Twenty 30-day challenges for writers
When we watch a master writer at work, in most cases, we’re looking at someone who has mastered writing for many days in a row.
Getting good at writing is one thing, but consistency is the true, hidden skill.
But consistency can be hard. This is why ‘gamifying’ our projects and habits to make them more enjoyable and accessible can be powerful.
One such example of gamification is the thirty-day challenge, an approach that has helped me forge habits and enjoy my life more.
Here are some daily ideas for thirty-day challenges explicitly for writers:
Write a 100-word max micro story every day for 30 days.
This is an exercise in brevity and telling short-stories.
Daily letters to your future self.
Write a daily letter to your future self, reflecting on your current thoughts, goals, and experiences.
This could be a powerful creative and problem-solving exercise — one that puts life in a longer-term context.
Myths.
Write a short piece on some well — or lesser -known myth or legend and talk about why understanding it is relevant to our lives today.
Walk for at least 30 minutes every day.
Be like Dickens.
Write at least 500 published words per day.
The key thing here is that not only do you get some words completed, you share them online, readership or not.
This can include short stories, articles, newsletters and LinkedIn posts, for example.
Write a book chapter.
Imagine writing a 1000-word book chapter each day.
You’d have a 30,000-word book at the end of the month.
Do (and share) a talking video that expands on a lot of the stuff you enjoy writing about.
Just because you see yourself as a writer doesn’t mean you can’t cross the threshold into stream-of-consciousness talking on film.
Daily journaling.
Write about your challenges, opportunities, failures and wins.
Processing this kind of information is great for mental health working through life problems, and coming up with fresh ideas and solutions.
Write a daily piece of creative non-fiction (CNF).
CNF is a genre that combines the factual and objective aspects of traditional non-fiction with elements of creativity and the literary style typically found in fiction.
30 days of junk.
This might sound silly, but committing to writing, say 500 words daily, perhaps as an exercise to loosen you up — this can be powerful.
And the key thing is there’s no pressure to write anything clever. You’re just developing the habit of stream-of-consciousness thoughts to paper.
This is a great way to subsequently ease yourself into higher-level writing.
Interview challenge.
Conduct an interview with a different person each day and write a compelling profile or article based on their story.
A daily personal non-fiction story.
Start by brainstorming a list of all the interesting and/or emotional events in your past.
You can write a story that contains a nugget of learning for each of these stories.
Environmental awareness.
Raise awareness about environmental issues by writing daily articles on topics like conservation, climate change, or sustainable living practices.
Meditate for 15 minutes.
In this heavily distracted environment, regular mindfulness will give your creative mind an edge (and decrease stress).
Read ten pages of a book.
Don’t expect to write in volume without also consuming a substantial amount.
As Stephen King says, you’re not a proper writer if you don’t read a lot.
We’re talking fiction and non-fiction to fuel the mind and create new creative connections.
30 days of cultural exploration.
Explore different cultures, traditions, or subcultures each day, writing about their customs, history, and significance.
Cut your video entertainment down to less than twenty minutes per day.
This would have been laughable ten years ago, but today most of us are video-hooked.
It makes it harder to be creative and write.
Be one of the few who watches less and writes more.
Historical anecdotes.
Explore a different historical event or figure each day, writing short informative pieces or biographical sketches.
How about Napoleon or Charlie Chaplin tomorrow?
This can be a fun excuse to learn.
Spend twenty minutes on Shortform.
Shortform is a resource that distils key information from various books.
You don’t need to read the entire book to get the core information.
Shortform does this for you.
Thirty days writing daily profiles of unsung heroes.
Highlight individuals or groups who have made a positive impact on their communities or in their fields but are not widely recognized.
Maybe you know some of them personally.
What if you decided to master writing and make a career out of it over the next decade or two?
My new book shows you how I did it. It’s called ‘The Never-Retired Writer.’
It’s 62 short, actionable chapters on building a writing life that gives you income, freedom, and a body of work that compounds for the rest of your life.
Enjoy!
Alex
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