I’m currently sitting in a coffee shop with a cup of hot chocolate, bundled in a coat since it’s 20 degrees Fahrenheit outside. It was 17 degrees when I woke up. I am not pleased with this fact, as I am very much an Autumn girl.

But despite the biting cold, Winter can be a very nice season. The glittering snow, the warmth of warm soups and family gatherings, the chaotic thrill of not slipping on ice as you make your way to the car… and curling up on your couch, a steaming mug in one hand and a book–or your computer–in the other.

And coming off of NaNoWriMo, this can be a great time to slow down. Take a break from your draft and fill your time with family or reading. Or buckle down with a cozy blanket and spend a few hours editing, with the blustering wind outside your window.

Personally, I don’t have a huge NaNoWriMo draft to edit–I ended up writing about 10k, and coming short of my 20k goal. But they were words well written in a busy season, so I’m still satisfied. What I said last month still stands–you’ve done a wonderful job, no matter if you reached a goal of 50k, 5k, or 50. Even if you didn’t write anything–you’re still an author. And that’s what counts.

This month, I’ll be focusing on trying to figure out my story–delving into my characters, writing some more chapters (hopefully with more hot chocolate in hand!), and plotting— the bane of my existence. Thankfully one of my best friends is an excellent plotter and has graciously decided to help me, or otherwise I would probably be laying face down on my carpet sobbing in agony. If you feel my pain, and don’t happen to have a plotter bestie on hand, do not fear–I have a handful of plotting book resources I’d be happy to recommend. I’ll also be posting an article on plotting in March, so if you can hold back your sobs until then, it’ll be okay. If not… *hands Korean tissues and chocolate*.

Now, onto a distraction: our prompts of the month!

First, our short story prompt:

Two of your characters get caught in a surprise snowstorm. One of them is panicking, while the other seems unnaturally calm…

and our poetry prompt:

Heart of glass // Let it go // Marshmallows

Feel free to use these any way you like, and if you end up using them, let me know by tagging my Tumblr!

In the meantime, I’ll be preparing our next Ask Me Anything: if you have any questions you’d like answered, let me know in the comments, or on my Tumblr. And let me know: will you be writing or reading this December?

Stay warm!