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Let's be real, writing can be terrifying. It's vulnerable, messy, and incredibly brave. But what if instead of letting fear hold us back, we embraced it and used it to fuel our creativity? That's exactly what Brooke Adams Law, author of the award-winning novel Catchlight and founder of the Writing Brave Movement, believes.

In a recent episode of the Write It Scared podcast, Brooke joined me for an inspiring conversation about what it truly means to write brave, how to trust our intuition as writers, and the power of healing our creative wounds with compassion and vulnerability.

The Journey to Writing Brave

Brooke’s path to becoming a novelist and book coach wasn’t a straight line. She spent years as a freelance copywriter before a coach challenged her to step into her deeper calling: helping writers tell their stories bravely.

Her breakthrough came after contributing an emotionally vulnerable essay for a book launch. While other essays felt safe and polished, Brooke had taken a profound emotional risk—and wondered if she had misunderstood the assignment. But reflecting on her choice, Brooke realized she only wanted to write brave: to connect authentically with readers by risking something emotionally every time.

That moment became the cornerstone of her Writing Brave philosophy: embracing emotional honesty, risking vulnerability, and writing stories that resonate deeply.

Trusting Your Intuition as a Writer

Brooke shared how intuitive writing involves trusting your inner voice and allowing the story to unfold naturally, rather than meticulously plotting every detail ahead of time. She refers to it as following the breadcrumbs, an exploratory approach where intuition often leads to more authentic storytelling.

She encourages writers to:

Trust that the story knows more than you do.
Allow yourself to be surprised by the writing process.
Listen deeply to your inner voice, rather than forcing predetermined outcomes.

Brooke embraces a writing philosophy coined by Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way: “The writing knows more than I do. My job is to listen.”

Navigating the Messy Middle and Creative Uncertainty

Every writer hits points of uncertainty, frustration, or doubt. Brooke reassures writers that these feelings are not only normal—they’re expected. Part of writing brave is sitting with discomfort and leaning into uncertainty.

She shared practical advice for dealing with doubt:

Keep a running list of things you don’t know yet, trusting answers will come when ready.
Practice compassion for yourself, recognizing that uncertainty is challenging.
Remember that nothing you write is wasted; every word contributes to your growth as a writer.

Healing Creative Wounds

Creative wounds can arise from moments when our art was misunderstood, criticized, or ignored. Brooke and I highlight how these moments can create resistance, manifesting as procrastination, perfectionism, and pessimism.

To heal these wounds, Brooke suggests:

Journaling about past creative hurts and acknowledging their emotional impact.
Safely expressing emotions tied to these wounds through methods like writing unsent letters or recording and deleting angry voice memos.
Regularly checking in with yourself and gently releasing emotions that no longer serve your creative journey.

Brooke’s Message to Fellow Writers

When I asked Brooke about her biggest wish for other writers, she didn't hesitate: "Be relentless. Keep going."

Her personal journey—from years of rejection to finally publishing a celebrated debut novel—embodies persistence. She emphasized that writing success isn’t measured by external validation, but by our courage to continually show up, write brave, and keep going, despite uncertainty.

Ready to Write Brave?

Brooke’s insights left me feeling seen, encouraged, and ready to embrace the messy, vulnerable process of writing. If you're on a writing journey and battling fear, uncertainty, or creative wounds, I encourage you to embrace Brooke’s wisdom: write brave, trust your intuition, and give yourself compassion through every stage.

To dive deeper into Brooke’s work, check out her award-winning novelCatchlightand visit Brooke’s website at www.wearewritingbrave.com to take her quiz, Discover YOUR Writing Routine Personality.