especially office parties, can be particularly painful. I'm throwing down the gauntlet -- to myself and all of you -- to use a holiday party to work on your dialogue. Collect the dialogue at the event, and later, back in your comfort zone, practice developing conversation into dialogue that works on the page. And if you come up with something you're happy with, share it with the rest of us in the forum. (I imagine some of it will be very funny.)

The December 2009-January 2010 writing prompt challenge was inspired by the writing of Russell Edson. Write a prose poem that begins with a fantastic or unbelievable statement. Examples from Edson's work include "A man had a son who was an anvil"; "This is the house of the closet-man. There are no rooms, just hallways and closets"; and "A father with a huge eraser erases his daughter."

One approach to the exercise is to write down a few outrageous comments, freewrite to one or two, and then revise the most interesting ones. Submit the result here (after reading About.com's User Agreement).