Taking a break is very important for productivity and to regroup and reassess your priorities as a writer. And there is no better time than close to the end of the year and around Christmas time to start assessing your priorities. But I suggest that you take a few days off before you tackle this difficult and honest undertaking. Christmas is a time to sit down and relax. It is also a time when you can just sit and be. Enjoy some good food and drink. It is when we relax that we get a lot of insights. And I think it is possible to get insights about our productivity and writing career when we are relaxing too. Here are a few benefits of taking a break from writing. 1. You will gain some objectivity about your work. 2. You will become aware of what works and what doesn’t. 3. You may become aware of gaps in your writing career and life that need to be filled. 4. You may be able to re-evaluate your priorities—and what better time to do so. 5. You may even be able to see if you are on the right track with your career. So, enjoy Christmas dear friends. And after Christmas, take the next week just relaxing and re-evaluating your writing goals and priorities for 2013. You will be really glad that you did! Happy holidays everyone! Irene S. Roth Author and Editor