I trusted the mess

Starting a creative project with no clear plan is one of the most uncomfortable things I do.

But being okay with this keeps me productive.

I'm thirty-one chapters into a novel, and I still don't know exactly how it ends.

My outline has been rewritten at least six times, and most of the best scenes came from moments when I threw the plan out the window and followed a character into unexpected territory.

The main thing is immersing myself in the character's mind and seeing how they'd realistically react to various challenges.

You can't plan for this. You just need to create and adjust as you go.

Writing a novel, just as with any creative project, is teaching me to...

Trust the mess.

Staying in the mess when everything in you wants to quit takes a specific kind of self-confidence.

I wrote The Art of Self-Respect to help with exactly this.

The book shows you the 25 daily habits that rebuild how you relate to yourself so you stop bailing when things get uncomfortable.

Grab the special full-book bundle here.

Peace, Alex