My First Two Blogging Challenges of 2011

I have accepted a few blogging challenges, two so far. The challenges I chose call on me to stretch myself out of my comfort zone—far out of my comfort zone. They are both blogging challenges that compel me to write more regularly, at least twice a week.

My reason in choosing these is to get motivated to post more than I ordinarily do, and more consistently over 16 weeks. More than that, I chose to challenge myself for two of my blogs, (now three). I’m curious to know how long I can sustain this pace, which is why I’ve taken to these challenges so readily. Besides, I want to make these changes in my routine permanent. This is a good starter.

Challenge 1

The shorter challenge is for my work blog, The Word ‘Mage Blog, where I took up with a challenge that started at the beginning of the month. It is for 25 posts to be written through the end of the month. I won’t meet that challenge necessarily but I will keep going with it.

Challenge 2

The longer challenge is for this blog. I only have to post two entries weekly. However, this challenge started, yesterday, 1.11.11 and continues for 111 days. Details are on Writing Spirit Blog.

To participate as a group, @WritingSpirit has set up a Twitter hash mark group, #SHINEonline, where we can tweet our participating posts. I already started my fun times here. I hope you’ll join in the relaxed fun.

I was originally going to stick with the two blogs that I started with. Since then, I’ve decided to extend this second challenge to my other blogs so that I can continue with frequent posting. I’m going to try to keep it to a minimum of 2 each for the balance of the 111 days.

This post is part of my #SHINEonline challenge commitment for 2 posts weekly; 2 of 2 for this week.

Reference posts

The Word ‘Mage Blog
Writing Spirit Blog

Today is midway of the month. Only 16 days left to be ready to write a poem daily. And really that’s not so bad. I have done that periodically for a few years now. Often writing two or three poems in a sitting.

The challenge is to whip one into shape to be a decent draft to post. This year will be my first time posting a new poem daily for the entire month of April!

Prompts to go Further

My challenge is increased by having to write to prompts. I had planned to continue writing to prompts through the first quarter of this year. That plan got away from me easily since it was easy to let things get in the way of the work of writing to prompts. My mistake. I should have kept up the practice.

I participated in the November with Poetic Asides PAD chapbook challenge. (The first versions are online in case you dare to look, not the edited ones I submitted.) I succeeded in writing a poem for each day, even if not on that day. The hard part for me was the push to write from daily prompts someone else set for me.

You don’t have to look it up—I didn’t win. Still it was a lot of fun. The hard part was also the fun part because prompts can take you to some interesting places when you’re open to it.

The Muse must Answer the Invitation

Through the end of March, my goal is to continue to post a poem daily. And, I’ll practice some writing to prompts, drawing from the Poetic Asides (last prompt Wednesday Poetry Prompt 083), and Read Write Poem weekly prompts (currently on prompt #118). These sites are worth reviewing as there’s always a lot going on.

Writing to prompts adds a little pressure for me, but it’s worth it in the long and short of things. It’s always good to be able to write on command, practice for getting the Muse to answer when called.

It’s important right now because I’ve decided to write to the Read Write Poems prompts for NaPoWriMo (National Poem Writing Month). I want to see how the RWP community does it. After all, participating in a poetry community is why I joined the site. I saw where they solicit prompt ideas from their members which is interesting. I’ll find out the rest come April 1, 2010.

What are your plans for NaPoWriMo? Tell me about it so I can read your work. If you’re writing on your own and want to be in a place where people might find you, visit napowrimo.net to find out how you can get listed. I’m listed there by Shari Lynne Smothers and linked to this blog. Hopefully, I’ll see you around, enjoying the poetics.

Related posts:

• Four Ways to Participate during National Poetry Month
• National Poetry Month 2008, 2009

National Poetry Month, 2008, 2009 Unofficial
Poem a Day Chapbook Challenge, November 2009 Official
National Novel Writing Month, 2009 Official

Attractions to Group Projects

Officially and unofficially, I’ve participated in these and other writing projects. They can be really intense. And I was thinking about why I elect to participate. It’s rarely just because I get bored.

Challenge

• Pushing myself beyond my suspected limits makes me think I’m not lazy
• It makes me know that I can reach beyond my comfort zone
• It affords me the opportunity to be part of a variety of projects
• It’s exciting both to participate and to complete

Community

• I learn of many new writers that I might not otherwise find
• One common interest brings people together to learn about each other
• Participants share resources that may be new to me
• Participants may actually become a resource
• There’s the chance to share something that others may find useful

It Adds up to Growth

1. Create on command.
It’s important for me to step outside my comfort zone. On my own, it’s really hard to do, and these projects help me toward that. On my own, I do give myself projects. So, I’m somewhat practiced at making the demand on myself. What’s a stretch with the poem a day challenges is the daily posting.

2. Post daily.
The first time I wrote a poem a day, it was a private event that took place solely in the pages of my journal, in 2003. Back then, I didn’t even have or consider having a blog. Fast forward to today and I’m writing and posting often in the same day.

3. Edit on the fly.
Daily posting tasks me to focus and edit really fast. That takes some getting used to. I have to find just the right everything to be willing to let it go. And it feels like I’m forcing my mind to sift through the much for the trinkets that are pleasing.

The speed is unsettling on some levels, and so I’m learning to ignore that as it’s mostly fear that hangs me up.

4. Confidence to comment.
I’m still working up the courage to leave comments more than I do. I appreciate feedback, so I want to do that for others. I’m coming to that. Baby steps.

The Helpful Side of Fear

Fear has it’s uses, to be sure. It keeps me from hitting the “Publish” button, without review of what I’ve written. I’m compelled to really look at the lines, read aloud to hear the flow, and recheck words and everything. Sometimes I have to sleep before I can finish because I try to never publish when I’m all bleary-eyed. If I forget what I’m writing in mid-phrase, then I need to crash for a bit.

As long as I find benefit I’ll keep participating in writing projects. Why do you participate in group projects?