So You Want To Do A Writing Challenge

If you’ve been in the writing community for any amount of time, odds are high that you’ve heard of a certain challenge where writers try to write a full novel–50,000 words–in one month. The challenge has been around for many years at this point, and it’s a fun way to challenge oneself as a writer, foster community among writers, and help build good writing habits. The only real requirements for doing the challenge is the ability to write and the ability to track your word count, too.

However, 50,000 words in one month is no small feat, and though I personally have completed a couple times, and I know how intimidating the challenge can feel for someone diving into it for the first time. Between the big word count and the idea of it being a challenge, it can be pretty overwhelming. After all, that’s 1,667 words every day. If you don’t already have a strong writing habit, the idea of taking on a challenge like that can seem like a lot.

So, here are some of my top things to keep in mind before diving into your first “Novel In a Month” challenge.

1: Choose A Project You’re Passionate About

This is one of the biggest ones. You’re going to be devoting a lot of time to this project, so write what you really want to write. My first challenge, I used it as an opportunity to work on a backburner idea and take a break from my main project. The second year, I just used the challenge as a way to really focus on my main project, since my books are longer than 50,000 words and I didn’t want to dedicate energy to a different project at that point. There’s no requirement to start something new for the challenge, so remember that you can use this as a way to work on whatever you’re currently doing. What matters is the word count gets completed and good habits are built. Whatever you’re feeling passionate about, whatever is drawing your interest and your creativity is the best place to put that energy.

2: Keep the Momentum

An object in motion stays in motion, and that same principle applies to writing.

It’s okay if the words don’t look pretty. It’s okay if the scenes are messy and the characters are acting out of whack.

Keep going. Sometimes, you just need to get there, and it doesn’t matter if it looks good or is the most sophisticated thing to ever be written.

Keep moving. You’re going to need to edit anyway, and it’s a whole lot easier to edit a messy page than a blank one.

3: It’s Okay to Have Good and Bad Days

It happens to just about everyone. You sit down to write, and you end up staring at a blank page for hours on end. You can’t seem to get the words out.

That’s okay.

Not every day is going to be a great writing day. Life happens.

You can always catch up on other days. You can always have days where you go above and beyond your regular word count goal. Not every day needs to hit an exact number.

You’re not a robot. You don’t have a factory quota to hit. Whatever your word count is – whether higher or lower than your goal – is alright. What matters is that you’re trying. You’re putting in the effort.

4: It’s about building a habit of writing consistently, not about writing a novel start to finish

I can’t stress this enough.

My first attempt at the challenge, I made the mistake of convincing myself that I had to write a 50k word novel, start to finish. I had to follow my outline, had to make it a short book, and had to fit it into a little box.

When I finished the challenge, I didn’t have a finished novel, and what I did have was not something I was happy with. The story felt rushed and awkward. Yes, I had hit 50k words, but I wasn’t happy with them. I didn’t let the book flow as it needed to be. The narrative couldn’t be what it needed to be, because I was trying to make it into something it wasn’t.

It’s described as writing a novel in a month because 50k is the minimum length of a novel, but the challenge is just about writing a novel’s worth of words–not a full book from start to finish.

Maybe this was obvious to everyone else, but it wasn’t to me when I started, and my project suffered for it. Focus on getting that many words written, but don’t force your story to fit the 50k word mold.

5: In the Words of Douglas Adams: Don’t Panic

This might be the most important one.

Writing isn’t supposed to be panic inducing, even when doing a challenge. Take a deep breath. Have fun with it. Get into the story. Don’t stress over making it perfect and, more importantly, don’t panic over hitting 50k.

I know. Crazy.

It’s okay to not “win” the challenge. Try to hit it, of course, but nobody is here to grade you on your word count. And, if 50k doesn’t work for you, then it’s totally fine to pick a smaller goal. I can’t stress enough that it isn’t about the word count; it’s about building good writing habits.

What matters is that you’re writing. Some people are able to write thousands of words a day. Some people only have time to write a sentence or two in the midst of a busy schedule, and that’s okay! What matters is that you’re trying. A story that has a few words written is better than a story that never has a word on a page.

In Conclusion…

Writing a novel in a month is a big and exciting challenge to take on, but it really isn’t about the goal: it’s about the habits you build along the way.

Take a deep breath. Pick a project that excites you. Build momentum by building habits of writing every day if you can, but don’t panic if you miss a day. This is about challenging yourself and growing in your own craft; not about competing with other writers.

If you want to join in on the challenge, all it takes is to set a goal, have fun, and get the story you want to tell on the page.