Contests & Activities: November 30, 2022 Issue [#11671]
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 This week: Pick a Team
  Edited by: Annette
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships." – Michael Jordan

"Teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability." – Patrick Lencioni

"It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed." – Napolean Hill

"If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else." – Booker T. Washington


Word from our sponsor

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Letter from the editor

Pick a Team


There are many things only you can do for yourself.
There are many things that you can outsource and have done by someone else.

Writing is somewhere in the middle of those opposites.
The first bit of writing: the idea, the outline, the first draft, plot and story revisions, character sketches and more are all up to you.
You can think about outsourcing your grammar check and spell check. Even some machines can do that for you now.

The one thing that is smack in the middle of it is collaboration, accountability, team work. This is where your writing has a chance to go from grammatically correct to emotional, rich, colorful, and just plain fun to read.

Most things that are worthwhile to achieve take work. Sometimes the work either feels easy or it's fun to do. A lot of the time; however, doing something right takes time and effort. The best way to stick with it, even when it doesn't feel easy or even fun, is to make yourself accountable to others. Having someone who will cheer you on when you show up and ask where you were when you didn't show up is a huge motivator to keep coming back and keep working. We see it all around. In education, grades given by teachers can help to give us the drive to do well. In fitness, having a steady group or a personal trainer to respond to helps a lot. Writing is the same. Some can and will do well on their own. Most of us do better when there are stakes attached to a task. Even when the task is something we started because we wanted to do it.

The new year is approaching fast and I want to quote a little bit from Shadow Prowler-Spreading Love 's 2023 writing activity "Unstable(d) Writer's Challenge Closed that has the goal to get participants to write four (4) novels in one year. This is how she plans to get you there: "It won't be done by rubbing a unicorn's horn, or by dancing under the glittery sprinkles of pixie dust. It will take tenacious determination, it will take sacrifice, it will take hard work with long hours."
If this is how dedicated you want to be to your writing next year, give this activity a good look. Sign up for it. You have nothing to lose and everything to win. This is going to be the place to: "push yourself to write those books that keep simmering in your head"

Find your crew here on Writing.Com. There are several places where you can find at minimum accountability for writing regularly. You can also find groups that will actively work with you on a specific genre of writing. There is much writing to be done.

Which creative writing and other teams will you join in 2023?


Editor's Picks

 
FORUM
The Great Novel Review Exchange  (13+)
A meeting place for novelists and novel reviewers, with a little added incentive.
#2285924 by Brandiwyn🎶

FORUM
Unstable(d) Writer's Challenge Closed  (E)
A 12-month, intense writing Challenge
#2281662 by Shadow Prowler-Spreading Love

FORUM
The Weekly Quickie Contest  (18+)
Can you excite in 969 words? Romance+ Contest, March 2024 Theme: Beginnings
#1355442 by Dawn Embers

FORUM
Habit Heroes   (13+)
A challenge to inspire positive daily habits and friendship. You can earn cool prizes too!
#2165720 by 🌸 pwheeler - love joy peace

FORUM
Chapter One (CLOSED)  (18+)
Write the first chapter of a book, inspired by the prompt.
#2251577 by Cubby~Home!

FORUM
Twenty-three in Eleven   (13+)
I Write in 2023
#2284057 by Annette

Fill in the Blank  (18+)
Put your spin on these quotes!
#1349558 by Elisa the Bunny Stik

FORUM
The Contest Challenge  (13+)
Join by entering a contest a month for 12 months--Win Badges! Catching up is allowed!
#2109126 by Schnujo is in the Falklands

FORUM
A Writing Exercise  (18+)
If you want to improve your story writing, overcome writer's block or just practice
#2219764 by A E Willcox

FORUM
Anniversary Reviews  (E)
Celebrate Writing.Com member account anniversaries with reviews. GPs and exclusive MBs.
#1565040 by Annette

 
SURVEY
What a Character! : Official WDC Contest  (E)
Create a memorable character using the given prompt for huge prizes!
#1679316 by Writing.Com Support

 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Word from Writing.Com

Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
         https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Don't forget to support our sponsor!

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Ask & Answer

I received these replies to my last Contest & Activities newsletter "Stretch Your Imagination Muscles that asked: Can you really grow as a writer if you don't stretch yourself beyond your current skills?

Elfin Dragon-finally published wrote: I don't think you can grow. If you only write one thing, you become stagnant. I think stretching your mind and writing a variety of things causes you to think on different levels.

buddhangela's Mourning Again wrote: I loved this, Annette, because I feel it's so true and it needs to be said again and again. Your question: Can you really grow as a writer if you don't stretch yourself beyond your current skills? -- This is so basic and obvious, yet it seems that some writers continue to write the same things, never learning or growing. And if they're happy with that, I guess that's fine. For me, I can say that my writing has improved exponentially since I came to WDC and started challenging myself to write in new genres and practice different skills.
It's like working out to strengthen your muscles, as you alluded to in the title of the newsletter. If you don't keep lifting weights, your muscles will stop growing. You won't get better. Even published authors need to strengthen their writing skills, get better, grow as people by practicing new skills and taking on new challenges. And WDC is a great place to do just that!

Elfin Dragon-finally published also replied to my past Contests & Activities newsletter "Winning that asked: What does winning mean to you and what would you do to win?
In answer to your question on which mood is best for my creativity...it really depends. I've found that for my poetry I often write more when I'm on the downward side. It helps me cope with all the feelings I have. It is the same on the super high, but more on the backside. But for any other of my crafts, it helps when I'm in a good mood.
For your question of what winning means to me? Not as much as it used to. I think the recognition is well worth it, but I don't have to win for that. I could be 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th. As long as people could say, "look, there she is."

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