I signed up for the 10 Minute Novelists 365K Club, which means I’m striving to write an average of 1,000 words a day every day this year. This has forced me to find a variety of ways to add to my tally of words written. I offer this list not only for self-proclaimed writers, but for anyone looking to stretch his creativity, to increase his command of the written word, and reap all the other benefits associated with the tasks and accomplishments listed below.
- Blog. I approached this one with great trepidation, but it’s gone well. Not only do I have self-imposed writing requirements and deadlines, but it has helped me to crystallize my thinking.
- Write a letter. More and more, this is becoming a lost art. Texts and emails are nice, but nothing beats a hand-written note on paper. Make it a love letter to your significant other, to your children, a friend with whom you’ve lost touch, or maybe an elderly person who’s been left out of the loop in your life because she doesn’t use a computer or electronic devices. (Bonus points for use of cursive.)
Pencil to the paper.
- Write a novel. If you’ve ever dreamed of writing a book, you can do it. Even if you have very little time. Later this month, you’ll have a great new guide to get you there: Write a Novel in Ten Minutes a Day.
- Keep a journal. I’ve written in more detail about this one here. There are myriad benefits to journaling. Plus it’s fast and easy – you think it, you write it. No filters, no edits.
- Enter a contest. Built-in deadline and a chance to win.
- Write a (book) review. Reviews are the lifeblood of authors. Do an author a favor and leave an honest review. Writing reviews is also great practice for analyzing a story and organizing your thoughts.
- Create content for your website. This one’s not for everyone, obviously, but if you created a bare-bones site to get started, you can go back in and add more content. Look at other sites to see what you can incorporate.
- Do a writing challenge/follow a prompt. These are great for getting your creative juices flowing. Just do a Pinterest or Google search for “writing prompt” or “flash fiction challenge.” You can find a new writing prompt every Friday at 10 Minute Novelists.
- Volunteer. Social and charitable organizations often need articles to fill their member newsletters. Maybe they need someone to write a news release. Help them out by sharing your knowledge, experience, and writing skills.
- Edit a work-in-progress. Do you have a partially-written novel or short story languishing in a drawer or on a hard drive? Dust it off and fix it up. A rewrite may be in order.
What did I miss? What are some other ways to increase your daily word count?
Thanks for all the shout-outs Carolyn! You’re awesome! Made my day!
Glad to hear it! I’ll remember that when one of the kids is grousing later – I made somebody happy today.
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