Tag: Challenge

5 Benefits of Writing Challenges

5 Benefits of Writing Challenges

Originally published Sep. 17, 2019; adapted and republished Mar. 4, 2025

While many of us may have developed a habit of preparing for NaNoWriMo in the fall and have now migrated to various alternatives, there is still something to be said for participating in designated writing challenges. Maybe you’re a veteran author who’s done NaNoWriMo or other writing challenges before, maybe you’re a veteran author who’s never been sold on short-term challenges working for you, or maybe you’re new to the community and you’re wondering what “writing challenges” I’m even talking about. Wherever you stand, here are five benefits I’ve found of participating in writing challenges.

First of all, a quick explanation of NaNoWriMo and writing challenges for anyone who’s new to the idea: NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month; it refers to an event that spans the month of November, in which authors are challenged to write 50,000 words in a month. This is the average length of a novel, and the idea is that the month results in a completed first draft of a novel you haven’t started yet. That’s not always the case, since some novels are longer, or some authors (myself included) choose to work on an already-started draft, but that’s the basic idea.

The organization behind NaNoWriMo has unfortunately taken a nosedive in the past five years, but there are still similar challenges to be found online–including my personal favorite, Christine Smith’s FicFrenzy challenge, one installment of which is coming up March 15-April 15!

What these writing challenges have in common is a designated time frame in which to collaborate and compete with other authors to accomplish a particular writing goal–whether that goal is designated in the challenge itself or decided by the individual participating author.

Now, on to the benefits of participating in such things! Continue reading “5 Benefits of Writing Challenges”

6 Tips and Tricks for Writing Challenge Success

6 Tips and Tricks for Writing Challenge Success

Originally written:Oct. 1, 2019

Updated: Feb. 18, 2025

We’re down to a month until NaNoWriMo, and Preptober has officially begun! As we officially enter writing challenge mode, I’d like to share a handful of tips and tricks that have helped me achieve success with NaNoWriMo and other writing challenges and will hopefully help you, whether it’s your first time participating in a writing challenge or your fifteenth. Continue reading “6 Tips and Tricks for Writing Challenge Success”

Do I Have That Book? Challenge

Do I Have That Book? Challenge

Jenna Terese did this tag last month and left it open, so I’m going to snag it. Thanks, Jenna! I’m not sure who originally created it, but it was a YouTube tag to begin with.

*All links with single asterisks are BookShop affiliate links. This means if you buy through them I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. And BookShop is awesome because it supports independent U.S. bookstores! A double asterisk means it’s an Amazon affiliate link.

The Rules:

1. Time yourself trying to find each prompt on your shelf
2. Try and beat the time of the person who challenged you.

3. Don’t forget to tag your challenger and the original creator.
4. Have fun!

The Questions:

1. Do you have a book with tattered edges?

Continue reading “Do I Have That Book? Challenge”

Deep Worldbuild Project Part 3: Wildlife

Deep Worldbuild Project Part 3: Wildlife

Deep Worldbuild Project:

Part 1: Map Outlines

Part 2: Landscape and How it Affects Culture

Part 4: Technology and Magic

Part 5: Religion

Part 6: History

Part 7: Culture

For a newer and more practical post on this topic, click here.


Welcome to part three of the Deep Worldbuild Project. Part one was on map outlines and part two was on terrain and how it affects the culture. Today we’ll be talking about the wildlife. That includes both the animals and the vegetation. Continue reading “Deep Worldbuild Project Part 3: Wildlife”