This semester, I am taking a course called Writers on Writing. In this class, we read books and articles about authors and learn from their experiences and techniques. One of my favorite aspects of the class is the Forty Nights of Writing challenge.
The Forty Nights of Writing challenges individuals to write a piece of poetry or prose of any genre each day. It can be as simple as a page of enjoyable reading material each day. There are also several interesting prompts that were given to the class, and we can use them to spur some writing ideas.
According to our professor, the point of these assignments is to create that discipline of writing each day. Writers do not become good at their craft by sitting down and staring at empty pages. They become better writers by practicing writing.
Personally, this is one of my greatest challenges as a growing writer. I find it difficult to overcome perfectionism and get something down to actually work with. While I want to put my best foot forward, I need to be ok with putting words on a page that aren’t perfect. I can edit and change things around if I need to. At times, I also need a deadline to get me motivated and keep me moving.
So far, this practice has been really helpful in my life as a writer. With so many days of writing, it feels as though I might run out of ideas or inspiration. However, I have been pleasantly surprised at how many story and character ideas are just floating around in my head. I only have to commit to writing a page, so finishing feels more palpable and achievable.
Overall, if you want to challenge yourself in growing your writing skills and discipline, I would greatly encourage you to set up your own writing challenge. Commit to writing a small bit each day. You may be surprised where this small step takes you and your creativity!