FINDING THE “COZY” IN THE WRITING LIFE (IWSG Post)
Image by Allison Christine | Unsplash.com.
Winter’s magic is quiet and dark.
It’s a soft bed at midnight, one full of downy comforters and thick blankets that beckons while the wind howls outside.
It’s awakening to find a deep snow has fallen, sliding our feet into snow boots to walk while we admire the way it graces every branch and bough, to embrace the gentle hush of winter.
Winter is cold and darkness, quietude and night. From a symbolic perspective, it’s the sleep that incubates future dreams. Leaves wait in branches to burst forth. Seeds and bulbs sleep in the frozen ground.
As someone who suffers from seasonal depression, I get the winter blues. Or sometimes just the winter blahs. Between the long nights, the cloudy skies, and the bracing cold, it can be hard to find the silver lining.
That’s why discovering hygge has been such a blessing for me. A cornerstone of Danish living, it burst into mainstream American culture a few years ago.
Pronounced “hoo-ga,” this Danish concept cannot be translated to one single word but encompasses a feeling of cozy contentment and well-being through enjoying the simple things in life.
I devoured books on the subject (The Cozy Life: Rediscover the Joy of the Simple Things Through the Danish Concept of Hygge by Pia Edberg is one of my favorites, if you’re looking for recommendations).
Hygge fits seamlessly into the lifestyle my husband and I are creating for ourselves, with an emphasis on simple living and quality time, enjoying life’s simple pleasures, whether a cup of tea or a long walk in the woods.
Finding the “Hygge” in Writing
This year, I’m trying to bring those hygge concepts into my writing life as well. Can I enjoy a cup of a favorite tea blend while writing? Cozy up in the armchair in my office with a soft blanket and a candle burning while I read through a final draft of my upcoming release? Reward myself with a cup of cocoa after a length writing session?
At its core, such a lifestyle is about contentment and gratitude—the wellsprings of true happiness. I’m a very goal-driven person (the countless vision boards, word-count bullet journal pages, and sales tracking spreadsheets I’ve created are proof of that).
But when I show up at the page, I just want to sink into the story. I want to be fully present in that moment with my characters. Because if I’m fully present, hopefully the reader will be too.
This season, with its biting winds and snow flurries, with its twinkling lights and mugs of cocoa, reminds me that the writing journey itself is a gift. To sit in my small but cozy office, with its amethyst-hued walls, its rows of beloved books, pens and pencils in their mason jar, candle’s flame flickering while I craft stories about witches and faeries and shifters, wild magic and sensual romance, small towns and otherworldly realms…that’s a gift.
And in that space, a mug of something hot steaming beside me while I spin tales, I am fully present. The wind howls. A few stray snowflakes drift to the frozen earth.
The heat clicks on. I’m wearing slippers and yoga pants, a favorite sweatshirt that declares “wanderlust” above a screen-printed mountain range.
But at that moment, I’m in another world, a conduit for my characters.
And I perfectly content, perfectly cozy, enjoying the simple thrill of writing my characters’ story, word by word.
What about you? What are your feeling about winter? Love it? Hate it? Indifferent? Live somewhere tropical where snowsqualls aren’t much of an issue? How do you stay warm and cozy while you’re writing during the colder months?
Coming Soon: Tangled Souls (Witches of Willow Creek: Tangled Magic #3)
A bit of excitement before I go: Tangled Souls is almost here! I’m doing last-minute proofreading changes before it’s formatted, after which it will be available on most major retailers, hopefully late next week or early the following (Dec. 10-15 range).
The purpose of the IWSG is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!