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Sunday Writing Challenge
On January 29, 2012 at 9:46 pm in Writing
Last week, QoB, challenged anyone who’d accept it to write a 1000 words in one week. They could be 1000 words about anything – a poem, some fiction, a short story, that paper you’ve been putting off doing. The point is to get us actually writing.
Reception to the post was so positive that we’re going to make this a weekly affair. Every Sunday a new challenge will go up – you’ll have until the following Sunday to complete it.
This week: Write 280 words every day. That’s the length of a couple of tweets. It’s not a lot and if you blow past that number, that’s great for you. But for many of us, it’s the ‘every day’ part of writing that is the difficult part. This number is small enough to commit to without needing to carve out a huge chunk of time.
That’s it! You have until 10pm next Sunday night to check in and tell us how you did.
Need a little inspiration? Try this writing exercise:
“Sit in a restaurant or a crowded area and write down the snippets of conversation you hear. Listen to the people around you — how they talk and what words they use. Once you have done this, you can practice finishing their conversations. Write your version of what comes next in the conversation. Match their style.” (from poewar.com)
- Inspired
- Smart
- Tickled
- Hungry
- Empathetic
- Smash!
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Descarada said on February 15, 2012 at 3:39 pm
How fun! I joined today so I’m late to it, but this is great. Count me in.
Lady Fabulous said on February 2, 2012 at 4:40 pm
I’m going to have to put reminders in my phone about checking the challenges on Sundays. But! I did do about 500 words last night. Nothing quality, but it’s a start!
dellbot said on February 2, 2012 at 3:47 pm
Wow, I love this place. It’s like, in the span of a couple of weeks it went from being awesome to being freaking fantastically most awesome unicorn paradise. Also, I just found out about this challenge so I’m a few days behind but I just did a whole bunch of writing (for a submission that was due yesterday… eep!) and now I’m totally on board. I feel like Kermit when he yells “Yay!” and runs all over the place.
[E] Slay Belle said on February 2, 2012 at 3:51 pm
This place loves you right back!
You still have 4 days on the challenge, which isn’t bad at all.
BicuriousShoes said on January 30, 2012 at 6:29 pm
I’m SO in! I can’t start today, though, because I’m still grading the pile of papers from hell – unless I count “no structure, weak conclusion, very little analysis” (which I must have written in at least forty papers) towards today’s goal.
Right now I’m at the research stage (i.e. READ ALL THE THINGS), so nothing I write will be brilliant or final, but I’m sure it’ll help get me going for when I have to do the actual, brilliant, final writing. Plus, I always have trouble transitioning from research to writing, so I’m hoping the daily writing exercise will make it easier. Anybody else signing up for the Academic Writing category of the challenge?
[E] Slay Belle said on January 31, 2012 at 10:42 am
Maybe you could just get a stamp made for that phrase so you don’t have to keep writing it.
[E] Slay Belle said on January 30, 2012 at 11:32 am
Hi guys! I’m excited so many people are on board for this week’s challenge!
I just wanted to say that if anyone has any challenges they’d like to issue, I’d be happy to include them. I mentioned in the comments that this one is aimed at one of my weaknesses (daily writing), but I would love to hear what other people want.
KellsBells said on January 30, 2012 at 11:40 am
I really really need to get some copy written for a training video. This is going to be wonderfully motivating!
Thanks!
[M] QoB said on January 30, 2012 at 11:42 am
Do you reckon our benevolent Editor Overlords would add it to the Reader Challenge box on the right sidebar?
[E] Slay Belle said on January 30, 2012 at 1:21 pm
Well, I don’t want to brag, but I sorta know the gal in charge of this place.
[E] Slay Belle said on January 30, 2012 at 3:27 pm
Your wish, our command, blah blah blah…
[M] QoB said on January 30, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Modesty becomes you:)
veruna said on January 30, 2012 at 11:21 am
Oh, I think I’ll try this this week. I have to pull together my research for a presentation in March and have not been focused enough to get it done. *fingers crossed* that I don’t get super bogged down by class and Board studying.
[E] Michelle Miller said on January 30, 2012 at 2:12 pm
*chortle*
“Board” studying. “Bored” studying.
I know that only I find that funny, but still.
What’s yer presentation on?
Amanda said on January 30, 2012 at 10:14 am
I’m in again! Sometimes the daily writing is the roughest part, I agree.
At least this will hopefully motivate me to do something every day instead of word vomiting once a week.
[E] Slay Belle said on January 30, 2012 at 10:55 am
Daily writing is 100% my biggest problem. I admit it, its a challenge aimed at my own weakness.
Amanda said on January 30, 2012 at 10:59 am
Haha, yup. So easy to say, “Well, I just don’t FEEL like it today…”
[E] Slay Belle said on January 30, 2012 at 11:28 am
“I’ll just do twice as much tomorrow!” That’s my procrastinator/underminer’s theme song.
[M] freckle said on January 30, 2012 at 9:55 am
All right so it’s not about the number for me, but about the dailiness. Thanks for the heads up!
Marginally said on January 30, 2012 at 8:47 am
Last week I got distracted by editing, but this week…oh man…this will be the week.
Maybe.
philososaurus said on January 30, 2012 at 8:39 am
Yessssssssssss… I’m so in for this.
[M] QoB said on January 30, 2012 at 8:03 am
Yay! I’m in (again:) ). And I have a writing class tonight so fingers crossed it goes well.
Brynn said on January 30, 2012 at 12:28 am
I’m jumping on board with this! I write mostly poetry, but now that I have a commute, maybe I’ll try writing prose again
[E] Slay Belle said on January 30, 2012 at 9:37 am
Poetry counts! If you’d rather, you can work on poems.
Elfity said on January 29, 2012 at 11:56 pm
Yay! Motivation to work daily on the paper I have due in a couple of weeks. Perhaps this will cure my procrastination…
[E] Slay Belle said on January 30, 2012 at 12:09 am
280 words is painless! Its a couple of sentences you jot down during Lifetime movie commercials. You’ll knock that paper out of the park!
MJ said on January 29, 2012 at 11:09 pm
I missed this somehow last week, but this might be helpful. I write fanfiction, too, and sometimes the muse plays hide-n-seek with me, even if I’m sticking to an outline. Damn her. *lol*
[E] Slay Belle said on January 29, 2012 at 11:15 pm
I shake my fist in her direction for you!
Pam Newman said on January 29, 2012 at 11:38 pm
I missed this too, though I vaguely remember someone on my tumblr dashboard talking about a challenge like this!
Anyway, I’m in!
[E] Slay Belle said on January 30, 2012 at 12:08 am
I think we’re tumblr friends, Pam, so it might have been me. :)
deuteragonist said on January 29, 2012 at 10:52 pm
Aren’t tweets 140 characters? (Not that 280 words isn’t a good daily goal, anyway).
I was panicking when I saw the update in the open thread, but turns out I have written 1000 words this week after all! Being on a plane with my book already read, no magazine, and no electronic devices allowed was good for my writing.
[E] Slay Belle said on January 29, 2012 at 10:57 pm
Its true — 140 characters, not words. But don’t tell anyone! I was hoping to make it sound super easy.
deuteragonist said on January 29, 2012 at 11:27 pm
Eep!
Nothing to see here, folks. *whistles innocently*
BicuriousShoes said on January 30, 2012 at 6:20 pm
Haha, I was going to say what deuteragonist said. (Yes, I get nitpicky about the math when somebody is trying to use it to make me write – even when it’s for my own good!)
wannabemusicologist said on January 29, 2012 at 10:40 pm
I am signing up for this! I have a 7000word paper (and its defense) lying between me and candidacy/ABD status as a doctoral student. I need to get hopping!
[E] Slay Belle said on January 29, 2012 at 10:58 pm
You’re so close. That’s awesome! If you have a specific challenge you’d like to see that would be helpful for you, let me know. This one is aimed at my personal roadblock — writing every day.
[E] Michelle Miller said on January 29, 2012 at 10:26 pm
I can’t wait to put this into action this week! I have a novel outline and some articles (with SEO) that have been waiting for me to finish for weeks. This is the motivation I need to get cracking.
[E] Slay Belle said on January 29, 2012 at 10:59 pm
Fantastic! There’s gonna be a gold star waiting for you at the end of the week.
[E] Michelle Miller said on January 30, 2012 at 2:14 pm
Your challenge worked wonders. Not only did I write a post for Persephone last night, I *also* finished one of my SEO articles. And it wasn’t even Monday yet!