| Happy Friday and Happy 2026! |
| The new year symbolizes a fresh start, hope, and new opportunities. It’s also a time to reflect on what works and what doesn’t work for writers. My advice: don’t start the new year with resolutions that won’t be met or the same vision board that proved unhelpful. Instead, try the following tips for 2026 writing success. How Writers Can Start the New Year Off Right 1. Ask yourself: Why do I write? Before deciding how much you’ll write this year, it helps to pause and ask a more foundational question: why do you write at all? Some writers are working toward a full-time career, even if they’re not there yet. Others write for personal meaning, creative expression, or the simple joy of story. Many fall somewhere in between. Different reasons require different expectations and structures. And, if your writing goals don’t match your true intention, the work can start to feel burdensome. 2. A writing space. Your writing space itself matters more than many writers realize. The environment influences focus, creativity, and follow-through. A cluttered space often leads to cluttered, unorganized thoughts that invite distractions. Your space doesn’t need to be perfect or elaborate; it needs to be practical and welcoming. Good lighting, a comfortable chair, minimal interruptions, and a few meaningful objects can help your mind settle and make it easier to enter a creative flow. A dedicated writing space can be a desk, a kitchen table, or a favorite chair. Another benefit of a dedicated is that it removes barriers. In your writing space, your notebook, resources, and favorite pen are ready, so you don’t have to search for your writing tools. 3. Get specific. First, get specific about what “right” looks like for you. The Marilyn Initiative System can help. Create a Word-of-the-Day Cluster. Place the phrase ‘my perfect writing day’ in the center circle. Do the Self-Acknowledgement Hug and allow images to reveal themselves in your mind, and write down words or phrases that name your images in the surrounding circles. Then set your timer for 3-5 minutes and write a short story about that ideal day using the words and phrases in your cluster. Now, instead of a vague goal like “write more,” you know more of what you want. Reflect on your cluster and your story. Choose one small, concrete action that moves you closer to your ideal writing day, and give it a place in your week. 4. A system that supports your creative life. Writing thrives when it’s treated as essential rather than optional. That means being intentional with your time and space, but also using tools that calm your nervous system. Use the Self-Acknowledgment Hug to calm and center yourself, then use the Marilyn Initiative tools to access your creative stores. From that grounded place, writing becomes less about forcing words and more about allowing them. 5. A writing schedule. Writers often lack the time to write every day. So, if what you really want in 2026 is a consistent writing schedule, you’re not alone. Join us for the first webinar of the year on Tuesday, January 13, at 7:00 pm EST, where we’ll explore how to make writing a priority and create a schedule that allows us to work, create, and succeed! Here’s to your personal success, Professor Marilyn Horowitz |
Create a Consistent Writing Schedule for 2026
As writers, to become “whole” means giving ourselves the time and space to practice our art. When we’re not writing, something inside us feels unfinished. The first webinar of 2026 will be held on January 13. Join us as we explore how to make room for writing and build a schedule that truly works for you!
Click here to register.
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It’s 11:30 on a Sunday night.
I’m drinking an expensive bottle of Claret my neighbor gave me. I’m eating a ridiculously huge cookie made by the son of a close friend who is becoming a rising star at Harrods. The cookie is excellent. So is the wine.
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