Inspiration From a Hurricane


Hi Reader,

I live in Houston, and we were hit by hurricane Beryl on Monday. Much of the city is still without power. Downed trees block major roads. Hurricanes always bring a lot of gratitude. Gratitude that my loved ones are safe; gratitude for power, especially air conditioning; and gratitude for the lineman who are working 24 hours a day to restore power.

Most of all, hurricanes leave me optimistic. Houstonians are resilient and caring. The minute the storm had passed, everyone was out in their yard picking up debris. Neighbors checked on each other. Folks with chainsaws chopped up everyone's branches. People took care of their elderly neighbors’ yards first. Houstonians fed each other and those with power open their doors to people needing to cool down and charge their phones.

We are at our very best when things are at their worst.

This incredible resilience got me thinking about our stories. For stories to be compelling we must put our characters through the worst to see them triumph by being the best. Look at your current project. Are you torturing your characters enough? Are they going through challenging, tough experiences that will keep audiences on the edge of their seat to see if they can overcome? What can you do to multiply your characters’ obstacles? Think of an extreme situation and make it worse. Is it time to put your hero in the middle of a hurricane, blizzard, or in a burning building?

What is the worst thing that could happen? Let me know what you come up with.


Excited to share the logo for my new publishing imprint, Pitch Master Press!

Stay tuned for news about my upcoming book!


This gadget, the Jackery Explorer, was a life saver for my three days without power. It is a giant charger. I keep it plugged in in case of emergency. I charged two cell phones twice and a computer and the power was only down to 72%!

In Case You Missed It

Prioritizing Freedom in Your Career

Unlocking the Power of Universal Fantasy

How to Reignite Your Creativity When You're Having a Bad Day

Cheers,

Lindsey

Thanks for reading!

You can share this article here.

Was this week's newsletter useful? Help me to improve!

Click on a link to vote:

👍Super! - 😐 Meh - 👎 Not my jam

Hi I'm Lindsey Hughes

Hi, I’m Lindsey. I love helping people discover their superpower, create compelling content, and feel excited about pitching and networking. I teach people how to pitch like a boss, network like a VIP, and write like an Oscar winner. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for actionable creativity and career tips.

Read more from Hi I'm Lindsey Hughes

Hi Reader, Last week, we talked about the basics—passwords, email accounts, and the keys to your digital kingdom. Now it’s time to take the next big step in estate planning for writers: organizing your creative assets. Think of this like a treasure chest. You’ve been adding jewels—books, scripts, blog posts, contracts, domains—for years. But if no one knows where the chest is buried, or how to open it, your heirs will never see the riches inside. Let’s fix that. Inventory Everything (Yes,...

Hi Reader, The next few weeks we’re diving into a subject that makes many writers squirm but absolutely needs our attention: what happens to your creative work after you die. I know—morbid. But stay with me. Because this isn’t just about mortality, it’s about legacy. Your words, your stories, your ideas, they can keep earning money and inspiring people long after you’re gone. But only if you put a plan in place. Think about it: Will your heirs receive royalties? Can they manage your books,...

Hi Reader, When we think of something going viral, our brains usually jump to TikTok: a flashy video that dominates everyone’s feed for about twelve seconds, then vanishes into the digital abyss. Poof! Forgotten. But here’s the delicious twist—sometimes old content gets a surprise second act. A book, a song, a blog post suddenly pops back into the spotlight years (or even decades) later. That’s the beauty of digital content: it doesn’t expire. Unlike books on a physical shelf that eventually...