Make Writing Challenges, Contests, and NaNoWriMo Work for YOU - by Kathy Halsey

NaNoWriMo, Storystorm, ReFoReMo, PBPitch, Susanna Leonard Hill's contests and Would You Read It Wednesdays... I know you can recite the writing alphabet with me if you are serious about this industry. So many opportunities and such a finite amount of time — so what's a savvy writer to do? My answer is to customize these events so they work for you! 

In the Beginning

We'll begin by using my track record as a newbie. As a beginner, I joined every challenge possible. That was a huge mistake as my time was so fractured, I had no time to spend on my own work. I followed all directions given by the moderator/group leader. I worried if I was doing it "correctly," if I had to use a certain form, or if I had really met the requirements for the challenge.

I still see comments that illuminate my first attempts in forums now, and I know the anxiety these writers feel. If you are asking questions such as "How do I prove I wrote 30  ideas in 30 days?" or "What's the best way to organize ReFoReMo research?" you need to relax and think about YOUR goals and what you need this challenge to do for you.

How to Thrive

• Your time is precious so pick your challenges wisely. If you are on deadline or juggle writing with another career, an event like StoryStorm (a new idea each day) or Halloweensie (a story of 100 words or less) is more doable than NaNoWriMo (a complete novel in one month.)
• Survey your strengths and weaknesses as a writer and choose accordingly. Since I had less knowledge on writing chapter books than picture books, joining ChaBooChaLite proved to be just what I needed. If you need help crafting a pitch, help others craft theirs or submit your pitch to Susanna Hill's "Would You Read It Wednesdays." It's great practice.
• If you are intent in connecting with other writers, finding critique group, or submitting, 12x12 will satisfy your needs. 
• When beginning a new conest/challenge, look for files with resources contest rules and forms. Review past years' challenges and see how they worked. Don't be afraid to ask questions of moderators and long-time members. These tips will save you time.

How to Customize

These anecdotes from my past will explain how I made events work for me after I'd spent a year or two following all instructions to a "t."

• NaNoWriMo: This is year two for me, and I'm considered a "rebel." ( I love that NaNo has a nomenclature for what I do.) I am writing 10,000 words, not the recommended 50,000. I am using a picture book plot as my outline and am transforming it into a chapter book. I still get the motivation and camaraderie NaNo provides but on my terms.
• Contests such as the Halloweensie, the Valentiny Contest, and 50 Precious Words: Word count is crucial in these contests, the lower, the better. I find WIPs that may not be working and  shave them down to the required words. I have saved time and haven't sacrificed a new story. An added bonus for me is these contests have taught me how to write in rhyme, a form I tend not to use.
• ReFoReMo: Reading and learning from the copious mentor text lists is always a fun challenge. Now I peruse the lists, and select the texts that fit my current work – be it humor, science, circular stories. I also try to read a stack of books from specific  publishers/imprints if I am querying them in the future.

As writers, we all the same amount of time given to us each day to hone our craft. Find ways to make contests and special writing month authors create for us work to our advantage. Make the process a win-win.  Please share in the comments ways you've modified challenges to fit your needs. 

Why You Might Want to Opt Out

Why You Might Want to Opt Out

by Leslie Colin Tribble

Last week I posted (Nov. 6) a list of some of the amazing classes and challenges available to writers of children's books. If you desire to improve technical aspects of your craft, seek inspiration or want to engage with others in this positive, encouraging and amazingly helpful community, then that list will help you find what you need.

But instead of signing up for every class, or joining every Facebook group, maybe you should opt out.

 Last year I felt compelled to be a part of the group. I signed up for lots of writing opportunities - most were free but some I paid for. I wanted to add my voice to the community and thought this was the best way for me to get lots and lots of writing done. After all, if you're engaged in a challenge or class you'll actually be working on a manuscript, right?

Not necessarily. I discovered I wasn't disciplined enough to do the work for whatever group I was currently involved with and work on my stories. Or I start out great - developing a story idea, make a few revisions, then I'd totally fizzle out so that now I have several very rough manuscripts hiding in folders on my computer.

I've talked to other writers and they sympathize. Many say something to the effect that all these great writing events are keeping them from doing their real writing - it's keeping them from sitting in the chair and actually writing.

Joanna Penn, bestselling author says, "The biggest writing challenge continues to be actually sitting down to write." 

It's nice to know I'm not alone, but now that I understand how hard it is I have to be even more diligent to keep myself in the chair.

Let's face it, we writers are wonderful procrastinators. How many times have you sat down at your computer and had the same experience as Megan McCartle who penned this:

"In the course of writing this one article, I have checked my e-mail approximately 3,000 times, made and discarded multiple grocery lists, conducted a lengthy Twitter battle over whether the gold standard is actually the worst economic policy ever proposed, written Facebook messages to schoolmates I haven’t seen in at least a decade, invented a delicious new recipe for chocolate berry protein smoothies, and googled my own name several times to make sure that I have at least once written something that someone would actually want to read."

I laughed at this because I don't know about you, but that's so me. So in an effort to cut down on those distractions that keep me from actually writing, you won't see me registering for online classes or challenges. I really want to publish a book and no longer are the sands of time on my side. I guess publishing posthumously is better than nothing, but I'm pretty sure I'd rather read it to a group of kids than have someone else read it. 

I'm also pulling back from social media. I read several articles on the subject and found myself really agreeing with Steve Pavlina:

"As I did this, I began considering that maybe I should drop Twitter and Google+ as well. I thought about it carefully and decided that I really didn’t want to spend any more years of my life sharing things on social media. I basically asked myself which scenario seemed best over the next 10 years — going social media-free vs. continuing to use it. It wasn’t really a difficult choice to see which alternative was best. The thought of investing another decade in those services made me cringe."

I know lots of people who are social media mavens. They're incredibly adept at using the platform and really, that's impressive. But that's not me. I agonize over what to post so that it will be engaging. I even ask my 20-something year old daughter how she would caption something because I know my words are stilted and *sigh*, old-sounding. Now I'm checking in about once or twice a week and it's very freeing. I'm not pressured to 'like' everything my friends post, and I only post if it's something that really is important to me (usually photographs).

Considering I'm already very easily distracted from writing I completely agreed with Steve Pavlina when he wrote this:

"I also dislike how social media conditions my brain to be very distraction prone. Too often I’d find myself engaged in some activity and impulsively checking accounts — much more often than I needed to. Have you ever experienced that?

How many times have you checked on some account or other in the past 24 hours? If every social media check was equivalent to a shot of alcohol, would you be considered an alcoholic?"

Ouch! 

When I'm honest with myself, I realized I used to check Facebook (I'm too long-winded for Twitter) simply as something to do. I'd even see what was for sale on my local FB Classifieds group, even though I certainly didn't need a broken lamp shade (I have my own, thank you!). Think of how much writing I could have gotten done with those 5, 10 or more mindless minutes given to social media. 

My business card and email signature says, "Writer," not "Social Media Checker."

Note: All images taken from Bryon Collins' article, "25 Valuable Lessons From Seriously Successful Writers"