Tag: books

June 2025, Summer Writing, Writing Challenges, Writing Prompts

☀️Embrace the Light: Writing with the Summer Solstice in Fiction and Fantasy

Sara's Writing Sanctuary

Every year, the Summer Solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year—a time of powerful sun magic, vibrant life, and turning points in myth and nature. In 2025, the Summer Solstice falls on Thursday, June 19th in the Northern Hemisphere. This celestial event has deep roots in folklore and symbolism, making it the perfect inspiration for fiction and fantasy writers.

🌞 What Is the Summer Solstice?

The Summer Solstice occurs when the Earth’s axial tilt is most inclined toward the sun. This results in the longest day of the year and the official beginning of summer. Ancient cultures honored the solstice with fire festivals, rituals of fertility and abundance, and celebrations of light triumphing over darkness.

Whether you’re writing contemporary stories, epic fantasy, or magical realism, the Summer Solstice offers a ripe backdrop for transformation, revelation, or mystery.

✨ Why the Solstice Is Powerful for Storytelling

Solstice themes naturally connect to pivotal story moments:

  • Light vs. Darkness: A character might confront their inner shadows as the outer world is drenched in sunlight.
  • Turning Points: Like the sun’s path shifting toward shorter days, a hero’s journey might pivot toward unexpected sacrifice or enlightenment.
  • Magic at Its Peak: In fantasy, the solstice can represent a time when magic is strongest—spells are more potent, boundaries between worlds thin, and ancient rites awaken.
  • Cycles and Rebirth: The solstice invites themes of renewal, harvest, and the price of power. It’s a natural metaphor for endings and beginnings.

🔮 6 Ways to Use the Summer Solstice in Fiction & Fantasy

  1. A Prophecy Fulfilled on the Longest Day
    Your protagonist races against the sun. If the spell, ritual, or duel isn’t completed by sunset, fate will take a darker path.
  2. A Solstice Festival with Hidden Motives
    A vibrant solstice celebration masks political secrets, forbidden magic, or a ritual sacrifice meant to keep the sun alive.
  3. The Sun’s Blessing or Curse
    A sun deity might bless a child born on the solstice—or curse one, fearing they will outshine the gods.
  4. A Portal Opens Only Once a Year
    A portal between realms appears at solar noon on the solstice. What lies beyond could change everything—or trap them forever.
  5. The Fire Trials
    A coming-of-age tradition where youths must pass through solstice firewalks, facing illusions or truths about their heritage.
  6. A Love Story of Light and Shadow
    One lover is bound to the sun, the other to the moon. The solstice brings them closest—but only for a few fleeting hours.

🌿 Writing Prompt Ideas for the Solstice

  • A magical plant blooms only on the Summer Solstice. Whoever consumes it is granted insight—or madness.
  • A town where the sun doesn’t set on the solstice… and no one remembers what happens at night.
  • A girl wakes up glowing. Her village says she’s been chosen by the Sun Spirit—but chosen for what?

🌞 Final Thoughts

The Summer Solstice is more than just a date on the calendar—it’s a doorway into stories about power, transformation, balance, and light. Whether you’re writing a sweeping fantasy novel or a short story with magical realism, let this luminous day fuel your creativity.

Write with the sun at your back and your imagination wide open.

Happy Writing ^_^

June 2025, Moon writing, Writing Challenges, Writing Prompts

🌙 Write a Scene Lit Only by Moonlight

Sara's Writing Sanctuary

There’s something timeless about moonlight.

It doesn’t just light up the night—it transforms it. It blurs edges, deepens shadows, and whispers mystery into the world around us. Under the moon’s silver glow, even the most familiar places can feel strange, romantic, or otherworldly.

As writers, we can use this magic to our advantage. A scene lit only by moonlight can set the stage for intimacy, suspense, wonder, or quiet reflection. No firelight. No electricity. Just the moon—and whatever secrets it reveals.

✨ Your Prompt:

Write a scene lit only by moonlight.

Think about how your characters move in the dark. What do they see in the pale light? What remains hidden in shadow? Is the silence peaceful or unsettling? Let the moonlight shape the tone, the tension, and the emotions in your scene.

🖋️ Story Spark Ideas

Need a little inspiration? Try one of these ideas:

  • A wanderer lost in the woods sees glowing footprints that disappear at dawn.
  • Two ex-lovers meet by the water under the full moon, old feelings stirring with every ripple.
  • A child wakes to find a shimmering staircase outside their window—only visible in moonlight.
  • A warrior on night watch hears a lullaby drifting through the trees. The voice? Someone long dead.
  • When the moon turns red, reflections in mirrors begin moving on their own.

🌌 Tips for Writing with Moonlight

  • Embrace the shadows. Moonlight doesn’t illuminate everything. What’s hidden can be just as powerful as what’s seen.
  • Use your senses. When vision is limited, your characters may rely more on sound, scent, and touch.
  • Set the mood. Is your scene romantic, eerie, gentle, or surreal? Let that guide the tone and language.

💬 Share Your Scene

If you write something using this prompt, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment or share a snippet with me. Moonlight is a beautiful muse—and I can’t wait to see where it leads your imagination.

Happy Writing ^_^

June 2025, Writing Prompts, writing-tips

7 Lazy-Day Prompts for When You Don’t Want to Write

Sara's Writing Sanctuary

Easy, low-pressure ideas for burnout days

We all have those days—when just thinking about writing feels like a task. Whether you’re creatively burned out, emotionally drained, or just need a break, it’s okay to take the pressure off. Writing doesn’t always have to be productive, polished, or part of your current project. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is write just enough to keep the creative spark alive.

Here are 7 easy, low-pressure prompts for the days when your brain says “no thanks” but your heart still wants to create something.

1. Write a one-sentence story.

That’s it—just one sentence. Make it strange, poetic, funny, or full of emotion. You’ll be surprised how much can fit in a single line.

➡️ Prompt: “She opened the letter, then lit it on fire.”

2. Describe today’s weather like it’s a mood.

Skip the science—go for the vibe. Is it gloomy like a villain’s backstory? Bright like a fresh start?

➡️ Prompt: “If today’s weather were a person, what would they be feeling?”

3. Name 3 random objects in your room and give each one a personality.

Even the dust bunny in the corner might have something to say.

➡️ Bonus: Write a quick “conversation” between them.

4. Write a letter to your past or future self.

Keep it casual. Don’t overthink it. Just write like you’re talking to a friend.

➡️ Prompt: “Hey, I know things have been weird lately…”

5. Steal a line from a book, song, or movie and start a scene with it.

Don’t worry about originality. Use it as a launching pad and see where your mind wanders.

➡️ Start with: “You’re gonna carry that weight.”

6. Write the most boring day ever—on purpose.

Challenge yourself to make a “nothing happens” day sound interesting, awkward, or oddly funny.

➡️ Prompt: “Nothing happened today, but I’m still exhausted.”

7. Make a “mood list.”

Instead of a story, list words that match your current mood. Add images, colors, songs, or even smells. It’s like a mini scrapbook for your feelings.

➡️ Mood example: grey socks, stale coffee, sleepy jazz, warm laundry, half-finished thoughts

Final Thoughts:

Lazy-day writing isn’t about brilliance—it’s about keeping the door open to your creativity. Some days, it’s enough to scribble a thought or play with a prompt. The key is: no pressure. No rules. Just expression.

Save this list for the next time you’re tempted to give up on writing for the day. Sometimes, a little spark is all you need.

Happy Writing ^_^

June 2025, Writing Challenges

✨Writing Challenge: The Curse Within the Power✨

Sara's Writing Sanctuary

Prompt:

Choose a character from your favorite anime or movie—someone with a powerful ability, like bending elements, time travel, telepathy, shapeshifting, or healing. Now imagine that power isn’t a blessing… but a curse.

Write a scene, short story, or even a monologue where that power brings suffering instead of strength. Maybe it isolates the character from others, backfires in dangerous ways, or slowly eats away at their humanity.

🧠 Challenge Guidelines:

  • Length: 300–1000 words (or more if you’re inspired!)
  • Tone: Tragic, eerie, dramatic, or bittersweet—your choice.
  • Perspective: Write in first-person (as the cursed character) or third-person (from an outsider’s view).
  • Optional Twist: Let the character meet someone who envies their power… and reveal the dark truth behind it.

🌟 Examples to Spark Ideas:

  • A character who can read minds slowly loses their own thoughts to others’ voices.
  • A healer who absorbs pain when healing others begins to feel every wound they cure.
  • A time traveler who can’t return to their own timeline, always a ghost in someone else’s life.

💬 Bonus Reflection (Optional):

At the end of your piece, write a short author’s note answering:

“Why did I choose this character and how does this cursed version change how I see them?”

Happy Writing ^_^

June 2025, Writing Prompts

Friday the 13th in Fiction and Fantasy: Fear, Folklore, and the Magic of Unlucky Days

Sara's Writing Sanctuary

There’s something about Friday the 13th that sets imaginations on fire. Whether it’s whispered about in candle-lit rooms or etched into the pages of dark fantasy tales, this infamous day has long held a reputation for misfortune, mystery, and the supernatural.

In fiction and fantasy, Friday the 13th isn’t just a day—it’s a storytelling device. It’s the perfect setup for strange occurrences, cursed relics, ghostly visitations, and unlucky heroes caught in webs of fate. The day lends itself to tales where rules bend, portals open, and omens come to life. It signals a shift in energy—a liminal moment when something other might slip through.

🌙 Why Friday the 13th Works So Well in Fiction

The number 13 has long been considered unlucky in Western folklore. Add Friday—once believed to be the day witches gathered and spells were strongest—and you have a potent combination of superstition and suspense. In fantasy, this makes Friday the 13th an ideal backdrop for:

  • Curses breaking loose
  • Prophecies awakening
  • Haunted objects coming to life
  • Magical thresholds cracking open

Even readers who don’t believe in the superstition feel the weight of the day, which gives fantasy writers a built-in sense of dread, wonder, and curiosity to play with.

🔮 Common Friday the 13th Tropes in Fantasy

Here are a few ways this eerie date shows up in fantasy storytelling:

  1. The Cursed Birthday
    A character born on Friday the 13th may carry a dark legacy—or unknowingly serve as the key to an ancient prophecy.
  2. Unlucky Quests Begin
    Heroes sent on a mission on Friday the 13th often find their journey filled with strange coincidences, unexpected deaths, or magical misfortune.
  3. Forbidden Rituals
    Many tales use this date as the only time certain spells or portals can be opened—often with dire consequences.
  4. Reverse Magic
    Some fantasy turns the trope on its head, presenting Friday the 13th as a day of power for those cast out or forgotten—witches, shapeshifters, cursed bloodlines.
  5. Trickster Energy
    Mischief, illusions, and unpredictable forces often arrive in stories set on Friday the 13th. Think fae bargains, doppelgängers, and vanishing towns.

✍️ Writing Prompts for Friday the 13th in Fiction

Want to write your own mysterious tale around this notorious day? Try one of these prompts:

  1. A mage born on Friday the 13th discovers their power only works on Friday the 13th—and someone else wants it.
  2. Every 13th Friday, a hidden town appears in the forest for exactly 13 hours.
  3. A kingdom outlawed the number 13—until a hero branded with a “13” birthmark rises.
  4. On the 13th Friday of the year, spirits trapped in mirrors come out to play.
  5. A thief accidentally steals a cursed item that can only be undone on a Friday the 13th… but there’s only one left this century.

🖋 Final Thoughts

Whether you believe in its unlucky charm or not, Friday the 13th remains one of the most iconic superstitions in modern lore—and a rich source of inspiration for fantasy writers. It’s the perfect excuse to embrace the eerie, lean into mystery, and let fate (or misfortune) guide your characters’ next adventure.

So light a candle, grab your favorite pen, and ask yourself:

What kind of magic stirs on Friday the 13th in your world?

Happy Writing ^_^

June 2025, Moon Journaling, Moon writing, Writing Prompts

🧡 Under the Orange Moon: Writing with Fire, Magic, and Change

Sara's Writing Sanctuary

Have you ever looked up and seen the moon glowing a rich, burnt orange? It hangs low in the sky like a flame caught between dusk and darkness—haunting, radiant, unforgettable. This isn’t just a moonrise. It’s a moment charged with energy, and for writers and dreamers, it’s a powerful creative spark.

Whether you’re crafting fantasy stories or reflecting in your moon journal, the orange moon holds deep symbolism: passion, transformation, tension, and the unknown.

🔥 What Does the Orange Moon Mean?

An orange moon often appears when the moon is close to the horizon. Dust, smoke, or even humidity filters its light, turning it golden, amber, or deep orange. Scientifically, it’s beautiful. But symbolically? It’s pure fire.

In storytelling and symbolism, the orange moon represents:

  • 🔥 Transformation – shedding old skins, igniting something new
  • 🌕 Intuition & Magic – a liminal moon, walking the line between seen and unseen
  • ⚔️ Tension or Omen – a sign of what’s coming, glowing like an unspoken warning
  • ❤️‍🔥 Passion and Desire – a surge of energy ready to be released

✍️ How to Use the Orange Moon in Fiction

The orange moon doesn’t just decorate your story’s sky—it deepens your narrative. Use it to shift mood, foreshadow events, or unlock hidden magic. Here are a few ways to bring it to life in your fiction:

1. As a Catalyst:

An orange moon could trigger a long-dormant power, awaken a curse, or mark the beginning of a rite of passage.

2. As an Omen:

Tie the orange moon to a prophecy or event. It could mean war is near, a god is watching, or the barrier between worlds is crumbling.

3. As a Mirror:

Let the orange moon reflect your character’s inner fire—grief, lust, fear, or transformation. Use it to heighten tension and emotional stakes.

4. As Lore:

In fantasy worlds, you can weave entire myths or holidays around the orange moon. Maybe it only rises every hundred years… or only for those who’ve defied fate.

🧙 Fantasy Ideas: Worldbuilding with the Orange Moon

The orange moon can be more than atmospheric. In fantasy, it becomes a living part of your world:

  • A celestial signal that magic is changing form
  • The night when fire spirits return to dance
  • A dangerous festival where blood and moonlight must be offered to keep balance
  • A hidden twin moon only visible during shifts in reality

Give it a name. Make it sacred. Or feared. Maybe the orange moon has its own will—and its own agenda.

🌕 Moon Journaling: Embracing the Orange Moon’s Fire

If you track the moon phases in your journal, an orange moon is the perfect time for:

  • Releasing what’s been holding you back
  • Honoring transformation and courage
  • Tapping into your creativity with bold, fiery expression

Use warm tones—reds, golds, oranges—in your moon spreads. Light a candle. Ask yourself:

Orange Moon Journal Prompts:

  • What is burning inside me that needs expression?
  • What truth am I ready to face, even if it feels uncomfortable?
  • Where in my life is something dying… so something else can grow?

💡 15 Writing Prompts Inspired by the Orange Moon

Use these prompts for short stories, fantasy scenes, or journaling to deepen your connection with this fiery moon:

  1. The orange moon rose, and with it came the forgotten names of the dead.
  2. A spell cast beneath an orange moon always comes with a cost.
  3. The prophecy said only one would survive the night the moon turned orange.
  4. Her reflection under the orange moon blinked—and kept blinking.
  5. They say the orange moon burns hotter in the Otherworld. He just crossed over.
  6. Born during the orange moon, she can see flame where others see shadow.
  7. The orange moon marks the time when souls can be bartered.
  8. Tonight is the trial of fire. The orange moon watches silently.
  9. The longer he stared at the moon, the more it looked like an eye.
  10. A hidden kingdom appears only during the orange moon’s rise.
  11. She lights the last lantern, calling to the spirits drawn by the orange glow.
  12. When the orange moon rises, all mirrors become doors.
  13. He woke up marked by crescent-shaped burns across his chest.
  14. The ancient ritual must be completed before the orange moon fades.
  15. She didn’t believe in omens—until the orange moon followed her home.

🌑 Let the Orange Moon Guide You

The orange moon doesn’t just rise—it summons. It asks you to look deeper, write braver, and feel everything that’s rising inside you. Whether you’re worldbuilding, journaling, or writing your next epic scene, let the glow of the orange moon guide your fire.

And if tonight the moon burns bright in the sky—don’t look away. There may be a story waiting in its light.

inspired by the moon tonight

Happy Writing ^_^

June 2025, Moon Journaling, Moon writing, Writing Challenges, Writing Prompts

🍓 Writing Under the Strawberry Moon: Magic, Myths, and Midsummer Muses 🌕

Sara's Writing Sanctuary

On June 11, the full Strawberry Moon will rise—an enchanting name rooted in the ripening of wild strawberries by Indigenous peoples and farmers in North America. But in the world of writing and wonder, the Strawberry Moon means so much more: it’s a symbol of sweet change, ripening potential, emotional truth, and summer’s secret magic.

This full moon, with its soft glow and mystical timing near the solstice, feels like the perfect muse for stories and poems that blend transformation, nature, longing, and hidden worlds. Whether you write fantasy novels, slice-of-life fiction, or dreamy poetry, the Strawberry Moon invites you to look at what’s blooming, what’s fading, and what’s ready to be revealed.

Let this be your sign to write something lush and honest, dreamy or dangerous. Below, you’ll find 11 Strawberry Moon writing prompts and 11 writing challenges to bring this lunar magic to the page.

🍓 11 Strawberry Moon Writing Prompts for Fantasy & Fiction Writers

  1. A sacred grove only appears during the Strawberry Moon, where fae harvest a rare glowing fruit with prophetic powers.
  2. A village celebrates the Strawberry Moon with a midsummer offering, but this year, the moon doesn’t accept it.
  3. A werewolf cursed to transform only during the Strawberry Moon finally meets someone who understands their pain.
  4. A moon priestess weaves spells into baskets of strawberries to protect her people from a coming storm.
  5. Every June, the moon selects a single soul to carry its hidden message — this year, it’s your character.
  6. A pair of lovers meet under the Strawberry Moon every year — one is immortal, the other slowly forgetting.
  7. A forbidden ritual is unlocked by placing strawberry juice on ancient runes bathed in moonlight.
  8. The moon is turning redder each year — and your character is the only one who remembers the old stories.
  9. A child born under the Strawberry Moon begins to manifest strange, sweet-smelling magic.
  10. Strawberry vines have overtaken the castle ruins, and under the full moon, they whisper secrets.
  11. The Strawberry Moon is said to reveal true names. What happens when your character’s name glows in moonlight?

🌕 11 Strawberry Moon Writing Challenges

  1. Write a scene where moonlight reveals a hidden passage or truth. Use no artificial light in the setting.
  2. Craft a story that takes place entirely over the course of one Strawberry Moon night.
  3. Write a poem that includes the words “sweet,” “change,” and “crimson.”
  4. Describe a full moon ceremony from a fantasy culture you create — include food, emotion, and myth.
  5. Write a letter from a character to the moon, confessing something they’ve never told anyone.
  6. Create a dual POV piece: one character worships the moon, the other fears it.
  7. Use all five senses to describe a magical strawberry garden under moonlight.
  8. Write a piece where a character trades something precious under the Strawberry Moon.
  9. Make the moon an actual character in your story — sentient, silent, watching.
  10. Reimagine a classic myth (like Persephone or Selene) under the Strawberry Moon.
  11. Challenge yourself to write a free-verse poem titled “The Moon is Ripe.”

🌿 Let the Moonlight Guide You

Whether you’re writing about werewolves, witches, or wistful souls gazing skyward, the Strawberry Moon is the perfect muse for stories filled with emotion, transformation, and twilight magic. Use these prompts and challenges to set your imagination free under the full moon’s glow.

Happy writing ^_^ , moon dreamers. 🌕

June 2025, Summer Writing, Writing Challenges

Write the Scene: A Heatwave with a Secret

Sara's Writing Sanctuary

Writing Prompt Blog Post for Tension and Summer Drama

The sun doesn’t just shine in summer—it bears down, heavy and unrelenting. The air gets thick, the sidewalks shimmer, and tempers rise. But what if the heat wasn’t the only thing pressing down on your characters?

In this writing prompt, we’re stepping into a heatwave—not just the kind that leaves skin sticky and fans spinning—but one that hides something beneath its sweat-slick surface. It’s time to explore tension, claustrophobia, and secrets in the sweltering silence of summer.

🔥 Prompt: 

Write the Scene: A Heatwave with a Secret

Set your scene during a record-breaking heatwave. People are sluggish, windows are flung open, and power grids are failing. Water is scarce. Emotions simmer close to the surface. But your character knows—or senses—something no one else does.

It could be:

  • A body buried beneath the dry, cracked earth.
  • A letter that should have burned with the trash.
  • A relationship secret that can’t stay hidden in such close quarters.
  • A supernatural presence that grows stronger the hotter it gets.
  • A town-wide cover-up that starts unraveling when the heat drives someone to break their silence.

✍️ Tips for Writing Heat + Tension:

  • Use sensory language: Let your readers feel the heat. Make sweat drip, clothes cling, and tempers flare.
  • Limit escape: Create a sense of being trapped—by weather, by circumstance, by emotion.
  • Layer the secret: The heat is the surface tension. The real drama lies in what’s boiling beneath it.
  • Build slow: Like a heatwave, let the pressure rise steadily until the inevitable storm—or breakdown.

🌀 Optional Twist:

Include a moment when the heat breaks—through a sudden summer storm, a fire, or an emotional outburst. What comes loose when the pressure finally lets go?

🕯 Your Turn:

Write a 500–800 word scene where something unspoken simmers through a summer heatwave. Share it on your blog or journal—or just keep it to yourself for now. This is a great exercise for building tension in quiet, internal moments, especially for thrillers, gothic tales, or emotionally driven fantasy.

Let the heat do the talking.

Let the secret do the damage.

Happy Writing ^_^

June 2025, Moon writing, writing-tips

Writing with Moonlight: Soft Prompts for Night Owls

Sara's Writing Sanctuary

There’s something magical about writing at night.

When the world quiets down and the moon begins to rise, everything slows just enough for stories to bloom. The distractions of the day fade, leaving room for reflection, memory, and imagination. For us night owls, this is our sacred space—where soft thoughts stir, and ideas take on a dreamlike glow.

Night writing isn’t about being productive. It’s about being honest. It’s about connecting with that part of ourselves that only speaks when the world is still.

If you feel most creative after dark, these gentle, introspective prompts are for you.

🌙 Soft Prompts for Moonlight Writing

✨ 1. Write about a memory that only surfaces at night.
What brings it up—music, silence, a scent? How does it feel to return to it?

✨ 2. Create a character who only writes by moonlight.
Why can’t they write during the day? What are they afraid the light will reveal?

✨ 3. “The stars knew before I did…”
Use this as your opening line and let your story drift where it needs to go.

✨ 4. Write a letter you’ll never send.
To a lost love, your younger self, or someone you’ve never met—but still feel connected to.

✨ 5. Imagine the moon is a messenger.
What message does it carry for you—or your character—tonight?

✨ 6. Explore the phrase: “Her silence spoke louder after dark.”
Who is she, and what truth is she holding in the quiet?

✨ 7. A dream you keep having…
Describe it like a scene from a story, even if it doesn’t make perfect sense.

✨ 8. Two strangers meet in the middle of the night.
They share something they never would by day. What is it? Why tonight?

✨ 9. Describe a place where you feel safe after midnight.
Real or imagined, make it vivid with soft details and gentle energy.

✨ 10. Finish the sentence: “Under the silver sky, I finally…”
Let your heart take over. Don’t overthink—just write.

🌌 Tips for Nighttime Writers

  • Keep a cozy drink nearby—chamomile, moon milk, or even warm water with ginger.
  • Write by soft light: a candle, fairy lights, or a dim lamp can create a peaceful atmosphere.
  • Don’t focus on perfection. Night writing is more about discovery than polish.
  • Use ambient sounds or calming music to stay grounded and open to emotion.

Night is a time for mystery and truth. For whispering wishes and unraveling what we tucked away in the daylight. Writing with moonlight is an act of softness and courage. So tonight, even if it’s just one line—write something. Let the quiet guide you.

🌙✨
If you’re a night owl too, I’d love to hear from you. Do you write better after dark? Which of these prompts speaks to your soul tonight?

Happy Writing ^_^

About Myself, June 2025, Self Care

Why I Keep Showing Up to the Page, Even When It’s Hard

Sara's Writing Sanctuary

An Honest, Heart-Centered Encouragement for Fellow Writers

There are days when writing feels like breathing—natural, necessary, almost effortless. And then there are the other days. The ones where I stare at the screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard, unsure of what I’m even trying to say. Days when self-doubt creeps in, whispering, “What’s the point?” or “You’re not good enough.”

Still, I show up.

Not because I always feel inspired. Not because I’m bursting with creativity. But because writing is a part of who I am, even when it’s difficult. Especially when it’s difficult.

I live with chronic health issues, and honestly, that makes everything harder—physically, emotionally, even creatively. Some days my energy is low, my body aches, and brain fog makes it tough to focus. Add to that the fact that I don’t always have a lot of support, and it could be easy to stop trying. But I don’t. I keep showing up, purely for the love of writing and reading.

Writing has seen me through grief, anxiety, pain, and loneliness. It’s been my quiet companion in the messiest moments of my life. When everything else felt like too much, writing gave me something to hold onto—a place where I could be fully myself, no filter, no expectations. Just words on a page, slowly helping me breathe again.

I don’t always produce something worth sharing. Sometimes I write a sentence and delete it five times. Sometimes I write pages of things I’ll never read again. But the act of showing up matters. Each word is a promise to myself that I won’t give up on my voice.

If you’re reading this and you’re struggling to write—whether it’s because of stress, illness, burnout, fear, or life just getting in the way—I want you to know this: it’s okay to have hard days. It’s okay to rest. But when you’re ready, come back to the page. Even if all you have is a whisper of an idea. Even if all you write is, “I don’t know what to write.” That still counts.

You are a writer, not because you write every day, but because you keep coming back.

And I’ll keep showing up too—messy, tired, unsure—because writing reminds me that I’m still here, still growing, still creating. I write because I love it. Because I love stories. Because books and words helped shape who I am. That’s reason enough to keep going.

So if today is a hard day, let that be okay. The words will return. The magic will find you again. In the meantime, showing up is enough. You are enough.

Keep writing,
Sara 💛
Founder of Sara’s Writing Sanctuary

Happy Writing ^_^