Struggling to keep your writing community active and inspired? Community challenges are a proven way to spark creativity, drive participation, and help members connect. Use these ready-made templates to launch fun, motivating writing challenges that will energize your group and encourage everyone to share their work.
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Community challenges work because they tap into our intrinsic motivation to create, learn, and be recognized. By framing writing as a playful or competitive activity, you lower the pressure and invite everyone, from beginners to pros, to join in. Challenges create a sense of shared purpose and camaraderie, making members more likely to participate and interact with each other.
When you offer clear, achievable tasks and celebrate participation, you help members overcome creative blocks and feel a sense of accomplishment. Challenges also provide regular opportunities for sharing, feedback, and recognition, all of which strengthen engagement and build a positive, active community culture.
Flash Fiction Friday - Write a story in exactly 100 words. Share it below!
💡 Example: "Flash Fiction Friday - Write a story in exactly 100 words. Share it below!"
Character Swap Challenge - Rewrite a famous scene with the characters swapped. Post your version!
💡 Example: "Character Swap Challenge - Rewrite a famous scene with the characters swapped. Post your version!"
One Word Prompt: Use 'whisper' in a short poem or story. Who can try?
💡 Example: "One Word Prompt: Use 'whisper' in a short poem or story. Who can try?"
Describe your morning as if you are in a mystery novel. Share your best line!
💡 Example: "Describe your morning as if you are in a mystery novel. Share your best line!"
Weekend Haiku Challenge - Write a haiku about coffee. Post yours below.
💡 Example: "Weekend Haiku Challenge - Write a haiku about coffee. Post yours below."
Write a story that starts with 'It was the last thing I expected.' Who is in?
💡 Example: "Write a story that starts with 'It was the last thing I expected.' Who is in?"
Edit-a-Sentence: Improve this sentence in 10 words or less - 'The cat sat on the mat.'
💡 Example: "Edit-a-Sentence: Improve this sentence in 10 words or less - 'The cat sat on the mat.'"
Share your favorite metaphor from your own writing.
💡 Example: "Share your favorite metaphor from your own writing."
Write a six-word story about hope.
💡 Example: "Write a six-word story about hope."
Dialogue Duel - Share two lines of dialogue that reveal a secret.
💡 Example: "Dialogue Duel - Share two lines of dialogue that reveal a secret."
Rewrite a cliché in your own words. Post your twist!
💡 Example: "Rewrite a cliché in your own words. Post your twist!"
Describe a place using only sound and smell.
💡 Example: "Describe a place using only sound and smell."
Invent a new word and give it a definition.
💡 Example: "Invent a new word and give it a definition."
Share the first sentence of your current work in progress.
💡 Example: "Share the first sentence of your current work in progress."
Create a character with just three adjectives. Who will try?
💡 Example: "Create a character with just three adjectives. Who will try?"
Write a micro-poem about the weather today.
💡 Example: "Write a micro-poem about the weather today."
Finish this sentence: 'If only I had remembered...'
💡 Example: "Finish this sentence: 'If only I had remembered...'"
Write a letter from one fictional character to another.
💡 Example: "Write a letter from one fictional character to another."
Summarize a classic novel in a single tweet.
💡 Example: "Summarize a classic novel in a single tweet."
Share a line you cut from your last draft.
💡 Example: "Share a line you cut from your last draft."
Write a scene using only questions.
💡 Example: "Write a scene using only questions."
Describe your main character's bedroom in three sentences.
💡 Example: "Describe your main character's bedroom in three sentences."
Use a random object on your desk as a story prompt.
💡 Example: "Use a random object on your desk as a story prompt."
Reverse a happy ending in a fairy tale. Share your twist!
💡 Example: "Reverse a happy ending in a fairy tale. Share your twist!"
Write a paragraph without using the letter e.
💡 Example: "Write a paragraph without using the letter e."
Share your top tip for beating writer's block.
💡 Example: "Share your top tip for beating writer's block."
Write a story that takes place in one minute of real time.
💡 Example: "Write a story that takes place in one minute of real time."
Describe rain without using the word 'rain' or 'wet.'
💡 Example: "Describe rain without using the word 'rain' or 'wet.'"
Write a dialogue where both characters are lying.
💡 Example: "Write a dialogue where both characters are lying."
Make a to-do list for your villain. Share it below.
💡 Example: "Make a to-do list for your villain. Share it below."
Write a love letter to your favorite setting.
💡 Example: "Write a love letter to your favorite setting."
Use only dialogue to reveal a plot twist.
💡 Example: "Use only dialogue to reveal a plot twist."
Describe a sunset in five unique words. Who is up for it?
💡 Example: "Describe a sunset in five unique words. Who is up for it?"
Share the best piece of writing advice you ever received.
💡 Example: "Share the best piece of writing advice you ever received."
Write a scene from an animal's point of view.
💡 Example: "Write a scene from an animal's point of view."
Describe a feeling without naming it. Can you do it?
💡 Example: "Describe a feeling without naming it. Can you do it?"
Write a short story inspired by your favorite song lyric.
💡 Example: "Write a short story inspired by your favorite song lyric."
Share a title for a book you want to write one day.
💡 Example: "Share a title for a book you want to write one day."
Turn the last text you received into a story prompt.
💡 Example: "Turn the last text you received into a story prompt."
Write a micro-story using only questions.
💡 Example: "Write a micro-story using only questions."
Pick a challenge template that fits your community's mood or goals and personalize it with your group's details. Announce the challenge with clear instructions, a specific time frame, and any rewards or recognition for participants. Pin or highlight the post to keep it visible, and encourage members to share their progress or results in the comments. Follow up with shoutouts or small prizes to keep the momentum going.
Since these templates work on all platforms, adapt them to your community's main channel. Use hashtags for visibility, pin posts in forums, or create event threads in chat apps. Adjust formatting for your platform's features, like polls or image sharing, to maximize engagement.
To adapt the templates for different genres, consider adjusting prompts, word count limits, and challenge durations to suit each form. For poetry, you might introduce structure-based challenges (like haikus or sonnets), whereas flash fiction challenges could focus on thematic constraints or specific opening lines. Always clarify genre expectations in each challenge post to guide your group.
For a critique swap, use the templates to pair group members based on writing styles or genres. Clearly outline guidelines for giving constructive feedback, such as using the ‘compliment, question, suggestion’ method. You can incorporate deadlines for submissions and feedback, and even provide sample critique rubrics directly in your challenge post.
Leverage advanced templates like serialized story or ongoing world-building challenges that span multiple weeks. You can introduce escalating difficulty or collaborative storytelling elements. Encourage experienced members to host themed guest challenges or lead panel critique sessions, using specific templates to maintain structure and excitement.
Absolutely. Use templates designed for collaborative formats, specifying clear turn orders, word limits per entry, and timeframes for each contribution. Set up mechanisms for seamless story handoffs (e.g., tagging the next writer). Offer suggestions for continuity, like carrying forward a character arc or plot twist, to keep the narrative cohesive.
Many templates include timeline modules where you can specify external submission deadlines (e.g., for contests or magazines). Use these to build challenges around real industry opportunities. Clarify expectations for formatting, word count, and submission guidelines in your challenge post, and offer optional peer review sessions before the deadline.
Select templates that focus on sharing excerpts, such as the first 250 words or a query letter. Outline explicit feedback criteria (e.g., hook effectiveness, clarity, voice). Set up comment threads for each participant’s entry and encourage structured, supportive critique. Consider rotating feedback partners or featuring a ‘spotlight’ entry for group-wide discussion.
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