[ebiester]

Honestly, as someone who has taken multiple mini-sabbaticals, all it takes is willpower.

By that, I mean the willpower to save, to have roommates, to cook at home... It is possible!

Another strategy is to plot out while working and spend your two weeks of vacation completely alone somewhere far away from wifi and basically use it as an opportunity to transcribe. If you have all your research done beforehand (and this is something that can be done in small chunks) you can get a first draft done in two weeks. (I've had friends do this.)

Of course, I still have a novel begging for a second draft that I keep promising myself I'll get back to. :)