#Writing challenge ideas how to
#Writing challenge ideas Offline

Never stop marketing! Some ideal forms of marketing for writers include:ĭon’t stop once you’re busy because your lack of marketing might not show itself immediately, but in a few weeks or months, you’ll start to feel it. Now that we know what causes a feast and famine challenge, the solution is obvious. When the inevitable famine comes, they have a lot of time to market their services, and this brings in a new flow of clients that leads to another feast. The other reason this poses such a challenge is during the feast period, many writers stop marketing and landing clients. This doesn’t tackle the root of the problem, however it only treats the symptom. Then when a famine rolls around, you have some money to fall back on while you get more clients. This prevents you from going overboard with spending when times are good. Pay yourself a set salary that covers your expenses, and the money left over you either put into an emergency fund or invest back into your business. Think of yourself as an employee of your company.

#Writing challenge ideas how to

How To Overcome The Feast And Famine Cycle Consider this an opportunity rather than a challenge. One month you might get a lot of work and beat your monthly income target, and another you won’t even come close. The infamous feast and famine cycle is another major challenge to those making their living as a freelance writer.Ī feast and famine cycle refers to balancing the act of writing with finding your next writing job. Read our guide to the best distraction-free writing apps. You will still need a modicum of self-control but all it takes is one looming deadline for you to see the error of your ways. YouTube shows videos you might like on the right sidebar, and if you get distracted, you can easily waste hours watching videos.ĭistraction-free YouTube blocks the sidebar on the right so you can watch what you need for research purposes then head to your favorite place to write. I highly recommend installing the distraction-free YouTube extension since writers need to do a lot of research and this sometimes requires this search tool. Simply head over to the Chrome store, and you’ll find distraction-free extensions for YouTube, Facebook, and any other social media platform. That stops users from getting into that zombie-like trance where you’re scrolling Facebook for what feels like five minutes, then you realize an hour went by. It blocks the news feed of any social media platform. However, even after taking these steps, I still feel tempted to open Facebook or YouTube, and this is where distraction-blocking tools, like Freedom App, come in. I put my phone in a drawer in the next room. My ritual for eliminating online distractions is to close all the tabs I’m not using, like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and even email. Getting rid of online distractions requires a combination of discipline and tools to keep your core creative time distraction-free. A good web blocker like Freedom app can help. They draw your attention all over the place, and when it comes time to work, you find getting into that flow state impossible. With so many social media platforms, you can’t keep track of them all. The real challenge is removing online distractions. Being a writer with children might mean early starts, late nights, or both. Then, you can do any non-creative tasks, like answering emails, when they’re home and awake. Focus on the creative work while the house is quiet. Aim to complete your deep work when they’re asleep, playing with their friends, or at school. Writing with kids in the house may be a challenge, but it comes down to timing. Most people are reasonable and will respect your request. Establish boundaries, and tell everyone in your house not to disturb you for the next few hours.

#Writing challenge ideas Offline

Offline distractions are easy to eliminate. I like separating them into two categories, offline and online distractions. In this modern world, distractions are everywhere. The biggest writing challenge for me is eliminating distractions for a few hours so I can get into a flow state and cultivate a habit of daily writing.