Writing can get sort of lonely typically.
Not solely that, however it could possibly get stale. Typically we fall right into a system once we write books, or we are able to’t get ourselves previous the primary few chapters of an thought, or we’re caught within the dreaded center part of our novel for what seems like endlessly. It might probably really feel slightly like getting stranded, and it’s no marvel some writers leap ship on their tasks.
Nevertheless it doesn’t should be so lonely, nor does it should be boring! Collaborating in a writing problem is perhaps 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 must you hassle?
Why Ought to I Strive a Writing Problem?
Writing challenges do just a few wonderful issues for his or her individuals. Initially, they join a participant to a neighborhood of writers collaborating in the identical problem. This sense of neighborhood helps writers amp one another up—it’s a crew dynamic we don’t usually get to expertise as writers, and it could possibly make the world of distinction powering by a primary draft or a tough spherical of revisions.
Writing challenges additionally encourage writers to observe, usually every single day. In fact, you don’t want to write down each single day to be a “actual” author, however identical to athletes do marathons, writers can get rather a lot out of a superb problem. You’ll be able to flex your writing muscle groups, perhaps attempt one thing new, and have some fellow individuals to commiserate with. What extra might you want?
For me, personally, writing challenges usually really feel slightly bit like writing camp. You get to remain within the consolation of your individual house, however you’re assembly individuals on-line, you’re engaged on a brand new undertaking, and the entire enterprise has that enjoyable, novel feeling you get at summer season camp. The momentum won’t final endlessly, however you don’t want it to! The objective is to have enjoyable and make one thing.
If you happen to’re seeking to attempt one thing new, energy by a tough draft, or simply crank out phrases, writing challenges is perhaps value testing. And fortunate 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
“Nationwide Novel Writing Month started in 1999 as a frightening however simple problem: to write down 50,000 phrases of a novel in thirty days. Now, annually on November 1, tons of of 1000’s of individuals all over the world start to write down, decided to finish the month with 50,000 phrases of a model new novel. They enter the month as elementary college lecturers, mechanics, or stay-at-home mother and father. They depart novelists.”
NaNoWriMo is probably the best-known writing problem, and it’s a doozy. Opposite to fashionable perception, the problem isn’t actually to write down a complete 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 foul time of 12 months for you (for instance, I might barely do that problem in school, because it was precisely when my courses began heating up), test the web site for Camp NaNo and different challenges that occur all year long.
2. Write NonFiction in November Problem (WNFIN)
“In the course of the Write Nonfiction in November (WNFIN) Problem, also called Nationwide Nonfiction Writing Month (NaNonFiWriMo), you might be personally challenged to start out and full a piece of nonfiction in 30 days. This may be an article, an essay, a guide, a guide proposal, a white paper, or a manifesto.”
This problem is meant as an alternative choice to NaNoWriMo for Nonfiction writers. As an alternative of utilizing a phrase rely and phrase objective to maintain observe, this problem encourages the consideration system, and the intent is to finish any work of nonfiction.
3. EBookWriMo
“Your mission (must you select to simply accept it): Write an e book in your viewers in 30 days, from November 1 to November 30.”
This problem encourages its individuals to finish a elegant e book in thirty days. The premise is straightforward: novels are big, and ebooks are usually smaller. This problem takes you thru actionable steps to write down and polish an e book, with the objective 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 every single day throughout Might and/or September.
(or by yourself schedule!)
StoryADay exists to advertise creativity, to not educate you learn how to ‘be a broadcast author’.
(And typically we do it over again in September.)”
If novels aren’t your bag, or the considered engaged on a single undertaking for a month feels too daunting, StoryADay is perhaps for you! StoryADay challenges you to write down a narrative every single day throughout Might or September—you don’t need to submit 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 guide drafts, one per 30 days, for every 12 months of the 12 months.
A draft means a narrative with a starting, center, and finish—NOT a submission-ready piece. Based by image guide writer Julie Hedlund, 12 x 12 has been supporting, encouraging, and educating writers since 2012.”
12×12 is a superb useful resource for image guide authors. One of many largest perks of this problem is its neighborhood—collaborating on this will join you to a number of different authors, in addition to assets for writing, revising, and submitting your work.
6. Chapter E book Problem
“The Chapter E book Problem, in any other case often known as ‘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 guide, center grade guide or YA novel within the month of March, beginning on the first of March and ending on the thirty first of March.”
In the course of the month, you’ll discover a useful neighborhood to interact with, authentic 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 night time to get your immediate! Writers then have 48 hours to write down a narrative or essay conscious of that immediate.
As soon as the writing part is full, our judges go to work. Each bit is scored and given optimistic and important suggestions by every choose. Writers will obtain their suggestions 12-24 hours earlier than we announce who will advance to the subsequent spherical. For extra details about this part of the problem, take a look at 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.”
If you happen to’re searching for a writing problem with slightly 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 test in each every so often to see in the event that they’re operating 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 persistently for a calendar 12 months.”
This problem is a subgroup of the ten 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 slightly every single day in your novel. Momentum can actually construct after some time, and this problem can have you ever cranking out tons of of 1000’s of phrases by the tip of the 12 months.
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 peculiar writing competitors for a number of causes. First, all individuals 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 trustworthy, unbiased suggestions from a crew of future editors, professors, and literary brokers, no matter placement!”
If you would like a problem with slightly 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 neighborhood 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 targets inside the supportive atmosphere of Scribophile’s neighborhood. These challenges not solely encourage writers to discover new concepts and methods but in addition foster connections with fellow writers, offering invaluable help and encouragement on the journey towards literary excellence.
Whether or not you’re seeking to flex your artistic muscle groups, obtain suggestions in your work, or just join with like-minded writers, Scribophile affords a dynamic area the place writers can develop and thrive.
11. The Author’s Exercise
The Writers’ Exercise is a fascinating on-line platform that gives a spread of writing challenges and competitions tailor-made to writers in search of to boost their abilities and creativity.
With month-to-month challenges designed to immediate writers to discover totally different genres, types, and themes, The Writers’ Exercise affords a supportive atmosphere the place individuals can push their boundaries and experiment with new methods. From flash fiction contests to poetry challenges and all the things 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 finally change into more adept storytellers.
12. The Poetry Marathon
The Poetry Marathon is an exhilarating annual occasion that invitations poets from all over the world to embark on a difficult but rewarding journey of creativity and expression.
Held over the course of 24 hours, individuals 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 neighborhood rallying behind them, poets have the chance to discover numerous themes, experiment with varied varieties and types, and delve deep into the artwork of poetry.
The Poetry Marathon not solely fosters a way of camaraderie amongst poets but in addition encourages private progress, 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 data, 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 trade 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 affords a supportive platform for writers to hone their abilities, achieve recognition for his or her work, and join with a vibrant neighborhood of fellow writers.
With its longstanding status 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 targets.
14. Reedsy
Reedsy is a dynamic on-line platform devoted to supporting writers on their artistic journey, providing a spread of assets, instruments, and alternatives to assist them thrive on the earth of writing.
Amongst its choices, Reedsy hosts a weekly sequence 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 gentle stream of inspiration and alternatives to flex their artistic muscle groups.
With a supportive neighborhood 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 help they want to achieve their writing journey.
Amongst this, Jericho Writers hosts month-to-month writing challenges designed to encourage writers, encourage creativity, and supply alternatives for progress.
These challenges cowl a variety of genres, types, and themes, permitting writers to discover new concepts, experiment with totally different methods, and hone their craft in a supportive and collaborative atmosphere.
Jericho Writers’ writing challenges supply writers the possibility to attach with friends, obtain constructive criticism, and push themselves to new heights of creativity and excellence.
16. NYC Midnight
NYC Midnight affords an amazing platform for writers to interact in artistic challenges and showcase their storytelling prowess.
By means of their writing challenges, individuals are assigned prompts inside particular genres and have a restricted time-frame to craft compelling tales or screenplays.
These challenges present a beautiful alternative for writers to check their abilities beneath strain, discover numerous genres, and obtain suggestions from friends and judges.