Writing is something that I truly love to do, but even that love can falter by my personal shortcomings, so I find that in challenging myself to be better I can plow through some of my procrastination and self doubt. Every once in a while I like to come up with challenges for myself that gets me motivated, drives me forward, and expands my experience that much more.
Right now my challenge to myself is to write 50 articles for www.associatedcontent.com by the end of April. I started at the beginning of March and so far I have 12 articles and have a multitude of others in the works as well as a notebook full of ideas. I'm not sure if I'll reach my magical number of 50, but I've enjoyed the challenge so far. It will not only help me work on a deadline, but it will give me a library of articles to use to help promote my writing abilities, and with every word I write I become better at my craft. If you wish you help support my efforts go to my contributor page to check out a listing of articles.
I also want to throw out a challenge for all fellow writer's everywhere to actively challenge yourself to be better in your craft. You can only become better by doing. Whether it be submitting for a writing contest, writing articles for an online site, or some other self imposed challenge, it is important to constantly try to find ways to motivate yourself to be better. I implore you to take up a torch and let it shine!
Do you need some ideas? Check out some of the areas below for places to submit your work and come up with your own challenge.
Online Magazines
Associatedcontent
Helium
Ezine
Writing Contests
Writer's Digest
Or check out a listing of writing contest at Poets and Writers.
Fiction Submission
Flash Fiction Online
Pill Hill Press
Or search for your own magazines to submit at with www.duotrope.com
Are you not ready to start submitting yet? Then try focusing your challenge at expanding your knowledge on a specific area you feel weak in like: plotting, dialogue, characterization, grammar, punctuation, ect.
It doesn't matter what kind of challenge you make for yourself, the important thing is to simply dare to be better. Please feel free to post comments in the comment section for this blog on a challenge you decide to complete and maybe together we can help motivate each other!
Nicely said. Good luck with your challenge and I'll get back to the short story I'm trying to write.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lesley. Yeah, I'm writing like crazy, which is awesome, so I guess pushing myself to be better has it's advantages of keeping the pen to paper (or fingers to keys). Good luck with your story!
ReplyDelete