(Well, maybe not quite that dramatic but, you get the idea.)

It’s often wrapped in a weird kind of shame, as if the person asking already suspects the answer is their fault.

And what is that question?

“I know what I want to do. So why can’t I make myself do it?”

So, this month to combat this we’re tackling questions on self trust, which is the real reason many of us stop or sit with a growing pile of half finished things. We’re talking about what it actually means to be someone who finishes (and spoiler, it’s nothing to do with willpower).

We’re also going to look at that version of yourself who used to create without asking permission, and how you can find your way back to that.

So, grab a cuppa and let’s get into it.

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Dear Sara, I know exactly what I want to create. I can see it clearly. I even know where to start. So why do I sit down to do it and then just don’t? It doesn’t make sense.

Oh, it makes perfect sense, but it makes sense in a different way to the way you’re expecting.

Before you start self deprecating, let’s get one thing straight immediately. This isn’t a motivation problem, it isn’t a discipline or a confidence problem and it’s not even a time problem, although time is probably what you’re blaming it on.

It’s actually a self-trust problem.

And that difference matters. Because, if it were just a motivation issue the answer would be to find more of it. If it were about discipline the answer would be to find better routines. But, this is about something much more subtle and specific.

It’s about all those times you sat down to do your creative work and didn’t, or started and stopped again, or even if you did finish, you discounted it.

What’s actually going on is your nervous system has paid attention and kept score.

Every unfinished draft, every discarded idea and every project you never got off the ground have all collected together as evidence. Your mind has decided that based on the evidence you can’t be trusted to follow through. So, when you sit down again with all those good intentions, your inner self looks at all the evidence and asks, are you sure?

This isn’t a weakness, it’s actually a very normal response to a pattern. Your mind has gone into protection mode and it’s trying to save you from disappointment and hurt.

It’s actually the pattern that’s wrong, rather than you being flaky and unreliable.

You’ve been trying to create under pressure, around exhaustion, in the edges of a life that’s already full. You’ve been measuring yourself against a version of creative work that doesn’t exists for anyone, never mind someone with a busy life.

The barrier isn’t that you don’t know what to make. The barrier is the weight of every previous time it didn’t happen. And that weight doesn’t go away through inspiration, motivation or yet another productivity framework. It goes away through small, accumulated proof. Evidence that balances all the ‘didn’t finish’ evidence in the other direction.

One specific thing you can do today

Not this week. Today.

Take the thing you want to create (you know, that one you keep circling round and round) and give yourself five minutes with it.

Set a timer.

No goal, no perfect output, no pressure to continue afterwards.

Just five minutes of contact.

Just sit with the idea that you’re not creating, you’re just making contact.

What you’re doing here is placing one small piece of evidence on the other side of the scales. It’s not a dramatic piece, it’s a real one. And, real evidence, repeated in small doses, is the only thing that rebuilds self-trust.

I do this with my writing. I specifically call it ‘writing practice’ because that way it allows my brain to believe it’s okay because we’re just practicing. And, if I practice in small doses it balances the scale towards evidence of me actually showing up and do a little regularly.

You don’t need more clarity about what you want to create. You already have that. You need to start believing that you’re the kind of person who does it. And, that belief only comes from doing, even in the tiniest pieces.

Five minutes. Not because it will change everything, but because it will change the story, one small piece of evidence at a time.

Sara

Dear Sara, I have about fifteen unfinished writing projects on my hard drive. If I’m honest, it’s probably more. I start things enthusiastically and somewhere in the middle I stop. I’ve started to think finishing isn’t something I’m capable of doing. Is this just who I am?

No. And, I want to be direct about that because it seems like you’ve been carrying this as a verdict on your character, when it’s actually more of a design issue.

Here’s what I mean by that.

All those projects gathering dust on your hard drive probably have one thing in common. They’re all too big. I don’t mean too ambitious in terms of your ability, but too big in terms of what they ask from you. This could be things like uninterrupted time, constant momentum or no other demands on your attention. These projects were designed, even accidentally, for a set of conditions that don’t exist.

This isn’t a you problem, it’s a scope problem.

There’s also something else that happens in the middle of a project that nobody talks about enough. The beginning is energising and exciting because everything is still possible and it’s all new. The idea is pristine because the messy execution of creative work hasn’t happened yet.

Then you get to the messy middle and there’s a seemingly huge gap between what you imagined and what you’re actually making. And, that gap feels like evidence of your own inadequacy rather than just the normal part of making something real. So you stop, not because you’re a quitter but because stopping feels safer than finishing something that might confirm your worst fears about your ability.

This isn’t a personality trait, it’s a very understandable response to a very specific kind of fear.

People who finish things aren’t different from you. They’ve just found a scope that fits their real life, and developed a tolerance for that messy middle bit. Both of those things are learnable. But, you can’t learn that from a big project. Big projects have too much at stake, too much distance between start and done, too many places to get lost.

You learn from something tiny. Something you can hold in one hand.

One specific thing you can do today

Don’t go anywhere near the hard drive.

Instead, I want you to write a piece of flash fiction of 25 words max. It can be about anything, a woman waiting for a bus, a door left open, a sentence someone said that you’ve never forgotten. It doesn’t need a formal beginning, middle and end. It doesn’t even need to be any good, it just needs to feel complete.

25 words, that’s it. Write it, read it back, and then, this is the important part, let yourself call it done.

What you’re doing isn’t a warm-up exercise, instead you’re actually finishing something. You’re placing one small, clean piece of evidence on the other side of the scales. Evidence that you are someone who completes things. And, that evidence, quietly gathered in small doses, is the only thing that rewrites the story.

You are not a person who doesn’t finish. You are a person who has been trying to finish the wrong-sized things under the wrong conditions.

That is a very different problem. And it turns out the solution starts with just 25 words.

Sara

Dear Sara, when I was younger I wrote constantly in notebooks, on scraps of paper, on anything I could find. It felt natural, like breathing. Now I haven’t written anything in years and I genuinely don’t know how to get back. Sometimes I wonder if that person is just gone what can I do?

They aren’t gone, but I think you already know that, because if they were truly gone, the question wouldn’t hurt the way it does.

What you’re describing, the notebooks, writing on anything you could find, that person didn’t disappear. They got buried, slowly, under the weight of a life that needed you to be practical and responsible and productive in ways that left little room for the part of you that wrote just for the pure love of it.

And that burial happens so gradually you barely noticed it. One year the notebook got tidied away because life is busy. Another year you meant to pick it up again but didn’t. And, then at some point the distance between who you are now and who you were then becomes so great it starts to feel like loss rather than a pause.

It starts to feel like grief.

That grief is real, by the way. It deserves to be named. You are not being dramatic or nostalgic, you’re mourning something that mattered, a self you loved and have been missing.

But here’s what I want you to sit with: that younger version of you wasn’t creative because of their age, or because they had fewer responsibilities, or because they were somehow more gifted than you are now. They were creative because they hadn’t yet learned to question whether they were allowed to be. They picked up the pen without asking for permission first.

The only difference between that person then and you now is that now you’re waiting until you feel ready and before you didn’t. Before you just started.

One specific thing you can do today

Find a notebook, any notebook, even an ugly one, even the back pages of something else entirely. Write one sentence. Not the beginning of a project, not a commitment to anything. Just one sentence about something you noticed today, something you felt, something that caught your attention. It doesn’t have to be good. It doesn’t have to go anywhere.

You’re not trying to become a writer again. You’re just picking up the pen the same way you used to without pressure, without asking permission.

The person you used to be didn’t go anywhere. They’ve been waiting patiently, for you to come back.

Sara

If you’d like to send in your question for the next Dear Sara, reply to this post or drop me a message. Everything is always anonymous.

And, don’t forget to download your freebies from my website (links below).

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1. Free: Creative Blockbuster Worksheet — beat creative blocks and get moving again

2. Free: Creative Confidence Starter Kit — build creative confidence one small step at a time

3. Free: Tiny Steps Creative Prompt Pack — gentle prompts to help you reconnect with your creativity

4. Creative Support — practical tools and resources for blocked and overwhelmed creatives

5. Journal — writing life, creativity, and the creative journey

6. My Books — historical fiction mysteries set in WWII England

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Procrastination, blocks and inconsistent creative practice aren’t character flaws (it took me a lot of years to learn this). In fact they’re messages from your mind, your body, your life or your expectations about life, your feelings and your work.

This month we’re tackling questions on creative blocks, procrastination and being too busy to do the work, so grab your cuppa and let’s get started.

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Dear Sara, Why do I keep getting creative blocks? What’s actually causing mine? I’m actually so sick of it now.

Blocked in Birmingham

Dear Blocked,

The first thing to note is that a creative block is not a lack of talent or ability, instead it’s actually a protective response.

Before you can work out how to deal with it, you need to first see what you’re dealing with. So, here’s the most common causes I see (and have dealt with myself).

The Six Usual Suspects

• You’re tired (or burnt out). Your brain can’t do original, unique work when it’s in survival mode. It puts everything on hold unless it’s vital for survival and that includes creativity and creative practice.

• You’re trying to create under pressure. If you’re struggling with worries, fears, deadlines or I should be further along thoughts, these can all shut down the experimentation and play needed for creativity to thrive.

• Perfectionism is running the show. If the only acceptable outcome is absolute polished perfection, your brain will choose nothing. This is because it knows that striving for perfection is going to lead to failure and it wants to protect you from being disappointed.

• You’re unclear on the next step. When you don’t have your goals or plans mapped out and instead have a vague, foggy idea of what you’re doing next, it makes it harder to get started. Write the book is foggy. Draft the next scene is doable.

• You’re carrying emotional weight. If you’re dealing with things in your life like grief, stress, anxiety, family issues, money troubles, or anything else that life can throw at you, it all takes up bandwidth and stops you having brain space to be creative.

• You’ve outgrown the old way. Sometimes your block is your creativity asking for a new way of doing things, a new process, a new pace or a new direction. Sometimes you need to experiment and try new things to see what sparks that creative energy.

A Quick Self-Check (2 minutes)

When you’re trying to work out what you need, it’s a good idea to try a quick self check by asking:

1. Do I need rest or do I need clarity?

2. Am I blocked or am I scared? (of judgement, failing, succeeding, being seen, etc.)

3. What would feel like a small next step? Not the perfect step. The kind one.

What to do, Depending on The Cause

• If your issue is tiredness try lowering the threshold and shorten the session; even just ten minutes counts. Stop trying to fit into massive commitments when you don’t have the energy.

• If your issue is pressure create a practice that has no outcome. Try things like free writing, messy sketching or taking voice notes, with no expectation that it will lead anywhere.

• If your issue is perfectionism try doing your equivalent of a writer’s terrible first draft. (Yes, do this on purpose.)

• If your issue is having unclear next steps try writing a one-line instruction: Today I will… and give yourself a very small clear first task or goal.

• If your issue is emotional weight try doing a brain-dump first. Get the noise out of your head and onto paper in something like morning pages.

• If your issue is you’ve outgrown your process try experimenting with new things. Change location, time of day, tools, format or even practice to see if those changes make a difference.

Your blocks aren’t always something to try and bulldoze your way through, often they’re something you should listen to and act on as best you can.

Don’t forget, blocks aren’t connected to how good you are, instead they’re just a message to be listened to and acted on.

Sara

Dear Sara, I’m procrastinating so much. How do I actually sit down and do the work when all I want to do is eat cake and even cleaning the house suddenly becomes really important?

Procrastinating in Preston

Dear procrastinating,

Procrastination is often misunderstood.

It’s not a sign of laziness, it’s actually our brain’s way of keeping us safe by avoiding discomfort.

This discomfort can come from many things including:

• Not knowing where to start

• Fear your work won’t be good

• Fear you’re wasting time trying

• Fear you’ll be judged by that kid who was mean in school (and everyone else)

• The work feels way too big and too much for you to attempt

These discomforts are something to tackle head on. If you ignore them they won’t magically go away. Instead you need to make getting started feel safe and small so you can begin.

It’s not about forcing yourself, it’s about making your brain feel safe so it allows you to get your work started.

Try The Tiny Start Method

1. Make the task smaller than you think it needs to be

   Rather than write the next chapter make it something more like open the document and write three terrible sentences.

2. Set a timer for 10 minutes

   Ten minutes is short enough that your brain doesn’t panic and it’ll allow you to do a short sprint.

3. Stop when the timer ends (even if you want to keep going)

   This builds trust. You’re proving to yourself that creating doesn’t equal endless pressure.

Create a Starting Ritual (so You Don’t Rely on Motivation)

This one is great for building your practice into a routine. Pick a handful of cues to repeat every time. Things like:

• The same drink

• The same playlist

• The same notebook

• The same chair

• The same time of day

Your brain learns: Oh, this is what we do now and it then means there’s less negotiation and less resistance, which means no forcing yourself at all.

Remove The All or Nothing Trap

If you only see your work as a win when you do a massive session, you’ll keep avoiding it.

So, instead try to aim for:

• A minimum practice time (10 minutes)

• Minimum progress (one paragraph, one sketch, one idea)

The great thing about this is that you can always do more, but you’re not allowed to demand more of yourself.

This makes winning at creative practice easy enough to manage.

Sara

3) Dear Sara, I want a consistent creative practice but life is busy. I’ve got kids, a husband, a job, caring for my parents, and so many other things. How do I make it realistic?

Overwhelmed in Oxford

Dear Overwhelmed,

This is the one many many of us can relate to and it’s one I’ve struggled with a lot in my life. But, we often judge ourselves very harshly here when in reality we should be a lot kinder.

Because, if you have children, a job, health issues, caring responsibilities, money issues, stress, family troubles or any other kind of issue, your brain gets very overwhelmed when you try and add in creative practice too.

Your creative practice needs to fit a real life not the imaginary one you’ve dreamed up.

So here’s some ideas to help you learn to be realistic with yourself and your capacity.

Step 1: Choose Your Season

There are different seasons of your creative cycle and if you’re more aware of where you are, you can see how to move forward. So, start by asking yourself: What season am I in right now?

• Growth Season: you can do more and stretch a little.

• Maintenance Season: you’re keeping the flame lit but don’t push.

• Recovery Season: you need rest, which is also part of the work.

Your practice should match your season.

And, you might not want to be in the season you actually are but it’s important to own it. This is very difficult sometimes but the faster you see where you are and what you need, the faster you can move forward.

Step 2: Pick a Frequency You Can Keep on Your Worst Week

Not your best week.

Your absolute worst week.

You know the ones; where everything goes wrong and you feel like you can’t see or do anything straight.

Then you’re going to choose what that minimum looks like:

• 10 minutes, 3 days a week

• one longer session on a Sunday

• a daily creative touch (a paragraph, a photo, a page of notes)

Consistency isn’t every day, instead it looks more like “I keep coming back.”

Step 3: Decide What Counts (so You Don’t Talk Yourself Out of it)

Make a list of what counts as creative practice for you:

• drafting

• editing

• reading/research

• sketching

• planning

• collecting ideas

• walking and thinking

• voice-noting scenes or concepts

If you expand what counts as being part of your creative practice, you get more wins and more momentum.

And, don’t forget to include all the things surrounding your actual creative work, not just the work itself.

Step 4: Anchor it to Something That Already Happens

Instead of trying to find time, connect it to your existing routine. This one is so important and something I’ve found has really helped me to be more consistent.

Think about all the things you do and the pockets of time you have in your day. Things like:

• After school drop-off

• Before the house wakes up

• After lunch

• In the car (voice notes)

• Friday morning coffee

Anchors and routine will always beat your willpower, so don’t make it harder for yourself, instead try building practice time into the life you actually have.

A Closing Thought

If you’re blocked, inconsistent or procrastinating it doesn’t mean you’re not a real creative. It just means you’re human and your creativity is asking for one of three things:

• Rest

• Clarity

• A smaller, kinder next step

Sara

If you’d like to submit a question for the next Dear Sara column at the end of March, reply to this post or drop me a message. Everything is always anonymous as standard.

And if you take one thing from today, make it this:

You don’t need more discipline. You need a practice that feels safe enough to return to.

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2. Free: Creative Confidence Starter Kit: build creative confidence and momentum

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4. Book a Marketing Clarity Power Hour (£97): get clear on your offer, messaging, and next steps

5. Creativity Coaching: ways to work with me

6. My Books: historical fiction mysteries

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It’s the end of January and as we look forward to February, I’ve got some creative challenge questions from readers for you.

From trusting yourself to finish projects, to posting into the void and how to choose a digital product to sell, there’s something for everyone.

These are topics that come up constantly for creatives, myself included and I know many wrestle with these all the time.

So, let’s dive in.

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Question 1: Creative confidence

Dear Sara,

Why do my ideas feel brilliant at the start and then halfway through they are terrible, or my ideas dry up altogether? I get stuck when I’m in the middle and I don’t know how to finish.

Muddled in the Midlands

Dear Muddled,

Oh I know just how you feel. I’ve been there many times and it can feel like you’re doing something wrong when you can’t seem to get past the middle.

First, this isn’t a character flaw or a sign you’re broken in some way. And, your ideas aren’t bad, but you’re hitting what writers call the messy middle. This is the point where that initial excitement wears off and the work starts demanding something deeper than excitement: patience, repetition and a bit of bravery.

You see, if you stop halfway, you never have to face that vulnerable bit. It’s an unconscious protection strategy and it’s very common.

Many people see this as a sign they’re doing it all wrong and they have to quit, but in reality it’s a sign that you’ve moved from spark to craft.

And, it’s in the craft stage where the real magic happens.

So let’s make this practical.

What’s Actually Happening Halfway Through

In the beginning your brain is running on ideas and possibilities but when you get halfway through, you start seeing the gaps between the ideas in your head and what you’re producing. You’re expecting those ideas to come out the way they appear in your head and are disappointed in yourself that they’re not doing that.

Many see this as a failure when in reality it’s just the beginning. Creative work doesn’t arrive fully formed and finished, it arrives messy and you have to craft it into that vision.

It takes a lot more of putting yourself into the craft. In writer terms it’s leaving yourself on the page. This isn’t easy and often means you have to be vulnerable.

Instead, most of us get half way, hit an issue and see this as us being defective and not creative enough, not talented enough or just not capable enough, so we give up.

The truth is that it’s about learning the art of crafting and shaping your creative work.

Reframe What Finishing Means

Finishing doesn’t mean perfect, it means complete enough to learn from. Your job isn’t to bring a masterpiece every time an idea flows from your head, it’s to learn, grow and develop, and particularly, to learn to finish and prove to yourself that you can follow through.

Every time you produce something, it will initially be messy. It won’t be the vision you have. Your first version is what the writing world calls your first draft, it’s just the framework to hang the story from.

Try the Version One (V1) Vow

Before you start, decide what V1 looks like:

• One clear purpose (what’s it for?)

• One audience (who is it for?)

• One format (what shape will it take?)

• One deadline (when will it be done?)

This shouldn’t be the finished version, it’s meant to be the messy, terrible version that has lots of things to be worked out and perfected.

Then make a vow:

I will finish V1 even if I don’t like it halfway through.

Because liking it isn’t the point.

Completing it is.

Even if completing it terribly is the way you have to do it (which is likely).

Think of it as a marathon not a sprint. Your V1 is the first marker, not the finish line.

Use a Done List, Not a Mood Check

If you only create when you feel confident, you’ll be at the mercy of your internal feelings and nervous system for the rest of your life.

Believe me this is no way to get your creative work done. I did this for years and it’s held me back massively.

Instead, track actions:

• 20 minutes craft work time

• 1 section/draft/part completed

Confidence always follows evidence and evidence comes from doing.

So, get doing.

Choose a Finishing Ritual for the Messy Middle

When you hit those wobbles, (for me it’s around 45% of the way through my first draft) do the same small thing each time:

• Set a 15-20 minute timer

• Write or create the next ugly section

• Leave one note for future-you

• Stop and take a break

The idea here is that you’re teaching your brain that we don’t quit, we move forward and take the next step.

A mantra for the middle:

This is the part where it gets real. I’m allowed to feel wobbly and still keep going.

If you want, reply with what you’re currently abandoning (a post? a chapter? a product?) and I’ll help you define a V1 you can finish.

Sara

Question 2: Gentle marketing

Dear Sara,

I’m tired of posting into the void. What should I say when my engagement is low without spiralling or changing who I am to get attention? Am I just rubbish at marketing?

Empty in East Anglia

Dear Empty,

Low engagement can feel like rejection but most of the time it’s just simple maths. People are busy, algorithms are moody, your best clients are often quiet lurkers who read everything and say nothing until the day they’re ready to buy.

So, instead of chasing vanity metrics like “how do I get more likes” try switching your thinking to “how can I make it easier for the right person to take the next step?”

By switching your brain in this way you then approach the issue with a different perspective and this gives you different answers. You see, it’s not about who is liking and following, it’s about the right people seeing you as often as needed to get them interested in your products and services.

Because, you can chase lots of likes and attention, but if all these people are never going to buy anything from you, they’re pointless statistics. It’s better to have less likes but the people who do like and follow you are exactly your ideal people.

To help you get started, here’s three things to post when it feels like no one is listening:

1. The Helpful Post:

Try a simple specific tip that helps solve one small problem people can do easily and quickly without too much trouble.

• If you’re stuck just try doing the very next thing, not the whole marketing project, for example, write the next sentence, create the next piece.

• If marketing feels overwhelming, choose one platform and one promise for 30 days and forget the rest.

No massive pressures, just simple steps to take slowly in the right direction.

2. The Personal Update Post:

This is a really simple but powerful exercise that can make a massive difference. People learn to trust and respond to people who show them the messy side, the times when things go wrong as well as the good times.

• You’re allowed to be vulnerable and show people the things you tried in your creative life that didn’t work out and what you’ve learned from the experience

• Share your loves, hates, interests and the fun things you’re doing in your ordinary life, as well as the difficult times

These posts won’t get you viral attention, but they do build deep trust and trust is the thing you need to get people buying.

3. The Micro-Invitation Post:

Instead of asking people to click a link, or dm you for help, make it easier and more specific. Try things like this:

• If you want an easy next step comment next and I’ll give you some ideas

• If you’re stuck choosing between 2 options tell me both and I’ll help you choose

These posts help create conversations and it’s conversations you’re after as conversations lead to friendship, trust and sales, and best of all, they don’t need you to perform.

A Mindset Shift to Help:

Try treating your content like a library rather than a stage. You’re not performing for likes you’re building shelves of proof on who you are, what you stand for and how you think.

And, in those times when you’re tempted to spiral and scrap everything ask yourself:

1. Did I show up today?

2. Did I help one person today (even if that’s yourself)?

3. Did I make the next step clear?

If you stick to the core principles of who you are and helping others, your marketing will always be true and that builds trust, which then leads to sales.

But, without trust, there’s never going to be anything but crickets.

Sara

Question 3: Digital Products

Dear Sara,

I’ve got lots of skills but I can’t see what people would actually pay for. I want to sell some kind of digital product but how do I choose what to create that’s genuinely useful and easy to sell?

Indecisive in Ireland

Dear Indecisive,

This is a common issue, and one I can relate to massively. It’s so difficult if you’re passionate and good at lots of different skills, choosing just one path when you can see so many in front of you can be really tricky. I have to work on this one all the time as I find it hard to just do one thing.

So, here’s a simple way to help you choose without overthinking it:

Step 1: Start with the Painful Before not the Shiny After

People buy relief. Look for problems people are struggling with in and around your skills. Look for phrases like:

• “I don’t know what to do next.”

• “I’m stuck and I can’t get moving.”

• “I’m overwhelmed and wasting time.”

• “I’ve tried and it hasn’t worked.”

These are all the result of problems people are having and if you can create a solution for the problem they have you’re going to find your product way easier to sell.

People don’t often know what the solution is so they search for their problem and hope someone is offering something to relieve that.

Step 2: Choose a Problem you can Solve in 30-60 Minutes

You’re not doing this because it’s small, but because it’s clear. Great first digital products can be anything as simple as:

• A checklist

• A template pack

• A short workbook

• A mini training + prompts

A good rule to follow is if you need six modules to explain it, it’s probably not the easiest or quickest first product.

Step 3: Use the 3 E’s.

Look for ideas that have all three of the following:

• Easy to say: you can describe it in one sentence

• Easy to do: you can create it in a weekend (or a few focused sessions)

• Easy to use: the buyer can get a result quickly

Step 4: Write the Sales Sentence

If you can sell it in one sentence and you’re really clear and focused, it’s a good sign you’re on to a great first product.

Try this:

• If you’re struggling with [problem], this [product type] will help you [quick result] in [timeframe].

Here’s a few examples using this structure from my own freebie products:

• If you’re struggling with creative blocks, the creative blockbuster worksheet will help you fix the real block so you can get creating again in as little as a few hours.

• If your creative confidence is at rock bottom, the creative confidence starter kit will help you build trust in your creative skills in just 7 days.

Step 5: Validate with a Tiny Ask.

One thing to try is to post simple questions. Don’t be afraid to do this, even if you don’t get much response at first, marketing is about experimenting.

Try things like:

• What are you stuck on right now: (A) consistency, (B) confidence, (C) content, (D) finishing?

Then follow up with:

• If I made a small resource to help with the top answer, would you want it?

You don’t need a huge audience. You need a clear problem and a clear next step. And, by doing things this way, you’re testing what your audience actually wants not what you think they want.

And, this doesn’t have to feel like you’re bothering people, you’re surveying them and asking them what they’re struggling with and what they need to fix it. Then you can go away and create that thing for them.

Try not to overthink it. Marketing is experimenting, so don’t be afraid to get it wrong and show the downside of what happens in your creative life.

Sara

Send your Questions for Next Month

Do you have a question about creativity, creative blocks, marketing your creative work, or building a sustainable creative practice?

I’d love to hear from you. Send your questions to hello@peonycreative.media with the subject line “Dear Sara” and I might feature your question in next month’s column.

All questions are kept anonymous unless you’d like to be named.

Thanks for reading, and remember, your creative journey is uniquely yours.

Keep going.

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And a Happy New Year to you all. I hope everyone is ready for the new challenges and excited about the possibilities for 2026.

This month we’re diving into marketing anxiety, finding your creative voice and dealing with the dreaded comparisonitis.

These are topics that come up constantly for creatives, myself included and I know many wrestle with these all the time.

So, let’s dive in.

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Question 1: Marketing Anxiety

Dear Sara,

I’m a graphic designer and I absolutely love the creative work I do, but I hate marketing myself. Every time I sit down to write a social media post or send a pitch, I freeze up. I know I need to market my business to get clients, but it feels so yuck and salesy. How do I get over this? Should I just give up on running my own business?

Anxious in Aberdeen

Dear Anxious,

You are definitely not alone in feeling this way. In fact, I’d say nearly every single creative I’ve come across struggles with this issue too.

But, marketing doesn’t have to feel this way.

This feeling comes from a preconceived idea that marketing is about forcing people who don’t want our stuff to buy it anyway, regardless of whether they need it. We think we have to be spammy used car salesmen and it makes us want to run in the other direction. It feels wrong on all kinds of levels.

The answer is about finding a marketing approach that aligns with who you are.

The issue is a disconnect between how we think we should be marketing and what feels authentic. Often we’re noticing all the marketing tactics that feel alien to us and assuming this is what we have to do, then trying and failing to force ourselves into that way of doing things, which will never work because we’re not being ourselves, we’re not being genuine and it shows.

So, let’s first reframe marketing entirely.

1. Marketing is simply sharing, not pushy selling

Instead of thinking “I need to sell” try flipping this to “I am excited to share what I love with people who are already looking for it”

When you post about or pitch your work, don’t think of this as being pushy, instead think of it as a search. You’re trying to find and help the people who are struggling without your offer and already crying out for help but can’t find it, because you’re not sharing what you do with the world out of fear of being pushy.

What you’re actually doing is trying to find the people who are already in need of you and actively looking for what you offer.

In this vein, it then means that you not sharing your talents with the world is an act of disservice. You’re allowing these people to sit at home in despair and struggle alone because there’s no one else who offers what you do in quite the same way. So they settle for something not quite right and are not satisfied.

Why would you keep your talent to yourself and allow these poor souls to suffer?

When you learn to realise that marketing is not even close to pushy sales and is in fact just sharing with those who need you, it makes the whole thing much more fun, creative and filled with possibilities.

2. Lead with value, not transactions

Just as marketing is not pushy sales, it’s also not just shoving a social post online saying “buy my stuff.”

Instead it’s about your process, insights, journey, loves, etc. People are interested and buy from people, not faceless corporations who only shout “buy me” all the time.

So, talk about your design principles, share your creativity, your journey, before and afters, the things that worked, the things that didn’t and what you learned, colour choices, and all the other creative fun things going on in your life.

People will only buy if they trust you, and trust is built through value and sharing your world, work and loves.

You don’t have to completely open up your life and put everything online, but you can share the amazing colours in the sunrise as you go to a new client’s office for an early morning meeting, the experimental project you’re working on just for fun and the new way you’re choosing to work and push design principles.

3. Find your marketing style

I can’t stress enough that with marketing there is no one right way to do it.

Let me repeat that because it’s important:

There is no one right way to market your business.

So, if you’re looking for a blueprint or a quick fix there isn’t one. You have to find the way to market that works for you, for your life and your business.

If you prefer writing, a marketing strategy filled with networking events and speaking gigs will not work for you because it doesn’t align with your personal style and tendencies.

So, it’s best to start by asking yourself what feels most natural to you?

If video feels easier than writing start with that, or if you’re more of a written word person, focus on blogs, newsletters and written marketing. If you love talking, focus on meetings and speaking.

Marketing needs to work with your strengths, not against them. So, find where yours lie and build your strategy around that.

4. Create a simple system

Marketing can be a big sprawling beast that will suck all your time and energy if you let it. It can be as big or small as you make it, which can be overwhelming when you don’t know where to start.

So, start small. Come up with a list of three things that align with your natural tendencies.

If you’re more comfortable talking this might be something like:

• One social video per week

• One networking conversation every month

• One video post to your email list every fortnight

If you’re someone who prefers more written words it might look something like:

• One educational social post per week

• One email article to your list every fortnight

• One blog post every month

That’s it, you don’t need some all singing all dancing strategy, just start small and build from there. The key is to only do what you can consistently keep up with. This is the most important thing of all. A few small things done regularly is better than bursts of everything then nothing.

5. Remember your “why”

You started this business because you love design, you’re creative and wanted the freedom to do it your own way. Marketing is just the bridge between your creative work and the people who need it.

When you reframe marketing as connecting with new people rather than convincing unwilling people to buy, it becomes far less yucky and will actually feel like it’s full of creative fun. And, many don’t realise that marketing is very creative, if you let it breathe.

You shouldn’t give up because you’re a little out of alignment. You just need to find the approach that fits your personality, creativity and fun side.

Start with one small thing this week, share something you’re proud of, explain something you’ve learned, or speak to someone who might need what you have to offer.

You can do this

Sara

Question 2: Finding Your Creative Voice

Dear Sara,

I’ve been writing for about three years now, mostly short stories and personal essays. The problem is, I feel like my writing sounds generic and like everyone else’s. I read other writers and think “that’s brilliant, I wish I could write like that,” and then when I try, it just feels fake. How do I find my own voice? Does it just happen eventually, or is there something I should be doing?

Searching in Surrey

Dear Searching,

This is one of those questions that sounds simple but is actually something more profound about creative identity. In short, you already have a creative voice, you’re just covering it up trying to sound like other people.

Your creative voice isn’t something you invent, it’s something you uncover by removing all the layers of “should” you’ve piled on top of it.

Creative voice is often hidden at first because we have preconceived ideas of how we should write, what we should write and the way it should be presented. We try to be like other writers because we don’t trust our own instincts and ability enough to allow it free reign, so we stifle our inner voice by trying to follow what’s already being done successfully.

Here’s how to start uncovering it:

1. Stop trying to sound like anyone else

I know this seems obvious, but it’s an important first step. Every time you read something brilliant and think “I should write like that” you’re distancing yourself further from your own voice.

It’s okay to admire other writers, to learn from them, study their techniques and how they approach their work, but don’t try to replicate their voice.

Their voice works because it’s an authentic expression of themselves and their inner world, not because it’s the right way to do something.

There is no real right or wrong, it’s just your own expression manifesting itself in words.

2. Write badly on purpose

It sounds weird and counterintuitive, but giving yourself permission to write something unfiltered and not self-judged, and even terrible, can be very freeing for your voice.

Write something that deliberately breaks all the rules you’ve restricted yourself to.

Try things like:

• Writing sentence fragments

• Starting with and or but

• Everyday conversation words you regularly use rather than ones that sound literary

• Anything else that you can do that breaks the invisible rules you’ve either taught yourself or have been told you must follow.

Often, as you do this, your real voice will come to the surface naturally.

3. Notice what you’re drawn to

1. What topics keep surfacing for you?

2. What themes appear in your work without you planning for them?

3. What sort of stories make you excited and engaged?

Your voice is connected to the things you’re obsessed about, the things you can’t stop thinking about and the emotions you explore. All these things are clues to your natural voice and it will surface more easily among things that excite you.

4. Embrace your perspective

Finding your voice isn’t just about how you write, it’s also in the way you see the world, and the things you take notice of. No one else has your unique combination of experiences, values and viewpoints of the world and this is your superpower.

• What are the things you notice that others don’t?

• What makes you angry, happy, curious?

• What connections do you make that feel uniquely yours?

Start to write from that place, start with your own unique perspective and your voice will rise like a tide to show you all its natural beauty.

5. Give it time and volume

Your voice will develop and emerge through practice. The more you write from your own perspective, the more you’ll see patterns emerge in your work. These will be things like, the rhythms you naturally fall into and the images you naturally gravitate towards and the way you structure ideas.

This isn’t something you can force and make one way when it’s not natural for you. What you can do is support its natural emergence by writing regularly and paying attention to what feels most like you.

The truth is that you already have a voice, you’re just not allowing it the freedom to express itself in the way it wants to. The challenge isn’t to find your voice, it’s to trust it enough to let it show up on the page.

Stop trying to sound like a real writer, and just write like yourself. That’s when the magic happens.

Sara

Question 3: Creative Comparison

Dear Sara,

I run a small jewellery business and I’m constantly comparing myself to other makers. Someone launches a new collection and I think mine looks amateur. Someone gets featured in a magazine and I feel like a failure. I know comparison is supposed to be “the thief of joy” but I can’t stop. It’s making me miserable and I’m starting to resent my own work. How do I stop this cycle?

Comparing in Cornwall

Dear Comparing,

Comparison is one of the most destructive habits we creatives can spend our time on, but is the most common. You are right when you say that it steals joy, but it also takes energy, confidence and creative momentum.

I know of a fantastically successful author who calls this comparisonitis because it’s like a sickness.

But, the good news is you can break this cycle of destructive behaviour, but it needs a bit of conscious effort and some reframing of how you think of other people’s success.

Let’s work through it:

1. Understand what comparison actually is

When you get stuck in comparisonitis with another maker, you’re actually comparing your internal reality, including all those doubts, struggles, behind the scene chaos and missteps, with the other person’s external life, including all their polished photos, crafted social posts, and highlight reels, videos, etc.

It’s actually an unfair comparison because you’re seeing their external and assuming they don’t have the internal struggles you do as they’re doing so well.

You’re not seeing all their rejections, failed designs, financial stress or moments of despair and doubt (which they will definitely have had). You’re seeing their best work, presented in the best light, not all the struggles and failures it took to get there.

You’re unfairly judging yourself based on inaccurate information.

2. Recognise your comparison triggers

Take notice of when you get stuck most in comparisonitis:

• Is it when you’re scrolling instagram late at night?

• Is it when you’re stuck in your own work?

• Is it when you’re tired and stressed?

Comparisonitis can become more intense when we’re already feeling a little vulnerable. Once you find out when and what your triggers are, you can then create some boundaries around them.

If Instagram makes you feel terrible, limit your time there.

If certain accounts make you feel inadequate, unfollow them.

You must work to protect your creative energy and not allow things that take from this to control you.

3. Shift from comparison to curiosity

Instead of allowing yourself to think “their work is better than mine” instead try asking “what can I learn from their approach?”

Comparisonitis is judgement, turn this judgement to curiosity as curiosity is growth.

When you see work you admire, study it with interest, not self-criticism. Ask things like:

• What techniques are they using?

• How are they presenting their work?

• What can you learn and adapt (not copy) for your work?

By actively turning thoughts like these to other things, you can shift from passive resentment and allowing negativity to take over, to active learning and controlling those negative thoughts so you can stay curious and, learn and grow.

4. Celebrate your own progress

Another important thing to note is that in this comparisonitis you’re actually comparing your own current work to someone else’s current work but you’re not taking into account how long it’s taken to get to this moment.

The other person might have been doing this for 20 years longer than you, or they may have been doing it for less time than you but have ran three other businesses before.

Try looking back at your work from a year ago, two years ago:

• Can you see growth in that time?

• Can you see an evolvement?

• Can you see different styles and perspectives emerging?

Keep a folder of your work over time so you can see your own journey because progress is a personal thing, it’s not something we can realistically compare.

5. Remember that success isn’t finite

This is vital to remember. Someone else’s success doesn’t make your position and opportunities less. There isn’t a limited amount of press features, customers or recognition to mean you can’t have a share of that. There is plenty to go around for all kinds of businesses that have similar products.

Their success doesn’t mean you’re a failure, instead it actually proves that there’s a thriving audience for handmade jewellery, which is fantastic news.

The creative world is abundant, not scarce. There’s room for everyone.

6. Define success on your own terms

Think about what success actually means to you, not what instagram tells you it should be but what actually makes you feel fulfilled.

Perhaps for you it’s not about the magazine features, perhaps it’s more about having a sustainable income or creating pieces you’re proud of, or only connecting with a few customers who love what you do.

When you define your own success criteria, the things other people achieve become far less of a threat to you.

So, this week I want you to ask yourself:

• What do I actually want?

• Do this every time you find yourself sinking into comparisonitis.

• And, I want this to be about what would make you feel satisfied with your work, not just wising you had what someone else has.

Then take one small step towards this goal.

You aren’t in competition with other makers, you’re on your own creative journey. And the only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday.

Your work has value because it is uniquely yours.

Trust in that.

Sara

Send Your Question For Next Month

Do you have a question about creativity, creative blocks, marketing your creative work, or building a sustainable creative practice?

I’d love to hear from you. Send your questions to hello@peonycreative.media with the subject line “Dear Sara” and I might feature your question in next month’s column.

All questions are kept anonymous unless you’d like to be named.

Thanks for reading, and remember, your creative journey is uniquely yours.

Keep going.

1. Read my blog articles on Creativity Coaching, or on the life of an author on my website

2. Link with me on social media

3. Read my historical fiction mystery books

4. Find out about creativity coaching

This is the first of my monthly column answering reader questions about creativity, creative blocks, and anything else to do with creative business and creating. This month I’m answering three of those questions that come up time and time again for me and other creatives.

Enjoy

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Question 1: Creative Blocks

Dear Sara,

I have a bit of an art hobby, nothing flashy, just landscape painting. I’ve been asked to do my first paid piece for a friend, but I’m really struggling to get started. I have lots of ideas but when I go to start they disappear, or they come out terrible and I just scrap it and start again. I’m completely frustrated and the longer it’s going on, the worse I’m feeling. I don’t want to let my friend down. How can I get past this? My husband tells me to to just start, but it’s not that simple.

Stuck in Scotland.

Dear Stuck,

I really feel for you. You are right, just starting isn’t that simple and anyone who tells you otherwise hasn’t had the displeasure of wrestling with that paralysis that comes with being so blocked you can’t move forward.

From what you’ve said I have a pretty good idea why you’re feeling stuck. I want you to ask yourself why is your art hobby suddenly an issue when you are being given money in exchange for it?

I think if you find the answer to that question within yourself, you will soon be able to sort out what it is that is blocking you.

Let’s reframe what’s happening here. A creative block isn’t a sign that you’re not a real artist or that there’s some kind of flaw in your DNA, instead it’s your mind’s way of telling you that you need to work something out or give something attention. Think of it like a blinking light on your car dashboard, not a road block.

You might find, once you look at this block, that it’s one of these categories:

• A fear block where you’re worrying about judgement, failure, or success

• A depletion block where you haven’t filled that creative well and are running on empty

• A direction block where you’re not sure which way to go or what you need to create

• A life block where something is going on in your outside life that is worrying, stressful and generally taking up all your energy

To move forward you can try the following:

1. Identify what kind of block this is.

Ask yourself:

• If you are afraid of starting the piece because the pressure of being paid for it is making you want to do it perfectly and that perfectionism is killing your creativity and causing paralysis?

• Is it that you’re exhausted and you need to take a break? You’ve said yes to this friend at the wrong time for you and you just haven’t got anything in the tank?

• Is it that you’re not sure what to create for this friend? Are you worried they won’t like your work, so are avoiding starting it to avoid that potential disappointment?

• Are outside ‘life’ issues killing your creativity and making you lose focus? Are there things going on in your day-to-day life that are making creative work and focus difficult?

Your answer here will help you work out what to do next.

2. Lower the pressure

Instead of sitting down to create the masterpiece for your friend, allow yourself permission to create something terrible, classify this as ‘practice time’ if it helps.

I always call my writing time ‘writing practice’ because it takes the pressure off and allows me more freedom.

Set a timer for 10 minutes and sketch, or paint something with the intention that it’s terrible.

The idea here is that you allow yourself the freedom to create the messy, horrible and terrible things. This will remove the pressure and unlock your flow.

3. Change your space

Try doing something different. If you’re always painting in the same space or area, try something new, try using a different medium.

The idea with this one is that doing something slightly out of the ordinary allows you to unlock that creative side of yourself and stops the analytical side taking over.

Sometimes shifting small things like this can unlock a spark.

4. Fill the well

if you’ve emptied your creative well, no amount of forcing yourself or pushing forward will fix it.

Do those things that help fill your well, read, visit a gallery, listen to music, spend time in nature. By filling up your well you then give yourself what it needs to move forward.

Think of it like your body, if you starve it and don’t give it water it suffers, your creativity is the same. Creativity needs input as well as output.

The more you force yourself to move forward or avoid the issue, the more the pressure and anxiety will build around it. You don’t have to finish the whole thing perfectly today, just show up for 10 minutes and practice for a while.

You can do this.

Sara

Question 2: Imposter Syndrome & Fear

Dear Sara,

I’ve been trying to build my creative business for about a year, and I still feel like a massive fraud.

I’m terrified to put my prices up and feel like I’m just making it up as I go along. Every time I go to send a proposal I can’t help but think I’m playacting at being a business owner.

Everyone else seems so confident and I know I’ve lost work because of not being confident enough. When does this feeling go away? How do I stop feeling like an imposter?

— Doubting in Darlington

Dear Doubting,

What most business coaches won’t tell you is this feeling doesn’t completely go away. And, in some respects nor should it entirely, because if it goes away it means we’ve stopped trying to be better and do better.

Even very well-known and successful creatives feel this way, the difference is they’ve learned to work with it and use it to their advantage, rather than allowing it to hold them back.

Imposter syndrome walks hand in hand with comparison-itis, and they can both make each other worse. You’re comparing your internal feelings (all those doubts, mistakes, uncertainties) with other people’s outward appearance of their businesses (their polished portfolios and happy, confident social posts). It’s not a fair comparison, because you’re not seeing their doubts and fears and you’re assuming they don’t have any.

(They do!)

For me, I have to work hard to not allow this kind of feeling to take control, because unchecked it absolutely will.

On paper I sound great, but it doesn’t stop the doubts. I have a first class MA in Creative Writing, 15 years professional marketing experience, I’m a published author, I’ve taught academic subjects, I’m a qualified creativity coach, life coach and master of NLP, yet, I still very often feel like I’m not qualified enough.

That voice doesn’t care about your qualifications, it cares about keeping you safe from criticism or failure, it thinks it’s helping to protect you.

Let’s look at how to move forward from it:

1. Collect evidence

Start a brag file. In this file you put every positive piece of feedback, testimonial, win, transcript of a conversation you’ve had, literally everything good that has been said to you or a win you’ve had.

When that voice starts to shout at you, go back to this file and start looking over the evidence.

Your feelings, in this case, aren’t representative of facts.

2. Reframe the voice

Instead of allowing it to ask you “who do you think you are?” and feeling inadequate. Try answering with “I’m someone who is learning and growing”

You don’t have to be the best, you just have to be good enough to help the people who need you.

3. Start before you feel ready

Confidence doesn’t come first, it comes after you’ve taken action.

I find this one of the hardest but most important.

Do the scary thing, confidence will come later. So, put up those prices, send that proposal, post your work.

Every time you do this, you’re giving yourself evidence that you can survive the discomfort and that voice will learn that it’s okay and you’re safe.

4. Find your people

Talk to other creatives, you’ll be astounded at how many people with seemingly perfect exteriors struggle with this too and feel just like you.

Often they’re looking at you in the same way you’re looking at others and by admitting how you feel, you show them that they’re just the same as everyone else.

Community helps gets rid of that feeling of isolation.

You are not a fraud, you’re a creative professional who is still learning, just like all of us. The fact that you care enough to worry about this is a sign that you are good enough to take your work seriously.

Call yourself a professional, you’ve earned it.

Sara

Question 3: Time Management for Creatives

Dear Sara,

I work full time, have two kids and I’m trying to build my creative business. But, it’s exhausting. I barely have time to do the creative work I love, never mind marketing and sales. Then there’s the guilt I feel for doing this instead of spending time with my kids, but I’m trying to do this for them. I feel I’m failing at everything. How do people actually find time to do all the things a business owner needs to do and work full time and be present in their kids life? Is there a secret or am I just not cut out for it?

— Overwhelmed in Oxfordshire

Dear Overwhelmed,

If ever there was a question that mirrored my own life experiences this is it.

First off, you are cut out for this.

What you’re dealing with here is not a lack of ability, instead it’s a lack of time, energy and a system that works for you and your life.

I think you first need to realise that you can’t do everything. I find this one the hardest myself and want to just do more and more for the goal of changing things in the future.

But, trying to do everything is a recipe for disaster, believe me I’ve done this most of my adult life. The myth of ‘doing to all’ is just that, a myth. Instead, you need a strategy that fits with your energy and goals, without burning you out. Because if you’re burnt out, you’re no good to your job, your family or your business.

I’m speaking from experience here, I’m home educating my daughter full time, running a business, writing fiction, managing client work and trying to spend time with my adult children when they visit (I have three adult children and a 12 year old). I’ve learned the hard way that time management isn’t about doing more, it’s about protecting what matters most, and yet, I still find myself slipping into this often and I have to push back again.

So, here’s what works for me:

1. Start with your non-negotiable

Children and job are non negotiable here, so I’m talking business.

When it comes to your business you can’t do it all, so what are the one or two things that must happen each week for you to feel like you’re moving forward with your goals?

For me it’s writing time and client work. Everything else is flexible.

Yes, I know, everything is important and in an ideal world I’d be able to be an entire marketing department and do all the things, but I’m not and I can’t and neither can you.

So, it’s important to find the small things that must be done and start there. All the other stuff can wait until you have more time and flexibility.

2. Find your natural energy

If you work with your energy not against it, you will feel better very quickly. Track when you have the most creative energy during the day.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Protect that time for creative work. I find I have more energy first thing in the morning as evenings I’m just exhausted. So, I wake up an hour early to write on my laptop in bed before I get up.

Find yours and incorporate 15 or 30 minutes into your day to do your creative work.

3. Batch work

Instead of trying to do bits of everything every day, try batching work. I block time during the week to do tasks and do similar tasks together.

I tend to write blogs and social posts in blocks together. I tend to do website maintenance when I’m on the site anyway doing other things.

I try not to stress about all the things I ’think’ I should be doing, because I’m just one person and I can only do so much.

Batching really helps to reduce the mental load and feel like you’re achieving more.

4. Let go of perfection

You don’t need two hours of uninterrupted blocks to make progress.

Even as little as 15 minutes is better than nothing at all. I’ve written entire book chapters in short 15 minute bursts.

So, try reframing your concept of having to do everything all at once. You will be surprised at what can be achieved in 15 minutes.

I was very sceptical the first time I tried this as a writing exercise, but it really can work well. If you know you have a very limited time to do something, you will find that all the time wasting disappears and you become very focused very quickly.

Try setting a timer for 15 minutes to do your next creative work and see what you can achieve in that time.

5. Build in rest

This sounds ridiculous, but it’s important to schedule in days off and rest time, even days out with the kids and just playtime with them.

When you’re stretched like you are, rest time isn’t an option, it’s the only way you will be able to keep going. If you’re constantly exhausted, your creative work will suffer.

Schedule in rest time just like you schedule everything else.

You are in no way failing. You are juggling a lot of things and the fact that you’re still showing up for your creative work shows how committed you are.

But something has to give, you can’t do everything and you need to do less and accept that it will take longer, but staying healthy and sane is more important.

Start small, pick one non-negotiable task and schedule that in, even if that’s 15 minutes every day or every week.

Your job needs to be a priority and your children & family need to be a priority. Your creative work can still happen, just in far smaller bursts than you’re pressuring yourself to do now.

Creative work will still be there in a few years, your children might have grown and left by then and you won’t get those years back (like my three oldest have and believe me it’s hard when they leave). You might be in an easier financial position in a few years time.

Don’t pressure yourself to do everything now. Work with where you are, you are on your own timeline, take your foot off your own throat.

You are doing great.

Sara

Send Your Question For Next Month

Do you have a question about creativity, creative blocks, marketing your creative work, or building a sustainable creative practice?

I’d love to hear from you. I’m doing the Dear Sara column every month.

Send your questions to hello@peonycreative.media with the subject line

“Dear Sara” and I might feature your question in an upcoming column.

All questions are kept anonymous as standard unless you’d like to be named.