I also worry it’s going to make me look really stupid.

Still, without this particular set of experiences I would be far further behind in my writing than I am. I still can’t say if I’m any good, but if I am then one of my friends is at least partially to blame.

Because, in abusing this particular friend, lets call him Ross*, I’ve written well over half a million words of creative stories all describing his messy, humiliating demise at the hands of various different people, creatures and occasionally landmarks.

None of it’s printable, and some of it would have us both burnt an the stake, but we’ve both gotten a lot of practice just writing. No judgement, no need to make it good (although there were bonus points for concocting particularly gruesome deaths for each other) and no worrying about it if it didn’t make any sense.

I’m not suggesting you just send a friend an email describing in detail their death at the hands of a rabid wild boar, at least warn them about what you’re doing first. Having warned them though, back and forth emails stories between friends is a great way to refresh your writing and stimulate your creativity.

Plus, you get to send someone a really silly story and you’ll probably get one back. Awesome sauce.**

* He’s guilty as sin, but I’ve changed his name anyway

** The term “awesome sauce” I have lifted wholesale from Dave Kellett’s excellent comic Sheldon. If you’re a fan of excellent comic writing, not to mention funky art, you should be reading it.