First week done! Thank you everyone for jumping in, and a reminder that you can always start the challenge anytime if you'd like - just comment "I'm in" on the pinned post and start writing! Even a few sentences count. With that said, I'm gonna tag the people who've started thus far and their total days (from what I can see in the group itself, obvs if you write and don't post about it that's still excellent, I just can't see it :P). Starting with... Me! I'm at 3/28 so far. @Hannah Cardamone! 8/28, nicely done. @Kirsten Ivatts, at 4/28! @Kexxie Wolf, at 3/28! @Clare Naden, at 8/28! @Vera Sephora, @Jessica Huckabay, @Nesha W, and @Eliud Kimathi, who I can't see any explicit challenge posts by as of yet (which doesn't necessarily mean you haven't been writing, I know Jessica recently finished a 10k word challenge, for example). Don't be shy, though! Even posting a quick paragraph about an idea you had is enough for a day.

I've been quite focused on writing and revising my first chapter. I joined the Novel Beginnings challenge in ProWritingAid and have close to 5000 words which is the limit in the challenge. I have received two rounds of critiques on Scribophile and done two AI critiques on ProWritingAid. I did some revisions to make the first scene keep moving and to show more about the characters. I just finished another revision in which I worked on establishing the omnicient POV sooner and added a scene with the antagonist. I also added some writing to show the protagonist having a more gradual change of state and develop the minor characters more through unique dialogue. I plan on also revising a bit to give the protagonist more agency as she is passively following along a lot as her allies educate her about her new environment. I thought I would need to include the first and second chapters to have the 5000 words, but as I revise, I'm adding more words and it might just be the first chapter. The biggest win is that I am enjoying the revising process. I previously dreaded it when I wrote mostly poetry and it would flow out with the feelings of the moment. I saw no need for major revisions once the moment passed. But now, writing a novel and learning about all the aspects of building the structure and flow, it's more like a sculpture or painting I can return to and add layers of the story. One question I have is about creating unique ways of speaking for the different characters in the dialogue to show more of their personalities. Any siggestions for techniques or exercises to do for this would be much appreciated.

Had a small writing realization yesterday morning (yes, this took me a whole day to squeeze enough time to write out) that felt worth sharing. I’ve been circling a sci-fi project (tentatively calling it The Somniarch Spaces) for a while, trying to build it the same way I build big fantasy worlds - lore first, structure first, everything mapped out. Then, driving to work, I passed through a low bank of fog and had a simple thought: What if that fog were alive? No symbolism or metaphor, just a fundamentally alien premise. Felt more weighty, almost ominous to drive through it. Haven’t had that feeling in a while, it was nice. That flipped something for me. I realized Somniarchs doesn’t want empires or timelines yet. It wants moments. Little, strange instances where something impossible is briefly true. A fog that experiences itself, a fire that reacts to hunger, a building that develops a dim sense of self. Those small, unconnected pieces will gradually build up into a bigger answer to its central question. It was a good reminder that different projects want different entry points. Sometimes forcing the “right” method is what stalls you. Or heck, just not yet knowing the one you need exists! Curious if anyone else here has had that moment where you realized you were trying to write the right thing in the wrong way.

This is for the ones who are just starting, coming back or are in a moment where the blank page sits and waits: For the days the words don’t come. Sit with silence like an old friend. Start ugly. Begin broken. Finish gently. Let it go. And when the world asks what you made... say only this: “I made a way back to myself"

February is 28 days. Let’s see what happens if you show up for most of them! This challenge is a low-pressure way for you to build a huge stack of evidence for your identity as a writer. No 30k word goals or hustle required, just a solid foundation of you consistently showing up. Works for newbie novelists, part-time poets, or even industry professionals; anyone can benefit from writing more often. How to join: 1. Comment “I’m in” on this post. That’s it, you’re in. Optional: If you want to be a Booster, check the bottom of this post for how to do the “Share Boost” thing and get a shoutout in the recap/Hall of Fame. What counts as showing up: A day counts if you make a post of about 30+ words in the group - doesn't have to be much, just not "Hey, I'm alive" - that moves your writing forward. Make sure to include "X/28" in the title (X being the number of days you've done) so it's easy for you to keep track. For example: “5/28 - Micro-scene before work” Examples that count: - A Daily Write post - A response to the weekly prompt - A short draft/micro-scene/poem - A list of ideas or titles you might write - A reflection on what blocked you today and what you’ll try tomorrow - A question asking for feedback, with some context or a sample Busy? Kids? Full‑time job or school? All three? No stress! If you can write a short paragraph, you can participate. If you prefer to lurk, no worries, but for the challenge, you've gotta put some actual words down (even if they're not prose). Also - the days don't have to be consecutive! Consistency doesn't mean "become a robot", and we've all got lives; if you need to miss a day or two, no worries. Three Ways To Win: February has 28 days. You can land in any of these: - Gold - February Finisher: Post on 21+ days - Silver - February Builder: Post on 14–20 days - Bronze - February Starter: Post on 7–13 days Any tier is a win. The point is to build proof, not perfection. On March 1, I'll make a post for you to show: