Hey Wit!

It’s conference season—aka The Great Annual Burst of Inspiration.

You go. You learn. You laugh.
You network. You buy the book.
You underline the book.

You promise yourself The New Era Begins Immediately.

And then you come home…

…and the laundry's still there.
…and the inbox is still feral.
…and ordinary life looks at your Big Beautiful Conference Goals and says, “Cute.”

If you’ve ever felt that post-conference discouragement hit (me: raises hand), I’ve got a tiny reset for you:

The “Check, Check, Check” activity

Small thing. Big payoff when you do it consistently.

Think of it like writing a scene.

Inspiration is the complication. But progress comes from the choice you can actually sustain. (Hello, TRYcycle.)

1) Check yourself: Do you see yourself clearly?

Not “clearly” as in “harshly.” Clearly as in “truthfully + kindly.”

Try this: talk to yourself the way you’d talk to your main character in chapter seven—right after they mess up, but right before they give up.

A simple line:

• “Of course this feels hard. I’m learning. I’m allowed to be new at this.”

Because self-talk isn’t fluff—it’s the lens you write your next decision through.

2) Check your surroundings: Does your environment support your goals?

Quick story: in 2007, a world-renowned violinist (Joshua Bell) played breathtaking music in a busy D.C. subway station—incognito. Hundreds and hundreds of people walked right by.

Not because they were bad people. Because context decides what we notice.

Your writing life is like that.

If your goal matters, don’t only rely on motivation—change the “subway station” you’re trying to create art inside.

Ask:

• What’s one friction point I can remove? (example: open doc pinned, notebook on pillow, laptop already charged)
• What’s one cue I can add? (example: same chair, same time, same drink)
• What’s one distraction I can put behind a door?

You’re not weak. You’re human. Design accordingly.

3) Check your support system: Who helps you move forward?

Writers are brave… and also hilariously determined to do everything alone.

But support is a strategy.

Choose one:

• Ask someone to be your accountability buddy for 2 weeks.
• Tell a friend your one next step (not your 47-step master plan).
• Get help with one life thing so you can write (meals, childcare swap, a quiet hour).

And yes—this part takes courage. Permission granted.

The truth we always forget when we’re inspired

Change is difficult.

Not because you’re broken—but because greatness is built slowly.

Conference-you makes promises. Real-life-you keeps them one check at a time.

So this week: Check. Check. Check again. Not to judge yourself. To aim yourself.

Happy writing, my friend!

P.S. If you’re checking your support system and feeling a bit isolated in your writing journey, I’ve got you. I’m opening up 9 early spots in my writing community ($27/mo) to build a little momentum before our next official enrollment period. You get weekly classes, write-ins, and live coaching so you never have to guess what your next step is. Check out the details and grab a spot here.​

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