Are you feeling stuck with your writing? Not just any kind of stuck. The kind of stuck that happens because the inner critic sits on your shoulder, throwing insults at your writing like they’re a character from Succession?

If so, I have a solution. Try something new. And allow yourself to do it really, really badly. Like The Room bad. 

When I was stuck with my last book, I decided to do one of those wine and painting classes with a friend. Now, I’m a really terrible artist. I’m so bad that one time, at camp, an art instructor went around the room, complimenting each girl on her painting. When she got to mine, she said nothing and walked on.

So you would think I would have a terrible time doing something that I’m not good at. But it was the best time ever. Because I knew I was going to do a horrendous job. And that was sweet, sweet freedom. 

If you give yourself permission to do something horribly, it’s really relaxing. It frees up any pressure to be good. 

And magically, I took that energy with me into my writing. I allowed myself for it to be messy and imperfect.

And you know the irony behind all of this?

My writing turned out pretty good.

So allow yourself to do something new terribly. Worst-case scenario, you might end up with a messy painting on your wall like I did. It might turn out to be the best conversation starter ever.