Two Writing Challenges

I am trying something new this week!

I have joined reading challenges for the past several years and enjoyed them. This weekend, I was reading Mom's Small Victories, one of my favorite blogs (the author writes about books and lives with chronic illness, just like me), and the author posted about two writing challenges she had signed up for. At first I thought, "Why bother? I don't have time to write anyway," but then I remembered my kids start back to school this week, and I will finally have some writing time again! So, the timing is perfect, and I really need this extra motivation after a stressful, non-writing summer, so I am signing up for the same two writing challenges.

The Monster Review-a-thon is hosted by The Book Monsters (another bonus - finding new blogs!). That one is just this week and just reviews. Since my kids just went back to school today (and my son has Friday off!), my writing time is somewhat limited, so my goals for this one are modest:

• Write reviews of 3 books
• Write a Big Book Summer Challenge Wrap-Up post

Sit Down and Write 4 is being hosted by Stories Inside: the Writing Blog of the True Book Addict. Just the name of this challenge is perfect for me! This is what I need help with - ignoring the long list of to-dos nagging me and the messy house and just Sit Down and Write! This one lasts two weeks which is great because I will have 4 days next week with the kids in school and the house QUIET for a change. So, here are my goals for this one:

• The book review goals listed above, plus two more reviews and/or book blog posts next week.
• Write and publish 3 new posts for my chronic illness blog, Learning to Live with CFS, which has been badly neglected this summer.
• Write and send 4 new pitches, including 2 for travel articles.
• Finish the first draft of chapter 1 of my book on living with chronic illness.
• Edit my article on CFS into brief guest blog posts for a supplement website (paid work!)

Yes, it's a lot for two weeks (one and a half at this point, really), but that's the point of a challenge, right? I want to use this as motivation to kick off the fall writing season and make up for a very unproductive summer.

So, join in the fun! Do you have a backlog of reviews you'd like to catch up on or some other writing project you have trouble finding time for? There is still plenty of time to sign up for these challenges - just follow the links here. Wish me luck!