Dear Reader,

ON MONDAY I told you about my latest podcast with Kris Jennings, which busts the myth that people who accomplish great things are somehow more immune to anxiety than the rest of us—and shared my own experience with anxiety when I launched my first book.

Today I want to tell you what I learned from seeing David Sedaris speak in Minneapolis THAT EVENING, with my friend Jenn. First of all, the man is hilarious AND he makes no pretense about the fact that he is trying out content on audiences and making revisions in real time. Very cool.

Afterwards, I told him in the book signing line that I had seen him on Johnny Carson, reading my ever-since favorite essay, "Jesus Shaves," from his collection Me Talk Pretty One Day. He said that he'd never been on Carson. Must have been Letterman. Letterman let him read essays. Makes far more sense with the timeline.

When I told him why I loved his essay on language learning—because I'd taught German—he switched to German.

As he was talking, he was also drawing a French flag with Sharpie markers and signing my book.

The markers were spread out in front of him on the table, and my name had already been written across the top of a Post-It note by a staff member and stuck to the appropriate page for David to sign it. And how did I get such close access?

David Sedaris had recommended a book by an up-and-coming guest author. He'd told the lobby booksellers that anyone who bought a copy of her book would get to jump to the front of the signing line. So Jenn and I each bought ourselves a copy of Will There Ever Be Another You, by Patricia Lockwood. I asked her later about that fabulous cover.

All of this underlined the point that we writers learn from each other, and passing on the craft and love is part of the commitment to being an author. (At least I think so.) David Sedaris communicated as much through his event.

Here my five takeaways:

• Be gracious.
• Stage your adventures.
• Welcome people on your own terms.
• But also know your parameters. For example: no photos or video.
• That starts with knowing who you are as an author. (Gnothi seauton in Latin.)

And so I turn back to myself. I consider Monday's show a writing adventure, even down to the fact that it happened with a writer friend in Minneapolis, where so many of my writing adventures take place.

But anything can be a writing adventure. And this is part of what I want to pass on to fellow writers.

Next week, starting on Sunday, I'm sharing a sequence of writing prompts like the kind I share regularly with my Circle for Real-Life Writers. I call these Three-Day Adventures, bookended by set-up and takeaway prompts.

Listen, people get some seriously good writing out of my prompts. Often they listen to my instructions and go off-roading... but that counts too. And this is a dress rehearsal. I'm trying this out in real time.

So if you want to try it out, I'd love to send you my videos next week for FREE. Just sign up here.

Travel safely.

Love, Amy

PS—Circle for Real-Life Writers members will get this for FREE.