Let’s get this out of the way: you will embarrass yourself. It’s part of the deal we make as creatives with the universe. Putting our art out there is putting ourselves out there. Since we’re in this together, I’ll go first and tell you about some of my embarrassing moments in the writing world:

I misspelled a word on the back cover of my novel. Sure, it was spelled correctly in British English, but the book was about the American Civil War. Not my proudest moment as a writer or editor.

The first time I ever read my creative writing to a large group, I broke out in hives and looked like I was about to cry. (People noticed. They told me afterward. They described it in great detail. Thanks.) Honestly, though? I’ve seen others cry when reading their work aloud. In grad school, there were two people who cried every time they read. Do I remember them because they got emotional? No, not really. I remember them because they were brave enough to do it anyway.

And then, there’s my Hunger Games moment. This cute, smart writer I was in a workshop with, who already worked at a publishing house, got an advanced copy of The Hunger Games. He was convinced it was the next big thing. I picked up the audiobook from the library as soon as it came out (back when audiobooks came on CDs and cost a fortune to buy). I listened, loved it, and (at the time my then super shy-self) got up the nerve to tell him I agreed: the series was going to be huge. I went on and on. I also told him I was all-in on the love triangle between Katniss, Gale, and Peter. Yes, Peter. That’s when cute boy kindly asked, “Do you mean Peeta?” Turns out, my audiobook ears had betrayed me, and I’d been calling him “Peter” the whole conversation. I had to out myself as an audiobook listener. No big deal now, but at the time audiobooks weren’t that cool. I wanted to crawl under the nearest table.

Here’s the thing: I’m probably the only person who remembers these stories. At the time, they felt huge, but they weren’t. That’s the truth about embarrassment—it feels enormous in the moment, but most people won’t think about it again.

You will embarrass yourself, and it will feel awful. But you’ll get over it. And you’ll keep being part of the creative community and creating, because art is important.

You know what makes embarrassing moments less awful? Talking about them.

If you’ve got a cringe-worthy art or writing story, send it my way. Let’s take away some of its power together. I’ll share a few of my favorites in the next week or so—anonymously, of course, unless you want people to know it was you, then include your website or social link.

Book Recommendation:

Writing Prompts:

If you're looking for a little creative inspiration and encouragement (overcome some fear!!), I highly recommend checking out Janna Maron's Writing Prompts for Self-Care. It's a thoughtful and beautifully crafted resource with prompts designed to nurture both your writing and your well-being. I've already bookmarked them to use in my own classes and can't wait to try them out myself during those moments when I need a boost. You can download the document for free—it's a wonderful gift to yourself as a writer.

My New Hobby:

I am always looking for new hobbies that I couldn’t possibly try to monetize. I have been into coloring as a way to lower my anxiety for a while now, but I recently discovered color-by-number thanks to a couple students of mine. I am totally hooked. The book above is not a color-by-number, but isn’t it cute? If you would like to send me a coloring book to say thank you for these letters you can access my wishlist on Amazon to see what I am looking forward to trying out. Maybe order one for yourself as well! Happy coloring (or not). Thank you so much for reading. Here's to art in all its forms.

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