Whether you’re writing a novel, biography, or flash fiction anthology, it can be difficult to find the time and focus needed to get the writing done.
Read our latest blog post for the ultimate list of organized writing challenges that help motivate authors and create a community around work that can be pretty solitary.
The Ultimate List of Writing Challenge Events
Whether you’re writing a novel, biography, or flash fiction anthology, it can be
difficult to find the time and focus needed to get the writing done. Luckily, there
are a variety of organized writing challenges that help motivate authors and
create a community around work that can be pretty solitary.
There’s potentially a challenge to fit every genre, and new ones are popping up
all the time. Here’s a list of some of the more popular writing challenge events
from around the web:
12x12 Challenge
The
​12x12 Challenge
​ is the only one on our list that has a substantial fee, but
it’s well worth it if you’re a picture book author. Started by author Julie Hedlund
in 2012, this event challenges you to write one picture book draft a month for a
year.
During the challenge you’ll have access to members-only resources, community
feedback, and support. The real value, however, is access to respected agents
and authors who give advice, critiques, and guidance along the way.
750 Words
The idea behind
​750 Words
​ is pretty simple: Try to write at least 750 words each
day. The focus is less on writing for a specific project, and more about getting in
the habit of regular writing. The site is simple, but provides a private,
distraction-free place to work.
The best feature is that it tracks your daily word count and writing time, and
awards points based on your activity. You can view your statistics at any time
and can even
​​add metadata to
​
​your entries
​ to track any information you choose.
It’s a more advanced feature, but one that can help you understand your best
writing conditions.
A Round of Words in 80 Days
Described as “the writing challenge that knows you have a life,”
​​A Round of
Words in 80 Days
​ is an open-ended challenge that has four rounds a year, each
running 80 days. You can have any writing goal you like, which makes this
challenge great for any type of writer.
There are regular check-in