Monday, December 22, 2014

Christmas Wishes from the IWSG Team


2014 has been a great year. We saw the IWSG group celebrate our third anniversary, this website saw its first anniversary helping writers across the globe, and the Facebook group has grown to 1790 members, plus the Critique Circle is taking off as well. On top of all that, we also pooled together and released the IWSG Guide to Publishing and Beyond, a free resource for anyone to download.

So, from the IWSG Team, we'd like to thank you for your support and to wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy and productive New Year. May your writing dreams come true and your inspiration and motivation always flow.

We will return here on January 5th and our first IWSG post day will be Wednesday 7th

What do you do over the Christmas season that's not so traditional?
I always... watch Die Hard (best Christmas movie ever), play poker with the family (with one and two cent pieces that go back into the bottle until next year), and eat far too much seafood (the joys of Christmas in Australia). No writing gets done. But I'm okay with that. I view Christmas as a great recharging time.

46 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

We had a busy year!
Not so traditional... Can't think of anything really unusual. Lots of games and puzzles. Someone else said she watches Die Hard at Christmas as well.
Merry Christmas everyone!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

I forgot about Die Hard! We recently watched National Lampoon's Christmas movie - my husband loves that one. :)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

I don't recall seeing Die Hard--I think I saw the second or third only. I'd like to empty my DVR and watch all the movies I haven't had time to see.

Happy Holidays.

Pat Hatt said...

Watch Die Hard and Gremlins every year here too haha

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi, Lynda,

Merry Christmas! And to all the IWSG Team.... What a fantastic group and I've grown so much as a writer because of all the love and support of this group and our community as a whole!

Unconventional... hmmm. That's a tough one, but I'd have to say, escaping for Christmas. I was always one for staying home with family and friends and would never/EVER consider leaving my home for Christmas. But two years ago, after so many sad Christmas' without family, living in a city with few friends, I went to a charming town three hours west of Chicago. Leaving insanely cold and GRAY Chicago was my main goal for Christmas. A client recommended going to Galena, IL.

Well, the moment I arrived there were major, snow covered hills (Chicago is FLAT and was snowless) It began to snow again on Christmas Eve and I couldn't ask for a more beautiful winter wonderland. Christmas day was sunny and cold but I spent the day snowballing. It was AWESOME.

Last year I didn't have the opportunity to escape, BUT TOMORROW I will be packing my bags and leaving GRAY Chicago again on Christmas Eve, hoping to see those beautiful snowy hills once more. We've had no snow at all so far, so I am really hoping to see it in Galena....

Wishing you a and your family a WONDERFUL and HAPPY HOLIDAY!!!!!

J.L. Campbell said...

Yes, indeed, this has been a wonderful year.
Not so sure what I'll be doing other than reading and finding documentaries on strange subjects to watch over the holidays.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Lynda and IWSG team .. thanks for a great year and lots of interesting posts ... I'm here and will be with one of my brother's and family - not large ... as we don't have kids ... and so will I expect be fairly peaceful .. getting ready for 2015 - happy times to one and all .. cheers Hilary

cleemckenzie said...

Three years! Keep up the great work everyone. I've enjoyed becoming a part and I look forward to working with all of you in 2015.

I'm kicking back as of this afternoon. I plan to read. Have friends to dinner. Talk to people across the table and celebrate Christmas very quietly. That's not traditional. May your Christmas be whatever you want and whatever brings you and yours happiness.

LuAnn @ BackPorchervations said...

"This IS Christmas music!" Die Hard is one of my guilty pleasures too! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Unknown said...

Pretty sure everything I do is traditional. BORING!
Ha!
Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays to you all!

dolorah said...

Happy Holidays to all of you here.

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone here at IWSG!

Anonymous said...

IWSG had a great year. Glad to be a part of it. Merry Christmas!

Christine Rains said...

Happy Holidays to the IWSG team! :)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Playing games and puzzles is a fun way to relax over Christmas.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Madeline, I'd forgotten about National Lampoon's Christmas movie. I'll have to watch it again.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Medeia, the first Die Hard is the best one of them all!!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Gremlins!!!!!!!!! Another great Christmas movie! :)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Your escape sounds wonderful!! I've yet to experience a white Christmas. Here in Australia, Christmas day is usually hot and muggy, good for cold drinks and sleep.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

That sounds like fun, Joy.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

My family doesn't have kids either so it's very low key.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Lee, it may not be traditional, but it sounds awesome!!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Nothing beats it! (Maybe a 1950s animated version of The Little Drummer Boy, but I don't have a copy of that so I haven't seen it in years).

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

hehe, traditions are good for the soul!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

And to you too, Dolorah

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I hope it's a wonderful one for you, Susanne.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Merry Christmas, Patricia

Anonymous said...

I feel like we have a very traditional Christmas at our house. This year, though, we're going out to eat.

Anonymous said...

It's funny that you say you don't get any writing done during this time, because this is the time I get more writing done. There aren't as many blogs to read, forums are pretty much empty and, of course, the email get slack. My husband works on Christmas and New Year's Day most years, so I get some writing in.

Yum, sea food. Shrimp with cocktail sauce, lobster with butter -- I envy you.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I second that motion. Everyone, thank you for your support and patronage. We could have done it without you. Merry Christmas, Lynda.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

Shish, I meant couldn't have. Duh.

klahanie said...

Hi human, Lynda,

Ah yes and behalf of my human, I wish to thank you for this ongoing, interactive ideal. Yes, IWSG aka "I Was Seeking Gary", brings tears to his eyes.

I shall be watching over my humans on Boxing Day Eve.

Pawsitive wishes,

Penny :)

adhi das said...

Wishing you a very happy & Prosperous New Year ..Thanks for all the support! Keep writing! Keep lighting!…BEST PRAYERS FOR FUTURE!!

Michelle Wallace said...

Hope everybody had a blessed and peaceful Christmas!!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Going out to eat sounds stress free. I hope it was great!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

The reason I don't get much writing done is because it's a time of visiting friends and family and I don't tend to write when my husband is around either--he gets two weeks off from work over Christmas. Enjoy your writing!!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Merry Christmas, Joylene :)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

I hope your watchdog duties went down well.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

And to you too, Adhi

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Hope you had a great one too, Michelle. Happy New Year!!

Fundy Blue said...

My Christmas is so traditional! I can't think of anything we do that is different. Actually, it doesn't matter what we do, as long as we are together. I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. Thanks to the IWSG Team for providing me and so many others with encouragement and help! All the best in 2015!

Donna K. Weaver said...

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and I'm wishing everyone a great new year!

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year Everyone! :O) May 2015 be a great year for us all. May we have ease of being.

Chrys Fey said...

Something that's not so traditional...I don't know. All of it is a tradition for me even if it's not for others. :)

Happy New Year!!!

Toi Thomas said...

We eat Chinese food on Christmas Eve before attending to many other traditional events.

We watch Die Hard every year too, but along with White Christmas, Love Actually, and Christmas Vacation.

No kidding…this is definitely a time to recharge. I feel like I’ve left the planet for a while and it’s been wonderful. Can’t wait to see everyone back on the 5th.

Yolanda Renée said...

This is the first year in years that we watched It's a Wonderful Life. So glad they quit saturating the air waves with such a good movie, but we couldn't find The Santa Clause, unless you wanted to pay for it. Were surprised we didn't have it in our library, a mistake we will remedy. But as always Scrooge (1951) the best ever made, was still our Christmas Eve tradition.

Looking forward to the New Year with IWSG!