Why I like writing challenges…

One piece of advice I give to people who ask me about becoming a writer is to write every day, even if it’s just a sentence. However, I know this can sometimes be hard as the inspiration fairy can be a slippery sprite. Writing challenges are a great way to get you writing. I turn to them whenever I’m struggling to think of what to write. 

Where I source writing challenges…

I source writing challenges from several sources but mainly Pinterest (click here to view my Pinterest board of writing challenges). I also like to make up my own challenges. A writing challenge can involve writing a precise number of words or writing for a certain amount of time. They can also be more specific things like including specific words/phrases or writing from an unusual point of view. 

What kind of writing challenges do I like…

Not all writing challenges are about volume or building lengthy habits. Most of the challenges I partake in are based around widening my skillset and trying new forms and genres of writing. These challenges can take anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours making them a great way to get some writing done on those days when I’m stuck on what to write.

For example, I completed a fun challenge to write a story without using the letter e (this challenge was inspired by the book A Void by George Perec). While my story wasn’t the best piece of work I’d ever produced it forced me to crack open a thesaurus and broaden my lexicon. I also came up with a few interesting similes such as... 

A cat’s yowl as scornful as a whining wagon in a young-morning fills Friday’s spring air.  

Does it make sense? No, not exactly. But I certainly had fun hunting through my thesaurus and getting creative with my words.

How writing challenges help me write…

Writing challenges often spark ideas for me much like writing prompts do. Because they’re forcing me to write things outside of my usual genres and styles, they often produce ides I would never have come up with on my own. 

Another challenge I participated in which led me to a novel idea was a challenge to write a piece of fiction which purposely used clichés and tropes. 

At the time I had been toying with a werewolf novel so, I decided to write a short piece of werewolf fiction including a lot of cliché tropes. My resulting piece sparked a whole new idea for a character and their story.

To conclude…

Writing challenges are a great way to explore new genres, new techniques and just have some fun with writing. 

I have curated a Pinterest board filled with writing challenges (check it out here) if you would like to give one a go. 

If you would like to complete a writing challenge with me join my writing challenge email series by clicking here and you will receive a series of 6 writing challenges each with an example written by me and helpful tips to get you writing.