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It’s Saturday afternoon. The weather is fine. The to-do list is not. And I’m standing in my kitchen, eyeing a deceptively small box. Inside it? A flat-packed wine rack with approximately 347 tiny screws, a vaguely smug Allen wrench, and instructions that may or may not be translated from ancient runes.
Now, for some people, assembling furniture is no big deal. They thrive on it. They hear “some assembly required” and smile like it’s game night. I am not one of those people.
Unfortunately, there was no magical elf coming to do it for me. If I wanted my Malbec off the counter, I was going to have to build that thing myself.
And I did!
Was it fast? No. No world records were broken.
But here’s the thing: I finished it. I didn’t throw it across the room. I didn’t give up halfway through and call it modern art. I kept going. And that goofy little wine rack became something more than a storage solution. It became a symbol of something I think we don’t talk about enough in the creative world:
Doing the thing that’s hard for you
We talk a lot about leaning into your strengths. You should build your creative career around what you’re good at—your voice, your weird and wonderful ideas, your ability to write killer dialogue, or worldbuild like a boss.
But sometimes, it’s equally important to do something you’re not good at. Something that stretches your brain or tests your patience or challenges the story you tell yourself about what you’re capable of.
Because every time you do a hard thing—whether that’s putting together a wine rack, learning TikTok, or finally making that cash flow spreadsheet—you’re proving to yourself that you can. That you’re not just creative, but courageous. Not just talented, but tenacious.
And that, my friends, is rocket fuel for your confidence.
Self-esteem doesn’t always come from doing what you’re best at. Sometimes it comes from tackling the thing you dread, fumbling your way through it, and emerging victorious (or at least semi-assembled). It gives you the courage to face down the next hard thing—be it a scary rewrite, a pitch meeting, or yes, even another piece of furniture.
So here’s your invitation this week:
Pick one small thing that’s hard for you.
Do it anyway.
Celebrate with something from your (possibly metaphorical) wine rack.
Because creative courage doesn’t just come from the big wins. It grows in the quiet victories—the ones where no one’s watching but you still show up and try.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a suddenly very impressive-looking wine rack to admire. And maybe a spreadsheet to attempt… after one glass of Pinot.
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I'm on Peak Potential with Alec Mountain - The Pitch Master's Playbook: How Lindsey Hughes Helps Creators Tell Stories that Stick!
Ever wonder what it’s like to work with me? Watch me evaluate pitches on The Dialogue Doctor podcast!
Want more content like this? Click here to subscribe to my newsletter.
If this blog adds a little spark to your writing week, would you consider buying me a coffee? Your support helps me keep creating practical, joyful resources for writers.
Buy my bookHow to Turn Your Screenplay into a Novel! Turn your scripts into books and start earning money today!
Stick with me. You pitched your story. You queried the agent. You posted the excerpt. And what you got back was… silence. Or worse, a “pass.”
Cue the imposter syndrome orchestra. (Hello darkness, my old friend.)
But wait! Before you spiral into a Netflix-and-regret marathon, let me offer you a spicy little reframe:
A “no” isn’t the end of the road. It’s a neon arrow saying: “Not here, not yet—but keep going.”
A No Means Someone Read It
First off—let’s give “no” some credit. Someone took the time to look at your work – even if they just read your cocktail pitch. That’s not nothing! In a world of inbox avalanches and ten-second attention spans, your idea made it into someone’s brain.
Even if they said “not for me,” it still means your story is out there, mingling with the world like a party guest looking for the right dance partner.
Each No Is a Compass
Here’s a radical idea: No is not rejection—it’s redirection.
Every pass is helping your story steer toward its real audience. The one that gets it. The people who laugh at your jokes, cry at your climaxes, and maybe even knit fan art of your characters. Think of “no” like a GPS reroute. Not a dead end—just a different turn.
Your Story Just Hasn’t Found Its People Yet
You’re not writing for everyone. (You shouldn’t be!) You’re writing for the reader who sees your weird little world and goes, “OH MY GOD, YES.”
J.K. Rowling was rejected by 12 publishers. Stephen King tossed Carrie in the trash until his wife fished it out. Agatha Christie got rejection letters for five years. These writers didn’t change their stories to please the no’s—they held on until they found the yes.
Rejection didn’t mean their stories weren’t good. It meant their stories hadn’t landed in the right hands yet.
Reframe Rejection as Progress
Let’s play a game. Every “no” you get? Put a tally on a sticky note. Make it a badge of honor.
That’s not failure. That’s data.
You’re learning:
What kinds of responses your work gets.
Who isn’t your audience.
How to keep pitching with clarity and conviction.
Eventually, a no becomes:
❌ Not for this agent
❌ Not for this reader
❌ Not for this publisher
And finally— ✅ YES for your ideal audience who has been waiting for a story like yours.
Grow Your Nos
Here’s the mindset shift: A no doesn’t shrink you. It grows you.
It makes you resilient. Focused. Clearer about what you want to say, and who you’re saying it to.
Each no is a seed. Keep planting. The yes is coming.
And when it does? It won’t just be any yes. It’ll be a “heck yes,” a “where-have-you-been-all-my-life” yes, a “let’s make beautiful creative babies together” yes.
📖 For Authors: You Don’t Want Every Reader—You Want Your Reader
Let’s say someone picks up your book, reads a chapter, and puts it down with a shrug. That feels like failure… but it’s actually filtering. You don’t want your book to be “fine” or “meh” or “technically competent.” You want it to make someone stay up past their bedtime, reading “just one more chapter”.
When someone doesn’t connect? That’s the universe saying: “Not your reader.” Good! Let them go. You’re not trying to win everyone. You’re trying to ignite delight in the hearts of the readers who will love your characters like family and recommend your book with the zeal of a caffeinated missionary.
Fandoms aren’t built on mild approval. They’re built on obsession. Which means your book needs to be bold enough to turn some people off. It’s the only way to truly turn others on.
🎬 For Screenwriters: You’re Not Writing a Demo Reel—You’re Building a Voice
If someone passes on your screenplay because it’s “too quirky” or “too niche” or “a little out there”… congratulations! You’re developing a voice. The worst feedback a screenwriter can get is “meh, this could’ve been written by anyone.”
Executives may say no now—but when the right champion sees your script and says, “This is exactly what we need,” you’ll be glad you didn’t tone it down to please the passers-by. Every no from someone who “doesn’t get it” is narrowing the funnel toward someone who will.
And in Hollywood, a strong voice—even one that gets a lot of rejections—is currency. A meh writer might get staffed for a season. A writer with a distinct voice builds a career.
You’re Building a Tribe
It’s not about going viral. It’s about being unmistakable to the people who matter. The ones who read your work and feel like you reached inside their brain and took notes. The ones who turn into your newsletter subscribers, superfans, and “OMG I WILL READ ANYTHING YOU WRITE” readers.
When someone doesn’t buy your book? That’s not a failure. That’s helping you find your raving fans faster. Your people are out there. They’re just waiting for your story.
Keep going. Keep sharing. Keep writing.
Book Nook
If you read on a Kindle, when you finish the book an option to rate the book one out of five stars pops up. Help the author out! If you liked the book, rate it five stars. You don't even have to write a review. The five stars help the author’s review ranking. And positive reviews sell books.
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I'm on the Native Tongues podcast! Listen to me talk about writing, life in Hollywood, and my search for the perfect ground beef taco.
Check it Out!
Ever wonder what it’s like to work with me? Watch me evaluate pitches on The Dialogue Doctor podcast!
Want more content like this? Click here to subscribe to my newsletter.
If this blog adds a little spark to your writing week, would you consider buying me a coffee? Your support helps me keep creating practical, joyful resources for writers.
Buy my bookHow to Turn Your Screenplay into a Novel! Turn your scripts into books and start earning money today!
ou know those days when writing feels like flying through a glitter-filled sky on the back of a caffeinated unicorn? That’s one kind of fun. And then there are the days when writing feels like crawling through a tunnel of emotional tar with only self-doubt and a deadline to light the way. Shockingly… that’s fun too. What?
These terms come from the world of adventurers, mountain climbers, and outdoor masochists—people who willingly dangle from cliffs and call it a good time. But they also apply perfectly to the wild world of writing stories.
Type 1 Fun: Fun While It’s Happening
This is the pure stuff. The dopamine delight. Type 1 fun is your classic good time. It’s enjoyable in the moment, and it stays fun in retrospect. Think: eating cake, watching a great movie, going on a spontaneous road trip with friends.
In the writing world, Type 1 fun might look like:
Writing 1,000 words before lunch and loving every single one of them.
Discovering a plot twist you didn’t see coming (and it actually makes sense!)
Getting praise in a workshop that makes you blush.
Seeing your book cover for the first time and squealing with joy.
This is the kind of fun that makes you want to shout, “I was born to do this!” while dramatically flinging open your laptop.
But let’s be honest. Writing isn’t always like that. Which brings us to…
Type 2 Fun: Fun After It’s Over
Type 2 fun doesn’t feel fun at the time. It feels hard. Messy. Frustrating. You may question your life choices, your talent, and the meaning of existence. But later—sometimes hours, sometimes years—you look back and think, “That was kind of amazing.” It’s earned fun. And writing is full of it.
In writing, Type 2 fun shows up as:
Rewriting a scene for the 17th time.
Crying over your keyboard because you don’t know what happens next… but refusing to quit
Getting harsh feedback, sulking for a week, then using it to revise your way into greatness.
Finishing a draft you thought might actually destroy you.
Type 2 fun is all about achievement. The high of finishing. It builds character (yours, not just your protagonist’s). It’s also the kind that turns writers into authors. Because pushing through the hard stuff? That’s where the real growth lives.
Why Writers Need Both
If you’re only chasing Type 1 fun, you’ll quit the second things get hard (and they will get hard). You’ll abandon your book at the first plot snarl. You’ll tell yourself, “Maybe I’m not cut out for this.” But writing isn’t just about flowy days and fairy dust. It’s about grit. And strangely enough, it’s that Type 2 fun—the hard-won victories—that often bring the deepest satisfaction.
You survive the swamp of Act Two. You conquer the tech nightmare of formatting. You get through the 43rd revision. And later, when someone says, “Wow, you wrote a book?” you smile and say, “Yeah. I did.”
How to Make the Most of Both Types
1. Recognize the Type If you’re miserable mid-draft, tell yourself: “Ah, Type 2 fun. Carry on.” If you're having a magical writing session, bask in the glow of Type 1. Just don’t expect every day to feel that way.
2. Reframe the Hard Stuff Remember: just because something isn’t fun now doesn’t mean it isn’t meaningful. Or won’t be worth it later. Or even, weirdly, fun to talk about when it's over.
3. Celebrate Both Finished a tough revision? Toast yourself. Finally figured out that character arc? Dance break. Survived feedback without crying? Okay, maybe with crying, but you did it!
4. Don’t Wait for Motivation Motivation is Type 1. But momentum comes from pushing through the Type 2. The more you show up, the more fun you’ll unlock—both in real time and in memory.
Remember…
1. Don’t Panic When the Fun Disappears If you're not giggling with joy every time you open your draft, you're not broken. You’re probably just in a Type 2 fun phase. Keep going. You’ll look back on this moment with pride.
2. Celebrate Both Types When you have a Type 1 fun writing day, bask in it. Screenshot your word count. Text your writer friends. Do a happy dance. But when it’s Type 2 fun, remind yourself: this still counts as fun. It’s the fun that forges your creative stamina and storytelling muscles.
Both kinds of fun? They’re both part of the creative ride. Enjoy it!
Use Both Types of Fun in Your Stories
Characters love Type 1 fun (banter! romance! a good heist!)—but they grow through Type 2 fun. That’s where your protagonist earns their transformation. So when you’re plotting, ask:
Where’s the joy?
Where’s the trial-by-fire?
How can I make sure they survive the struggle and look back in awe?
Hit reply and tell me: What kind of fun are you having today—Type 1 or Type 2?
Ever wonder what it’s like to work with me? Watch me evaluate pitches on The Dialogue Doctor podcast!
Want more content like this? Click here to subscribe to my newsletter.
If this blog adds a little spark to your writing week, would you consider buying me a coffee? Your support helps me keep creating practical, joyful resources for writers.
Buy my bookHow to Turn Your Screenplay into a Novel! Turn your scripts into books and start earning money today!
Paperwork is the bain of my existence. I struggle to not let it pile up. But I have noticed how much better I feel when my office is organized and (mostly) clutter free.
Clutter can affect our anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus, making us less productive. Cluttered spaces can trigger a sense of overwhelm and a feeling of being out of control, leading to increased stress and anxiety. Who knew the pile of unopened mail on your desk was having such a negative impact on you? No wonder you’re having a hard time sitting down to write! Clutter is distracting, making it harder to concentrate and complete tasks. Your messy desk may be fueling your procrastination.
Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brainstorm, and problem-solve.
If you're having trouble making progress on your current project, spend your next block of writing time organizing your desk and office. Open that mail, pay those bills and file what you need to save. Throw away the rest.
Extra credit if you’re brave enough to post before and after pics on Instagram and tag me @thepitchmaster.
My after picture. I forgot to take a before.
Build New Habits
Open your mail every day, throwing out the junk and handling the rest. This daily 10 minutes will prevent papers from piling up.
Put a weekly half hour on your calendar for office organization.
When you finish work each day, make sure your desk is organized so you're ready to hit the ground running the next day. I like to put the next day's top five to dos on a post it note on my monitor. When I sit at my desk in the morning, I know exactly what I need to do first to get my day rolling productively.
Every quarter, spend time decluttering your office. Are there books you can donate to the library? What can you throw away? Do you need to rearrange your furniture, so the space feels fresh?
Think of decluttering your desk as decluttering your mind so your have more space to create all the stories you want to tell. Get cracking!
Ever wonder what it’s like to work with me? Watch me evaluate pitches on The Dialogue Doctor podcast!
Want more content like this? Click here to subscribe to my newsletter.
If this blog adds a little spark to your writing week, would you consider buying me a coffee? Your support helps me keep creating practical, joyful resources for writers.
Buy my bookHow to Turn Your Screenplay into a Novel! Turn your scripts into books and start earning money today!
Finding time to write is something all writers, including me, struggle with. Here are three things to try if you're having trouble sitting down to write.
What Can You Give Up
Everyone is busy these days. Our schedules are packed. But if you really sit down and look at where you're spending your time, you can find things to give up, so you have time to write. I recently gave up scrolling through Instagram and I took it off my phone. I was procrastinating looking at funny cat videos instead of writing. If it's not social media, maybe you need to give up watching television or playing video games. Be honest with yourself about your time suck habits and decide to give one up and use that time to write. Think of this as a temporary promise to yourself. You're not giving up video games, cat videos, and true crime documentaries forever. This is a temporary habit to help you get more words on the page.
Schedule Your Time
You know what time of day you write the best. Block off half an hour on your calendar during your optimal time for writing. Guard that time. Don't schedule anything there. Doctor's appointments, lunch with friends, or running errands will have to be a different time of day. Having a set schedule will build your writing habit.
Mark your progress
If you feel like you are making progress on your project, you are more likely to sit down and work on it. Give yourself a break and set small, manageable goals for your writing practice. Maybe you're only writing three days a week for half an hour. Or your goal is just 500 words for the week. The smaller the better here so that you can build consistency and see progress. How much 500 words a week adds up will surprise you. And who knows, maybe soon you'll be turning out 3000 words a week. Start small and keep going.
For $80, join a cohort of like-minded writers all working together to finish our books in 80 days.
For the first 30 days, we will focus on planning our novel together with a weekly webinar and 3 different hours a week to ask questions of one of the Dialogue Doctor Coaches.
For the month of May, we will write together. The 3 hours a week will continue, and the coaches will provide daily encouragement videos.
For the first two weeks of June, the weekly webinars will resume so the coaches can focus on equipping you to edit what you've written.
This is a wonderful chance to jump start a writing project with a great community!
