If you're looking for a writing challenge that "knows you have a life," you may want to give A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) a try.
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For Writers Who Have A Life
To begin with, it's important to remember—amidst all the hubbub that is work, commitments and obligations, and other things that pull me in so many directions—that I, in fact, do have a life. For one thing, having a life is the reason I've been away from my blog for so long. Let me just give you an example of what my "life" has been like lately. Over the past few weeks, I've been:
- Working on multiple writing, editing, and revision projects
- Overseeing and working on kitchen remodeling
- Cooking a lot of thawed food after our freezer tripped a breaker—without the aid of a kitchen sink!
- And I went on vacation with my wife to Nashville Shores and 1) got flipped by a couple of rides, 2) nearly drowned—okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, but it sure felt like it at the time—and 3) got a massive sunburn on the top of my head, from which I've been combing out dead, flaky, peeling scalp skin
I'm sure you get the idea. Well, I've been wanting to write more on my blog lately, and not only has life gotten in the way, but I have this concern/phobia/OCD nervous tick that, when I write on my blog, I should always have something educational or fancy to say like "The 5 Tips You Need To..." or "How To..." In short, the low self-esteemed writer in me thinks every post needs to be the best thing since sliced bread.
It's my blog, why not just write what I feel like instead of needing to always have a point to it?
A Round of Words in 80 Days
Thankfully, I've found a writing challenge that knows I have a life that (frequently) gets in the way of my writing. It's called A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80 for short).
Founded by Kait Nolan (more on her below), A Round of Words in 80 Days is a great alternative to more well-known—but nearly impossible—writing challenges/contests like NaNoWriMo. Instead of having to get into a writing frenzy, writing every day for 30 days, and still (likely) having the possibility that you won't actually meet your goal of 50,000 words at the end of the month, ROW80 takes into consideration that rarely is writing a light, fluffy, airy cloud you can go prancing on without any interruptions to your leisurely stroll.
It's my blog, why not just write what I feel like instead of needing to always have a point to it?
Rather, as most writers know, we would almost always choose writing over anything else, in terms of hobbies or careers; however, when it comes to actually doing the writing, we avoid it like the Bubonic plague! A Round of Words in 80 Days knows this, and since there's no immediate pressure to produce words on a page/screen, it's a whole lot easier to stay motivated to write for the long haul, as opposed to having merely a fling with the written word.
Myself, I'm actually creating this blog post in order to finally take the leap and sign up for the challenge. (No, kidding; it's actually a requirement for signing up!) Well, that and the fact that I'm just tired of shying away from just writing for the sake of writing here on the blog.
My ROW80 Writing Goal
So, what's my writing challenge goal going to be? Drumroll, please...
One of the best things about ROW80 is that you are free to change your goal at any time during the challenge. Why? Because, as I've already mentioned, this writing challenge knows you have a life!!!
Another great thing about ROW80 is that your goal can actually be anything you like as long as its MEASURABLE. Here's the actual quote from the About section of the website:
Onward to the ROW80 Writing Challenge
So there you have it: my ROW80 writing challenge goal for the next 80 days, courtesy of A Round of Words in 80 Days. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to create a new blog post for each update, but if I do, at least I'll be writing and posting to the blog more regularly, and that's definitely a good thing. The more writing the better, I say! See you next time (hopefully, sooner rather than later)!
In the meantime...
CHECK OUT MY BOOKS...
If you would like to see more of my writing, be sure and check out the books I've already written, as well as those I'm currently working on, by visiting my Books page.
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Kait Nolan
Kait Nolan is stuck in an office all day, sometimes juggling all three of her jobs at once with the skill of a trained bear—sometimes with a similar temperament. After hours, she uses her powers for good, creating escapist fiction.
This Mississippi native has something for everyone, from short and sweet to Southern contemporary romance to action-packed paranormal—all featuring heroes you'd want to sweep you off your feet and rescue you from work-day drudgery. When not working or writing, Kait's hanging out in her kitchen cooking and wishing life were a Broadway musical.
Question: Have you ever taken the ROW80 challenge? Is this something you would consider?
Leave a comment below and tell us all about it.
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