Simple Writing Habits – Janet Eriksson

August 24, 2026August 15, 2026

Treat Your Writing Project Like a Spa, Not Boot Camp

The fall season is approaching. Cooler mornings, cozy sweaters, pumpkin spice tea, settling into a routine.

As writers, it’s easy to miss the beautiful atmosphere and push ourselves on our project: I have to get this section done. I really want to knock out one more chapter. I need to push my daily word count higher.

That sounds more like boot camp than a cozy fall morning.

What if you treat your writing project like a soothing spa visit instead?

July 6, 2026August 15, 2026

When You Only Have Five Minutes to Write

When you tell someone you’re writing a book, they might picture you spending hours at your computer, ideally in a comfy chair with a great view. That is certainly the ideal of the writing life.

But it’s not often reality.

March 30, 2026March 27, 2026

Writing Prompt: I Didn’t Know It Was the Beginning

Spring is a season of change, the beginning of new things. How often do we go through changes without realizing something new is starting?

Can you look back at a time when you were becoming someone new? But you didn’t realize it then?

December 31, 2025

Writing Isn’t a Goal, It’s a Lifestyle

With the new year on its way, it’s common for writers to say, “This is the year I will finally write my book.” By February, life has intervened, and the dream seems to be slipping away. Pressure, disappointment, and defeat set in. Writing becomes a race against the clock instead of an enjoyable adventure.

Here’s a different way to approach writing in the new year: not as a time-related goal but as an ongoing journey of discovery. Something you explore a little at a time each week.

October 27, 2025October 25, 2025

Writing on Busy or Low-Energy Days

You may have had this experience. You’re making steady progress on your writing project. Something happens, whether it’s family, work, tiredness, illness, or something else that causes you to skip a day. That’s okay. It happens.

You’re eager to get back to writing after the missed day. But then something else happens, and before you know it, two weeks have gone by. You have time again, but now it’s hard to start back. You feel like you’ve lost momentum. How do you get it back?

September 29, 2025March 10, 2026

Messy Beats the Blank Screen

Writers often struggle when facing a blank screen. How should they begin writing? What are the right opening words? How should they tell a story?

The blank screen seems like a roadblock. How do you get around it or move through it?

There is one simple way that works every time: Write messy.

August 4, 2025August 14, 2025

A Fresh Season for Your Writing: Choose One Small Thing to Grow

Back-to-school season is upon us. Maybe you’ve got plans to start working on a writing project, like a book or blog. Or maybe you’ve already started and hope to keep your progress going through the fall season.

The dilemma often comes up: How can I grow as a writer while keeping my project going? It seems there’s not enough time for all of it. How do I choose?

What if I tell you it’s possible to do both without overwhelm?