3 Ways to Fall Back in Love With Your Writing Routine

(Even During Summer Slumps)

Confession time: summer completely wrecks my writing routine.

The long days, the distractions, the lure of ice cream and long evenings of soccer fun—it all seems to conspire against sitting at my desk and getting words on the page. And you know what? That’s okay.

But over the past few years, I’ve learned a few small but mighty tricks to help me keep the creative flame flickering, even when my motivation feels like it’s packed its bags for a long vacation. If you’re finding yourself in a summer writing slump, here are three gentle ways to fall back in love with your writing routine:

1. Embrace Micro-Writing

Forget the “perfect” writing session. Forget the two-hour block of uninterrupted focus. Instead, lower the bar.

Write for ten minutes. Jot down one messy paragraph. Sketch out a world-building idea or brainstorm a line of dialogue.

Tiny acts of creativity still count and they stack up over time. Sometimes, just proving to yourself that you can show up (even briefly) is enough to shift the energy and make space for more.

2. Refill the Inspiration Well

You are not a machine. You are a storyteller and storytellers need fuel.

When the words refuse to come, step away and refill your creative well. Reread a favorite book that once lit a fire in your heart. Re-watch that comfort fantasy movie you adored as a kid. Spend an afternoon guilt-free on Pinterest, making mood boards or scrolling through dreamy aesthetics.

Refilling isn’t slacking, it’s essential. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you can’t write from an empty well.

3. Remember Your Why

When motivation dries up, return to your “why.”

Why did you fall in love with this story? What excited you when you first imagined these characters, this world, this plot? Why do you write at all?

Sometimes, I pull out old notes to remind myself how fired up I was in the beginning. Sometimes, I daydream about a reader picking up my book and escaping into the magic I’ve built. And sometimes, I just let myself remember that writing—at its core—is something I love, not something I owe.

We’ve got this, summer slumps and all. ☀️