This Month: Write for Fun
An April Permission Slip
It’s our next installment of gentle, writerly self-care!
April 2026 Permission:
Write something as if no one will read it.
Let writing be fun!
Maybe it seems a little contradictory, coming from a publication that’s about, well, publishing . . .
. . . But this is something we too often forget. Sure, it’s great to hone your craft and consider your reader. And it’s natural, and laudable, to dream of publishing your story! But amid all the editing and feedback and revising and rules that make up the work of being a writer, sometimes we lose sight of why we’re writing in the first place—and how much we love it.
If this is striking a chord with you, try shaking things up! Write a little sketch that is “silly” or “embarrassing” or just for you. Brainstorm a scene in a completely messy, non-perfect, never-thinking-of-the-end-result way. I find writing paragraphs in italics helps me with this, because I can fool my brain into finding it less serious; you could also try using a different font or a different method—writing on a device you don’t usually use to draft your Serious Novels, for example, or even writing by hand.
If you follow through on this month’s permission slip, definitely let me know! Right now, at this moment in the world, it’s important to share moments of positivity along with everything else. And if you’re interested in my thoughts, “behind the scenes” style, read on . . .
