Writing to Fail

There's a corny saying you've no doubt heard that goes like this: what would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? The idea is to move beyond the doubting lizard brain fear of everything to get you to a place where you might take a little risk.

But I think that's the wrong question to ask if you're a writer.

​The real question to ask is this: what would you do to guarantee that you will fail?
Then, go do that.

In the context of writing, this is a hugely significant distinction. The challenge to write honestly is not about hoping someone will like it, or changing your art based on latest trends in order to appeal to more strangers. I'm not interested in that.
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What I'd really like to see is the real you in your story (not a carbon copy Stephen King parrot). Write that story that you know would never get accepted for publication anywhere, the story that most people wouldn't get or care about, but that you certainly care about. 

Go write that story.

By the way, the paradox here is that the story you write that you know will fail is often the story that is the most successful.