Need help sparking new energy or consistent engagement in your non-fiction writing community? Community Challenges are a proven way to motivate members, inspire fresh writing, and create meaningful connections. Use these ready-made challenge templates to turn passive readers into active participants.
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Community Challenges tap into our natural desire for friendly competition, achievement, and social connection. By setting clear, achievable tasks, you lower the barrier to participation for both new and experienced members. The playful, motivating tone helps people feel welcome and supported as they try new approaches or stretch their skills.
For non-fiction writers, challenges introduce variety, encourage experimentation, and offer a safe space to receive feedback. When members share progress or results, it builds camaraderie and a sense of shared accomplishment. Small rewards or simple recognition can further boost motivation and belonging, making your community a vibrant, active hub.
One-sentence story: Describe a real event in exactly one sentence. Who is in?
💡 Example: "One-sentence story: Describe a real event in exactly one sentence. Who is in? Example: I missed my bus but met my future best friend at the stop."
Fact-check sprint! Pick a viral claim and find the real facts. Share your findings below.
💡 Example: "Fact-check sprint! Pick a viral claim and find the real facts. Share your findings below. Example: The claim 'goldfish have a 3-second memory' is false; studies show they can remember for months."
Write a 100-word memoir about your morning. Post your mini-memoir here.
💡 Example: "Write a 100-word memoir about your morning. Post your mini-memoir here. Example: The soft ping of my alarm, coffee brewing, the world waking up outside my window."
Challenge: Share your best writing tip for avoiding procrastination.
💡 Example: "Challenge: Share your best writing tip for avoiding procrastination. Example: I set a timer for 10 minutes and just start typing, no pressure."
Try a 'show, don't tell' rewrite: Take a dry fact and make it vivid. Post your before/after.
💡 Example: "Try a 'show, don't tell' rewrite: Original: The library was quiet. Rewrite: Only the soft shuffle of pages filled the silent library."
Weekly prompt: Write about a time you changed your mind. Who is joining this week?
💡 Example: "Weekly prompt: Write about a time you changed your mind. Who is joining this week? Example: I once thought I hated hiking until a friend took me up a mountain at sunrise."
List challenge: Name five non-fiction books that changed your perspective.
💡 Example: "List challenge: Name five non-fiction books that changed your perspective. Example: 1. The Power of Habit 2. Outliers 3. Sapiens 4. Becoming 5. Into the Wild"
Speed round: Write one paragraph about an unsolved mystery. Post it below!
💡 Example: "Speed round: Write one paragraph about an unsolved mystery. Post it below! Example: The fate of Amelia Earhart continues to fascinate researchers around the globe."
Share a photo and write a factual caption for it. Let's see your creativity.
💡 Example: "Share a photo and write a factual caption for it. Let's see your creativity. Example: Photo of a tree. Caption: This 200-year-old oak has survived three major storms."
What is a myth people believe about your field? Bust it with facts.
💡 Example: "What is a myth people believe about your field? Bust it with facts. Example: Many think writers work alone, but most successful books are team efforts."
Mini-interview: Ask a friend or family member about a memorable true event and write it up.
💡 Example: "Mini-interview: Ask a friend or family member about a memorable true event and write it up. Example: My sister recalled the day she won her first art contest at school."
Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about the first object you see. What did you come up with?
💡 Example: "Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about the first object you see. What did you come up with? Example: My mug, chipped but still my favorite, reminds me of rainy afternoons."
Rewrite a famous news headline in your own words. Post your version here.
💡 Example: "Rewrite a famous news headline in your own words. Post your version here. Example: Original: Moon Landing. My version: Humans take first steps on lunar soil."
Trivia challenge: Share one unusual true fact you've learned recently.
💡 Example: "Trivia challenge: Share one unusual true fact you've learned recently. Example: Honey never spoils, archaeologists have found edible honey in ancient tombs."
Write a letter to your future self describing your current writing goals.
💡 Example: "Write a letter to your future self describing your current writing goals. Example: Dear future me, I hope you have published that collection of essays you are working on."
Profile challenge: Write a mini-bio (3 sentences) about a historical figure you admire.
💡 Example: "Profile challenge: Write a mini-bio (3 sentences) about a historical figure you admire. Example: Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. She discovered two elements. Her work changed science forever."
Fact vs. opinion: Share a statement and challenge others to label it fact or opinion.
💡 Example: "Fact vs. opinion: Share a statement and challenge others to label it fact or opinion. Example: Statement: The earth orbits the sun."
Describe your writing space in 50 words or less.
💡 Example: "Describe your writing space in 50 words or less. Example: My desk sits by a window, cluttered with sticky notes and coffee cups, sunlight streaming in."
Flashback! Write about an invention that changed your daily life.
💡 Example: "Flashback! Write about an invention that changed your daily life. Example: The smartphone lets me research, write, and connect with other writers anywhere."
Challenge: Summarize your favorite non-fiction book in one tweet (280 characters max).
💡 Example: "Challenge: Summarize your favorite non-fiction book in one tweet (280 characters max). Example: Sapiens explores how humans evolved from simple apes to world-dominating species."
Edit swap: Share a paragraph you want feedback on, and comment on someone else’s too.
💡 Example: "Edit swap: Share a paragraph you want feedback on, and comment on someone else’s too. Example: I posted my intro, and replied to Sarah's story about traveling."
Non-fiction haiku: Capture a real moment in three lines. Post your haiku here.
💡 Example: "Non-fiction haiku: Capture a real moment in three lines. Post your haiku here. Example: Rain hits the window, / coffee warms my tired fingers, / deadline approaches."
Story starter: Begin your piece with 'I never thought this would happen...' and see where it leads.
💡 Example: "Story starter: Begin your piece with 'I never thought this would happen...' and see where it leads. Example: I never thought this would happen, but today my old diary taught me something new."
Weekend challenge: Interview someone about their job and share the most surprising thing you learned.
💡 Example: "Weekend challenge: Interview someone about their job and share the most surprising thing you learned. Example: I learned that librarians now do a lot of digital archiving."
Pick a random Wikipedia article and write a summary paragraph about it.
💡 Example: "Pick a random Wikipedia article and write a summary paragraph about it. Example: The article was about deep-sea vents; I learned they support unique ecosystems."
Caption this: Post a non-fiction image and ask members to write an accurate caption.
💡 Example: "Caption this: Post a non-fiction image and ask members to write an accurate caption. Example: Image of a protest. Caption: Citizens march downtown for climate action."
Research mini-challenge: Spend 10 minutes learning about a new country and share a fun fact.
💡 Example: "Research mini-challenge: Spend 10 minutes learning about a new country and share a fun fact. Example: In Bhutan, success is measured by Gross National Happiness."
Write about a lesson you learned from failure. Keep it under 200 words.
💡 Example: "Write about a lesson you learned from failure. Keep it under 200 words. Example: Missing a deadline taught me better time management and self-compassion."
Challenge: Share your favorite source for non-fiction inspiration.
💡 Example: "Challenge: Share your favorite source for non-fiction inspiration. Example: I always find great stories in National Geographic."
Describe a place you visited using only the five senses. Who wants to try?
💡 Example: "Describe a place you visited using only the five senses. Who wants to try? Example: The salty air, crashing waves, rough sand, cries of gulls, bright sun."
Fact or fiction: Share a true story that sounds unbelievable.
💡 Example: "Fact or fiction: Share a true story that sounds unbelievable. Example: I once met my doppelganger in a different country."
Non-fiction quote challenge: Share a favorite factual quote and why it matters to you.
💡 Example: "Non-fiction quote challenge: Share a favorite factual quote and why it matters to you. Example: 'Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.' It reminds me to always seek truth."
Describe an everyday object as if explaining it to someone from 100 years ago.
💡 Example: "Describe an everyday object as if explaining it to someone from 100 years ago. Example: A smartphone is a small box that lets you talk to people and look up any fact instantly."
Write a review of a documentary in 5 sentences or less.
💡 Example: "Write a review of a documentary in 5 sentences or less. Example: The Social Dilemma is eye-opening, well-paced, and makes you rethink your digital habits."
Challenge: Share your favorite non-fiction writing resource or tool.
💡 Example: "Challenge: Share your favorite non-fiction writing resource or tool. Example: Grammarly helps me catch mistakes before I submit my drafts."
Write a timeline of an important event in your life using only dates and short notes.
💡 Example: "Write a timeline of an important event in your life using only dates and short notes. Example: 2010: Moved cities. 2012: Started college. 2016: Graduated."
Describe a real person you admire in three adjectives. Who comes to mind?
💡 Example: "Describe a real person you admire in three adjectives. Who comes to mind? Example: Honest, resilient, generous."
Write a how-to guide for something you learned this year. Keep it to 5 steps or less.
💡 Example: "Write a how-to guide for something you learned this year. Keep it to 5 steps or less. Example: How to organize your notes: 1. Gather all papers. 2. Sort by topic. 3. Staple together. 4. Label folders. 5. Store in a bin."
Challenge: Find a headline today and write a factual follow-up paragraph.
💡 Example: "Challenge: Find a headline today and write a factual follow-up paragraph. Example: Headline: Local park reopens. Follow-up: The city reopened the park after new safety measures were implemented."
Describe your writing process in three bullet points.
💡 Example: "Describe your writing process in three bullet points. Example: 1. Draft ideas. 2. Write outline. 3. Edit and revise."
Write about the most inspiring true story you have read this month.
💡 Example: "Write about the most inspiring true story you have read this month. Example: I read about a marathon runner who overcame major health issues to finish the race."
Challenge: Share the most useful feedback you've ever received on your writing.
💡 Example: "Challenge: Share the most useful feedback you've ever received on your writing. Example: 'Show, don't tell' helped me make my stories more vivid."
Choose a template that fits your community's current mood or goals. Announce the challenge with energy and clarity, making sure to outline the rules and how to participate. Use pinned posts, email, or platform features to keep the challenge visible. Encourage members to share work in threads or designated channels, and celebrate completions with shoutouts or small prizes. Rotate challenge types regularly to keep engagement high and appeal to different member interests.
On all platforms, use clear post formatting and eye-catching visuals to announce challenges. Pin or highlight challenge threads to maximize visibility. Use polls or reaction features where available to gauge interest or select winners. Foster discussion in comments or replies, and encourage members to tag friends or invite others to join. Adapt post timing and frequency based on member activity data to maximize reach.
To foster the critical use of primary sources, craft prompts that require members to incorporate interviews, archival documents, or original research into their submissions. For example, ask writers to reconstruct a historical event using at least one primary document, or to profile a person based on firsthand interviews. Highlighting the value of source credibility and fact-checking as part of the challenge can further reinforce best practices in non-fiction writing.
To address narrative bias, structure challenges that ask writers to recount an event from multiple perspectives, or to fact-check their memories against available records. You can post prompts like, 'Write about a childhood memory, then interview someone else who was present and include their account.' Encourage peer feedback focusing on objectivity and balance to help members recognize and mitigate bias in their work.
When dealing with controversial or sensitive topics, set clear community guidelines emphasizing respectful discourse and evidence-based arguments. Structure challenges with explicit instructions to cite sources and to write analytically rather than polemically. Consider providing trigger warnings and offering opt-in participation for such topics. Facilitate discussions by moderating comments and creating dedicated threads for sensitive feedback.
Challenges can focus on argumentative essays or opinion pieces where members must craft and defend a clear thesis. For example, prompt members to write op-eds on a current event, requiring a one-sentence thesis at the top. Alternatively, ask members to submit a thesis statement and outline for peer review before developing their full piece. This approach refines their ability to create focused, compelling arguments—crucial in non-fiction writing.
Create challenges that explicitly require the use of proper citation formats. For instance, run a 'Fact-Check Sprint' where writers must submit a brief article with at least three sources, formatted in APA or MLA. Offer resources or mini-workshops on citation styles, and provide feedback on both content and citation accuracy. Peer review rounds can also be structured to specifically evaluate and discuss sourcing and citation choices.
Design prompts that simulate real investigative scenarios, such as, 'Investigate a local issue and present your findings using evidence, interviews, and data analysis.' Encourage members to dig deeper by including requirements for public records requests, interviews with experts, or data visualization. Provide guidance on ethical reporting and fact-checking, and offer feedback on the depth, accuracy, and originality of their investigations.
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