We all have that voice that whispers, "Who are you to think you can write?" In this gentle, thoughtful episode, Julie Duffy shares why those inner critics feel so convincing—and how to move past them. From celebrating small wins to journaling the negative voices into submission, she offers calm, practical ways to rebuild confidence and keep writing.

A soothing reflection on self-doubt, creative courage, and what it really takes to keep showing up for your stories.

Writing is hard — but it's even harder alone. In this episode, Julie shares why connecting with other writers is the key to overcoming blocks, staying consistent, and building a joyful writing life. Discover how community keeps you motivated, accountable, and growing as a writer.

Join the Superstars group: storyaday.org/superstars

On Day 14 of the StoryADay Challenge, how's it going? Perfectly?

Oh, you magical unicorn you. For the rest of us, I have some thoughts...

00:00 StoryADay Update - Limit Your Choice, Do Hard Things

04:51 Creating artificial limits for freedom

05:43 Recommit 05:46 Make It Public

06:44 Make It Smaller and More Specific

08:37 Have A Theme

09:24 Commit To The Prompts

10:13 Be There For Yourself Even When Its Uncomfortable

14:05 Quantity vs Quality

Join Julie from Story A Day on Day 10 of Story A Day May as she discusses using strong emotions like rage as fuel for your writing. Julie shares personal insights on transforming negative emotions into positive creative energy and how it can lead to problem-solving and positive thinking. She also highlights today's writing prompt from Patricia A. Jackson, which encourages writers to pen a story from the perspective of a banned book.

Embrace your irritation, channel it into your writing, and elevate your mood through creativity! https://storyaday.org

00:00 Introduction and Personal Update

00:08 Harnessing Rage for Creativity

00:48 Positive Problem-Solving Frameworks

01:26 Life Lessons from a Former Boss

01:58 Turning Frustration into Creative Fuel

02:07 Today's Writing Prompt: Banned Books

03:11 Mission for Today: Write with Passion

03:39 Final Encouragement

Creativity brings its own rewards - how writing more helps you write more...

join us: https://storyaday.org

I wasn't feeling great, on Day 7 of the StoryADay Challenge, so here's what I dd to get my inspriation back....

Join us: https://storyaday.org

(and yes, episode four comes from Day 5. You didn't miss anything. I just don't do these every day)

This update from the StoryADay challenge comes on Day 5, but works for you any time you're trying to write.

Join the challenge: https://storyaday.org

00:00 Introduction to StoryADay Challenge

00:15 Taking a Break: The Importance of Rest

01:07 Dealing with Prompts: Inspiration and Flexibility

02:14 Community Insights: Diverse Perspectives on Prompts

05:10 Personal Reflections: Knitting and Writing

06:57 The Value of Persistence and Experimentation

08:02 dig deep into the ideas that come from the writing prompts

10:07 Encouragement and Community Engagement

Maybe you're tired, sad, or otherwise struggling emotions when you're trying to write. What do you do, to keep going?

I have two suggestions, today.

Find more at https//storyaday.org

On writing flash fiction to a writing prompt by F. E. Choe, the art of Flash Fiction, and the benefits of brainstorming.

Get a sneak preview of my Flash Fiction Workshop here (first 3 lessons, free!): https://stada.me/flash-preview

These mini episodes bring you in-the-moment updates from my StoryADay May challenge, in the hope that what I'm learning will also be helpful to you!

Episode 1 - In which I talk about confidence and humility as a creative person join the challenge: https://storyaday.org/