Coffee break exercise: Solstice

Celebrate your writing and plan a new project in this midsummer-themed exercise

It's midsummer's day today, the longest day of the year – a time marked by festivals and rituals in many different cultures, and, officially, the beginning of summer.

For today's creative writing exercise, let's use the solstice energy to shine a light on our writing and how we can progress it. Take two minutes and note the writing achievement you're proudest of this year so far. It might be a completed story or poem, it might simply be having made the commitment to write something new or explore a new writing avenue. Take a moment to be proud of what you've done.

Now take another three minutes and free-write about what new writing project you hope to have tackled by this time next year.

For the next ten minutes, make notes, or make a start on that project.

Want to be more creative? Read these top ten tips for turning on your creativity.