Day 0: Why and how
A little background and housekeeping before we get started.
Four years ago, after recording a Zest episode (the archive is still alive and kicking 🎧), I had the idea to start a 30-day writing challenge for our closed Facebook community. Maybe 15–20 people joined, but the ones who did loved it.
They said it helped. They wanted more.
So, naturally, I waited three years before doing another one.
That time I ran it on Instagram: one short post a day for a month. It wasn’t much, but it unclogged some rusty creative pipes. It helped me get over the “but it’s not good enough yet” and “I don’t have time today” excuses.
That was last year. This year, I won't wait three more. It’s happening now.
But this third round is different. I want it to be more helpful, supportive, and organized. Instead of just saying “go on, write something”, I’m sending a daily email with:
A short story to set the scene.
A prompt to get you writing.
Guidelines that help you stay focused.
Simple, clear, brief.
Why Shrug & Send?
The phrase comes from something Pulitzer-winning journalist Jacqui Banaszynski once wrote:
“Too often I run out of time and accept the tyranny (gift?) of deadline: SHRUG and SEND.”
We talked about it during Draft, a monthly writing workshop I hosted together with Silviana Toader, and it quickly became a community motto.
At some point, you have to accept that what you’ve written is good enough. The sky won’t fall if you share it.
That’s what this newsletter is about: shrugging in the face of perfection. Sending stuff out into the world, even if it feels a bit uncomfortable.
Why trust me as your guide?
I’ve been writing professionally for 15+ years: journalism, advertising, content marketing. For the past three years, I’ve worked as a freelance writer and content strategy advisor.
For a long time, I’ve been meaning to spend more time teaching others how to use writing to build clarity, confidence, and authority.
Along the way, I:
Hosted and produced Zest, a podcast about writing, for five years.
Ran Draft, a monthly writing workshop, for two.
Started (and restarted) my own writing practice more times than I can count.
So if you’re worried about keeping up, don’t be. I’ve quit before. I’ve come back before. Every time, writing has helped me a lot (understatement), both personally and professionally.
What we’ll cover in 30 days
Each week has a theme:
Week 1 – Finding your voice (self-discovery, getting unstuck)
Week 2 – Clarity (sharpening ideas and language)
Week 3 – Confidence (sharing, publishing)
Week 4 – Authority (building visibility and trust)
By the end, you’ll have written 30 pieces and discovered just how much lighter writing feels when you just shrug & send.
How to make it work
A few ground rules (in the lightest sense of the word):
Pick a time. Tie your writing to a ritual: your morning coffee, your evening tea, your mid-day break.
25 minutes, no less. Set a timer, focus on the prompt, and write. If you’re in flow, keep going.
Music helps. Here’s a playlist I love.
Show up anyway. Even if you don’t feel like it, spend your 25 minutes with the page. Reread, doodle, type nonsense. Just don’t wander off.
Optional: shrug & send. Send the text to a friend. Publish it as a social media post or a blog article. If you want, send it to me as a reply to this email. Show it to someone and see what happens.
If you subscribed and read this far, I’m assuming you’re in.
The first prompt arrives in your inbox on October 1. And you’ll keep getting one for 30 days.
🖋️ What to do next: Decide when & where you’ll write tomorrow.
Yaaay, which were the chances I find this - today? The trickster was alive and kicking since this morning - and it delivered!