During my one-month sabbatical, I set out to write the first draft of an 80,000-word thriller.

But every—single—word felt painful.

My brother-in-law, a professional comedic sketch writer, suggested I was out of practice. “Give it a week, and the words will flow.”

One week after another, the words ground to a halt.

Nothing.

I dreaded the blank page.

Maybe I should do something else. Paint. Read. Take up another hobby.

But everyone encouraged me to soldier on.

I thought...