Summer Writing and TRICKS to Use Your Time!

Summer Writing and TRICKS to Use Your Time!

With time off from my teaching day job, summer writing is an adventure all in itself. Some years, when I’m traveling more, I have less time to spend creating. Other years, when I staycation more, creativity pours out in heaps. Life happens, so it’s important to accept each day as it comes. And this year…I’m home and I’m writing!

Being creative doesn’t always mesh with having time to create. I’ve written many a blog post about that creature, Time! The struggle is real.

Over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks. Life flows smoother when I accept the time I have. That’s it. Acceptance. But more than that, acceptance doesn’t mean leaning into excuses. My books will not write themselves. I must do the work with the time I have.

Here are three tricks that help me get my creative side flowing:

Sit down in my writing space. I learned this one at a writing conference in 2017. It doesn’t matter if it’s at a desk, the kitchen table, a café, the parking lot outside your child’s karate class (that was real for me for a long time), or in your bed! Wherever you create, go there. Be there. Put yourself in your writing space.
Put my fingers on the keys and write something. Just start typing. Or hold your pen and that journal and start writing. Anything. If you can’t pick up where you left off right away, then write a poem, or write a brief description of your character in a new situation. Just start your brain in the right direction. I find it surprising how much faster I can get myself to the actual details of my draft by setting myself on the right path. Writing begets writing. Remember that!
Give myself time to find my flow. As you’ve placed yourself in your spot, and you’re writing something, anything, to get the juices circulating, now allow yourself time to find your flow. For me, I prefer a timer. I bought an adorable rainbow timer off Amazon, and surprisingly, it’s not stressful, but rather, my little writing friend. I set it for twenty-five minutes and simply go! If I’m not feeling it at the end of that session, then I can choose to either revise or read or to completely stop writing altogether. I will return to creating the next opportunity and follow the same steps as above.

Basically, I don’t wait for inspiration. I can’t afford that kind of time. There will be moments when I’m ultra-inspired, and other occasions when I’m running on fumes to get by. What I’ve discovered is that I need to write as often as I can, for at least a little bit of time, to make progress on my publishing goals.

Summer sometimes presents the gift of extra creativity time, and other times only pockets. Just as I do during the school year, I take what I can get! I put myself in my space, set my fingers upon the keyboard to write, and breathe…finding that flow to carry on.

I hope your summer writing routine is working for you. If you have any helpful secrets, please share in the comments. It takes a village!

Happy writing to everyone,

Celaine Charles, July 23, 2026

Bio:

Celaine Charles is a teacher by day and writer by night. She’s an award-winning, multi-genre author who strives to balance her dual life creating poetry, young adult fantasy, romance shorts, and a blog about her writing journey, Steps in Between. To thrive, Celaine enjoys walks through the enchanted forests of Washington State, reading every day, and eating mounds of allergy-free chocolate. She is currently diving into the world of picture books! Join her newsletter, as she loves connecting with other writers and readers. Find more published books and links on her website:https://celainecharlesauthor.com/

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