Not only that, but it can get stale. Sometimes we fall into a formula when we write books, or we can’t get ourselves past the first few chapters of an idea, or we’re stuck in the dreaded middle section of our novel for what feels like forever. It can feel a little like getting stranded, and it’s no wonder some writers jump ship on their projects. 

But it doesn’t need to be so lonely, nor does it need to be boring! Participating in a writing challenge might be your ticket out of that sticky spot. 

What are Writing Challenges?

Writing challenges are exactly what they sound like. They’re challenges created for writers with the intent of getting writers to, well, write! These aren’t writing contests—there often isn’t a cash prize or publication prize for people who participate in writing challenges. 

If there isn’t a prize, why should you bother?  

Why Should I Try a Writing Challenge? 

Writing challenges do a few excellent things for their participants. First and foremost, they connect a participant to a community of writers participating in the same challenge. This sense of community helps writers amp each other up—it’s a team dynamic we don’t often get to experience as writers, and it can make the world of difference powering through a first draft or a difficult round of revisions. 

Writing challenges also encourage writers to practice, often every day. Of course, you don’t need to write every single day to be a “real” writer, but just like athletes do marathons, writers can get a lot out of a good challenge. You can flex your writing muscles, maybe try something new, and have some fellow participants to commiserate with. What more could you need? 

For me, personally, writing challenges often feel a little bit like writing camp. You get to stay in the comfort of your own home, but you’re meeting people online, you’re working on a new project, and the whole enterprise has that fun, novel feeling you get at summer camp. The momentum might not last forever, but you don’t need it to! The goal is to have fun and make something. 

If you’re looking to try something new, power through a difficult draft, or just crank out words, writing challenges might be worth checking out. And lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list of some writing challenges you can participate in! 

Here are Sixteen Writing Challenges to Enter:

1. NaNoWriMo

“National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand new novel. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists.”

NaNoWriMo is perhaps the best-known writing challenge, and it’s a doozy. Contrary to popular belief, the challenge isn’t really to write an entire novel in a month—it’s to write 50,000 words of a novel, which is not a whole lot less difficult. It’s got a built-in social media system to connect with other writers working in similar genres, a word count tracker that measures your progress, and rewards you with badges as you complete milestones throughout the month. Here are some other ways to set yourself up for success, too.

If NaNoWriMo happens at a bad time of year for you (for example, I could barely do this challenge in college, since it was exactly when my classes started heating up), check the website for Camp NaNo and other challenges that happen throughout the year. 

2. Write NonFiction in November Challenge (WNFIN) 

“During the Write Nonfiction in November (WNFIN) Challenge, also known as National Nonfiction Writing Month (NaNonFiWriMo), you are personally challenged to start and complete a work of nonfiction in 30 days. This can be an article, an essay, a book, a book proposal, a white paper, or a manifesto.”

This challenge is intended as an alternative to NaNoWriMo for Nonfiction writers. Instead of using a word count and word goal to keep track, this challenge encourages the honor system, and the intent is to complete any work of nonfiction. 

3. EBookWriMo

“Your mission (should you choose to accept it): Write an ebook for your audience in 30 days, from November 1 to November 30.” 

This challenge encourages its participants to complete a polished ebook in thirty days. The premise is simple: novels are huge, and ebooks are generally smaller. This challenge takes you through actionable steps to write and polish an ebook, with the goal being to have a completely finished ebook for your audience by the end. 

4. StoryADay

“StoryADay is a creativity challenge:

Write (and finish) a short story every day during May and/or September.

(or on your own schedule!)

StoryADay exists to promote creativity, not to teach you how to ‘be a published writer’.

(And sometimes we do it all over again in September.)”

If novels aren’t your bag, or the thought of working on a single project for a month feels too daunting, StoryADay might be for you! StoryADay challenges you to write a story every day during May or September—you don’t have to post or publish it, and they give you prompts each day to keep your gears turning. There are a handful of ways that writing stories can make you a better writer, so don’t sleep on this one.

5. 12 x 12 Challenge 

“12 x 12 is a year-long writing challenge where members aim to write 12 complete picture book drafts, one per month, for each 12 months of the year.

A draft means a story with a beginning, middle, and end—NOT a submission-ready piece. Founded by picture book author Julie Hedlund, 12 x 12 has been supporting, encouraging, and educating writers since 2012.”

12×12 is a great resource for picture book authors. One of the biggest perks of this challenge is its community—participating in this will connect you to lots of other authors, as well as resources for writing, revising, and submitting your work. 

6. Chapter Book Challenge 

“The Chapter Book Challenge, otherwise known as ‘ChaBooCha,’ was created by Rebecca Fyfe and first ran in 2012. It runs every year in the month of March. The challenge is to write one completed first draft of an early reader, chapter book, middle grade book or YA novel in the month of March, starting on the 1^st of March and finishing on the 31^st of March.”

During the month, you’ll find a helpful community to engage with, original articles from published authors and successful agents, and giveaways throughout.

7. Yeah Write Super Challenge 

“The Super Challenge is typically run in two rounds. During each round, we’ll release the prompt on Friday at 10pm US Eastern time. That’s right—you don’t have to stay up all night to get your prompt! Writers then have 48 hours to write a story or essay responsive to that prompt.

Once the writing phase is complete, our judges go to work. Each piece is scored and given positive and critical feedback by each judge. Writers will receive their feedback 12-24 hours before we announce who will advance to the next round. For more information about this phase of the challenge, check out our FAQ.

Roughly ten writers from the first round of competition advance to the second round to compete for first, second and third place prizes.”

If you’re looking for a writing challenge with a little incentive, look no further! This challenge uses prompts to get writers in a variety of different genres competing for cash. This takes place once a quarter and lasts for six weeks, so check in every now and again to see if they’re running a challenge that looks like it’s for you! 

8. 365 Writing Challenge 

“What is 365 Writing Challenge?  It’s an organized group of writers who encourages and supports each other as they try to write consistently for a calendar year.”

This challenge is a subgroup of the 10 Minute Novelists group—just link up with their Facebook page to join! For this one, you and your fellow novelists can cheer each other on as you work a little every day on your novel. Momentum can really build after a while, and this challenge can have you cranking out hundreds of thousands of words by the end of the year. 

9. Writer’s Games 2024

“The Writer’s Games is a two-month, challenge-based competition that can seem daunting until you dive in. It’s not your ordinary writing competition for several reasons. First, all participants must register in advance to participate. Second, competition writing begins only after Events are announced. Third, Events are kept secret until the start of the Event. Fourth, every entry submitted on time receives honest, unbiased feedback from a team of future editors, professors, and literary agents, regardless of placement!”

If you want a challenge with a little pizzazz, here’s your pick! This is another prize-winning option. Find the prompt on their site, take a look at the core concepts, and respond with a short story within their parameters (750-6,000 words) for a chance to win! 

10. Scribophile

Scribophile is a vibrant online writing community that offers a plethora of writing challenges and opportunities for writers of all levels to hone their craft. With a user-friendly platform designed for constructive feedback and collaboration, Scribophile hosts various writing challenges throughout the year, catering to diverse genres and writing styles.

Writers can participate in themed contests, flash fiction challenges, or even set personal writing goals within the supportive environment of Scribophile’s community. These challenges not only encourage writers to explore new ideas and techniques but also foster connections with fellow writers, providing invaluable support and encouragement on the journey toward literary excellence.

Whether you’re looking to flex your creative muscles, receive feedback on your work, or simply connect with like-minded writers, Scribophile offers a dynamic space where writers can grow and thrive.

11. The Writer’s Workout

The Writers’ Workout is an engaging online platform that provides a range of writing challenges and competitions tailored to writers seeking to enhance their skills and creativity.

With monthly challenges designed to prompt writers to explore different genres, styles, and themes, The Writers’ Workout offers a supportive environment where participants can push their boundaries and experiment with new techniques. From flash fiction contests to poetry challenges and everything in between, writers can find a variety of prompts and exercises to spark their imagination and inspire their next literary masterpiece.

With opportunities to receive feedback from peers and professional writers, The Writers’ Workout encourages writers to develop their craft, build confidence, and ultimately become more proficient storytellers.

12. The Poetry Marathon

The Poetry Marathon is an exhilarating annual event that invites poets from around the world to embark on a challenging yet rewarding journey of creativity and expression.

Held over the course of 24 hours, participants endeavor to write 24 poems, each within a designated hour, pushing the boundaries of their imagination and poetic prowess.

With prompts provided throughout the marathon and a supportive online community rallying behind them, poets have the opportunity to explore diverse themes, experiment with various forms and styles, and delve deep into the art of poetry.

The Poetry Marathon not only fosters a sense of camaraderie among poets but also encourages personal growth, resilience, and the celebration of the written word.

13. Writer’s Digest

Writer’s Digest is a renowned resource for writers of all levels, offering a wealth of information, advice, and inspiration to help them navigate the world of writing and publishing. In addition to its comprehensive collection of articles, workshops, and writing guides, Writer’s Digest also hosts various writing challenges and competitions throughout the year.

These challenges cover a wide range of genres and formats, including short stories, poetry, memoirs, and more, providing writers with opportunities to showcase their talent, receive feedback from industry professionals, and even win prizes. Whether it’s the annual Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition, themed contests, or prompt-driven challenges, Writer’s Digest offers a supportive platform for writers to hone their skills, gain recognition for their work, and connect with a vibrant community of fellow writers.

With its longstanding reputation as a trusted resource for writers, Writer’s Digest continues to inspire and empower writers to pursue their literary aspirations and achieve their writing goals.

14. Reedsy

Reedsy is a dynamic online platform dedicated to supporting writers on their creative journey, offering a range of resources, tools, and opportunities to help them thrive in the world of writing.

Among its offerings, Reedsy hosts a weekly series of writing prompts and challenges designed to spark creativity and encourage writers to explore new ideas and styles. These prompts cover various genres and themes, providing writers with a steady stream of inspiration and opportunities to flex their creative muscles.

With a supportive community of writers and editors, Reedsy’s writing challenges offer a space for writers to experiment, improve their craft, and connect with fellow creatives.

15. Jerico Writers

Jericho Writers is a comprehensive online platform dedicated to empowering writers with the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed in their writing journey.

Amongst this, Jericho Writers hosts monthly writing challenges designed to inspire writers, encourage creativity, and provide opportunities for growth.

These challenges cover a wide range of genres, styles, and themes, allowing writers to explore new ideas, experiment with different techniques, and hone their craft in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Jericho Writers’ writing challenges offer writers the chance to connect with peers, receive constructive criticism, and push themselves to new heights of creativity and excellence.

16. NYC Midnight

NYC Midnight offers a great platform for writers to engage in creative challenges and showcase their storytelling prowess.

Through their writing challenges, participants are assigned prompts within specific genres and have a limited time frame to craft compelling stories or screenplays.

These challenges provide a wonderful opportunity for writers to test their skills under pressure, explore diverse genres, and receive feedback from peers and judges.

This roundup of short stories contests for 2024 is for writers of all genres, stages, and ages with various categories.

So whether you’re an aspiring or experienced writer looking to showcase your talent and get recognized for your work, why not give one of these opportunities a try?

Short Stories Contest 2024: Fiction and Nonfiction  

L. Ron Hubbard Writer of the Future Contest 

The L. Ron Hubbard Writer of the Future Contest is a free, quarterly contest for emerging authors in the science fiction and fantasy genres. Entering the contest provides an opportunity for new writers to have their work evaluated by a panel of professional writers and to reach wider audiences with their voice.

Prize: $1,000, $750, $500 for quarterly contests plus one grand prize of $5,000. 

Deadline: The 1st quarter deadline is March 21 2024.

ServiceScape Short Story Award

The ServiceScape Short Story Award contest accepts unpublished short story submissions—up to 5,000 words—from all genres and themes. Open to authors of all nationalities, backgrounds and experience levels, the contest is a great opportunity for new writers to have their work viewed by ServiceScape readers. 

Prize: $1,000

Deadline: November 30, 2024

Prose.

With a similar look and feel to a writer’s version of Twitter, Prose. offers unique weekly writing challenges covering various themes and genres.

Check regularly for fun prompts to spark your creativity. There are paid and unpaid opportunities and chances to review the work of your fellow writers. 

Prize: Varying

Deadline: Varying

Black Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest

The Black Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest invites Black authors from across the Midwestern United States to submit their unpublished works to elevate, promote and celebrate African-American voices and representation in children’s literature. Hosted jointly by Strive Publishing and Free Spirit Publishing, each submission is considered for publishing. 

Prize: $250 – $1, 000 for top three entries

Deadline: July 24, 2023

PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers

PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers seeks to promote and support the careers of talented new fiction writers. This contest recognizes the 12 top debut short stories of up to 12, 000 words published that year in a literary magazine, journal or cultural website. Winning entries are selected by three experts in their field for a cash prize and publication in the PEN America annual anthology. 

Prize: $2,000

Deadline: Sign up via the website to receive notifications of when submissions will be accepted for 2024

Prestigious Prizes

PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction

Highly regarded, the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is considered one of the most prestigious peer-juried writing contests in America. This prize recognizes the top published works of fiction by American authors in a given year. Annually, a celebration is held in honor of the distinguished top ten and top five finalists and the “first among equals” grand prize winner. 

Prize: $15, 000

Submission period: July 1-September 30, 2024

Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards

The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards celebrates outstanding, recently published works of nonfiction, fiction and poetry, tackling topics of racism, diversity, and social justice. Prizes for this contest will be handed out at an award ceremony held in the fall during Book Week in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Prize: $10,000

Submission period: September 1-December 31, 2024

Marfield Prize (National Award for Arts Writing)

The annual Marfield Prize, also known as the National Award for Arts in Writing awards, a prize for excellence in nonfiction writing, presented by the Arts Club of Washington, for books about the performing, visual or literary arts. Books published in the United States in the previous year are eligible for submission.

Prize: $10, 000

Deadline: October 15, 2024 

Young Lions Fiction Awards

The Young Lions Fiction Awards is an annual competition hosted by the New York Public Library highlighting young authors under 35 of exceptional talent in novel and short story writing. Each year, judges select one winner from a group of five finalists chosen by a committee of Young Lions members. 

Prize: $10,000 

Submission period: The contest opens in 2024 for the 2025 season

Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence

The Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence is an annual contest recognizing up-in-coming African-American fiction writers. Submitted works are judged by Anthony Grooms, Edward P. Jones, Elizabeth Nunez, Francene Prose and Patricia Towers who have all made significant contributions to literature. 

Prize: $15,000

Deadline: 2024 – Final Dates TBD

Poetry  

Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry

African poets can submit their debut book-length collection of poetry to the Sillerman First Book Prize for African Poetry contest. Not-yet-published or self-published works of outstanding poetry written by authors born in Africa, whose parents are African or those who are nationals or residents of an African country are eligible for the annual contest. 

Prize: $1,000 and publication contract

Submission period: September 15-December 1, 2024

Luschei Prize for African Poetry 

The Luschei Prize for African Poetry, established in 2015 after name-sake Glenna Luschei, recognizes African poetry of 48 pages or less written by African authors, written in or translated into English. This one-of-a-kind annual contest is judged by a renowned African author and aims to promote and honor African poets and their outstanding work.  

Prize: $1,000 

Deadline: October 1, 2024

Evaristo Prize for African Poetry

Annually, a collection of 10 poems by an African poet is awarded the Evaristo Prize for African Poetry. Celebrating the rich and diverse peoples, places and stories of Africa, this contest looks to encourage a new generation of African poets to perfect their craft and recognize their accomplishments. 

Prize: $1,500 

Submission period: October 1-November 1, 2024

Academy of American Poets First Book Award

The Academy of American Poets First Book Award winning first-book manuscript is selected annually by a critically acclaimed poet and published by Graywolf Press.  Also known as the Graywolf Press Walt Whitman Award, this prestigious contest seeks to discover and promote exemplary contemporary American poetry. 

Prize: $5,000, publication contract and six-week residency in a 15th-century Italian castle

Submission period: July 1-September 1, 2024

Young Authors | Short Stories Contest & More

St. Martin’s Minotaur / Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition

Youth authors of unpublished debut thriller or crime novels up to 60,000 words may enter in St. Martin’s Minotaur / Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition. The contest aims to discover new crime and thriller authors under 18 of all nationalities, support their endeavors and bring their best works to center stage. 

Prize: Publishing contract with Minotaur Books and $10, 000 advance 

Deadline: December 17, 2024

Write the World: Creative Nonfiction Competition

Write the World organizes competitions for young writers aged 13-19. This year’s Creative Nonfiction Competition theme is transitions. Teen writers can share their experiences in this transitioning time in their life as a nonfiction personal narrative and gain valuable experience and feedback opportunities. 

Prize: Varying 

Deadline: July 18, 2024

Write the World: Flash Fiction Competition 

The Flash Fiction Competition by Write the World invites writers 13-19 to submit their pint-sized stories that pack a punch. For this contest, writers are challenged with the task of producing a concise, well-crafted story of only 99 words or less.  

Prize: Varying

Submission period: August 7-22, 2024

Be sure to carefully review each contest’s website for full information about rules, eligibility, and submission fees before applying. Good luck entering a short stories contest this year!

Want More Short Stories Contest and Other Writing Contests?

• 40 Free Writing Contests: Competitions With Cash Prizes
• Should You Enter Writing Contests? This Author Says Yes

Wondering if there’s a method to succeeding at NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)?

Yes, there is. And it’s not nearly as overwhelming as you may think.

The goal NaNoWriMo is to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. But NaNoWriMo doesn’t have to be just for novelists. After all, who says fiction writers get to have all the fun? Who says bloggers can’t use the momentum and hype of NaNoWriMo to give themselves a break when things get a bit topsy-turvy?

Let’s break this annual challenge down for bloggers. A typical blog post is anywhere from 500 to 2,000 words, and around 300 words if you’re into microblogging. Therefore, 50,000 words translates to 50 to 100 blog posts—or roughly 160 micro blog posts.

Now, in the realm of the Internet where content is king, it’s safe to assume that the queen behind such a throne is Lady Consistency. For those of you looking to create an empire of followers, you not only have to write content people want to read but you also have to produce content on a regular basis. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, no not really.

We’ve all had upsets in the writing schedule. Maybe you had to step away from the keyboard because Little Timmy fell down the well again. Maybe you forgot about your Aunt’s five-year anniversary for Mr. Whiskers and you had to run out to purchase enough catnip to redefine the word “catatonic” as an apology. Maybe you found yourself stranded with a flat tire wishing you at least had a horse with no name. The point is, due to health, nearly forgotten prior commitments to loved ones and YouTube Shorts our dear friend Murphy can make consistency anything but a breeze.

However, imagine if you were prepared for such whoopsie-daisies. Imagine if you had at least 40 articles in your back pocket to choose from on any given day. Imagine all the things you could do guilt-free.

Say yes to friends and family. Say yes to that vacation you’re eyeing. Say yes to mental health days. Say yes to generating more money as a freelance writer because you can finally afford the time to expand your cyber territory now that your personal blog is taken care of.

Just don’t say yes quite yet, we still have a bit of quick planning to do before November if we are going to pull this off. No really, it will be quick, only five steps to succeeding at NaNoWriMo.

5 Steps to Succeeding at NanoWriMo as a Blogger

Step 1: Generate Ideas

To write 50,000 words in 30 days, you need to have somewhere around 50 ideas to write about, and the best way to do this is to implement an Idea Journal. An Idea Journal is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a journal that you keep with you (a physical notebook or electronic device) and use to jot down any and all ideas that come to mind.

Please know that there are no dumb ideas, bad ideas or ideas that are off limits to the Idea Journal. Like a rough draft, nobody but you has to know what’s in it. Besides, it is important that you provide positive reinforcement to your subconscious every time it tosses a spark of creativity out. It keeps writer’s block away.

Step 2: Plan Your Research

Once you have roughly 50 ideas to play with it’s time to dig into SEO and figure out what research links you will need at the ready to write your articles.

Knowing what you want to delve into and where you plan to dig up your information is crucial to churning out content quickly. The less time you spend hunting around Google and Google Analytics when it is time to write, the better chance you have of succeeding at NaNoWriMo. Have at least two or three links for research reference, the links you wish to anchor to your article, and any keywords you plan on using.

Step 3: Get Organized

With your article ideas and research mapped out it is time to get organized using your favorite e-calendar. One way to go about this and maintain your sanity is to write two articles a day, Monday to Friday (excluding American Thanksgiving and Black Friday).

If each article is roughly 1,200 words long then that is 2,400 words a day for 20 days, which is equal to 40 articles or 48,000 words for the month of November. 

Step 4: Find Your Motivation

What rewards will you give yourself for completing your writing goal each day? Let’s face it, sometimes telling yourself you did a good job isn’t enough to motivate you to do it again the next day.

I know for me it isn’t, and I also know that being a writer with ADHD, the things that I rather do outside of writing varies from day to day. So, to motivate myself I figure out what it is I’d rather be doing, and then I tell myself that I can do that activity as soon as I finish my word count.

However, sometimes we need something extra to keep ourselves in line. What is a price you can pay, but are not willing to pay if a reward isn’t enough? One of my coworkers struggles to get up early in the morning so she made an arrangement with me, a morning person. The deal is that if she doesn’t call me to let me know she is up by 7 a.m., then she has to pay me $50.

I never thought I would say this, but I have yet to receive $50 from her. Not that I’m disappointed, as I have grown rather fond of her cheerful voice every morning telling me thank you and to have a great day.

Step 5: Accountabili-buddies

Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely process, and the fact that NaNoWriMo understands the community is part of what has made it a success since it first began in 1999.

Every year, NaNoWriMo brings writers together with one common goal: write 50,000 words.

Each writer is then allowed to run  their own race to completion while surrounding themselves with a supportive network of people who are going through the same ordeal as them.

So, don’t go it alone. Find someone who can keep you accountable, just like my coworker did with me for getting up in the morning. You can motivate each other when things get tough, remind each other of the rewards you will reap once the hard word is done.

And hey, maybe one of you will make $50 if the other one decides to slack off and not show up.

If you’re American, let Thanksgiving be the day you give thanks to yourself and to anyone else who wishes to join you. November can be the most rewarding month of the year!

Besides, it’s about time someone dethroned December. And to think,  all it takes is 20 days of butt in the seat, fingers at the keyboard and petal to the medal for a worry free blog in the upcoming year.

What are you waiting for? This is the formula to succeeding at NaNoWriMo as a blogger!

If you’ve spent any amount of time in online writing circles, you’ve probably already heard of NaNoWriMo, an annual contest which challenges its participants to write fifty-thousand words during the month of November. The contest is designed specifically for novelists, but it attracts writers from all corners of the web looking to push their word count to its limit.

But NaNoWriMo isn’t the only writing contest the organization runs. Have you heard of Camp NaNoWriMo?

In this article, we’re going to talk about what Camp NaNoWriMo is, why you might be interested, how to enter, and what you can do to make the most of your Camp NaNoWriMo experience.

What Is Camp NaNoWriMo?

Camp NaNoWriMo is a writing event which takes place during the months of April and July. Like NaNoWriMo, the event lasts for the entire month. Unlike NaNoWriMo, the event does not involve writing fifty-thousand words! Also, as the name implies, Camp NaNo is more of an event than a contest—you can still win, but there isn’t as much of a competitive edge.

Let’s break down the rules for Camp NaNoWriMo:

1. The event begins at the start of the month (either April or July) and ends at the end of the month.

2. Participants can set their own word goal. This can be fifty-thousand words, but it could also be literally any other number.

3.  Participants are invited to write anything. Where NaNoWriMo asks its participants to put fifty-thousand words towards, specifically, a fiction novel, Camp NaNo does not. Nonfiction, fan-fiction, memoir, poetry, grocery lists, and break-up texts are all fair game.

And that’s really all there is to it! This event is more lax compared to NaNoWriMo, and to me, that’s what makes it feel less competitive. Of course, you can technically write whatever you want for NaNoWriMo itself, and there’s no one forcing you to personally decide to write fifty-thousand words (NaNoWriMo is a self-challenge, which means you’re holding yourself accountable for meeting the goal or not).

However, the lowered expectations around Camp NaNoWriMo create a more relaxed atmosphere. It feels more like a camp, where everyone’s taking a break from their regular stuff to hang out and talk about their projects, meet other writers, and hear from published authors. Camp NaNoWriMo also boasts a host of resources for writers to learn from as they work on their projects.

Why do Camp NaNoWriMo?

Maybe you hated NaNoWriMo, and the thought of voluntarily subjecting yourself to another month of similar torture sounds asinine. First, that’s a little dramatic, but second, I think Camp NaNo is worth a shot even if NaNoWriMo didn’t work out for you. Here’s a brief list of reasons why.

1. It’s easy to participate… and to win

We’ve already talked about Camp NaNo’s comparatively lax criteria to NaNoWriMo and how that lax criteria gives the whole event a calmer feel, but I’d like to elaborate a little bit here.

First, even though participants technically can do whatever they want for NaNoWriMo, Camp NaNo means you can set your own goals without feeling left out or anything like that. There’s literally no ideal word count, and that means it’s pretty hard to rib yourself for not getting fifty-thousand words, even if you told yourself you couldn’t.

Second, participants get two different chances to participate in Camp NaNo—April and July—and that makes it more likely that you’ll be able to do it. November is a busy time of year, especially for students and teachers, and especially with the holiday season right around the corner, so it’s not always possible to drop everything and commit to a project at that time.

2. Camp NaNoWriMo’s resources can be helpful

Camp NaNo also boasts resources for writers to take advantage of while they’re working on their projects. Let’s go over two of the biggest features as listed on Camp NaNo’s website.

First, NaNoWriMo (the organization which hosts both National Novel Writing Month and Camp NaNo—don’t be confused!) hosts regular local writing events like write-ins, author q+a’s, and workshops around specific topics. Check what they’ve got going on in your area, not just during Camp NaNo, but year-round!

Here’s the Google Calendar for NaNoWriMo’s events in July, for reference:

And here’s that same month in agenda form, so you can see the specific events a little more clearly:

In addition to these local events, Camp NaNo also has Camp Counselors—these are published authors who offer support, advice, and guidance throughout the month. This was the Camp Counselor lineup for July:

3. Camp NaNoWriMo offers community

The resources that Camp NaNo has to offer are great for keeping you grounded and supported throughout the process. It’s great to feel like someone’s rooting for you, and it’s awesome to have professionals to turn to for mentorship!

It’s also great to have a community surrounding your writing and the writing of other authors in your area. You might not know any other writers in your day-to-day life—this is pretty normal! It’s an oft-isolating industry, usually done alone, and usually not involving a ton of connection to other people.

And if you don’t love the idea of in-person events, guess what? Camp NaNo also has a ton of chances for online connection—their forums allow you to get in touch with local writers online and support one another as you work. You might even make some lifelong friends!

How to Make the Most of Camp NaNoWriMo

Now that you know what Camp NaNoWriMo is and why you should definitely try it out, let’s talk about how to make the most of your experience. Even if you prefer not to connect with other writers and instead do Camp NaNo totally solo, some of these tips will help you out!

1. Pick a project you’re excited about

Ultimately, you can choose to work on anything, but in my opinion, these kinds of events are best when you’re working on something that excites you. If you’ve got an idea for a book, but you just haven’t found the time to get started, guess what? The time is now! If you’ve got a weird idea for a poetry collection, bam—Camp NaNo material.

You can also use Camp NaNo to knock out a project that’s been stewing on the back burner for a while. Maybe there’s work to be done, maybe there are essays for college to be written—if it’s not something that you’re super stoked about, at least pick something that you’ll be glad you worked on.

Is there anything you shouldn’t bring to Camp NaNo, you might ask?

This is absolutely one-hundred-percent just my opinion, but I don’t like to bring established, deep-in-the-works projects to events like this. Usually I’ve already got a clear idea of where I want to go with the project, so I’m not looking for a ton of feedback, and it’s usually developed enough that there’s not a lot of exciting new stuff happening with it. I’m talking about novels that I’ve already drafted a few times, short stories that just need polishing—stuff like that.

Camp NaNo creates a ton of energy, and in that way, at least to me, it’s like rocket fuel. Some of your projects or ideas might need rocket fuel to take off and get going—some of your projects might not. You’ll be the best judge of that.

2. Use Camp NaNoWriMo to establish good writing habits

Unless you’re already writing for a living, you probably don’t write super regularly. Events like Camp NaNo might be the only months out of the year that you’re consistently returning to the keyboard for regular writing time. And that’s completely fine!

However, if you want to be a pro, you’re going to have to develop discipline. This doesn’t mean drafting everyday (in fact, it definitely does not mean drafting every day), but it does mean coming to your keyboard as consistently as you can to keep your skills honed and your story fresh.

Try finding a consistent time to work on your Camp NaNo project. You might find that you work better in the evening, or that you prefer outlining by hand, or that you prefer ten-minute writing sprints to twenty-minute writing sprints. Maybe you envisioned writing during your lunch break, but it turns out the break room at work is way too distracting—that’s good to know! Take note of what works and what doesn’t and bring that knowledge with you beyond Camp NaNo.

3. Try getting involved with the community around Camp NaNoWriMo

Of course, the option to do Camp NaNo solo is available to you. It’s a self-challenge, and as such, you’re free to keep to yourself, work on your project, and pat yourself on the back at the end of the month when you’ve completed your goals.

However, consider this: Camp NaNo is putting you in touch with other writers. Likely, some of these other writers are also readers who might be interested in reading your book when it’s published. And to be clear, I am not saying you should get close to people under the guise of friendship with the ultimate intent of selling them something—in fact, don’t.

What I am saying is that if you are self-publishing, you’re going to want to build a platform. Platforms require readers, yes, but they also require connections to other authors. Who else is publishing in your genre? What kind of stuff are they writing? Connecting to these other authors means building up your platform a little bit, and that’s going to be absolutely vital when it comes time to publish.

Additionally, working with other self-published authors is a great opportunity to compare resources. Someone might know a great editor for your genre, and someone else might have already tried the cover designer you have in mind. You can combine knowledge in this way to save yourself some time and make the best decisions possible for yourself and your work.

4. Have some fun

Here’s the thing: ultimately, Camp NaNo is meant to be fun. Going in with some kind of plan will help you optimize your experience, but if you don’t have one, I absolutely encourage you to log in on July or April 1st, set up an account, and announce a project, even if you literally just thought of it on the spot. In fact, that might be the most wholesome way to participate.

However you choose to play, have fun out there!

Have you ever done Camp NaNo? How did it compare to NaNoWriMo? Let us know in the comments! 

In book-writing circles, November is National Novel Writing Month, otherwise known as NaNoWriMo. If you haven’t heard of this annual event, or you’re ready to join the challenge for the first time, this will be a great primer. Here is a brief overview of the rules, along with guidelines to help you win NaNoWriMo.

How do you win NaNoWriMo?

“Winning” NaNoWriMo is both simple and hard.

If you can write 50,000 words between November 1 and November 30 then you win!

However, actually getting to that word count will take some discipline and strategy. Most people break this big number into a smaller, daily word count of 1,667 to make it feel more achievable. For many, this number is still overwhelming, which is one reason NaNoWriMo is such an exciting challenge. Simple, but not easy.

Winners receive digital banners and certificates to use on their website or social media and T-shirts are also available for purchase. Sponsors provide other winner goodies, including discounts to writing software and publishing services. The catch? In order to win, you need to register your project on the NaNoWriMo website and log your word count between November 1 and November 30.

Digital badges and Scrivener discounts aside, the real prize is writing 50,000 words and having a first draft completed in 30 days.

What are the NaNoWriMo rules?

While the goal is writing 50,000 words in the month of November, how you get there is flexible. Here is a breakdown of the NaNoWriMo rules to help you stay on track.

• On November 1, the challenge begins as the clock strikes midnight, local time
• On November 30, the challenge ends at precisely 11:59:59 p.m. local time
• For the official challenge, no, you cannot start early or end late. However, you can plan ahead, take notes, create character sketches, etc. before November 1
• In order to win, your novel must reach minimum 50,000 new and/or rewritten words by the end of the challenge—but your novel doesn’t have to be complete

That said, “rebelling” is allowed and encouraged, since this is a self-challenge. If your project isn’t a perfect fit and you still want to participate, then do it. For more information on the rules of NaNoWriMo, both official and unofficial, check out this article.

Additional resources to help you prepare for NaNoWriMo from The Write Life

These three articles and resources will help you go further with NaNoWriMo specifically. The first is a free tool to help you outline your book before you start writing. The second will help you prepare for NaNoWriMo more fully. The third will help you in your goal-setting so you can actually win the challenge!

• Book Outline Template
• How to Prepare for NaNoWriMo
• NaNoWriMo Goals

This next set of articles and resources will help you with your novel more holistically. The first will help you get ready to write your novel, but chances are you’re already past that if you’re prepping for NaNoWriMo. The second gives you prompts to get the juices flowing. The third will help you set up routines to write consistently. The fourth is for when you finish writing your rough draft and are ready to self-edit.

• Getting ready to write your novel
• Writing Prompts (to help you come up with ideas)
• How to make time to write
• Self-editing tips

Side note: A lot of people have asked us, “When did NaNoWriMo start? How long has it been a thing?”

National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a challenge between writing friends and has since grown into a global marathon event attracting hundreds of thousands of participants each year. To date, there are nearly 800,000 active novelists and more than 350,000 completed novels as a result of this annual tradition.

We look forward to seeing you there this November!

Many writers sign up for writing challenges to help them solve these problems and write a large body of work in a short amount of time — or even to build their practice and discipline of writing consistently.

Besides completing work you can be proud of, participating in writing challenges is amazing because you get to work alongside a group of other writers who all share the same goal: finish that novel, finish that picture book, or write those short stories and poems. You support each other and hold each other accountable.

Writing challenges that will push you forward

If you’re up to the task, we’ve come up with some writing challenges to try, whether you’re a novelist, poet, picture-book writer or something in between.

Here are nine writing challenges to explore.

1. NaNoWriMo

Genre: Novel

This is the one you’ve probably heard of: NaNoWriMo, which stands for National Novel Writing Month, has been an annual November tradition since 1999. During NaNoWriMo, writers around the world challenge themselves to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days.

What’s special about 50,000 words? As NaNoWriMo’s organizers explain: “Our experiences since 1999 show that 50,000 is a difficult but doable goal, even for people with full-time jobs and children. The length makes it a short novel (about the length of The Great Gatsby).”

You’ll need to write about 1,667 words every day to hit this target novel word count, but you won’t be alone; the online NaNoWriMo community helps you track and share your progress while awarding badges for hard work and providing inspiration through interviews with well-known writers and other motivational tools.

Several writers have published novels they initially drafted during NaNoWriMo, including Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants and Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus. To have the best chance of following in their footsteps, have a through understanding of the rules of NaNoWriMo as well as precisely what you want to get from the experience. 

If you’re looking for a similar option, check out Camp NaNoWriMo to experience a writing adventure that offers more flexibility. Hosted annually in April and July, you can set your own writing goal and work on any writing project, novel or not.

2. NaPoWriMo

Genre: Poetry

If NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, I bet you can guess what NaPoWriMo stands for.

National Poetry Writing Month takes place every April, and challenges writers to pen 30 poems in 30 days. You’ll have access to daily prompts to help your creative juices flow, but you’re welcome to ignore ‘em, too.

Independently organized, NaPoWriMo is much smaller than NaNoWriMo, so don’t expect your local library to organize NaPoWriMo nights — unless, of course, you want to organize one on your own!

Some writers share their NaPoWriMo poems on their websites or via social media, and help spread their love of poetry while showing off their ability to complete the challenge.

3. StoryADay

Genre: Short stories

So we’ve got novel-writing in November and poetry in April. What about short stories? That’s in May and/or September (or whenever you want!), and it’s called StoryADay.

StoryADay is a little different from NaNoWriMo and NaPoWriMo in that it focuses on completing a short story every day, rather than ending the month with a certain number of stories or a specific word count. But there are rules:

1. If you miss a day or don’t finish a story, move on. You still have every other day of the month (of your life) which is a new day, on which a new story can be told.
2. Don’t go back and try to finish yesterday’s story. Leave it. Wash your hands of it. Move on.
3. As long as you keep writing, you’re not failing.

Starting — and finishing — a new short story everyday sounds like a much harder challenge than writing a 50,000-word novel in a month; but “sometimes you need a big, hairy audacious goal, to scare your Inner Critic into letting you write.”

4. 12 x 12

Genre: Picture books

If you write picture books, you might want to consider signing up for the 12 x 12 writing challenge created by Julie Hedlund, author of My Love For You Is the Sun. The challenge: write 12 picture books in 12 months!

Unlike other writing challenges, 12 x 12 comes with a membership fee. The basic package costs $177 and grants you access to writers’ forums, the member Facebook group, feedback from traditionally-published authors and much more. If you choose the higher level membership — which are only available to people who have already participated in at least one year of 12 x 12 — you get to submit your work directly to participating agents.

Do 12 x 12 writers get published? Absolutely. Check out their list of published writers to get inspired.

While 12 x 12 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, registration is closed for 2020 and will resume in 2021.

5. ChaBooCha

Genre: Young adult

Young adult writers can use NaNoWriMo to write their books, but there’s also a writing challenge just for them: ChaBooCha, or the Chapter Book Challenge.

Hosted by writer Rebecca Fyfe, ChaBooCha runs every March and challenges you to “Write one completed first draft of an early reader, chapter book, middle-grade book or YA novel,” from the 1st to the 31st of March. 

Your results could be anywhere between 1,000 and 80,000 words, depending on whether you’re putting together an early reader or writing the next book in your YA series. Either way, ChaBooCha is there to help you get the job done, with motivational blog posts from authors, agents and publishers — as well as prizes.

ChaBooCha is open to writers under 17, too! 

6. YeahWrite

Genre: Nonfiction, fiction, poetry, microstories

After reading about all of these programs that challenge you to write 50,000 words or 31 new short stories in a month, are you ready for a writing challenge that’s designed to fit your schedule?

It’s time to check out YeahWrite, a writing site that issues one writing challenge each week for each of three genres: nonfiction, fiction/poetry and microstories.

This writing challenge differs from the others on this list because every week, community members vote on a challenge winner. You’re not only participating in a writing challenge, you’re also getting reviewed by other writers — and you might write well enough to win the week!

YeahWrite is all about community, so it’s free to join. But a paid membership helps keep the site running and gets you access to editorial consultations with YeahWrite editors. There are two membership packages that cost either $25 or $50 per year; each gives you access to editorial evaluations, discounts and more, so check them out!

7. NaNonFiWriMo

Genre: Nonfiction 

The Write Nonfiction in November Challenge (WNFIN) was created by Nina Amir, a coach who inspires writers and bloggers to create published products and careers as authors. Unlike NaNoWriMo, this informal challenge comes with only one rule: You have to commit to starting and finishing a work of nonfiction in a month.

“No one counts how many words you write during the month or even checks what you write. You can write any type of nonfiction, such as a magazine article, blog posts, a white paper, or a book.” And your WNFIN project can even be as short or as long as you like.

To help you along with the challenge, you can join the WNFIN Facebook page, and the Remote Writing Room provides you with a virtual group of writers you can chat and write twice per week. Plus, check out Nina’s blog for more inspiration and tips to improve your nonfiction writing process.

Stay tuned for 2020 WNFIN details!

8. 365 Writing Challenge

Genre: All genres are welcome

The benefits of discipline and daily practice can’t be underestimated, and that’s what the 365 Writing Challenge wants to help you develop. Created by Jessica White and her group the 10 Minute Novelists, this challenge has helped hundreds of writers over the past five years write more than 100 million words. To be able to participate, you must be a member of the 10 Minute Novelists Facebook Group.

All you have to do is set aside 10 minutes every day to write, which is about 100 words a day. You can also use that time to reflect on the writing process, set weekly writing goals, or even flesh out a setting or a character. 

Upon choosing a membership tier, you’ll be provided a Google Sheet to help you keep track of your daily word count, and at the beginning of each month, Jessica awards badges for the prior month’s achievements.

It doesn’t matter if you spend 10 minutes or 4 hours a day writing — “the key is consistency so you can grow as a writer and finish your projects.” Look out for 2021 registration details later this year.

9. The Writer’s Games

Genre: Short stories and poetry

The Writer’s Games is a free competition designed to help each individual writer improve his or her craft at an accelerated rate. ​This free six-week, multi-challenge writing competition comes with feedback for every entry, opportunities for publication throughout the competition, and the ability to use judge feedback on previous entries to improve them. 

Here’s how it works: Each week starting in May and September, a surprise Event is announced and writers have 72 hours to create a short story or poem that fits the Event requirements. Every entry received before the deadline is judged and critiqued by a team and winners are published in a charitable anthology.

And don’t worry about being eliminated — every registered writer is encouraged to try each of the six Events, even if one of their previous stories was disqualified, which is rare.

Registration opens April 1 and August 1 for two separate portions, and keep in mind that space is limited.

So, are you ready to take on one of these writing challenges?

This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

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