Writing can get type of lonely sometimes.
Not only that, but it may get stale. Sometimes we fall right into a formula once we write books, or we are able to’t get ourselves past the primary few chapters of an idea, or we’re stuck within the dreaded middle section of our novel for what appears like perpetually. It may feel a bit like getting stranded, and it’s no wonder some writers jump ship on their projects.
Nevertheless it doesn’t should be so lonely, nor does it should be boring! Participating in a writing challenge could be your ticket out of that sticky spot.
What are Writing Challenges?
Writing challenges are exactly what they sound like. They’re challenges created for writers with the intent of getting writers to, well, write! These aren’t writing contests—there often isn’t a money prize or publication prize for individuals who take part in writing challenges.
If there isn’t a prize, why must you trouble?
Why Should I Try a Writing Challenge?
Writing challenges do a couple of excellent things for his or her participants. At first, they connect a participant to a community of writers participating in the identical challenge. This sense of community helps writers amp one another up—it’s a team dynamic we don’t often get to experience as writers, and it may make the world of difference powering through a primary draft or a difficult round of revisions.
Writing challenges also encourage writers to practice, often daily. In fact, you don’t need to jot down each day to be a “real” author, but similar to athletes do marathons, writers can get so much out of challenge. You possibly can flex your writing muscles, perhaps try something recent, and have some fellow participants to commiserate with. What more could you wish?
For me, personally, writing challenges often feel a bit bit like writing camp. You get to remain within the comfort of your personal home, but you’re meeting people online, you’re working on a brand new project, and the entire enterprise has that fun, novel feeling you get at summer camp. The momentum won’t last perpetually, but you don’t need it to! The goal is to have a good time and make something.
In the event you’re seeking to try something recent, power through a difficult draft, or simply crank out words, writing challenges could be value testing. And lucky for you, we’ve compiled a listing of some writing challenges you may take part in!
Listed here are Sixteen Writing Challenges to Enter:
1. NaNoWriMo
“National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a frightening but straightforward challenge: to jot down 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, annually on November 1, lots of of hundreds of individuals world wide begin to jot down, determined to finish the month with 50,000 words of a brand recent novel. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists.”
NaNoWriMo is probably the best-known writing challenge, and it’s a doozy. Contrary to popular belief, the challenge isn’t really to jot down a whole novel in a month—it’s to jot down 50,000 words of a novel, which shouldn’t be an entire lot more easy. It’s got a built-in social media system to attach with other writers working in similar genres, a word count tracker that measures your progress, and rewards you with badges as you complete milestones throughout the month. Listed here are another ways to set yourself up for fulfillment, too.
If NaNoWriMo happens at a nasty time of yr for you (for instance, I could barely do that challenge in college, because it was exactly when my classes began heating up), check the web site for Camp NaNo and other challenges that occur all year long.
2. Write NonFiction in November Challenge (WNFIN)
“Throughout the Write Nonfiction in November (WNFIN) Challenge, also referred to as National Nonfiction Writing Month (NaNonFiWriMo), you’re personally challenged to start out and complete a piece of nonfiction in 30 days. This could be an article, an essay, a book, a book proposal, a white paper, or a manifesto.”
This challenge is meant as a substitute for NaNoWriMo for Nonfiction writers. As a substitute of using a word count and word goal to maintain track, this challenge encourages the glory system, and the intent is to finish any work of nonfiction.
3. EBookWriMo
“Your mission (must you select to just accept it): Write an ebook in your audience in 30 days, from November 1 to November 30.”
This challenge encourages its participants to finish a refined ebook in thirty days. The premise is straightforward: novels are huge, and ebooks are generally smaller. This challenge takes you thru actionable steps to jot down and polish an ebook, with the goal being to have a very finished ebook in your audience by the top.
4. StoryADay
“StoryADay is a creativity challenge:
Write (and finish) a brief story daily during May and/or September.
(or on your personal schedule!)
StoryADay exists to advertise creativity, not to show you the right way to ‘be a broadcast author’.
(And sometimes we do all of it another time in September.)”
If novels aren’t your bag, or the considered working on a single project for a month feels too daunting, StoryADay could be for you! StoryADay challenges you to jot down a story daily during May or September—you don’t need to post or publish it, they usually provide you with prompts every day to maintain your gears turning. There are a handful of how that writing stories could make you a greater author, so don’t sleep on this one.
5. 12 x 12 Challenge
“12 x 12 is a year-long writing challenge where members aim to jot down 12 complete picture book drafts, one monthly, for every 12 months of the yr.
A draft means a story with a starting, middle, and end—NOT a submission-ready piece. Founded by picture book creator Julie Hedlund, 12 x 12 has been supporting, encouraging, and educating writers since 2012.”
12×12 is an amazing resource for picture book authors. Considered one of the most important perks of this challenge is its community—participating in this can connect you to numerous other authors, in addition to resources for writing, revising, and submitting your work.
6. Chapter Book Challenge
“The Chapter Book Challenge, otherwise referred to as ‘ChaBooCha,’ was created by Rebecca Fyfe and first ran in 2012. It runs yearly within the month of March. The challenge is to jot down one accomplished first draft of an early reader, chapter book, middle grade book or YA novel within the month of March, starting on the 1st of March and ending on the 31st of March.”
Throughout the month, you’ll discover a helpful community to interact with, original articles from published authors and successful agents, and giveaways throughout.
7. Yeah Write Super Challenge
“The Super Challenge is usually run in two rounds. During each round, we’ll release the prompt on Friday at 10pm US Eastern time. That’s right—you don’t need to not sleep all night to get your prompt! Writers then have 48 hours to jot down a story or essay attentive to that prompt.
Once the writing phase is complete, our judges go to work. Every bit is scored and given positive and demanding feedback by each judge. Writers will receive their feedback 12-24 hours before we announce who will advance to the subsequent round. For more details about this phase of the challenge, take a look at our FAQ.
Roughly ten writers from the primary round of competition advance to the second round to compete for first, second and third place prizes.”
In the event you’re searching for a writing challenge with a bit incentive, look no further! This challenge uses prompts to get writers in a wide range of different genres competing for money. This takes place once 1 / 4 and lasts for six weeks, so check in every on occasion to see in the event that they’re running a challenge that appears prefer it’s for you!
8. 365 Writing Challenge
“What’s 365 Writing Challenge? It’s an organized group of writers who encourages and supports one another as they struggle to jot down consistently for a calendar yr.”
This challenge is a subgroup of the 10 Minute Novelists group—just link up with their Facebook page to affix! For this one, you and your fellow novelists can cheer one another on as you’re employed a bit daily in your novel. Momentum can really construct after some time, and this challenge can have you ever cranking out lots of of hundreds of words by the top of the yr.
9. Writer’s Games 2024
“The Author’s Games is a two-month, challenge-based competition that may seem daunting until you dive in. It’s not your atypical writing competition for several reasons. First, all participants must register prematurely to participate. Second, competition writing begins only after Events are announced. Third, Events are kept secret until the beginning of the Event. Fourth, every entry submitted on time receives honest, unbiased feedback from a team of future editors, professors, and literary agents, no matter placement!”
In the event you need a challenge with a bit pizzazz, here’s your pick! That is one other prize-winning option. Find the prompt on their site, take a take a look at the core concepts, and respond with a brief story inside their parameters (750-6,000 words) for a probability to win!
10. Scribophile
Scribophile is a vibrant online writing community that gives a plethora of writing challenges and opportunities for writers of all levels to hone their craft. With a user-friendly platform designed for constructive feedback and collaboration, Scribophile hosts various writing challenges all year long, catering to diverse genres and writing styles.
Writers can take part in themed contests, flash fiction challenges, and even set personal writing goals throughout the supportive environment of Scribophile’s community. These challenges not only encourage writers to explore recent ideas and techniques but additionally foster connections with fellow writers, providing invaluable support and encouragement on the journey toward literary excellence.
Whether you’re seeking to flex your creative muscles, receive feedback in your work, or just connect with like-minded writers, Scribophile offers a dynamic space where writers can grow and thrive.
11. The Writer’s Workout
The Writers’ Workout is an enticing online platform that gives a variety of writing challenges and competitions tailored to writers in search of to reinforce their skills and creativity.
With monthly challenges designed to prompt writers to explore different genres, styles, and themes, The Writers’ Workout offers a supportive environment where participants can push their boundaries and experiment with recent techniques. From flash fiction contests to poetry challenges and all the things in between, writers can find a wide range of prompts and exercises to spark their imagination and encourage their next literary masterpiece.
With opportunities to receive feedback from peers and skilled writers, The Writers’ Workout encourages writers to develop their craft, construct confidence, and ultimately grow to be more adept storytellers.
12. The Poetry Marathon
The Poetry Marathon is an exhilarating annual event that invites poets from world wide to embark on a difficult yet rewarding journey of creativity and expression.
Held over the course of 24 hours, participants endeavor to jot down 24 poems, each inside a delegated hour, pushing the boundaries of their imagination and poetic prowess.
With prompts provided throughout the marathon and a supportive online community rallying behind them, poets have the chance to explore diverse themes, experiment with various forms and styles, and delve deep into the art of poetry.
The Poetry Marathon not only fosters a way of camaraderie amongst poets but additionally encourages personal growth, resilience, and the celebration of the written word.
13. Writer’s Digest
Author’s Digest is a renowned resource for writers of all levels, offering a wealth of data, advice, and inspiration to assist them navigate the world of writing and publishing. Along with its comprehensive collection of articles, workshops, and writing guides, Author’s Digest also hosts various writing challenges and competitions all year long.
These challenges cover a big selection of genres and formats, including short stories, poetry, memoirs, and more, providing writers with opportunities to showcase their talent, receive feedback from industry professionals, and even win prizes. Whether it’s the annual Author’s Digest Annual Writing Competition, themed contests, or prompt-driven challenges, Author’s Digest offers a supportive platform for writers to hone their skills, gain recognition for his or her work, and connect with a vibrant community of fellow writers.
With its longstanding status as a trusted resource for writers, Author’s Digest continues to encourage and empower writers to pursue their literary aspirations and achieve their writing goals.
14. Reedsy
Reedsy is a dynamic online platform dedicated to supporting writers on their creative journey, offering a variety of resources, tools, and opportunities to assist them thrive on the earth of writing.
Amongst its offerings, Reedsy hosts a weekly series of writing prompts and challenges designed to spark creativity and encourage writers to explore recent ideas and styles. These prompts cover various genres and themes, providing writers with a gradual stream of inspiration and opportunities to flex their creative muscles.
With a supportive community of writers and editors, Reedsy’s writing challenges offer an area for writers to experiment, improve their craft, and connect with fellow creatives.
15. Jerico Writers
Jericho Writers is a comprehensive online platform dedicated to empowering writers with the tools, resources, and support they need to reach their writing journey.
Amongst this, Jericho Writers hosts monthly writing challenges designed to encourage writers, encourage creativity, and supply opportunities for growth.
These challenges cover a big selection of genres, styles, and themes, allowing writers to explore recent ideas, experiment with different techniques, and hone their craft in a supportive and collaborative environment.
Jericho Writers’ writing challenges offer writers the prospect to attach with peers, receive constructive criticism, and push themselves to recent heights of creativity and excellence.
16. NYC Midnight
NYC Midnight offers an amazing platform for writers to interact in creative challenges and showcase their storytelling prowess.
Through their writing challenges, participants are assigned prompts inside specific genres and have a limited time-frame to craft compelling stories or screenplays.
These challenges provide a beautiful opportunity for writers to check their skills under pressure, explore diverse genres, and receive feedback from peers and judges.