I’ve always been a bit frustrated by holidays. I’ve joked that a writer has only a few teensy windows in which to query, submit or otherwise commune with the publishing world. With all the holidays, you get a few days after Christmas, a short opportunity in the spring before Easter, and a brief bit after Labor Day in the Fall. All summer, agents and editors travel the conference circuit, attend trade shows or try to answer their emails as they sit on a beach in Maui, which almost never works. So what should writers do around holidays?

Writing Tip for Today: There’s one obvious answer: WRITE! As it happens, my dear husband has to work today, as do a couple of my adult children. We may not even fire up the barbecue (although that would be tragic). So if you don’t have a jillion obligations today, see if you can sneak in a little writing session. Happy Fourth of July!