Write it anyway

A bad feeling for a writer is showing up at the page and having no ideas.

But there's probably something there.

It might suck. It may be a steaming pile of garbage. But it's something.

Yet, something is getting in the way. It could be fear or pride, or something else. But you suspect it's terrible and not worth your time. Or worse, you write, and somebody realizes how bad of a writer you are.

Write the story anyway—in all its shittiness. Give it 10-15 minutes or 500 words to put it all down. The goal is to get it out of your head and onto the page, no matter how bad it is.

Now that it's on the page, it's no longer an imaginary thing. It's something you can deal with.

You can read and say, "Yes, this is trash," and burn it. Or you can realize there are a few hints of magic. Or you discover that it isn't that bad, and you can refine it into something worthwhile.

No matter what, you've completed the critical step. You showed up and did the work. Congratulations.

Now try it again tomorrow.