Writing can get form of lonely generally.
Not solely that, however it may well get stale. Typically we fall right into a system after we write books, or we will’t get ourselves previous the primary few chapters of an concept, or we’re caught within the dreaded center part of our novel for what looks like endlessly. It could actually really feel a bit of like getting stranded, and it’s no surprise some writers soar ship on their initiatives.
However it doesn’t have to be so lonely, nor does it have to be boring! Collaborating in a writing problem is likely to be your ticket out of that sticky spot.
What are Writing Challenges?
Writing challenges are precisely what they sound like. They’re challenges created for writers with the intent of getting writers to, properly, write! These aren’t writing contests—there usually isn’t a money prize or publication prize for individuals who take part in writing challenges.
If there isn’t a prize, why do you have to trouble?
Why Ought to I Strive a Writing Problem?
Writing challenges do just a few wonderful issues for his or her contributors. At the beginning, they join a participant to a group of writers taking part in the identical problem. This sense of group helps writers amp one another up—it’s a group dynamic we don’t usually get to expertise as writers, and it may well make the world of distinction powering by way of a primary draft or a troublesome spherical of revisions.
Writing challenges additionally encourage writers to observe, usually day by day. After all, you don’t must write each single day to be a “actual” author, however similar to athletes do marathons, writers can get loads out of a very good problem. You possibly can flex your writing muscle tissues, perhaps attempt one thing new, and have some fellow contributors to commiserate with. What extra might you want?
For me, personally, writing challenges usually really feel a bit of bit like writing camp. You get to remain within the consolation of your personal residence, however you’re assembly folks on-line, you’re engaged on a brand new mission, and the entire enterprise has that enjoyable, novel feeling you get at summer time camp. The momentum won’t final endlessly, however you don’t want it to! The aim is to have enjoyable and make one thing.
Should you’re trying to attempt one thing new, energy by way of a troublesome draft, or simply crank out phrases, writing challenges is likely to be value testing. And fortunate for you, we’ve compiled an inventory of some writing challenges you’ll be able to take part in!
Listed here are Sixteen Writing Challenges to Enter:
1. NaNoWriMo
“Nationwide Novel Writing Month started in 1999 as a frightening however easy problem: to write down 50,000 phrases of a novel in thirty days. Now, annually on November 1, a whole lot of hundreds of individuals around the globe start to write down, decided to finish the month with 50,000 phrases of a model new novel. They enter the month as elementary faculty academics, mechanics, or stay-at-home dad and mom. They go away novelists.”
NaNoWriMo is probably the best-known writing problem, and it’s a doozy. Opposite to common perception, the problem isn’t actually to write down a whole novel in a month—it’s to write down 50,000 phrases of a novel, which isn’t an entire lot easier. It’s bought a built-in social media system to attach with different writers working in comparable genres, a phrase rely tracker that measures your progress, and rewards you with badges as you full milestones all through the month. Listed here are another methods to set your self up for achievement, too.
If NaNoWriMo occurs at a nasty time of yr for you (for instance, I might barely do that problem in faculty, because it was precisely when my lessons began heating up), examine the web site for Camp NaNo and different challenges that occur all year long.
2. Write NonFiction in November Problem (WNFIN)
“Throughout the Write Nonfiction in November (WNFIN) Problem, also called Nationwide Nonfiction Writing Month (NaNonFiWriMo), you’re personally challenged to start out and full a piece of nonfiction in 30 days. This may be an article, an essay, a ebook, a ebook proposal, a white paper, or a manifesto.”
This problem is meant as a substitute for NaNoWriMo for Nonfiction writers. As an alternative of utilizing a phrase rely and phrase aim to maintain observe, this problem encourages the consideration system, and the intent is to finish any work of nonfiction.
3. EBookWriMo
“Your mission (do you have to select to just accept it): Write an e-book in your viewers in 30 days, from November 1 to November 30.”
This problem encourages its contributors to finish a refined e-book in thirty days. The premise is easy: novels are enormous, and ebooks are typically smaller. This problem takes you thru actionable steps to write down and polish an e-book, with the aim being to have a very completed e-book in your viewers by the tip.
4. StoryADay
“StoryADay is a creativity problem:
Write (and end) a brief story day by day throughout Could and/or September.
(or by yourself schedule!)
StoryADay exists to advertise creativity, to not educate you easy methods to ‘be a broadcast author’.
(And generally we do it over again in September.)”
If novels aren’t your bag, or the considered engaged on a single mission for a month feels too daunting, StoryADay is likely to be for you! StoryADay challenges you to write down a narrative day by day throughout Could or September—you don’t need to publish or publish it, and so they provide you with prompts every day to maintain your gears turning. There are a handful of ways in which writing tales could make you a greater author, so don’t sleep on this one.
5. 12 x 12 Problem
“12 x 12 is a year-long writing problem the place members intention to write down 12 full image ebook drafts, one per thirty days, for every 12 months of the yr.
A draft means a narrative with a starting, center, and finish—NOT a submission-ready piece. Based by image ebook creator Julie Hedlund, 12 x 12 has been supporting, encouraging, and educating writers since 2012.”
12×12 is a good useful resource for image ebook authors. One of many greatest perks of this problem is its group—taking part on this will join you to a number of different authors, in addition to assets for writing, revising, and submitting your work.
6. Chapter Ebook Problem
“The Chapter Ebook Problem, in any other case often called ‘ChaBooCha,’ was created by Rebecca Fyfe and first ran in 2012. It runs yearly within the month of March. The problem is to write down one accomplished first draft of an early reader, chapter ebook, center grade ebook or YA novel within the month of March, beginning on the 1st of March and ending on the 31st of March.”
Throughout the month, you’ll discover a useful group to interact with, unique articles from revealed authors and profitable brokers, and giveaways all through.
7. Yeah Write Tremendous Problem
“The Tremendous Problem is often run in two rounds. Throughout every spherical, we’ll launch the immediate on Friday at 10pm US Japanese time. That’s proper—you don’t have to remain up all evening to get your immediate! Writers then have 48 hours to write down a narrative or essay aware of that immediate.
As soon as the writing section is full, our judges go to work. Every bit is scored and given optimistic and demanding suggestions by every choose. Writers will obtain their suggestions 12-24 hours earlier than we announce who will advance to the following spherical. For extra details about this section of the problem, try our FAQ.
Roughly ten writers from the primary spherical of competitors advance to the second spherical to compete for first, second and third place prizes.”
Should you’re in search of a writing problem with a bit of incentive, look no additional! This problem makes use of prompts to get writers in quite a lot of totally different genres competing for money. This takes place as soon as 1 / 4 and lasts for six weeks, so examine in each from time to time to see in the event that they’re working a problem that appears prefer it’s for you!
8. 365 Writing Problem
“What’s 365 Writing Problem? It’s an organized group of writers who encourages and helps one another as they attempt to write constantly for a calendar yr.”
This problem is a subgroup of the 10 Minute Novelists group—simply hyperlink up with their Fb web page to hitch! For this one, you and your fellow novelists can cheer one another on as you’re employed a bit of day by day in your novel. Momentum can actually construct after some time, and this problem can have you ever cranking out a whole lot of hundreds of phrases by the tip of the yr.
9. Author’s Video games 2024
“The Author’s Video games is a two-month, challenge-based competitors that may appear daunting till you dive in. It’s not your odd writing competitors for a number of causes. First, all contributors should register prematurely to take part. Second, competitors writing begins solely after Occasions are introduced. Third, Occasions are stored secret till the beginning of the Occasion. Fourth, each entry submitted on time receives sincere, unbiased suggestions from a group of future editors, professors, and literary brokers, no matter placement!”
If you’d like a problem with a bit of pizzazz, right here’s your decide! That is one other prize-winning choice. Discover the immediate on their website, check out the core ideas, and reply with a brief story inside their parameters (750-6,000 phrases) for an opportunity to win!
10. Scribophile
Scribophile is a vibrant on-line writing group that provides a plethora of writing challenges and alternatives for writers of all ranges to hone their craft. With a user-friendly platform designed for constructive suggestions and collaboration, Scribophile hosts varied writing challenges all year long, catering to numerous genres and writing types.
Writers can take part in themed contests, flash fiction challenges, and even set private writing objectives throughout the supportive atmosphere of Scribophile’s group. These challenges not solely encourage writers to discover new concepts and strategies but additionally foster connections with fellow writers, offering invaluable assist and encouragement on the journey towards literary excellence.
Whether or not you’re trying to flex your inventive muscle tissues, obtain suggestions in your work, or just join with like-minded writers, Scribophile gives a dynamic area the place writers can develop and thrive.
11. The Author’s Exercise
The Writers’ Exercise is an interesting on-line platform that gives a variety of writing challenges and competitions tailor-made to writers looking for to reinforce their abilities and creativity.
With month-to-month challenges designed to immediate writers to discover totally different genres, types, and themes, The Writers’ Exercise gives a supportive atmosphere the place contributors can push their boundaries and experiment with new strategies. From flash fiction contests to poetry challenges and all the pieces in between, writers can discover quite a lot of prompts and workouts to spark their creativeness and encourage their subsequent literary masterpiece.
With alternatives to obtain suggestions from friends {and professional} writers, The Writers’ Exercise encourages writers to develop their craft, construct confidence, and in the end grow to be more adept storytellers.
12. The Poetry Marathon
The Poetry Marathon is an exhilarating annual occasion that invitations poets from around the globe to embark on a difficult but rewarding journey of creativity and expression.
Held over the course of 24 hours, contributors endeavor to write down 24 poems, every inside a delegated hour, pushing the boundaries of their creativeness and poetic prowess.
With prompts supplied all through the marathon and a supportive on-line group rallying behind them, poets have the chance to discover numerous themes, experiment with varied types and types, and delve deep into the artwork of poetry.
The Poetry Marathon not solely fosters a way of camaraderie amongst poets but additionally encourages private development, resilience, and the celebration of the written phrase.
13. Author’s Digest
Author’s Digest is a famend useful resource for writers of all ranges, providing a wealth of knowledge, recommendation, and inspiration to assist them navigate the world of writing and publishing. Along with its complete assortment of articles, workshops, and writing guides, Author’s Digest additionally hosts varied writing challenges and competitions all year long.
These challenges cowl a variety of genres and codecs, together with quick tales, poetry, memoirs, and extra, offering writers with alternatives to showcase their expertise, obtain suggestions from business professionals, and even win prizes. Whether or not it’s the annual Author’s Digest Annual Writing Competitors, themed contests, or prompt-driven challenges, Author’s Digest gives a supportive platform for writers to hone their abilities, acquire recognition for his or her work, and join with a vibrant group of fellow writers.
With its longstanding popularity as a trusted useful resource for writers, Author’s Digest continues to encourage and empower writers to pursue their literary aspirations and obtain their writing objectives.
14. Reedsy
Reedsy is a dynamic on-line platform devoted to supporting writers on their inventive journey, providing a variety of assets, instruments, and alternatives to assist them thrive on the earth of writing.
Amongst its choices, Reedsy hosts a weekly collection of writing prompts and challenges designed to spark creativity and encourage writers to discover new concepts and types. These prompts cowl varied genres and themes, offering writers with a gradual stream of inspiration and alternatives to flex their inventive muscle tissues.
With a supportive group of writers and editors, Reedsy’s writing challenges supply an area for writers to experiment, enhance their craft, and join with fellow creatives.
15. Jerico Writers
Jericho Writers is a complete on-line platform devoted to empowering writers with the instruments, assets, and assist they want to reach their writing journey.
Amongst this, Jericho Writers hosts month-to-month writing challenges designed to encourage writers, encourage creativity, and supply alternatives for development.
These challenges cowl a variety of genres, types, and themes, permitting writers to discover new concepts, experiment with totally different strategies, and hone their craft in a supportive and collaborative atmosphere.
Jericho Writers’ writing challenges supply writers the prospect to attach with friends, obtain constructive criticism, and push themselves to new heights of creativity and excellence.
16. NYC Midnight
NYC Midnight gives a terrific platform for writers to interact in inventive challenges and showcase their storytelling prowess.
By means of their writing challenges, contributors are assigned prompts inside particular genres and have a restricted timeframe to craft compelling tales or screenplays.
These challenges present an exquisite alternative for writers to check their abilities underneath strain, discover numerous genres, and obtain suggestions from friends and judges.
