Join 500+ writers, creatives, misfits, and weirdos and learn to write like you mean it in 10 minutes a week. Get ONE practical tip, story, or shenanigan every Tuesday + a creative goodie bag on Friday 🖖🏼
“You won’t. Stop lying to yourself.”
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Reading time: 1.26 338 words Hey Reader, When Louise joined one of my writing programs years ago, she couldn’t move. Literally: she had a medical condition that left her immobile, off work, struggling to fill her days with anything meaningful. She wasn’t a writer. Or a reader. And no idea what she was doing. Three months later, she had 66,000 words — a full first draft of the book that had been rattling around in her head. You can hear her full writing journey here: Here’s what actually changed: Not her discipline — Louise is one of the hardest-working people I know. Not her willpower — she’s steely when it comes to getting shit done. And not some magical writing habit she forced herself into. She stopped lying to herself about setting her own timer. “You won’t,” she says. “Stop lying to yourself. You’re not going to do that.” Instead, Louise showed up to a space that was already there. Sometimes she wrote 900 to 1,000 words, sometimes she planned, and sometimes she simply got words on the page without overthinking it. The space was there whether she felt like it or not. Before: “Oh never mind, I just won’t do that thing.” After: 66,000 words and years later, she’s still writing with me. Her business changed, her communication improved, and (this is my favourite part) she fell in love with reading and writing — something she never thought possible. All because she stopped trying to manufacture motivation and started showing up to a space that already existed. That’s what January Uncaged is.
No forcing. No rigid habits. Just permission to write like you actually mean it — and have fun! Early bird closes soon: £50 + VAT (regular £75 + VAT) We ride on January 6th. Structure isn’t restriction. Structure is what lets you stop negotiating with yourself every single day — which is exhausting. ​Join us here. TTFN, Vicky 🫡 p.s. Know someone who might enjoy this email? Please forward it to them and get them to sign up here.
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Learn to Write Like You Mean It
Join 500+ writers, creatives, misfits, and weirdos and learn to write like you mean it in 10 minutes a week. Get ONE practical tip, story, or shenanigan every Tuesday + a creative goodie bag on Friday 🖖🏼
Reading time: 0.27 107 words Read this email in your browser. Hey Reader, Your “terrible” first draft isn’t proof that you’re a terrible writer. It’s proof that you’re a writer. As Anne Lamott said, “All good writers write shitty first drafts. This is how they end up with good second drafts and terrific third drafts.” But don’t worry about that right now. The secret is to find some joy in the mess. And that’s what we’re doing in January Uncaged. Daily prompts, a judgement-free Telegram group,...
Reading time: 1.52 442 words Read this email in your browser. Hey Reader, On February 5th, you’re going to look back at early January and not recognise yourself. You’ll have 30 pieces of writing squirrelled away. Some will be brilliant. Some will be shite. All of them will be yours. In your unique voice, through your singular lens. You’ll love at least some of your writing (probably more than you expect) and as you gaze at your work, you’ll realise this is more writing than most people do in...
Reading time: 3.55 929 words Read this email in your browser. Hey Reader, “Writing is the most fun you can have by yourself.” My favourite author, Sir Terry Pratchett, said that, and he’s right. But writing isn’t a solo sport. It kind of looks like it is, when you see a book or an article with one person’s name on the front. But then you turn to the acknowledgements and realise there’s a whoooooole lot of people involved in the creative process. My husband and my cats are integral to my...