Tired of trying to keep your self publishing community active and inspired? Our Community Challenge templates offer fun, achievable ways to spark engagement and camaraderie. Use these ready-to-go ideas to motivate members and turn passive lurkers into active participants.
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Community Challenges tap into our natural desire for accomplishment, social recognition, and friendly competition. By setting clear, attainable tasks, you lower the barrier for participation and help members feel more comfortable sharing their progress. When challenges are playful and inclusive, they foster a sense of belonging, making members more likely to return and contribute.
For self publishing communities, challenges also encourage sharing of works-in-progress, tips, and experiences, creating a feedback-rich environment. Offering small rewards or public recognition boosts motivation and helps members celebrate each other's achievements, reinforcing positive community culture.
One sentence pitch challenge - share your book idea in a single sentence. Who is in?
💡 Example: "One sentence pitch challenge - share your book idea in a single sentence. Who is in?"
Weekly word count check-in - post your word count for the week. Let's cheer each other on.
💡 Example: "Weekly word count check-in - post your word count for the week. Let's cheer each other on."
Flash fiction fun - write a story in exactly 50 words. Share yours below.
💡 Example: "Flash fiction fun - write a story in exactly 50 words. Share yours below."
Cover reveal challenge - post your latest book cover, even if it is just a sketch.
💡 Example: "Cover reveal challenge - post your latest book cover, even if it is just a sketch."
Share your favorite writing snack for our snack swap challenge.
💡 Example: "Share your favorite writing snack for our snack swap challenge."
Editing sprint - set a 30 minute timer and edit. Comment 'done' when you finish.
💡 Example: "Editing sprint - set a 30 minute timer and edit. Comment 'done' when you finish."
Plot twist challenge - add a surprise twist to your current project. Share your twist!
💡 Example: "Plot twist challenge - add a surprise twist to your current project. Share your twist!"
Share a line you wrote today that made you smile.
💡 Example: "Share a line you wrote today that made you smile."
Write a blurb for your book in 30 words or less. Ready to try?
💡 Example: "Write a blurb for your book in 30 words or less. Ready to try?"
Beta reader swap - offer to beta read for someone and get matched up.
💡 Example: "Beta reader swap - offer to beta read for someone and get matched up."
Draft zero challenge - try writing a messy chapter today. Report your progress below.
💡 Example: "Draft zero challenge - try writing a messy chapter today. Report your progress below."
Name your main character using a random name generator. Post the result!
💡 Example: "Name your main character using a random name generator. Post the result!"
Blurb critique day - share your book blurb and give feedback to others.
💡 Example: "Blurb critique day - share your book blurb and give feedback to others."
First line challenge - post the first line of your latest chapter.
💡 Example: "First line challenge - post the first line of your latest chapter."
Share your current writing playlist for inspiration.
💡 Example: "Share your current writing playlist for inspiration."
Write a scene with only dialogue. Post your scene below.
💡 Example: "Write a scene with only dialogue. Post your scene below."
Cover critique - share your cover concept for friendly feedback.
💡 Example: "Cover critique - share your cover concept for friendly feedback."
Favorite writing tool challenge - post a photo or description of your go-to tool.
💡 Example: "Favorite writing tool challenge - post a photo or description of your go-to tool."
30 day writing streak - can you write every day this month? Who will join?
💡 Example: "30 day writing streak - can you write every day this month? Who will join?"
Share your most-used writing emoji for our emoji challenge.
💡 Example: "Share your most-used writing emoji for our emoji challenge."
Write a scene set in your favorite real world location. Share the setting.
💡 Example: "Write a scene set in your favorite real world location. Share the setting."
Book marketing brainstorm - post your most creative promo idea.
💡 Example: "Book marketing brainstorm - post your most creative promo idea."
Back cover blurb in six words - can you do it?
💡 Example: "Back cover blurb in six words - can you do it?"
Share your favorite self publishing podcast for our resource round-up.
💡 Example: "Share your favorite self publishing podcast for our resource round-up."
Write a scene from your antagonist's POV. Share a snippet.
💡 Example: "Write a scene from your antagonist's POV. Share a snippet."
Synopsis challenge - write your synopsis in 50 words or less.
💡 Example: "Synopsis challenge - write your synopsis in 50 words or less."
Goal setting Sunday - post one writing goal for the week.
💡 Example: "Goal setting Sunday - post one writing goal for the week."
Share your favorite self publishing myth and debunk it.
💡 Example: "Share your favorite self publishing myth and debunk it."
Writing prompt challenge - use this prompt to start your next chapter: A mysterious letter arrives.
💡 Example: "Writing prompt challenge - use this prompt to start your next chapter: A mysterious letter arrives."
Describe your main character using three adjectives.
💡 Example: "Describe your main character using three adjectives."
Cover design swap - give feedback on another member's cover.
💡 Example: "Cover design swap - give feedback on another member's cover."
30 minute writing sprint - start now and share your word count after.
💡 Example: "30 minute writing sprint - start now and share your word count after."
Share a mistake you learned from in your self publishing journey.
💡 Example: "Share a mistake you learned from in your self publishing journey."
Book description challenge - write a book description that hooks readers.
💡 Example: "Book description challenge - write a book description that hooks readers."
Writing workspace show and tell - post a photo of your writing space.
💡 Example: "Writing workspace show and tell - post a photo of your writing space."
Share a writing tool or app you discovered recently.
💡 Example: "Share a writing tool or app you discovered recently."
Write a haiku about your writing process and post it.
💡 Example: "Write a haiku about your writing process and post it."
Describe your current project in three words.
💡 Example: "Describe your current project in three words."
Book pricing poll - share how you set your book price or vote on options.
💡 Example: "Book pricing poll - share how you set your book price or vote on options."
Write a scene with no adjectives or adverbs. Can you do it?
💡 Example: "Write a scene with no adjectives or adverbs. Can you do it?"
Share your biggest self publishing win this month.
💡 Example: "Share your biggest self publishing win this month."
Choose a template that fits your community's goals, then customize it with your branding or tweak the challenge details to suit your audience. Announce the challenge with clear instructions and a deadline. Encourage members to share updates, photos, or results in the comments or a dedicated thread. Highlight great entries, and consider offering digital badges or shoutouts as rewards. Keep the atmosphere supportive and fun to maximize participation.
These templates are designed for all platforms. For forums, pin the challenge post and create a dedicated discussion thread. On social platforms, use consistent hashtags for easy tracking. In chat-based communities, use threads or channels to organize entries and updates. Always clarify how members should participate and where to share their progress.
Our challenge templates include daily prompt structures and accountability check-ins tailored for high-intensity writing periods like NaNoWriMo. You can post themed challenges (e.g., 'Write 1,667 words today' or 'Share your toughest plot twist') to keep participants motivated and foster discussion around common self publishing hurdles, such as maintaining word count and pacing.
The library offers sequential challenge templates where each day focuses on a component of the query letter—hook, synopsis, author bio, personalization, etc. Use these to guide your community through drafting and refining query letters, encouraging members to share drafts for peer feedback, which is crucial in the self publishing community for improving submission quality.
Leverage our templates with weekly themes such as 'Cover Design Show and Tell' or 'ISBN Registration Walkthrough.' These challenges prompt members to share their experiences, exchange resources, and discuss specific technical steps, turning daunting publishing tasks into collaborative learning opportunities.
Our templates break down complex tasks like blurb writing into manageable sub-challenges—brainstorming hooks, refining genre keywords, or peer-reviewing blurbs. This incremental, community-supported approach helps indie authors avoid overwhelm and gain confidence in marketing their books.
Yes, many templates include progress-tracking elements like daily word count check-ins, plot point milestones, or revision sprints. These are specifically designed for self publishing communities to encourage accountability and celebrate manuscript milestones, which are critical for maintaining motivation during solitary writing and editing phases.
Our templates include customizable prompts that differentiate between fiction genres (like character development or world-building sprints) and nonfiction elements (such as outlining chapters or researching sources). You can run parallel challenges or alternate weeks to ensure both fiction and nonfiction authors find relevant support within your self publishing community.
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