This time of year is so niche. First the artists in September/October are all doing all sorts of nifty art challenges. Then in November the writers all start talking about writing challenges. Not a writer and curious about what the challenges mean?
well For Poets there is a P.A.D. Challenge. This is fairly simple and easy to explain. It is a Poem A Day Challenge. The idea is to write at least one poem everyday in November. (I am trying to do 2 or more but that is because I already do a poem daily as one of my daily goals. The idea is to challenge yourself after all.)
The other Major challenge that goes on in November is NANOWRIMO. Which stands for National Novel Writing Month. The Idea is to write 50000 words during the month of November. (preferably all in one manuscript. but some split it up into shorts and other ideas just to get the writing done.) In order to accomplish this you would need to write at minimum, you should be writing 1,667 words a day, or approximately 11,700 words a week. That can be daunting.
I am not doing Nano, but I am trying to boost my daily writing activity. I am hoping to make the habit stick. What challenges do you try to attempt? Are you a Writer or an artist? There is also art challenges throughout the other months of the year. April also generally sees a PAD challenge for National Poetry Month.
I am curious what other challenges people put themselves through. I end up having to explain the PAD challenge and Nano so often I wonder what challenges I may be missing out of ignorance.
I wanted Halloween Music. I came across this List.
I love it. When I had searched for the same sort of thing on Movies…Well I found I was disappointed in the list. Scary movies most of these are not…at least not to me. Boyfriend says I am desensitized.
He might be right. I was reading horror books back in elementary school – like real ones. Steven King and the like. My parents did not limit what I read. (I was reading College level by time I hit 4th grade.)
I remember being scared by some really well written stories.
And My imagination is far richer than most movies.
So, I end up being disappointed by the movies because they can not live up to the full richness of the stories in my head. I get people who get mad at me when I say that I am not a video person…because the shows rarely are worth the time I have to spend away from my books.
And I have no way to explain that without sounding strange. I love music. I love books. Movies and television however often disappoints.
Old radio programs and Theater shows are amazing however…
I love all sorts. Today I am going to introduce you to one of my favorites.
Give me the Brain. You pay $4 get a pdf and print some cards. it’s neat as all get out. this is how I did it. The game is so fun. the concept is you are zombies running a restaurant. There is one brain between you. Some tasks require the brain to do. some don’t. The winner is the one who ends up with no cards.
There is a version of cards already made on Amazon…But I like my printed cards best. We went and had them laminated. Found a fake brain at the dollar tree that we keep with it and a six sided dice. (You need the dice) It has been hours of fun for us.
A single game usually takes around 15-20 minutes to play and can be anywhere from 2-10 players with no problems. The flavor text on the cards are a source of humor…and it really is good clean family friendly fun. (we got the deck when my daughter was around six. She loves it.)
This weekend I was easily able to make that goal and then some.
My daily goal? 250 word count and a poem. It doesn’t sound like a lot… but I don’t often make it. Between the publication process and life being what it is… I stay busy.
I had no Internet and no computer and no access to the phone where I have been. So I was just able to draw and write.
I got a new kids book written, several poems, and Serena got quite a bit of her new story for the spring fae corps Anthology done. (It’s about half way written now). I was only gone for a weekend.
Maybe I need to plan on writing retreats. Serena needs to start putting some work in on her books. Next year this is an option for me.
But being out of contact is anxiety inducing for me. This is a wonderful thing for my writing but it is not a good thing for me personally. It is something I will have to think about.
