Wishing you a beautiful Christmas.

One thing I always wish for our Art of Writing writers is time to write over the holidays. Not necessarily hours at a desk, not even grand resolutions. Simply pockets of time where you can hear your own thoughts. Oh, wouldn’t that be divine! Time to scribble, reflect, start something new or return to something you abandoned months ago. Writing needs space. And Christmas, at its best, can offer that.

Also, just to say, I do believe that Christmas matters, regardless of faith. Because Christmas and New Year marks a moment in the year when many people slow down. Often people reconnect, reach out, forgive, soften old edges or decide to move forward differently. I adore the Christmas collective pause.

That said, let’s be honest. Christmas is relentlessly family-focused, especially on television and in films and that really, really bugs me. Not everyone has a family.

So, here’s the part I care deeply about saying: you get to make your own family. Friends, creative communities, neighbours, writing groups, people who see you and show up for you. They are your chosen kin!

Whatever shape your days take, I hope you find moments of connection and kindness. And if you do nothing else, give yourself permission to write. Even a sentence. Especially a sentence.

A final thought.

Most of the time, as I coach, edit, ghost and mentor, I am 100% always mucking around with how the writer has constructed their scene. It is usually clear that with a bit of knowledge they could have built their scene with a sharper lean towards hooking their readers. That’s what we must learn to do. Engage our readers.

So, with that in mind…lob into our total drill down, lock down, laser focus Craft Clinic on Scene Making.

Book into our 2/3 hour Zoom workshop on Making a Scene

The Art of Scene – Crafting Vivid, Emotionally Charged Moments.

Workshop Details
Date: Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Time: Sydney 7:00 PM (AEDT); London 8:00 AM (GMT); Central Europe 9:00 AM (CET)
Location: Live on Zoom (link provided after booking)

Early Bird: $99 AUD or €55.34 if booked more than two weeks in advance
Cost: $120 AUD or €67.14 per participant
Bonus: Downloadable guide “5 Questions to Unlock Every Scene” (sent 24 hours before our session)

And check out these 2/3 hour Zoom sessions too:

• March 17, Memory into Memoir: shaping real experience into compelling narrative.
• April 14, The Major Dramatic Question: identifying and sustaining the central tension that keeps readers turning pages.
• May 12, Character and Conflict: understanding what your characters want, and what stands in their way.

Early Bird Bundle: $360 AUD if booked by 31 January 2026

Wishing you a new year that makes room for your voice.

Lisa