Change The World With Words

The National Association of International Writers and Editors (NAIWE) has invited writers to join the Summer Challenge, to keep us freelance writers motivated throughout the traditionally slow summer period.

I’m in. Check out the challenge here, and if you decide to join in consider letting me know via the comments on this post, and maybe we can all keep each other motivated.

Here’s what you have to do:

1. Read three books that will stretch your mind and inspire your creative spirit.

I’ve decided on:

This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley

I’ve been meaning to write a children’s mid-grade novel forever and had a few false starts. This is the year.

The One Minute Entrepreneur by Ken Blanchard, Don Hutson and Ethan Willis

I keep talking, and blogging, about how we should all treat our writing careers as a business. I’ve decided to put some time and effort into “Discovering My Entrepreneurial Strengths” (to paraphrase the cover of this book).

How to Succeed in Anything By Really Trying, by Lyman MacInnis

It just caught my eye on the library shelf. I’m a fan of hard work (and success). Who knows what tips I’ll pick up in here.

2. Finish one project that’s been nagging at you for longer than you care to admit.

I will be finishing my report “52 Tips For Freelance Writers”, and giving it away free to subscribers to this blog. I will, really. I promise.

3. Brainstorm a new project that will bring you an additional stream of income, then take the first step to make it happen.

This is where the novel comes in. (The extra stream of income will be my big fat royalty checks – an aspiring novelist can dream, right?) I will be brainstorming the project and starting to write it over the summer. I’m planning on signing up for a workshop with Savvy Authors to help keep me on track.

The Extra Mile:

I blogged recently about going the extra mile, so I’m not stopping there. I’m going to attempt to get my “13 in Play” as C Hope Clarke recommends. 13 articles, query letters, or other pieces of writing have to be out there looking for a publisher at any given time. If I get an acceptance, or a rejection, another piece has to go out.

With the above commitments, and my regular writing assignments, and this blog to write, and nothing in play right now, it’s a stretch. So I’m going to commit to just keep submitting until I reach my target, even if it takes all summer and beyond!

How I’m doing it:

It’s summer, I hear you say. The kids will be home. Are you sure this is wise? Here’s the deal. I’ve been homeschooling for a year now so my kids are always home! I predict that I may actually have a little more time over the summer. 

My plan includes relaxing formal schooling so I spend less time both teaching and creating lesson plans, and lots of time at the beach – perfect for reading, and free writing in my notebook, which always makes me feel more creative than writing on my laptop anyway (nobody wants sand in their laptop).

So, who’s joining me? If you think it might be the motivation you need, check out this post and follow the rest of the instructions (super simple – you just have to post the badge and leave a comment with your URL so that others who take the challenge can visit your blog or website).

I’ll be tweeting about the challenge as I go. You can follow me on Twitter here.

Related Posts

• Eight Important Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Writing
• Ten Freelance Writing Tools for $10 or Less
• Best Writing Tips From Around The Blogosphere, June
• Twelve Ways To Make More Money From Your Freelance Writing
• Five Reasons Writers Should Blog