Put Yourself to the Test

Hit a wall with your reading or writing? Sometimes all that’s needed is a little push, but just what form that push takes varies so much from person to person. Perhaps it’s the gamer in me, but a little competition strikes the creative match the most. Doesn’t even have to be with another person either, as most of these will be geared toward self-challenges. I also couldn’t help but include some mention of the mount of work I’ve done lately. Indulgent…very. But that’s why it’s at the end!

YeahWrite

I’ve only just recently come across this awesome site. YeahWrite hosts not only a weekly prompt meant to get the creative juices flowing, but they also host “super challenges” that could lead to winning money for your writing. The site is only the beginning though. Connect with fellow writers and share your work on the rather large and active discord that’s tied into the prompts and challenges.

Even if you choose not to participate in the weekly challenge, the “Scarlet Quill Society” is a great place to link books, sites, and other works. It’s also a sort of master class that runs throughout the year with a certain theme. 2022 was editing, and though I didn’t have the extra time or funds to participate this time around, the information looked very useful.

NaNoWriMo

November is the month chosen for the main event. Writers challenge themselves to writing 50,000 words in one month toward a single project. That means 1667 words per day to stay on track. For anyone who thinks that sounds like an easy amount…you are either one of the best writers who’s ever lived, or you aren’t a writer at all. April and July are also considered more periphery months, or NaNo camp months that help motivate writers too.

I couldn’t just not include the thing that connected me to some of my greatest friends. While some years I’ve done better than others, it’s still nice to have a dedicated time to write. And to meet quite a few new people while doing it. Unfortunately, the in person events in most regions have been lower ever since the pandemic started.

Still, if you are hoping to make writing a real habit, this is one of the best places to kickstart it. Plus you get tons of bragging rights as a winner!

Around the Year in 52 Books

No, that number definitely isn’t an arbitrary one. Designed to be done with one book a week, “ATY in 52” is both a group and a challenge that’s active on Goodreads. If you would like to join or take part yourself, please follow this link. I did not take part for 2022 because I unfortunately saw the challenge too late to try and play catch-up, but I very much plan to be active for the 2023 one.

You can view the list of weekly books for 2023 by clicking the button below. All of my chosen books for the year can be seen there! Feel free to read along with me, but I do recommend at least trying to find some of your own too. One of the best things about this challenge so far for me was being able to treat it like a scavenger hunt.