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How to Write the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay + Examples

What’s covered:.

• What is the Overcoming Challenges Essay?
• Real Overcoming Challenges Essay Prompts
• How to Choose a Topic
• Writing Tips

Overcoming Challenges Essay Examples

• Where to Get Your Essay Edited

While any college essay can be intimidating, the Overcoming Challenges prompt often worries students the most. Those students who’ve been lucky enough not to experience trauma tend to assume they have nothing worth saying. On the other hand, students who’ve overcome larger obstacles may be hesitant to talk about them.

Regardless of your particular circumstances, there are steps you can take to make the essay writing process simpler. Here are our top tips for writing the overcoming challenges essay successfully.

What is the “Overcoming Challenges” Essay?

The overcoming challenges prompt shows up frequently in both main application essays (like the Common App) and supplemental essays. Because supplemental essays allow students to provide schools with additional information, applicants should be sure that the subject matter they choose to write about differs from what’s in their main essay.

Students often assume the overcoming challenges essay requires them to detail past traumas. While you can certainly write about an experience that’s had a profound effect on your life, it’s important to remember that colleges aren’t evaluating students based on the seriousness of the obstacle they overcame.

On the contrary, the goal of this essay is to show admissions officers that you have the intelligence and fortitude to handle any challenges that come your way. After all, college serves as an introduction to adult life, and schools want to know that the students they admit are up to the task. 

Real “Overcoming Challenges” Essay Prompts

To help you understand what the “Overcoming Challenges” essay looks like, here are a couple sample prompts.

Currently, the Common Application asks students to answer the following prompt in 650 words or less:

“The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

For the past several years, MIT has prompted students to write 200 to 250 words on the following:

“Tell us about the most significant challenge you’ve faced or something important that didn’t go according to plan. How did you manage the situation?”

In both cases, the prompts explicitly ask for your response to the challenge. The event itself isn’t as important as how it pushed you to grow.

How to Choose a Topic for an Essay on Overcoming Challenges

When it comes to finding the best topic for your overcoming challenges essays, there’s no right answer. The word “challenge” is ambiguous and could be used to reference a wide range of situations from prevailing over a bully to getting over your lifelong stage fright to appear in a school musical. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind when selecting an essay subject.

1. Avoid trivial or common topics

While there aren’t many hard-and-fast rules for choosing an essay topic, students should avoid overdone topics.

These include:

• Working hard in a challenging class
• Overcoming a sports injury
• Moving schools or immigrating to the US
• Tragedy (divorce, death, abuse)

Admissions officers have read numerous essays on the subject, so it’s harder for you to stand out (see our full list of cliché college essay topics to avoid ). If events like these were truly formative to you, you can still choose to write about them, but you’ll need to be as personal as possible. 

It’s also ideal if you have a less traditional storyline for a cliché topic; for example, if your sports injury led you to discover a new passion, that would be a more unique story than detailing how you overcame your injury and got back in the game.

Similarly, students may not want to write about an obstacle that admissions committees could perceive as low stakes, such as getting a B on a test, or getting into a small fight with a friend. The goal of this essay is to illustrate how you respond to adversity, so the topic you pick should’ve been at least impactful on your personal growth.

2. Pick challenges that demonstrate qualities you want to highlight

Students often mistakenly assume they need to have experienced exceptional circumstances like poverty, an abusive parent, or cancer to write a good essay. The truth is that the best topics will allow you to highlight specific personal qualities and share more about who you are. The essay should be less about the challenge itself, and more about how you responded to it.

Ask yourself what personality traits you want to emphasize, and see what’s missing in your application. Maybe you want to highlight your adaptability, for example, but that isn’t clearly expressed in your application. In this case, you might write about a challenge that put your adaptability to the test, or shaped you to become more adaptable.

Here are some examples of good topics we’ve seen over the years:

• Not having a coach for a sports team and becoming one yourself
• Helping a parent through a serious health issue
• Trying to get the school track dedicated to a coach
• Having to switch your Model UN position last-minute

Tips for Writing an Essay About Overcoming Challenges

Once you’ve selected a topic for your essays, it’s time to sit down and write. For best results, make sure your essay focuses on your efforts to tackle an obstacle rather than the problem itself. Additionally, you could avoid essay writing pitfalls by doing the following:

1. Choose an original essay structure

If you want your overcoming challenges essay to attract attention, aim to break away from more traditional structures. Most of these essays start by describing an unsuccessful attempt at a goal and then explain the steps the writer took to master the challenge. 

You can stand out by choosing a challenge you’re still working on overcoming, or focus on a mental or emotional challenge that spans multiple activities or events. For example, you might discuss your fear of public speaking and how that impacted your ability to coach your brother’s Little League team and run for Student Council. 

You can also choose a challenge that can be narrated in the moment, such as being put on the spot to teach a yoga class. These challenges can make particularly engaging essays, as you get to experience the writer’s thoughts and emotions as they unfold.

Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to have succeeded in your goal for this essay. Maybe you ran for an election and lost, or maybe you proposed a measure to the school board that wasn’t passed. It’s still possible to write a strong essay about topics like these as long as you focus on your personal growth. In fact, these may make for even stronger essays since they are more unconventional topics.

2. Focus on the internal

When writing about past experiences, you may be tempted to spend too much time describing specific people and events. With an Overcoming Challenges essay though, the goal is to focus on your thoughts and feelings.

For example, rather than detail all the steps you took to become a better public speaker, use the majority of your essay to describe your mental state as you embarked on the journey to achieving your goals. Were you excited, scared, anxious, or hopeful? Don’t be afraid to let the reader in on your innermost emotions and thoughts during this process.

3. Share what you learned 

An Overcoming Challenges essay should leave the reader with a clear understanding of what you learned on your journey, be it physical, mental, or emotional. There’s no need to explicitly say “this experience taught me X,” but your essay should at least implicitly share any lessons you learned. This can be done through your actions and in-the-moment reflections. Remember that the goal is to show admissions committees why your experiences make you a great candidate for admission. 

Was I no longer the beloved daughter of nature, whisperer of trees? Knee-high rubber boots, camouflage, bug spray—I wore the g arb and perfume of a proud wild woman, yet there I was, hunched over the pathetic pile of stubborn sticks, utterly stumped, on the verge of tears. As a child, I had considered myself a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes, who was serenaded by mourning doves and chickadees, who could glide through tick-infested meadows and emerge Lyme-free. I knew the cracks of the earth like the scars on my own rough palms. Yet here I was, ten years later, incapable of performing the most fundamental outdoor task: I could not, for the life of me, start a fire. 

Furiously I rubbed the twigs together—rubbed and rubbed until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers. No smoke. The twigs were too young, too sticky-green; I tossed them away with a shower of curses, and began tearing through the underbrush in search of a more flammable collection. My efforts were fruitless. Livid, I bit a rejected twig, determined to prove that the forest had spurned me, offering only young, wet bones that would never burn. But the wood cracked like carrots between my teeth—old, brittle, and bitter. Roaring and nursing my aching palms, I retreated to the tent, where I sulked and awaited the jeers of my family. 

Rattling their empty worm cans and reeking of fat fish, my brother and cousins swaggered into the campsite. Immediately, they noticed the minor stick massacre by the fire pit and called to me, their deep voices already sharp with contempt. 

“Where’s the fire, Princess Clara?” they taunted. “Having some trouble?” They prodded me with the ends of the chewed branches and, with a few effortless scrapes of wood on rock, sparked a red and roaring flame. My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame. 

In the tent, I pondered my failure. Was I so dainty? Was I that incapable? I thought of my hands, how calloused and capable they had been, how tender and smooth they had become. It had been years since I’d kneaded mud between my fingers; instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano, my hands softening into those of a musician—fleshy and sensitive. And I’d gotten glasses, having grown horrifically nearsighted; long nights of dim lighting and thick books had done this. I couldn’t remember the last time I had lain down on a hill, barefaced, and seen the stars without having to squint. Crawling along the edge of the tent, a spider confirmed my transformation—he disgusted me, and I felt an overwhelming urge to squash him. 

Yet, I realized I hadn’t really changed—I had only shifted perspective. I still eagerly explored new worlds, but through poems and prose rather than pastures and puddles. I’d grown to prefer the boom of a bass over that of a bullfrog, learned to coax a different kind of fire from wood, having developed a burn for writing rhymes and scrawling hypotheses. 

That night, I stayed up late with my journal and wrote about the spider I had decided not to kill. I had tolerated him just barely, only shrieking when he jumped—it helped to watch him decorate the corners of the tent with his delicate webs, knowing that he couldn’t start fires, either. When the night grew cold and the embers died, my words still smoked—my hands burned from all that scrawling—and even when I fell asleep, the ideas kept sparking—I was on fire, always on fire.

This essay is an excellent example because the writer turns an everyday challenge—starting a fire—into an exploration of her identity. The writer was once “a kind of rustic princess, a cradler of spiders and centipedes,” but has since traded her love of the outdoors for a love of music, writing, and reading. 

The story begins in media res , or in the middle of the action, allowing readers to feel as if we’re there with the writer. One of the essay’s biggest strengths is its use of imagery. We can easily visualize the writer’s childhood and the present day. For instance, she states that she “rubbed and rubbed [the twigs] until shreds of skin flaked from my fingers.”

The writing has an extremely literary quality, particularly with its wordplay. The writer reappropriates words and meanings, and even appeals to the senses: “My face burned long after I left the fire pit. The camp stank of salmon and shame.” She later uses a parallelism to cleverly juxtapose her changed interests: “instead of scaling a white pine, I’d practiced scales on my piano.”

One of the essay’s main areas of improvement is its overemphasis on the “story” and lack of emphasis on the reflection. The second to last paragraph about changing perspective is crucial to the essay, as it ties the anecdote to larger lessons in the writer’s life. She states that she hasn’t changed, but has only shifted perspective. Yet, we don’t get a good sense of where this realization comes from and how it impacts her life going forward. 

The end of the essay offers a satisfying return to the fire imagery, and highlights the writer’s passion—the one thing that has remained constant in her life.

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

While the writer didn’t succeed in getting the track dedicated to Coach Stark, their essay is certainly successful in showing their willingness to push themselves and take initiative.

The essay opens with a quote from Coach Stark that later comes full circle at the end of the essay. We learn about Stark’s impact and the motivation for trying to get the track dedicated to him.

One of the biggest areas of improvement in the intro, however, is how the essay tells us Stark’s impact rather than showing us: His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The writer could’ve helped us feel a stronger emotional connection to Stark if they had included examples of Stark’s qualities, rather than explicitly stating them. For example, they could’ve written something like: Stark was the kind of person who would give you gas money if you told him your parents couldn’t afford to pick you up from practice. And he actually did that—several times. At track meets, alumni regularly would come talk to him and tell him how he’d changed their lives. Before Stark, I was ambivalent about running and was on the JV team, but his encouragement motivated me to run longer and harder and eventually make varsity. Because of him, I approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running.

The essay goes on to explain how the writer overcame their apprehension of public speaking, and likens the process of submitting an appeal to the school board to running a race. This metaphor makes the writing more engaging and allows us to feel the student’s emotions.

While the student didn’t ultimately succeed in getting the track dedicated, we learn about their resilience and initiative: I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Overall, this essay is well-done. It demonstrates growth despite failing to meet a goal, which is a unique essay structure. The running metaphor and full-circle intro/ending also elevate the writing in this essay.

Where to Get Your Overcoming Challenges Essay Edited

The Overcoming Challenges essay is one of the trickier supplemental prompts, so it’s important to get feedback on your drafts. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How to Write the Overcoming Challenges Essay + Example

April 17, 2023

At some point, most college-bound students are tasked with writing an overcoming challenges essay. The prompt crops up in various forms, as a supplemental short essay about overcoming a challenge, and in as the main essay itself.

Some students may feel inclined to write about a dramatic experience (say, spotting a grizzly bear outside the kitchen window), mistaking the drama of the moment for a significant challenge. Others may get to work, only to realize they don’t have much to say about the time they got a C in P.E. (that dreaded frisbee unit). Students who’ve overcome unspeakable difficulties, like a death in the family, may find that reducing the tragedy to 650 words feels insufficient, or worse—as if they’re attempting to profit from suffering. One or two students may stare down the blank computer screen as their entire existence shrinks to the size of a 12-point font. Should they write about the challenge of writing about the challenge of writing an overcoming challenges essay??

Don’t worry. Focusing first on how to tackle the essay will help any student decide what they should write about. In fact, how the essay is written will also prove more influential than the challenge itself in determining the strength of the essay.

Decoding the Prompt

Let’s take a look at the overcoming challenges essay question included among the seven 2023-24 Common App Essay Prompts :

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Notice how the prompt places an immediate emphasis on the “lessons we take,” rather than on the obstacles themselves, or any potential success. This is because the challenge itself often says less about the student than the way the student chose to tackle it, or the way they now reflect on it. In other words, obstacles often come at us randomly; it’s our personal response to the circumstances which reveals something of who we are.

While studying a prompt for clues, it’s helpful to think from the perspective of the admissions officer (the essay reader). What can they glean from an overcoming challenges essay?  A lot, actually. A thoughtfully written essay may tell them about the student’s personality, as well as things like problem-solving techniques, rigor, persistence, creativity, and courage. These insights can work to prove to the admissions officers that the student has what it takes to overcome challenges in college, too. These future challenges may range from the inevitable academic obstacles that occur with heavy courseloads, to social and moral challenges that arise as college students form their adult identities.

Picking Your Topic: A Brainstorming Activity

With the question of identity in mind, let’s now approach the overcoming challenges essay backwards, by brainstorming the final message the student wants it to contain.

For this three-part exercise, the student will first set a five-minute timer. With the clock ticking, they’ll jot down character traits, values, and any descriptive words or terms that say something about who they are. If stumped, change perspective. The student may imagine what their best friends, parents, coaches and siblings would say. (For example, tenacious , logical , scientific , peacemaker .) Even mild criticism can be helpful, as long as it’s not cruel. While a student’s brother may call him a “perfectionist,” perhaps this word will trigger other relevant words, like persistent and detail-oriented.

Next, the student will set the timer for another five minutes, pull out a second sheet of paper, and jot down any challenges, obstacles, setbacks, failures, and achievements that come to mind. Don’t hold back here or overanalyze. (For example: underdog at state swim meet , getting lost on the family hike , petitioning for a school compost system …)

Lastly, the student will place the two pages side by side, and draw lines between the items on the list wherever connections occur. One student may draw lines between persistent , curious , gamer , passionate about electronics , and saved the day during the power outage. Another set of lines might connect caring, observant, creative thinker , and helped sister leave abusive cult . Whatever ideas are sparked here, the goal is to identify which challenges will demonstrate something essential about the student to an admissions officer.

Topics to Avoid

The internet is rife with advice on what not to write when writing an overcoming challenges essay. Yet this advice can be confusing, or downright hypocritical. For instance, some may advise against writing about death. Yet a student who lost their father at an early age may be capable of writing a poignant essay about their search for an alternative father figure, and how they found one in their soccer coach.

I suggest avoiding guides on what not to write until after the student has done a thorough round of brainstorming. Otherwise, they risk censoring themselves too early, and may reject a promising idea. Once they’ve narrowed down their list to three ideas or less, they may want to check our guide on College Application Essay Topics to Avoid .

The reason why certain types of overcoming challenges essays miss the mark is that they emphasize the wrong aspect of the experience, which turns the topic into a cliché. While it’s generally a good idea to avoid trivial topics (again, that C in P.E.), any topic has the potential to be compelling, if it’s animated through personal opinions, insight, and description. Details bring an experience to life. Structure and reflection make an essay convincing. In other words, how the story is told will determine whether or not the topic is worth writing about.

So, rather than avoid specific topics, consider avoiding these scenarios: if you can’t show the essay to your best friend or grandmother, it’s probably not ready to show a college admissions officer. If you must write a clichéd topic, don’t choose a typical structure.

Techniques to Hone

Techniques that animate an overcoming challenges essay are the same ones used in storytelling. Think setting, visuals, sounds, dialogue, physical sensations, and feelings. “Showing” instead of “telling.” Crafting the essay with these inner and external details will bring the challenge to life, and catch the reader’s attention.

Another technique which works well when trying to avoid the trappings of cliché involve subverting the reader’s expectations. In storytelling terms, this is a plot twist. The student who got a C in P.E. may actually have a stellar essay on their hands, if they can break away from the “bad grade” trope (working harder to improve their grade). Perhaps this student’s story is actually about how, while sitting on the bleachers and not participating in the game, they found themselves watching the frisbee spin through the air, and realized they had a deep interest in the movement of astronomical bodies.

Some of the strongest overcoming challenges essays demonstrate what students have learned about themselves, rather than what they’ve learned about the obstacle they confronted. These essays may show how the student has come to see themselves differently, or how they’ve decided to change, thanks to the challenge they faced. These essays work because the reflection is natural and even profound, based on the student’s self-awareness.

Writing the Overcoming Challenges Essay, or Drafts, Drafts, Drafts

Everyone writes differently, some by outlining (never a bad idea), some by free-styling (good for capturing sensations and memories), some by lighting a candle—but don’t procrastinate too much. The only “must” is to revise. After a first draft, the student should begin to look for several things:

1) Clarity and Detail. Is the challenge recounted with precision? Is it personal?

2) Structure. Consider mapping the structure, to visualize it better. Does the structure suit the story? Can it be changed for clarity, or to keep the reader more engaged?

3) Cliché. Identify words, sentences, and ideas that are dull or repetitive. Mark them up, and in the next draft, find ways to rewrite, subvert, condense, and delete.

4) Lesson Learned. Has the student reflected adequately on the lesson they learned from overcoming a challenge? To add more reflection, students might ask themselves what they have felt and thought about the experience since. Would they do something differently, if faced with the same challenge? Has their understanding of the experience evolved over time?

By the final draft, the experience and the reflection should feel equally weighted. To get there, it may take five or six drafts.

Overcoming Challenges Essay Sample

The Happiness Hotline

First there were reports. Then we were told to stop socializing, go inside, wait. Covid struck. Everyone knows what ensued. It probably looked different from where we were all (separately) standing, even though we faced the same thing. Those first weeks, I stood at my bedroom window. It was dark by early evening in Oregon. The weirdest part—after the fact that we were collectively sharing the loneliest experience of our lives—was the silence.

… it was really quiet.

So quiet, I could hear my mom sigh downstairs. (So quiet, I couldn’t remember if I’d hummed aloud, or if I’d just heard myself in my head.) When I looked out the window, I could hear the stoplight at the end of our street. Green to yellow. Click.

Before going on, you should know three things. First, this is not a Covid essay. This is about melancholy, and the “sadness that has taken on lightness,” to quote Italo Calvino. Second, from my bedroom window, I can see down a row of oak trees, past the hospital, to my friend Carlo’s house. Third, Carlo is a jazz singer. Maybe that sounds pretentious, a freshman kid being a jazz singer, but that’s Carlo, and I wouldn’t be me without Carlo being Carlo. He’s someone who appreciates the unhinged rhythm of a Charlie Parker tune. He’s an extrovert who can bring introverts like me out of my shell. He convinced me to learn trombone, and together we riff in the after-school jazz club.

In the first month of the pandemic, we called each other nightly to talk rap albums, school stuff. At Carlo’s house, he could hear a white-crowned sparrow. He could also hear his parents talking numbers behind the bathroom door. The death toll was mounting. The cost of living was going up too. As the month wore on, I began to hear something else in our calls, in the way Carlo paused, or forgot what he was saying. Carlo was scared. He felt sad, isolated, and without his bright energy, I too, felt utterly alone.

Overcoming Challenges Essay Sample (Continued)

After some dark days, I realized that to help ourselves we needed to help others. It was pretty obvious the more I thought about it. People are social creatures, supposedly, even introverts. Maybe our neighbors needed to remember the noisiness of life.

We built a happiness hotline. That sounds fancy, though essentially, we provided three-way calls on my parents’ landline. The harder part involved making flyers and putting them up around town, in places people were still going. Grocery stores, the post office. We made a TikTok account, and then—the phone rang. Our first caller.

For months, if you called in, you could talk to us about your days in lockdown. People went really deep about the meaning of life, and we had to learn on the spot how to respond. I’d become a journalist and a therapist before becoming a sophomore. After chatting, the caller would request a song, and if we knew how to play it, we would. If not, we improvised.

Now we’re seniors in high school. Carlo visits the hospital with band members. As for myself, I’ve been working on a community music book, compiling our callers’ favorite tunes. I don’t want to forget how important it felt to make these connections. Our callers taught me that loneliness is a bit like a virus, a bit like a song. Even when it stops it can come back to haunt you, as a new variant or an old refrain. Still, sadness can take on lightness when voices call through the dark: sparrows, friends, strangers. I learned I’m good at listening into the silence. Listening isn’t only a passive stance, but an open line of receiving.

Analysis of the Overcoming Challenges Essay Sample

This student uses their musical passion to infuse the essay with vivid detail. There’s a focus on sound throughout, from the bird to the stoplight. Then there are the callers, and the clever way the student conceived of breaking through the silence. The narrator’s voice sharpens the piece further, elevating a clichéd Covid essay to a personal story of self-discovery.

In fact, the essay briefly breaks with structure to tell the reader that this is not a Covid essay. Although techniques like this should be used sparingly, it works here by grabbing the reader’s attention. It also allows the student to organize their thoughts on the page, before moving the plot along.

Outwardly, the student is overcoming the challenge of loneliness in a time of quarantine. Yet there seems to be an inner, unspoken challenge as well, that of coming to terms with the student’s introverted personality. The essay’s reflection occurs in the final paragraph, making the essay experience-heavy. However, clues woven throughout point to the reflection that will come. Details like the Italo Calvino quote hint at the later understanding of how to alleviate loneliness. While some readers might prefer more development, the various themes are threaded throughout, which makes for a satisfying ending.

A Last Word on the Short Essay About Overcoming Challenges

The short essay about overcoming a challenge requires the same steps as a longer one. To write it, follow the same brainstorming activity, then focus more on condensing and summarizing the experience. Students who’ve already written a longer overcoming challenges essay can approach the short essay about overcoming a challenge by streamlining. Instead of deleting all the extra bits, keep two interesting details that will flavor the essay with something memorable and unique.

• College Essay

Kaylen Baker

With a BA in Literary Studies from Middlebury College, an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University, and a Master’s in Translation from Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis, Kaylen has been working with students on their writing for over five years. Previously, Kaylen taught a fiction course for high school students as part of Columbia Artists/Teachers, and served as an English Language Assistant for the French National Department of Education. Kaylen is an experienced writer/translator whose work has been featured in Los Angeles Review, Hybrid, San Francisco Bay Guardian, France Today, and Honolulu Weekly, among others.

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How to Write a Personal Challenge Essay (with Examples)

A personal challenge essay offers a singular chance for introspection and personal development. It gives you a chance to consider your past, face difficulties, and demonstrate your tenacity. This essay structure enables you to communicate your ideas and experiences with others, regardless of whether you’ve overcome hardship, dealt with a tricky circumstance, or chased an audacious goal. You’ll walk you through the phases of writing an engaging personal challenge essay in this in-depth guide, complete with samples that demonstrate the procedure.

Understanding the Personal Challenge Essay

The Personal challenges in life as a student essay asks you to describe an instance or time in your life when you had to overcome challenges, setbacks, or barriers. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate your resilience, your capacity to face adversity, and the lessons you’ve picked up along the road. This kind of article necessitates reflection, sincerity, and skillful narrative.

Selecting a Meaningful Challenge

It’s important to pick the correct challenge to write about. Think about Personal challenges in life as a student essay that profoundly influenced your development, principles, or attitude on life. It can have been an obstacle you overcame in your studies, relationships, sense of self, or any other area of your life. The task should have personal significance for you and provide information that your audience can relate to.

Structuring Your Personal Challenge Essay

To effectively portray your experiences, feelings, and growth, writing an engaging personal challenge essay involves careful thought and a well-organized format. The following steps will show you how to organize your essay such that it presents a logical and interesting story:

Introduction:

Beginning your essay with an attention-grabbing hook that draws the reader in and highlights the topic of the difficulty you’ll be exploring is a good idea. This might be a provocative inquiry, a moving saying, a detailed account, or a first-hand account associated with your issue.

Background & Context:

Make sure the reader has all the background knowledge they need to comprehend your dilemma. Describe the context, surroundings, and any other pertinent information that establishes the scene for your narrative. Additionally, you have the choice to ask for assistance from PhD thesis writing help if you run into difficulties when writing the background and context of your thesis or dissertation or if you are unsure owing to a lack of experience. They can offer helpful assistance to improve the caliber of your work.

The Challenge:

Describe the challenge in detail in a portion of your essay. When describing the challenges, difficulties, or setbacks you encountered, be descriptive and in-depth.

Your Reaction and Result:

Write about how you responded to the challenge in this part. What steps have you taken? Did you make crucial decisions, prepare a plan, or ask for assistance? Be sure to emphasize your ability to solve problems, tenacity, and any other traits that may have helped you overcome the obstacle.

Growth and Reflection:

Consider the encounter and share what you took away from it. What effects did the challenge have on your emotions, mind, and possibly even body? What new understandings did you get about who you are, your values, or your outlook on life? Describe how you overcame the obstacle to grow personally, discover yourself, or alter your perspective.

Takeaways & Lessons:

The exact lessons you took away from overcoming the obstacle should be highlighted. What priceless knowledge, abilities, or traits did you acquire as a result? Describe how these teachings have shaped your current behavior, choices, or attitude in life.

Conclusion:

Writing a compelling conclusion that connects everything can help you to conclude your essay. Write a summary of your shared journey, highlighting your personal development and new perspectives.

Include a Call to Action (Optional):

Depending on the nature of your issue, you might want to include a call to action that prompts the reader to reflect on their own issues, take action, or adopt a particular attitude.

After you’ve finished writing the essay, take some time to review and make any necessary changes. Check that the grammar, spelling, and punctuation in your writing are correct, as well as the flow.

Maintain You’re Authentic Voice Throughout the Essay:

While it’s crucial to follow a structured methodology, don’t forget to preserve your authentic voice. Remain sincere, honest, and personal in your writing. Your unique perspective and emotions will lend greater authenticity to your writing and make it more compelling. By adhering to the instructions outlined in this comprehensive guide, you’ll effectively organize your personal challenge essay. This approach will skillfully lead your readers through your journey, captivating their attention and leaving a memorable impression. Furthermore, if you find it challenging to maintain a systematic approach, consider seeking assistance from master thesis writing help. Their expertise can aid you in completing your work with precision and coherence.

Don’ts and Dos

Be upfront and honest when discussing your experiences. Do emphasize your development and lessons acquired. To keep the reader’s attention, employ colorful language and descriptions. Don’t make up or embellish details. Instead of blaming others for the difficulty, concentrate on your solution. Choose a challenge that had a significant influence rather than one that was inconsequential.

Examples of Personal Challenge Essays

Following are the Personal challenge essay examples:

Overcoming Academic Challenges:

Navigating the challenges we face in life essay can be a transformative journey that leads to personal growth and self-discovery. A prime example of this is when I confronted a series of academic setbacks. I realized that my ingrained fear of failing was standing in the way of my development. I, however, resisted allowing this fear to direct my course. I started a quest for self-improvement with pure tenacity. I reached out for guidance and support, shedding light on the power of seeking assistance when needed.

Overcoming Fear:

For instance, I had always been terrified of public speaking, but I had to face my phobia to present in front of a large crowd. I overcame my anxiety about public speaking over time with practice and confidence, and I also acquired speaking abilities that I still use today.

Dealing with Personal Loss:

Losing a loved one was a difficult emotional experience that altered my outlook on relationships and life. I learned the value of cherishing moments and helping others in need through my grief and contemplation.

Examples of challenges you have overcome as a student essay

I have encountered a range of challenges as a student, which has pushed my perseverance, adaptability, and resilience to the test. Even though they occasionally proved to be challenging, these obstacles ultimately helped me become a better and more capable individual. Here are a few instances of obstacles I overcame in my academic career:

Time Management Challenges:

Juggling schoolwork, assignments, extracurricular activities, and personal obligations can be difficult. There were times when I struggled to adequately manage my time, which resulted in missed deadlines and frustration. To overcome this difficulty, I started adopting time management strategies like making a thorough calendar, establishing priorities, and breaking work down into smaller, more manageable pieces. I became more organized about my obligations over time, which led to increased productivity and decreased stress. Furthermore, many students pursuing careers in the medical field face similarly demanding schedules that make it challenging to meet deadlines. In such cases, they often turn to nursing research paper writing services to ensure the quality and timeliness of their assignments.

Academic Setbacks:

It was demoralizing to experience academic setbacks, such as earning lower grades than expected. I decided to take advantage of these setbacks as chances for improvement rather than giving in to self-doubt. I requested input from my lecturers, made note of my weaknesses, and put focused study techniques into practice. I was able to improve my academic performance and regain my confidence by persevering and being willing to learn from my failures.

Language Barrier:

Navigating English as a second language introduced a unique set of challenges, especially in terms of effective communication and the completion of writing assignments. In essays and presentations, I often encountered hurdles in articulating my thoughts coherently and concisely. To overcome this hurdle, I actively expanded my vocabulary, engaged in consistent reading and writing exercises, and actively sought input from peers and professors. Furthermore, this drive to enhance my linguistic abilities not only improved my communication skills but also bolstered my confidence in expressing myself in academic and professional settings. My determination to conquer these language-related challenges demonstrates my commitment to growth and adaptability, qualities that I believe would make me a strong candidate for the Harvard Scholarship Essay .

Dynamics of Group Projects:

Due to the various work habits, schedules, and perspectives held by the group members, collaborative projects have occasionally proven to be difficult. I adopted efficient communication techniques, such as active listening and open discussion, to handle these circumstances. By praising each team member’s abilities and accomplishments, I helped to create a more effective and pleasant working atmosphere.

Personal Well-Being and Health:

It can be difficult to maintain a good balance between your personal needs and your academic obligations. I have occasionally overlooked my needs, which has resulted in burnout and a decline in drive. I gave exercise, wholesome eating, and regular breaks top priority since I understood how important self-care was. This all-encompassing strategy not only increased my general well-being but also sharpened my attention and increased my output. These examples collectively constitute my challenges in life as a student essay. They serve as valuable lessons that offer insights on how to navigate and overcome various situations.

How to Revise and Improve Your Essay

For instance, if you are given a topic such as “Essay on Environmental Problems and Their Solutions” and you’re not well-versed in it, it’s advisable to invest time in research. This will enable you to create quality content for your essay. After writing your personal challenge essay, it’s essential to engage in the editing and revision process. Ensure that your essay flows logically and that your ideas are well-organized. Edit for clarity, grammar, and punctuation. If you’re seeking a comprehensive perspective, consider seeking feedback from peers, professors, or mentors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final thoughts.

Writing a personal challenge essay offers you the chance to share your unique journey and inspire others through your resilience and progress you can create an engaging tale that engrosses your readers by choosing a pertinent challenge, using a solid essay structure, and remaining honest. It’s crucial to remember that your essay about a personal issue demonstrates both your capacity for self-reflection and personal development in addition to your capacity for overcoming challenges. For those who face challenges in managing their academic tasks, there are online homework writing services available that can provide valuable assistance and support.

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Top 11 Toughest Writing Challenges And How To Overcome Them

This article contains everything you need to know about writing challenges, what causes them, and how to overcome them.

Writing is a lonely, mentally challenging, and sometimes grinding profession. Most of your time is spent in front of a screen, trying to put words together, while your brain is telling you, “Nobody would read this.”

On top of that, you’re expected to create a schedule, set rates, and find time for family and friends. Like Ernest Hemingway famously said ,

“Writing, at its best, is a lonely life.” Ernest Hemingway

How do you overcome countless writing challenges and keep your sanity at the same time? Well, there is an art to it, but in this post, you’ll learn:

• What writing challenges every writer faces
• What causes these obstacles
• How to overcome them

Let’s dive in!

How To Eliminate Online Distractions

How to overcome the feast and famine cycle, how to find time to write, how to overcome writer’s block, how i overcome a productivity slump, how to structure your articles, how to edit while feeling drained and bored, how to set attainable deadlines, how to research your work, how to overcome feeling socially isolated, how to overcome this writing challenge, how to get your creative juices flowing, final word on writing challenges, what is a creative writing prompt, what is creative writing and what are some examples, writing challenges infographic, 1. online distractions.

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.

In this modern world, distractions are everywhere. I like separating them into two categories, offline and online distractions.

Offline distractions are easy to eliminate. Establish boundaries, and tell everyone in your house not to disturb you for the next few hours. Most people are reasonable and will respect your request.

Writing with kids in the house may be a challenge, but it comes down to timing. Aim to complete your deep work when they’re asleep, playing with their friends, or at school. Focus on the creative work while the house is quiet. Then, you can do any non-creative tasks, like answering emails, when they’re home and awake. Being a writer with children might mean early starts, late nights, or both.

The real challenge is removing online distractions. With so many social media platforms, you can’t keep track of them all. They draw your attention all over the place, and when it comes time to work, you find getting into that flow state impossible. A good web blocker like Freedom app can help.

Getting rid of online distractions requires a combination of discipline and tools to keep your core creative time distraction-free.

My ritual for eliminating online distractions is to close all the tabs I’m not using, like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and even email. I put my phone in a drawer in the next room. 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.

It blocks the news feed of any 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.

Simply head over to the Chrome store, and you’ll find distraction-free extensions for YouTube, Facebook, and any other social media platform.

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. YouTube shows videos you might like on the right sidebar, and if you get distracted, you can easily waste hours watching videos.

Distraction-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. 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.

Read our guide to the best distraction-free writing apps .

2. The Feast And Famine Writing Cycle

The infamous feast and famine cycle is another major challenge to those making their living as a freelance writer.

A feast and famine cycle refers to balancing the act of writing with finding your next writing job. One month you might get a lot of work and beat your monthly income target, and another you won’t even come close. Consider this an opportunity rather than a challenge. 

Think of yourself as an employee of your company. 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.

This prevents you from going overboard with spending when times are good. Then when a famine rolls around, you have some money to fall back on while you get more clients.

This doesn’t tackle the root of the problem, however; it only treats the symptom. The other reason this poses such a challenge is during the feast period, many writers stop marketing and landing clients. 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.

Now that we know what causes a feast and famine challenge, the solution is obvious. Never stop marketing! Some ideal forms of marketing for writers include:

• Social media outreach
• Content marketing

Don’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. 

Set an hour or two aside every day and pitch your service to potential clients. Make it a habit, and if you don’t have time to pitch because you’re too busy, hire a virtual assistant to do it for you.

By constantly pitching your writing services to potential clients, you’ll never experience a feast and famine cycle again. Your workflow becomes predictable and reliable.

Check out our guide to the best writing jobs and also our list of side hustle ideas for writers .

3. No Time To Write

You’re a full-time writer. You spend your days tapping away at the keyboard while sipping piping hot coffee, right? For most writers, finding time to write is a chore since life has a habit of getting in the way. But that’s where budgeting your time comes in. When you want to get better at money management, you budget your money. So why not do the same with your time?

Once you’ve structured your day, look for times where you can improve or eliminate as this allows you to get some extra writing done. The first time I planned my week in advance was difficult, but I quickly got into a creative groove.

Another mindset shift you must make is that you don’t need a laptop or computer to start writing. You carry a smartphone, so if you don’t have access to your computer, whip out your phone and blog away. You can always send the file to your computer later.

4. Writer’s Block

Ernest Hemingway once said writer’s block is the most terrifying challenge he ever faced. You know the terror. You open a Google Doc or Microsoft Word document, then you stare at a blank screen having no idea where to start. It can be very daunting for many writers. For those just starting out, it can feel insurmountable.

You don’t have to go through that dreaded challenge every time you start working on a new project. The most common reason people experience writer’s block is that they judge their work before it’s time.

Many new writers working across different genres expect to write pure magic as soon as they touch a keyboard. Instead of writing then editing, they judge and throw out their first drafts. With this practice, you’ll obviously feel stuck because writing a perfect first draft of a new story is impossible. Your first draft will be terrible regardless of your writing skills. and that’s fine. You can always edit your draft later.

Once you understand and accept that your first draft will be poorly written, you won’t experience writer’s block anymore. Daily writing becomes a piece of cake.

When you start writing, don’t judge your work. Just write. No matter how horrible you think your writing is, don’t delete or edit it right away. That comes later.

5. Productivity Lulls

Some days, you feel tired and unproductive . The words will refuse to flow. You will find a voice in your head questioning every word you write. All writers experience this, and it’s a good thing. Slow days allow you to appreciate productive days when you can write a few thousand words in a blink of an eye.

Here are a few tricks you can use to make your unproductive days a bit more productive.

My three go-to techniques for increasing productivity are:

• Working out: creativity and exercise are interlinked
• A nice, long shower

Multiple studies show the benefits exercise provides your brain. It improves thinking power, sharpness, and motivation. In simple terms, exercise promotes the growth of a protein called BDNF, which is found to increase mood, improve learning and even protect your brain against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

After running around the neighborhood a few times, hop in the shower.

Do you notice that when you’re showering, unique and creative thoughts magically pop into your head? This is because you’re relaxed and stress-free. These creative opportunities are essential to being productive.

Last, avoid eating until you’ve reached a required word count. For example, have lunch only after you’ve written 2,000 words. This technique encourages you to give yourself a reward for completing a difficult task. You’ll also be more inspired because hunger is a strong motivator.

Read our guide to productivity for writers .

6. Self-Editing Your Work

One of the biggest fears most freelance writers face is posting or sending an article to a client that includes typos and other mistakes. After you’ve written a post without judging it, you can bet you’ll find typos and structural problems. You also need to decide which subheadings are relevant, entertaining, and eye-catching for readers versus knowing what to cut. That’s key whether you’re writing a short story, article, or a soon-to-be Amazon best-seller.

Editing is harder and more draining than writing itself because when you’re writing, you enter a flow state after a few minutes. Editing is a drag on mental energy, but love it or loathe it, it’s still an important part of the writing process.

Outlines can make your life ten times easier. When creating an outline, visualize yourself holding your reader’s hand and walking them through everything they need to know to fix whatever problem your article solves. 

After you’ve completed your outline, the rest is easy. You’ll feel like you’re just filling in the blanks since the structure of the post is already complete.

You can use index cards. A good outlining app can also help.

After you finish writing an article, put it into a good grammar checker first and fix any basic issues. Next, change the font and print the article. Why?

If you write in Arial and edit in a different font, the change tricks your brain into thinking you’re reading a different piece. You’ll be more likely to catch small errors. And printing your post on a sheet of paper prevents you from writing while you’re reading, which can interrupt the flow. Editing and writing are two very different processes and should be kept separate at all times. Instead, make a line under the mistake, then edit the document on your computer later.

I started doing this for my writing and have greatly reduced the number of mistakes in my articles, as did working with a professional editor.

Check out our self-editing guide .

7. Managing Deadlines

Many creatives dislike deadlines as they feel stifling and stressful. However, deadlines mean your clients want a piece of work by a set time. Missing them can result in a client terminating a contact. The potential for lost income can be a powerful motivator for the freelance writer.

It’s also important to realize that deadlines are should not just be imposed by clients. Deadlines are also important if you write for yourself. This is because shipping quality work consistently is key to earning a good living as a writer. You can’t earn from something you endlessly rewrite! While it may be difficult to start with, try setting yourself a deadline for every piece you work on, regardless of whether there is a client-imposed deadline also.

The first step in setting attainable deadlines is to break down your project into smaller chunks. For example, research,  outline, writing the first 1000 words, then the last 1000 words, and finally editing. Breaking things down not only makes tasks less daunting, but the consistency of regularly hitting smaller deadlines will increase your motivation and your productivity.

Next, review previous projects and notice past delays. Maybe your piece required more research or editing took longer than anticipated. Factor this into the time it takes to complete your next writing project. Never stop evaluating and updating your processes.

After you’ve written blog posts for a while, you’ll gain a feel for how long you take to research, write and edit a post. When you receive a writing project, instead of trying to finish it as soon as possible, give yourself enough time to complete your project.

Even if your client hasn’t given you a deadline for a post, set a deadline for scheduling, submitting, or publishing. This ensures you don’t rush your post because of a deadline and hand in mediocre work. We recommend using personal Kanban to manage writing projects.

Setting writing goals is a great way to get into a routine and change the way you think about deadlines. You could set goals around:

• Submissions
• Publications
• Projects e.g. NanoWriMo
• A daily word-count

8. Researching Your Work

You need a system for capturing ideas and reviewing them. Many new researchers like Evernote. That’s ok for clipping story ideas. The commonplace book as popularized by Ryan Holiday is popular too. However, I recommend using the Zettelkasten method for capturing ideas and reviewing them regularly. Essentially, summarise ideas as you happen upon them, interlink them using software or index cards and turn the results into work you publish.

Researching and structuring blog posts, articles, and book chapters is sometimes a struggle for writers. After all, how can sit down to write if you suddenly have to stop to research a location, fact, figure, or story idea? This challenge is particularly stressful if you’re writing non-fiction or freelancing.

Read our guide to the Zettelkasten Method or check out my interview with Sacha Fast about this method

9. Isolation and Loneliness

Creative writing is a lonely profession, after all writers spend a lot of time alone with their ideas and words. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make time to socialize with friends and family and meet new people.

Socializing is a skill. Like any other skill, you can improve it or lose it. If you’re spending all day indoors working on creative writing projects and you don’t emphasize socializing, don’t expect to maintain your social skills. An argument could even be made that strong social skills will help you write more engaging content.

As a writer, you must prioritize what’s important to you. Since we’re social creatures, socializing should be up there with food and water. But few writers prioritize it.

So instead of watching Netflix or browsing the internet after you’ve completed your work for the day, try something new. Go to a networking event for writers, take up a new hobby like dancing, surfing, or martial arts. These are all interesting ways of making friends with people who share your interests.

By getting out and about and talking to different people, you will also get a broader understanding of what other people are interested in. How they talk and interact with each other, etc.. All of this will help you become a better writer, whether you are creating fiction or writing freelance.

Check out our guide for lonely writers .

10. Feeling Like Your Work Isn’t Good Enough

It’s common for many new writers to work on a story or article, then get it ready to publish only to decide, “I need to improve it a little.” That’s fine for a bit, but too much revising and self-editing can rapidly degenerate into procrastination and perfectionism. You need to finish and submit your work if only to get feedback. Sometimes rejection and criticism are what we need to grow as a writer, not another round shadow boxing with our own self-doubt.

Commit to submitting and publishing a set amount of creative work each week, month, or year. Get feedback from a professional editor if you find yourself reworking the same pieces endlessly. As Stephen King famously said:

Write the the door closed, rewrite with the door open. Stephen King

Read our guide to conquering these types of writing fears .

11. Stifled Creativity 

It’s normal to sometimes feel unproductive Similarly, feeling creatively dry is a common writing challenge. It’s particularly pertinent if you’re engaged in creative writing, like a short story or a novel. But you can take a few steps to get your creative juices for story ideas flowing again.

There are several ways of getting into a creative headspace. Some include;

• Watching a new movie
• Reading a great writing book
• Listening to a podcast about writing
• Socializing with old friends or make new ones

The activities above all do one thing. They take your mind off your writing challenge and let your subconscious do the work.

Did you ever notice you never get an amazing idea while you’re actively thinking about how to solve a problem? Great ideas come when you’re doing something totally unrelated like watching TV or talking to a friend or family member.

Use this knowledge to your advantage. Next time you face a creative writing challenge, take your conscious mind off the problem and allow your subconscious to find a solution.

If you still need help, read our guide to self-care for writers .

If you face challenges while writing, don’t worry. The blank page is sometimes intimidating. So, spend more time creating than consuming, particularly across genres. That’ll get your creative juices flowing.

Then, get into the habit of working on story ideas until they’re ready to publish. When in doubt, set an hour or two aside each day to focus on your work without interruption. The journey towards writing a 50,000-word novel starts with 500 words a day. Those writing sessions quickly stack up on top of each other.

If you’ve time left at the end of the day, take an online writing course . Thanks to the internet, you can easily learn from top-tier writers without spending thousands of dollars or traveling. That’ll help you improve your writing skills. With a few simple tricks and techniques, you can kiss all these common writing challenges goodbye.

FAQs About The Toughest Writing Challenges

A creative writing prompt is a project like a short story or poetry challenge. Prior to tackling the challenge,  know the purpose of the writing challenge, which writing style to use, and who the audience is.

Creative writing is any form of writing that goes outside the bounds of academic, journalistic, and technical writing. NaNoWriMo is an organization that promotes creative writing by holding short story and poetry challenges around the world. Other examples of creative writing include flash fiction and poetry.

Writing is a tough gig.

Perhaps you’re working on that difficult first draft, but you’re struggling with self-belief?

Maybe you’ve been playing with an idea for months, but deep down you know it’s not good enough.

Or perhaps you want to turn a hobby into a professional career that pays the bills, but you’re not sure how to do it?

Even if you’re a more accomplished writer or someone who’s finished a book or works with paying clients, it can take years to gain the confidence needed to become a professional writer.

These are common challenges, which anyone who wants to become a writer faces.

I wanted to learn more about these common writing challenges so last year, I asked 22 top authors and writers one question:

What was your greatest writing or creative challenge and how did you overcome it?

Now, I’ve put together the best answers in this writing infographic.

Save it, Pin it, share it!

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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7 Essay Writing Challenges And How To Handle Them

Table of Contents

If there is an opened empty Word file on the background and you are unthinkingly browsing through the Internet searching for at least a glimpse of inspiration, trust us, you are not alone.

According to the study of DSU students, 60% of them procrastinate more on writing tasks than on any other workload. All professional writers face a writer’s block at some point. Procrastination is waiting for them at social media news feed or somewhere near a cozy chair with an exciting book.

Students sometimes have a right to stare at the blank sheet of paper with no clue or desire to write. Writers, on the contrary, earn a living by writing, so they have no chance but to struggle with all the challenges of writing.

Also, they understand your issue with writing like nobody else, and they already came up with some efficient solutions to these challenges. Here you will find out how to overcome all obstacles and succeed in academic writing.

What are the common challenges in writing an essay?

• Challenge #1: Start.
• Challenge #2: Search for compelling arguments.
• Challenge #3: Clichés.
• Challenge #4: Tone of voice and the audience.
• Challenge #5: Fear of Failure.
• Challenge #6: Quotations.
• Challenge #7: Time management.
• Other problems with writing you may face.

When it comes to the accomplishing of the writing assignment, a student goes through several stages of despair and has to clear some obstacles on the way to an excellent paper. These are the most frequent problems that any writer can face on all steps of the writing process:

• No clue on how to start the text.
• Searching for compelling arguments.
• Getting rid of clichéd words.
• How to find the right tone for the audience?
• What if I fail?
• Proper formatting of the quotes.
• Time management.

Challenge #1: Start

The very first sentence of the essay is the most complicated and takes the most time.

Solution : this is one of the typical problems in academic writing for a student who neglects the pre-writing stage. Before writing, sit for some time, define the purpose of the essay (e.g., to educate, to persuade, etc.) and contemplate the ideas on how to fulfill it.

For example, you can draw a mind map or use a technique of a word salad when you are writing down all the ideas that come to mind without censoring them. Thus, you get a direction of where to search for materials and facts.

Challenge #2: Search for compelling arguments

Solution : make a thorough research of the issue and check your list of ideas. Remember: any argument may seem solid if it is supported with proofs taken from reliable resources.

People tend to believe reputable sources, so take advantage of it. Press a librarian into service! Do not rely on the Internet only as not all great magazines or books have an online version.

Actually, limiting yourself with online sources is one of the main problems with writing.

…Think out of the box!

Challenge #3: Clichés

Solution : get rid of them. Read the text carefully, and if you see one, rephrase it with simpler words.

If you cannot see them at once, let your friend read the text, as it is easier to spot such things from the sideline.

Remember – avoid clichés like the plague!

Challenge #4: Tone of voice and the audience

Solution : it is one of the most common problems students have with writing. It is necessary to meet the requirements of academic writing and select the right tone and language to create a top-notch paper.

As a rule, academic papers call for unbiased third-person voice, so check the paper and correct all your “I think” and “To my mind.”

All the terminology that you use in the text should be explained, and it is necessary to avoid colloquialisms and slang. But, if you think that adding a lot of compound words of too sector-specific terminology is a good idea, you are wrong.

It is hard to beat plain, clear, and logical language. As when a writer hides behind the heavy-weight word constructs, it is a sign that his knowledge of the subject is superficial.

The audience is another crucial aspect of your paper success. You do not write for corporate purposes. Thus, you have to take the audience into account: make sure that the paper will be interesting for readers.

It should not offer the information that is obvious to your audience, nor should it be too simple or too complicated for understanding.

Challenge #5: Fear of Failure

Solution : practice. And practice. And practice again.

… Nobody’s perfect.

It is fine to have doubts, each and every writer is skeptic about the success of the paper sometimes. If you want to make sure that your paper complies with the wishes of your teacher, show him the rough draft.

If there are some discrepancies, the teacher will show you and explain how to fix it.

Challenge #6: Quotations

Solution : many students struggling with writing essays forget about proper formatting of the citations and then get into trouble.

Each and every quote placed into the text without affiliation is considered to be plagiarism.

… Do you want to be punished for plagiarism?

If no, stick to the chosen citation style. There are plenty of guidelines online where you can check the correctness of the formatting.

Challenge #7: Time management

Solution : leave no out to procrastination. It is a great temptation to wait for a deadline date and try to complete the task within several hours in a hurry.

Proper planning will save you from such problems in writing.

It goes without saying that no student would like to spend several days editing a paper . However, several additional hours dedicated to the research will significantly improve your analysis of the issue.

Also, you will be able to set the paper aside and return to it after a couple of days. Thus, you can revise it from a fresh perspective.

Other problems with writing you may face

This issue deserves a whole “The challenges college students face” essay. There are plenty of reasons for the appearance of low-quality papers. These can be lack of time, attention, inspiration, and knowledge of where to start.

• Lack of time can be fixed only with proper planning, as it is beyond remedy. Here is a tip: always write down all the referencing information when you use a source. Thus, you will be able to save a lot of time.
• If you can’t focus on the task , here is a life hack: switch off your smartphone and forget about your social media account for at least a couple of hours. It works, guaranteed.
• If you’ve got lack of inspiration , try to read essays dedicated to the same subject. It may help you shape your thoughts in the right direction.
• If your knowledge of the subject is superficial , the only solution is to study more. Unfortunately, there is no magic trick that will make you know more.
• If your writing skills leave room for improvement, develop a daily habit of writing practice. Buy a fancy notebook and write down your stream of consciousness.
• Some people find it challenging to edit and proofread their own texts . Here is a tip: try to read the text backward, from the last word to the first. Another great technique is to read the paper aloud. In such a way, you can find the parts where the transitions are not smooth.

If you are having a hard time writing an essay, it is all right to ask for professional assistance. After all, no one obliges you to order a custom paper. You can look through sample papers or ask skilled editors to check your paper.

If lack of inspiration or time is the case… You’re lucky enough to come across the best writing service! Timely delivery, complete confidentiality, and no plagiarism. Proven by thousands of successfully completed works!

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The 30-Day Writing Challenge: An Alternative to NaNoWriMo for Writers Who Fear Commitment

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I don't know about you, but I'm afraid of commitment.

I find it difficult to choose a movie because I think two hours is too long to focus on the same story. I've had three separate Facebook accounts, over 10 different email addresses (five of which are currently active), and I've dyed my hair more colors than I could count on both my fingers and my toes. I'm the person who researches the restaurant ahead of time and still stares at the menu long after everyone has decided what to order.

Okay, so I know the idea is that even moms and full-time employees can find time, that prioritizing writing over other things is important to nurture your artistic self, and that fitting writing into your day every day is what makes a writer, well, a writer. I get it, I do. I get all of it.

Even so, I would like to see my family for more than 30 minutes after I get home from work, and— sue me— but going to new restaurants with my friends is, like, the Olympic sport of my life. I'd still like to write every day; it's just that producing such a high volume in such a short amount of time is what sends single girls like me running and screaming. So what's a whiny writer like me to do?

Luckily, the ability to produce a high volume of good writing doesn't just happen overnight. In reality, writing doesn't have to be so intense. It's all about baby steps. (Like, I guess one date wouldn't hurt, and it might be fun to post that I'm "in a relationship" on Facebook.)

Writing for a few minutes every day doesn't sound so scary, does it? The trick is that it all adds up. That's why we've created a less intense alternative to 50,000 words in 30 days. This is the 30-Day Writing Challenge, where we've provided creative writing exercises for every day of the month. The best part is that you can write as much or as little as you'd like without pressure and without having to feel bad about it. After all, it's all about creation in any volume, right?

The 30-Day Writing Challenge

Take us through a written walk down your street and to your favorite place through the eyes of somebody else.

Think of three people in your life. Give your character the hair and laugh of person 1, the face and bedroom of person 2, and the wardrobe and mannerisms of person 3. This is your new protagonist. Feel free to give him or her any other characteristics you'd like. Give us an idea of who your character is by describing only the first 60 seconds of the character's day.

Now send your character to his or her grumpy grandmother's house for a visit. Write the scene of your character's arrival.

Imagine that your protagonist has just turned into a statue. Describe his or her thoughts.

The last liquid you drank has turned your protagonist into a superhero. What do your character's new powers allow him or her to do?

Think of your favorite food. Try to make it sound as disgusting as possible.

Spoil the ending of your favorite movie without any context.

Take a nondescript sentence such as, "How are you?" Write the same line from at least five different points of view.

Turn a Tweet into a haiku .

Try to convince your reader that the mythological creature of your choosing exists.

You are now a dragon. Describe your hoard.

Take the first line of your favorite novel. Remove and replace the nouns and verbs, and write a story that begins with your new line. Delete the first line.

Think of the worst pain you've ever felt. Now give your protagonist a papercut and over-exaggerate the pain using your own descriptions.

Your character meets somebody new on the bus. His or her opinion about the person is changed by the end of the bus trip. How did this change occur?

Characterize the second-last app on your phone or the last website you've visited (before this one). Send this new character to the supermarket.

The last thing you touched (other than the keyboard, mouse, screen, etc.) is trying to kill your protagonist. Explain why.

A magic trick involving cards has gone horribly wrong. What are the consequences?

Free write about your first protagonist (from Day 1) meeting the new character from Day 15.

Cross an item off your bucket list by doing it in your writing.

Ask somebody you know how his or her day was. Make any kind of poem out of their answer.

Your character's skeleton is trying to escape his or her body. Describe what happens.

Find a cliché you absolutely hate. Rewrite it while keeping the intended meaning intact.

Make an existing protagonist into an antagonist by changing one small thing about him or her. Write a pitch that sells this antagonist's story.

Put your favorite poem through a translator into a different language and then back again. Do this until the poem is no longer recognizable. Rewrite it and turn it into lyrics for a song.

One of your characters has been mistaken for somebody else. Write what happens next.

Write the log line for a mockumentary.

Tell the story of a man who lives in a motel.

Your character picks up a locket or a frame. Explain its contents and their significance.

Think of your greatest fear. If it's an object, person, or place, make it sound loveable. If it's some kind of experience, make it sound fun.

Finish a story with the line, "Nothing ever felt easier to say."

That wasn't so scary, was it?

Which prompts from the 30-Day Writing Challenge were your favorites? Did anything surprise you about your writing? We hope that you've come out of this month no worse for wear than when you started. After all, writing is work, but it's also supposed to be good for the soul. Even if you didn't do all of the challenges, you've written more than you would have if you hadn't taken part in these writing exercises at all. Like I said, it's all about taking baby steps. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some email accounts to close once and for all . . .

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Essay Writing Guide

Essay Writing Problems

Essay Writing Problems - 5 Most Paralyzing Problems

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Many writers suffer from the occasional writer’s block. Writer’s block can easily affect students who need to complete academic writing assignments as well. 

However, this is only one of the many issues they may need to deal with in the essay writing process. Many students face other challenges as they strive to complete their writing assignments. 

Knowing the common essay writing issues can help you rectify the situation as you complete your essay. 

• 1. Top Essay Writing Problems Students Deal With
• 2. Other Writing Problems You May Face

Top Essay Writing Problems Students Deal With

Below are the top five common problems that can stop students dead in their tracks, as they begin or complete their essay writing assignments, and tips to overcome them.

#1 Lack of Confidence

The inability to believe in one’s capabilities and skills is one of the most common problems in essay writing that students have to face.

Students who think they are not good at writing will have trouble starting their papers. They doubt their capability to complete it as well. And with this self-doubt, they may never even try to start working on their paper.

As a result, these students end up not submitting an assignment or simply handing in a poorly-written one, fully accepting and expecting that they will get a low or failing grade.

How to Overcome This

There are various ways students can improve their writing skills. There are online courses they can take and they also have the option to take up traditional classes offered by local schools or tutorial centers.

Additionally, students should practice writing daily even if they make mistakes. As long as these mistakes are corrected, they will become better writers in the future.

Lastly, students who don’t know  how to start an essay  can always ask for assistance from their teachers, peers, and other people who are more knowledgeable and experienced in writing.

#2 Insufficient Knowledge

Many students will also have difficulties writing an essay about a topic taken up in school. The main reason is that they don’t have enough knowledge about the subject matter.

This difficulty can be caused by the student failing to take notes in class or not attending classes at all. He or she may not even understand the topic completely. This will cause anyone to have poor knowledge of any topic.

This is a problem that students can easily trounce. Students simply need to put in some extra time to study whatever notes they have. They can also do extra research to understand the topic.

Students can also ask their teacher to explain the topic to them again if they are having a hard time understanding it.

#3 Lack of Writing Skills

Although some students are confident about writing and have enough ideas to write their papers, if they lack language proficiency, they won’t submit an impressive essay.

Using the wrong words, misleading language, misplacing words, phrases, and punctuation will result in a poor paper. Some students may even resort to using technical words and jargon with the hope of impressing their teacher. Of course, this technique usually backfires.

Students should learn to use simple words and construct short, concise sentences to get a good mark on their papers. Students also need to read more since this is a good exercise for becoming a better writer.

They can also get help from the best assignment experts if they need help with polishing their papers. These writers will ensure students turn in good essays, reflective of their knowledge and abilities.

#4 Plagiarism

When all else fails, plagiarism is something that many students end up doing just so they can submit a paper. This is also their last resort if they are rushing to complete their essay at the last minute.

Teachers today check each paper for plagiarized content. Students who submit essays that contain copied paragraphs from published material will find themselves in a lot of trouble.

Students need to learn how to paraphrase the content they use for their essays. They should know when and how to use references as well.

Finally, they should make it a habit to run their essays through online plagiarism tools to ensure that they submit an original paper.

#5 Getting Stuck

Lastly, students are given a topic that has been discussed numerous times already. This can get the student stuck and unable to write anything about it. They think that there is nothing left to explore and they can’t have their own say on such topics.

Because of this, they are unable to start writing their paper, much less finish it.

Conducting more research will help students find an angle they will be interested in exploring, analyzing, and discussing. Students can also ask their peers, parents, and other people about the topic.

#6 Time Management

Time management is another main problem that students face. Some students think they can get away with working at the last minute. They might be in a big hurry or simply don't know what needs to be done yet. Because of this, they will submit bad-quality work.

How to Overcome This:

If you plan ahead, you can avoid having to spend a lot of time editing your paper.

Planning ahead will help you do better research, so your analysis of the issue is stronger. This will also help you set the paper aside and come back to it later with a fresh perspective, which means you can revise it more effectively.

#7 Awkward Structure

The structure of your sentences should be clear and understandable to allow the reader to follow what you are saying. Each sentence needs a meaningful connection with the topic so they can understand it fully without confusion, ultimately making them enjoy reading more.

Structure is key to making an essay readable. You should know the proper essay structure. Every sentence should be related and meaningful for your target audience.

Other Writing Problems You May Face

College students are constantly under pressure to produce high-quality work. In addition, there is the issue that low-quality papers appear because they do not have enough time or resources for their studies and so on.

Despite these problems, there are many other writing problems that students face.

• Lack of time:  If you want to save time, you need to plan properly. One way to do this is by writing down all the information about your sources. This will help you avoid wasting time later on.
• Lack of inspiration:  If you are having trouble coming up with an idea for your essay, try reading essays about the same topic. This can help you get your thoughts in order and come up with a good idea.
• Unclear analysis:  If you want to know more, you need to study. There is no way to shortcut this process. You will have to learn everything you can about the topic if you want to be an expert.
• Poor editing and proofreading skills:  People sometimes find it hard to edit and proofread their own writing. A trick to make it easier is to read the text backward, from the last word to the first. Another way is to read the paper aloud. This way, you can find where the transitions between paragraphs are not smooth.

So these are the common problems encountered by students in writing an essay. Keep in mind that essay writing is not something that comes naturally to many students. If you are stuck in the writing process, pinpoint the cause and follow the tips shared and the writing practice will definitely help you overcome it.

If you are still confused, whether you are still starting your essay or need help polishing it, get in touch with our top writing service . 

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Nova Allison is a Digital Content Strategist with over eight years of experience. Nova has also worked as a technical and scientific writer. She is majorly involved in developing and reviewing online content plans that engage and resonate with audiences. Nova has a passion for writing that engages and informs her readers.

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Essay on Challenges Make Us Strong

Students are often asked to write an essay on Challenges Make Us Strong in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Challenges Make Us Strong

What are challenges.

Challenges are tough situations that test our abilities. They are like hard questions on a test or a high wall we must climb. Imagine playing a video game on a difficult level; that’s what challenges are in real life.

Learning from Hard Times

When we face challenges, we learn new things. It’s like learning to ride a bike; at first, we fall, but slowly we get better. Each fall teaches us to balance until we can ride without falling.

Gaining Strength

Every time we overcome a challenge, we grow stronger. Think of it as exercising. Lifting weights might be hard, but it makes our muscles bigger and stronger.

Building Confidence

After we beat a challenge, we feel like we can do even more. It’s like finishing a hard level in a game and feeling ready for the next one. We believe in ourselves more.

Preparing for the Future

Challenges prepare us for bigger tasks ahead. Just like practicing for a sports match, facing small challenges gets us ready for the big games of life.

250 Words Essay on Challenges Make Us Strong

Challenges are tough situations that test our abilities and patience. They can be like a difficult math problem or a race we must run. When we face hard times, it’s like lifting weights. Each weight is a problem we must solve or a fear we must face.

When we tackle a problem, we learn new things. Just like when we fall off a bike and then get back on, we learn how to keep our balance better. Each challenge teaches us a lesson. We might learn to be patient, or we might find out new ways to solve problems.

Growing Stronger

Every time we overcome a challenge, we grow stronger. It’s like a muscle that gets bigger with exercise. Our mind and heart get stronger too. We start to believe in ourselves more and feel ready to take on even bigger challenges.

Helping Others

Once we’ve faced a challenge, we can help others who are going through the same thing. We can share our story and what we learned. This can give them hope and strength to overcome their own problems.

In the end, challenges are important for us. They make us smarter, braver, and kinder. When we look back at the challenges we’ve faced, we can be proud of how strong we’ve become. Just like a butterfly struggles to come out of its cocoon, we too must struggle to become our best selves.

500 Words Essay on Challenges Make Us Strong

Imagine you are playing a video game. When you start, it seems easy, but as you move to higher levels, it gets harder. These tough parts are like challenges in real life. A challenge is anything that pushes us to try harder. It might be a tough math problem, learning to ride a bike, or even standing up in front of people to give a speech.

Challenges Build Strength

When we meet challenges, we grow stronger. Think of your muscles. If you lift weights, your muscles get stronger. The brain works the same way. When we solve hard problems or learn new things, our brain gets a workout. It’s not just about being smart; it’s about becoming brave and not giving up even when things are hard.

Learning from Mistakes

Nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes. But did you know that mistakes are a big part of becoming stronger? When you try something and it doesn’t work, you learn what not to do next time. This is how inventors create cool things. They try many times and learn from each mistake until they get it right.

Gaining Confidence

Every time you face a challenge and get through it, you feel like you can do even more. This feeling is called confidence. It’s like a little voice inside you that says, “I can do this!” The more challenges you overcome, the louder that voice gets. And when you believe in yourself, you can reach your goals and help others too.

When you learn how to deal with your own challenges, you can help friends with theirs. Maybe you’ve learned a trick to solve a math problem, and you can teach it to a classmate. Or maybe you’ve learned to be brave when speaking in front of the class, and you can give tips to a friend who’s nervous. Helping others makes you feel good and makes your friendships stronger.

Challenges Prepare Us for the Future

Life is full of surprises. Some are fun, and some are tough. By facing challenges now, you’re getting ready for whatever comes next. It’s like training for a big race. If you practice, you’re ready to run when the race starts. Challenges are practice for life.

Challenges are like the secret ingredients that help us grow up strong and smart. They teach us to keep trying, learn from mistakes, and believe in ourselves. They also show us how to help others and get ready for bigger things in the future. So next time you face a challenge, remember it’s helping you become the best you can be. And just like in a video game, every level you beat makes you ready for the next one.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Commercial Bank
• Essay on Cloudy Weather
• Essay on Clothes Make The Man

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A Guide to 11 Writing Challenges to Unlock Your Creativity

Writing is an art that demands creativity, dedication, and a constant quest for improvement. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting your literary journey, facing writing challenges can effectively stimulate creative thinking , refine your skills, and overcome creative blocks.

It is unlikely not to encounter any difficulty while writing, no matter how much expert you are. However, learning how to overcome challenges in writing and use them to improve your skills is the key.

In this guide, we will explore eleven writing challenges designed to unlock your creativity and enhance your writing prowess.

Flash Fiction Frenzy

Flash fiction is a form of ultra-short storytelling that challenges you to convey a complete narrative in a limited word count, often ranging from 100 to 1000 words. This challenge improves your ability to distill your ideas into their essence, improving your overall storytelling skills.

Use this exercise to experiment with different genres and themes while crafting concise and impactful tales. This technique can mainly be adequate for writing challenges for student.

Stream of Consciousness Marathon

Give the stream-of-consciousness technique a shot: write without pausing or fixing for a bit. This opens up your thoughts, leading to surprising insights, fresh story angles, and unique writing styles. It’s like unlocking a door to your creativity. This exercise helps you escape self-censorship, letting your imagination roam freely.

Imagine diving into a river of thoughts, discovering gems you didn’t know existed. It’s a tool to break away from rules and explore the depths of your mind. So, grab your pen, paper, or keyboard, and let your thoughts flow like a river, unbound and untamed. You might be amazed at what you uncover during this liberating journey through your stream of consciousness.

Reverse Writing Puzzle

Starting your story at its conclusion and unraveling it backward challenges your plot-building skills. It’s like assembling a puzzle in reverse, where each piece fits intricately. This exercise sharpens your critical thinking, exploring character motivations and plot twists. As the narrative unfolds in reverse, you gain fresh perspectives and unearth unexpected connections.

This process isn’t just writing; it’s sculpting a tale with a unique approach, captivating readers by revealing the art of storytelling in reverse. It will help you to overcome creative writing challenges.

Dialogue-Only Dilemma

Crafting a scene or story using only dialogue is an exercise that sharpens your ability to write engaging conversations. Stripped of descriptive text and inner monologue , this challenge focuses on the spoken word as the sole communication medium.

It compels you to convey emotions, subtext, and character dynamics purely through dialogue, encouraging you to paint a vivid picture with words alone. You will learn to overcome multiple challenges in writing.

By omitting traditional narrative elements, you’re prompted to refine your dialogue-writing skills to ensure each exchange advances the plot, develops characters, and communicates underlying emotions . This exercise is a masterclass in brevity and precision, teaching you to leverage dialogue as a versatile character development and storytelling tool.

Time-Traveling Descriptions

The time-traveling descriptions challenge transports writers to eras bygone, futures yet to unfold, or alternate realities packed with unexplored possibilities. This exercise is an odyssey of the senses, a journey to craft vivid landscapes that evoke visual imagery and the sounds, scents, textures, and emotions that saturate the chosen epoch.

By mastering the art of transporting readers through time, writers enrich their narratives with layers of authenticity and ignite readers’ imaginations. You can also use this technique to overcome challenges in writing an essay.

Unconventional Story Structures

Try mixing up your storytelling with non-linear narratives, multiple viewpoints, or fragmented tales. Step away from the usual and open doors to creativity. These techniques expand your storytelling toolkit, prompting you to approach narratives with fresh perspectives.

It’s like exploring uncharted territory, crafting stories that intrigue and surprise readers. Embrace the unconventional, and you’ll discover a rich landscape of innovative storytelling waiting to be explored.

Genre Exploration

Genres are like landscapes waiting to be explored, each with its unique topography of themes, conventions, and emotions. The genre roulette challenge invites writers to step beyond their literary comfort zones, embracing genres previously uncharted.

This exercise is a fusion of adaptation and creation, requiring writers to adapt their voices to fit diverse genres while injecting fresh perspectives from this cross-pollination. The challenge catalyzes the synthesis of ideas, fostering the birth of narratives that transcend the confines of a single genre.

One-Word Inspiration

Within a single word lies a universe of stories waiting to be unveiled. The one-word inspiration challenge tasks writers with selecting a single word as a catalyst for an entire narrative. This exercise lets the writers unravel multiple dimensions of meaning encapsulated within that single word.

By using the power of this minimalistic trigger, writers embark on a journey of imagination, finding their way to unexplored narratives.

Character Transformation

Think of characters as people on a journey. The character transformation challenge is like putting them through significant changes. You create characters with their personalities, then make them face challenges that change them. This helps you understand how people think and feel. You get to explore why characters act the way they do.

It’s like looking inside their hearts and minds. By doing this, you make characters more real and relatable. It’s about showing how they change inside and outside, like growing as a person. This challenge adds depth and makes readers care about what happens to your characters.

This will also help you cope with challenges in academic writing , mainly if you are a literature student.

Emotionally Charged Monologue

Emotions are the heart of storytelling; they infuse narratives with liveliness, building connections between characters and readers. The emotionally charged monologue challenge delves into the depths of feelings, inviting writers to embody characters dealing with intense emotions such as love, grief, or anger.

This exercise is an exploration of vulnerability, as writers channel their reservoirs of emotion to breathe life into characters’ internal struggles. It also accelerates your thinking process, thus, boosting creativity.

Rewrite a Classic

Take a well-known story or myth and rewrite it in a contemporary setting or from an alternative viewpoint. This challenge sparks creativity by blending familiar narratives with fresh perspectives, showcasing your ability to breathe new life into timeless tales.

How Polished Writing Skills Benefit the Writers?

Polished writing skills offer multiple benefits to writers, i.e., excelling in technical proficiency, delving into creativity, communication, and professional growth. At their core, refined writing skills empower writers to express their thoughts, ideas, and emotions precisely and eloquently.

This heightened communication ability fosters clarity, ensuring the intended message resonates seamlessly with readers.

How does the stream-of-consciousness technique work?

The stream-of-consciousness technique is about writing without stopping or editing. It encourages free-flowing thoughts and helps you discover surprising ideas. It’s like exploring your mind without holding back, leading to new story angles and unique writing styles.

How does experimenting with unconventional story structures help writers?

Experimenting with non-linear narratives, multiple viewpoints, or fragmented storytelling expands your narrative skills. It encourages you to approach storytelling innovatively, making your writing more engaging and multi-dimensional.

How does the character transformation challenge benefit writers?

The character transformation challenge involves creating characters with distinct traits and making them undergo significant changes. This exercise helps writers understand character psychology, adding depth to protagonists’ arcs and making them relatable to readers. It’s a way to explore both internal and external transformation.

How do these challenges enhance creativity and writing skills?

These challenges push writers out of their comfort zones, encouraging them to think differently and experiment with new techniques. By stretching their creative boundaries, writers develop unique storytelling and writing abilities and refine their writing skills, creating more captivating and well-crafted narratives.

Moreover, polished writing skills open doors to creativity. A skilled wordsmith can paint vivid mental images, evoke powerful emotions, and transport readers to new worlds through carefully chosen words and phrases. This creative prowess facilitates crafting compelling narratives that engage, entertain, and linger in the minds of readers long after they’ve turned the last page.

The advantages extend beyond creative expression – polished writing skills are a cornerstone of professional success. Clear and articulate communication is a prized and demanded asset in academia, business, and countless other fields. Writers with refined skills can draft persuasive proposals, concise reports, and impactful presentations, elevating their professional standing and enhancing their ability to convey complex ideas.

Embarking on these eleven writing challenges is a journey that will expand your creative horizons, refine your writing skills, and invigorate your storytelling. Overcoming these challenges boosts your writing confidence and empowers you to approach your craft with renewed passion and insight.

Embrace these exercises as opportunities to unlock your creativity, transcend creative barriers, and pave the way for your writing to evolve to new heights. However, if you still need more guidance, help with any challenges in technical writing, or writing service, ‘My Essay Writer’ will always rescue you!

Happy writing!

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WOW! Women On Writing Quarterly Creative Nonfiction Essay Contest

WOW! Women On Writing

Genres: Non-fiction and Essay

Seeking creative nonfiction essays on any topic (1000 words or less) and in any style--from personal essay and memoir to lyric essay and hybrid, and more! The mission of this contest is to reward bravery in real-life storytelling and create an understanding of our world through thoughtful, engaging narratives. Electronic submissions via e-mail only; reprints/previously published okay; simultaneous submissions okay; multiple submissions are okay as long as they are submitted in their own individual e-mail. Open internationally.

Additional prizes:

2nd: $300 | 3rd: $200 | 7 runner-ups: $25 Amazon Gift Cards

💰 Entry fee: $12

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024

A Very Short Story Contest

Gotham Writers Workshop

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, and Non-fiction

Write a great short story in ten words or fewer. Submit it to our contest. Entry is free. Winner of the bet gets a free Gotham class.

Free writing class from Gotham Writers Workshop.

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024

Environmental Writing 2024

Write the World

Genres: Essay and Non-fiction

The writer and activist Bill McKibben describes Environmental Writing as "the collision between people and the rest of the world." This month, peer closely at that intersection: How do humans interact with their environment? Given your inheritance of this earth, the world needs your voices now more than ever.

Best entry: $100

Runner up: $50 | Best peer review: $50

📅 Deadline: April 22, 2024

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Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

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The Letter Review Prize for Books

The Letter Review

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Letter Review Prize for Books is open to writers from anywhere in the world. Seeking most unpublished (we accept some self/indie published) novels, novellas, story collections, nonfiction, poetry etc. 20 entries are longlisted.

$1000 USD shared by 3 winners

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: October 31, 2023 (Expired)

The Hudson Prize

Black Lawrence Press

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Each year Black Lawrence Press will award The Hudson Prize for an unpublished collection of poems or prose. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers.

Publication

💰 Entry fee: $28

📅 Deadline: March 31, 2024 (Expired)

The Letter Review Prize for Nonfiction

Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, Crime, Humor, and Science Writing

2-4 Winners are published. We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Seeking Nonfiction 0-5000 words. Judges’ feedback available. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind. All entries considered for publication + submission to Pushcart.

Publication by The Letter Review

💰 Entry fee: $2

Journalism Competition 2024

What are the most important issues taking place close to home? Perhaps a rare bird sighting near your town? Or a band of young people in your province fighting for access to higher education? This month, immerse yourself in a newsworthy event inside the borders of your own country, and invite us there through your written reporting.

📅 Deadline: July 22, 2024

Stories of Inspiration

Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc

Nonfiction stories of inspiration wanted (between 500 to 2,000 words). Submissions should highlight the struggle and resilience of the human spirit, especially related to cultures of BIPOC or marginalized communities. Stories must be original, unpublished works in English. One successful entry will be awarded each month from April 2024 and will be included within Kinsman Quarterly’s online journal and digital magazine. Successful authors receive $200 USD and publication in our digital magazine. No entry fee required.

Publication in Kinsman Quarterly's online magazine

📅 Deadline: December 31, 2024

Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

The Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize is a writing competition sponsored by the stage and radio series Selected Shorts. Selected Shorts is recorded for Public Radio and heard nationally on both the radio and its weekly podcast. This years entries will be judged by Carmen Maria Machado (In the Dream House, Her Body and Other Parties).

$1000 + free 10 week course with Gotham Writers

📅 Deadline: March 01, 2024 (Expired)

Irene Adler Prize

Lucas Ackroyd

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, and Travel

I’ve traveled the world from Sweden to South Africa, from the Golden Globes to the Olympic women’s hockey finals. I’ve photographed a mother polar bear and her cubs and profiled stars like ABBA, Jennifer Garner and Katarina Witt. And I couldn’t have done it without women. I’ve been very fortunate, and it’s time for me to give back. With the Irene Adler Prize, I’m awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a woman pursuing a degree in journalism, creative writing, or literature at a recognized post-secondary institution.

2x honorable mentions: $250

📅 Deadline: May 30, 2024

Annual Student Essay Contest

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

For this year’s Essay Contest, we are asking students to think about why the story of the Oklahoma City bombing is important today.

📅 Deadline: March 04, 2024 (Expired)

Bacopa Literary Review Annual Writing Contest

Writers Alliance of Gainesville

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Bacopa Literary Review’s 2024 contest is open from March 4 through April 4, with $200 Prize and $100 Honorable Mention in each of six categories: Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Flash Fiction, Free Verse Poetry, Formal Poetry, and Visual Poetry.

📅 Deadline: April 04, 2024 (Expired)

Solas Awards

Best Travel Writing

Extraordinary stories about travel and the human spirit have been the cornerstones of our books since 1993. With the Solas Awards we honor writers whose work inspires others to explore. We’re looking for the best stories about travel and the world. Funny, illuminating, adventurous, uplifting, scary, inspiring, poignant stories that reflect the unique alchemy that occurs when you enter unfamiliar territory and begin to see the world differently as a result. We hope these awards will be a catalyst for those who love to leave home and tell others about it.

📅 Deadline: September 21, 2024

Red Hen Press Women's Prose Prize

Red Hen Press

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story, Essay, Memoir, and Novel

Established in 2018, the Women’s Prose Prize is for previously unpublished, original work of prose. Novels, short story collections, memoirs, essay collections, and all other forms of prose writing are eligible for consideration. The awarded manuscript is selected through a biennial competition, held in even-numbered years, that is open to all writers who identify as women.

Publication by Red Hen Press

📅 Deadline: February 28, 2024 (Expired)

High School Academic Research Competition

Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal

The High School Academic Research Competition is where talented students from around the world compete to publish high-quality research on any topic. SARC challenges students to sharpen their critical thinking skills, immerse themselves in the research process, and hone their writing skills for success.

Indigo Research Intensive Summer Program

📅 Deadline: March 20, 2024 (Expired)

Young Sports Journalist 2024

The Young Sports Journalist Competition, 2024, seeks well-argued articles from aspiring journalists aged 14-21. Winning entries will be published online and printed in the Summer Issue of Pitch. Critiqued by our panel of accomplished judges, winners will also receive a £50 cash prize and offered work experience here at PITCH HQ. The competition runs from 7 February 2024 to 5 April 2024. And winners will be announced in May.

Publication in magazine and online

📅 Deadline: April 05, 2024 (Expired)

Askew's Word on the Lake Writing Contest

Shuswap Association of Writers

Genres: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Essay, Memoir, and Short Story

Whether you’re an established or emerging writer, the Askew’s Word on the Lake Writing Contest has a place for you. Part of the Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival in Salmon Arm, BC, the contest is open to submissions in short fiction (up to 2,000 words), nonfiction (up to 2,000 words), and poetry (up to three one-page poems).

💰 Entry fee: $11

📅 Deadline: January 31, 2024 (Expired)

NOWW 26th International Writing Contest

Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop (NOWW)

Open to all writers in four categories: poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, and critical writing.

2nd: $100 | 3rd: $50

💰 Entry fee: $7

📅 Deadline: February 29, 2024 (Expired)

Tusculum Review Nonfiction Chapbook Prize

The Tusculum Review

A prize of $1,000, publication of the essay in The Tusculum Review’s 20th Anniversary Issue (2024), and creation of a limited edition stand-alone chapbook with original art is awarded. Editors of The Tusculum Review and contest judge Mary Cappello will determine the winner of the 2024 prize.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: June 15, 2024

Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award

Killer Nashville

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Poetry, Science Fiction, Script Writing, Short Story, and Thriller

The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award is committed to discovering new writers, as well as superlative books by established authors and, upon discovery, sharing those writers and their works with new readers. There are a large number of both fiction and non-fiction categories you can enter.

💰 Entry fee: $79

National Essay Contest

U.S. Institute of Peace

Genres: Essay

This year, AFSA celebrates the 100th anniversary of the United States Foreign Service. Over the last century, our diplomats and development professionals have been involved in groundbreaking events in history – decisions on war and peace, supporting human rights and freedom, creating joint prosperity, reacting to natural disasters and pandemics and much more. As AFSA looks back on this century-long history, we invite you to join us in also looking ahead to the future. This year students are asked to explore how diplomats can continue to evolve their craft to meet the needs of an ever-changing world that brings fresh challenges and opportunities to the global community and America’s place in it.

Runner-up: $1,250

📅 Deadline: April 01, 2024 (Expired)

The Letter Review Prize for Unpublished Books

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Short Story, Thriller, and Young Adult

Free to enter. Seeking 0-5000 word (poetry: 15 pgs) excerpts of unpublished books (Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction), including most self-published and indie-published works. 2-4 Winners (publication of extract is optional). We Shortlist 10-20 writers. Open to writers from anywhere in the world, with no theme or genre restrictions. Judged blind.

Optional Publication of Excerpt, Letter of Recommendation

Personal Essay Competition 2024

Genres: Essay and Memoir

We want to hear about an experience in your life, rife with characters and description and conflict and scene… but we also want to hear how you make sense of this experience, how it sits with you, and why it has surfaced as writing. Open a window into your life and invite your readers to enter.

📅 Deadline: June 24, 2024

Military Anthology: Partnerships, the Untold Story

Armed Services Arts Partnership

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, and Short Story

Partners are an integral aspect of military life, at home and afar, during deployment and after homecoming. Partnerships drive military action and extend beyond being a battle buddy, wingman, or crew member. Some are planned while others arise entirely unexpectedly. Spouses, family, old or new friends, community, faith leaders, and medical specialists all support the military community. Despite their importance, the stories of these partnerships often go untold. This anthology aims to correct that: We will highlight the nuances, surprises, joy, sorrow, heroism, tears, healing power, and ache of partnerships. We invite you to submit the story about partnerships from your journey, so we can help tell it.

$500 Editors' Choice award

$250 for each genre category (prose, poetry, visual art)

Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award

Trio House Press

Genres: Essay, Memoir, and Non-fiction

We seek un-agented full-length creative nonfiction manuscripts including memoir, essay collections, etc. 50,000 - 80,000 words.

📅 Deadline: May 15, 2024

swamp pink Prizes

From January 1st to January 31st, submit short stories and essays of up to 25 pages or a set of 1-3 poems. Winners in each genre will receive $2,000 and publication.

International Essay Competition 2023/24

Avernus Education

Welcome to our prestigious International Essay Competition. At Avernus Education, we are thrilled to provide a platform for young minds to showcase their prowess in Medicine, Engineering, Law, Economics, Psychology, History and Politics. These varied subject categories underscore the importance of interdisciplinary study, a crucial foundation for future leaders in our increasingly interconnected world. Winners receive an exclusive Avernus Education Scholarship worth over £5000 - granting them free entrance to our exclusive summer camp at Oxford University! Outstanding Runners Up receive 5 hours worth of Credits for Avernus Education courses, conferences and tutoring services.

100% Scholarship Award to our Oxford University Summer Programme (worth £5995)

Partial scholarship

📅 Deadline: February 19, 2024 (Expired)

Artificial Intelligence Competition

New Beginnings

Genres: Essay, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Short Story

There is no topic relating to technology that brings more discussion than artificial intelligence. Some people think it does wonders. Others see it as trouble. Let us know your opinion about AI in this competition. Include experiences you have had with AI. 300-word limit. Winners will be selected January 1, 2024. Open to anyone, anywhere.

💰 Entry fee: $5

📅 Deadline: December 15, 2023 (Expired)

International Voices in Creative Nonfiction Competition

Vine Leaves Press

Genres: Essay, Memoir, Non-fiction, and Novel

Small presses have potential for significant impact, and at Vine Leaves Press, we take this responsibility quite seriously. It is our responsibility to give marginalized groups the opportunity to establish literary legacies that feel rich and vast. Why? To sustain hope for the world to become a more loving, tolerable, and open space. It always begins with art. That is why we have launched this writing competition.

Book publication

📅 Deadline: July 01, 2024

Work-In-Progress (WIP) Contest

Unleash Press

Genres: Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novel, Novella, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Writing, and Young Adult

We aim to assist writers in the completion of an important literary project and vision. The Unleash WIP Award offers writers support in the amount of $500 to supplement costs to aid in the completion of a book-length work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. Writers will also receive editorial feedback, coaching meetings, and an excerpt/interview feature in Unleash Lit.

Coaching, interview, and editorial support

💰 Entry fee: $35

📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024

Share Your Story

FanStory.com Inc.

Write about an event in your life. Everyone has a memoir. Not an autobiography. Too much concern about fact and convention. A memoir gives us the ability to write about our life with the option to create and fabricate and to make sense of a life, or part of that life.

💰 Entry fee: $10

📅 Deadline: September 15, 2022 (Expired)

World Historian Student Essay Competition

World History Association

Genres: Children's and Essay

The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international competition open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs. Membership in the World History Association is not a requirement for submission. Past winners may not compete in the same category again.

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024

Indignor Play House Annual Short Story Competition

Indignor House Publishing

Genres: Fiction, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Crime, Essay, Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Novella, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

Indignor House Publishing is proud to announce that our annual writing competition (INDIGNOR PLAYHOUSE Short Story Annual Competition) is officially open with expected publication in the fall of 2024. Up to 25 submissions will be accepted for inclusion in the annual anthology.

2nd: $250 | 3rd: $150

Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest

Jane Austen Society of North America

JASNA conducts an annual student Essay Contest to foster the study and appreciation of Jane Austen's works in new generations of readers. Students world-wide are invited to compete for scholarship awards in three divisions: high school, college, and graduate school.

$1,000 scholarship

Two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s Annual General Meeting

📅 Deadline: June 02, 2022 (Expired)

Hispanic Culture Review Contest 2022-2023

Hispanic Culture Review

Genres: Essay, Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Short Story, and Flash Fiction

As the Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano once said, "the best that the world has is in the many worlds that the world contains." Therefore, this year we invite you to reflect on the following questions: How do you or your community celebrate these connections? How do you value those experiences with those people who leave a mark on your life? 1 work will be awarded in each category: 1) photography & visual arts, 2) poetry, and 3) narrative/essay/academic investigation.

$100 for photography, poetry, and essay winners

💰 Entry fee: $0

📅 Deadline: February 01, 2023 (Expired)

Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.

Why you should submit to writing contests

Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!

That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests. 

But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.

When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.

Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!

For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course: How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.

In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.

The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.

In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.

Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?

The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.

Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.

Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024

Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether. 

Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.

Free online courses

On Writing:

How to Craft a Killer Short Story

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction

How to Write a Novel

Understanding Point of View

Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love

Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character

Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine

On Editing:

Story Editing for Authors

How to Self-Edit Like a Pro

Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites

How to Write a Short Story in 7 Steps

How to Write a Novel in 15 Steps

Literary Devices and Terms — 35+ Definitions With Examples

10 Essential Fiction Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft

How to Write Dialogue: 8 Simple Rules and Exercises

8 Character Development Exercises to Help You Nail Your Character

Bonus resources

200+ Short Story Ideas

600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You

100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors

Story Title Generator

Pen Name Generator

Character Name Generator

After you submit to a writing competition in 2024

It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:

Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.

If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.

After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.

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One Full Year’s Worth Of 30-Day Writing Challenges For 2024

Alana Chase

With over 10 years’ experience in editing and editorial team management, Alana serves as Eleven's Head of Editing, aiding editors in creating top-quality content and overseeing recruitment to ensure only the best of the best join Eleven’s ranks. A seasoned digital journalist and writer, Alana holds an MA in Creative Writing and is accomplished in spearheading content strategy at high-growth media startups.

At Eleven, we’re big fans of 30-day writing challenges. Our writers, editors, and account managers all have their favorites — from the National Novel Writing Month challenge (which our Head of Editing has completed three times!) to the month-long microblogging challenge (which captivated our Head of SEO). 

The beauty of these challenges is that they each target different skills and push you in different ways. And they all help you become a stronger, more self-assured, more consistent writer.

In this article, we’ve rounded up our favorite 30-day writing challenges — 12 total so you can complete one ‌each month of the year. You’ll find challenges to clear the creative cobwebs in your mind, refine your persuasive writing skills, experiment with new genres and styles, master narrative structure, and more. 

Let’s dive in!

List of challenges 

• ‍ January : That’s So Random! ‍
• February : Devil’s Advocate ‍
• March : Microblogging Madness ‍
• April : A Poem a Day ‍
• May : First and Last Lines ‍
• June : Journaling Challenge ‍
• July : Parrot Challenge ‍
• August : Paragraph-a-Day AcWriMo ‍
• September : Writing in Reverse ‍
• October : Facing Fears ‍
• November : NaNoWriMo Challenge ‍
• December : Rewriting Challenge

Tips and best practices

Thirty-day writing challenges are marathons, not sprints. Follow these tips to finish challenges without burning out:

• Warm up with writing exercises before the challenge begins . For ideas, check out our favorite writing exercises .
• Schedule writing time into your calendar so you’re more likely to commit to the challenge each day.
• Eliminate distractions by decluttering your writing space and turning off all device notifications. 
• Have the right mindset. Writing coach and author Nina Amir calls this the “secret sauce” that turns good writers into great ones . Be willing to commit, go outside your comfort zone, and remain optimistic and determined.
• Write how and where you’re most comfortable — in your bedroom, on the couch, or out in nature, using a notebook and pencil, your computer, or even your phone or tablet. 
• Get support. Let your friends and family know you’re completing a writing challenge so they can cheer you on — and not interrupt during writing time. Also, consider joining an online writing community like Eleven’s (coming soon!) to seek advice from other writers.
• If you miss a day, jump back in the next. Life happens, but don’t let one interruption derail your goal.

30-day writing challenges for 2024

January: that’s so random.

Skills it targets: Creativity and improvisation.

For January’s challenge, you’ll write in response to random prompts, incorporate random words into your writing, and use existing text as a jumping-off point for new work. 

Aim to write 500 words each day — about any topic you’d like — and follow this schedule:

• January 1-10: Learn The New York Times ’ Word of the Day and write in response to it or use it in your writing each day.
• January 11-20: Use Semrush’s Free Title Generator to generate headlines based on a topic or keyword you input — like “Everything You Need to Know About Flower Care.” Each day, write an article based on a headline Semrush suggests. 
• January 21-31: Choose a piece of writing — a book, blog article, short story, academic paper, etc. — and select a random line from it. Use that as the first line of your new work each day.

February: Devil’s Advocate

Skills it targets: Using persuasion, argumentation, and logic effectively in your writing.

Each day, take an opinion and write a piece that argues against it. For example, write 500 words on why pepperoni isn’t the tastiest pizza topping or why making your bed every morning isn’t actually necessary. 

The point of this challenge is to get you thinking about topics from new perspectives and refine your ability to create convincing arguments. 

Choosing a subject you feel passionate about and then writing a persuasive argument from the opposite side of the debate is also a great way to understand others’ perspectives and see the world in new ways. This is a wonderful exercise, not just for writing, but also for personal growth. 

March: Microblogging Madness

Skills it targets: Writing concisely and capturing readers’ attention quickly. 

In March, challenge yourself to write a microblog post each day. Pick any topic you’d like (use BlogSpot’s Blog Ideas Generator if you need inspiration) and explain it in 100 words or fewer. 

If the 100-word limit sounds too daunting, try the “Ship 30 for 30” Challenge instead. Each day, you’ll write an “Atomic Essay”: an essay focused on a single idea, written in under 250 words, and able to fit into a smartphone screenshot.

And if blogging isn’t your style but creative writing is, modify this challenge to a microfiction one: Write a new 100-word story each day in March. ServiceScape has a fantastic prompt generator (based on dozens of genres), and Reedsy can give you a plot outline, if you get stuck.

April: A Poem a Day

Skills it targets: ​​Using imagery and metaphorical expressions and conveying emotion in your writing.

​​​​Celebrate National Poetry Month by writing a poem every day in April. 

Write about whatever you want, in whatever poetic form — anything goes! Just challenge yourself to use strong imagery, metaphors, and emotions in your poems.

Even if you don’t plan to become the next poet laureate, improving your poetry can make you an all-around better writer in many unexpected ways. 

If you’re new to poetry or want more guidance throughout this challenge, check out these resources:

• Escapril on Instagram . Created by best-selling poet and novelist Savannah Brown, Escapril is a 30-day poetry writing challenge with unique daily prompts. 
• Squibler’s list of 132 poetry prompts .
• Reedsy’s poetry writing prompts .
• Jericho Writers’ list of 100 poetry prompts . 
• The Poetry Society UK’s National Poetry Writing Competition writing prompts .

May: First and Last Lines

Skills it targets: ​​Crafting memorable beginnings and endings and experimenting with narrative structures.

On May 1, you have total freedom: write anything you want in as many words as you like. Then, on May 2, you’ll use the last line of your writing from May 1 as the first line of a new piece of writing. Continue this method each day for the rest of the month.

June: Journaling Challenge

Skills it targets: Injecting personality and authenticity into your writing.

​​For June, you’ll focus on self-expression by writing a daily journal entry. Reflect on your emotions, experiences, thoughts, and opinions. Write in your own unique voice, and be as authentic as possible. 

By the end of the month, you’ll have done what prolific writer Joyce Carol Oates has for decades. She’s ‌kept a journal since her early 20s and recommends regular journaling to writers of all levels . 

July: Parrot Challenge

Skills it targets: Understanding tone of voice and adapting your writing for various audiences.

Each day in July, pick any topic you'd like, choose a random author, and write about your chosen topic in their tone of voice. You can even explore new genres. 

The goal is to “parrot” the writing you’ve chosen each day. For example, if you mainly write horror stories, pick a romance novelist and emulate their tone of voice in a new piece of writing. Or, if you do most of your writing in an academic setting, try writing in a casual tone for a digital audience.

August: Paragraph-a-Day AcWriMo

Skills it targets: Academic writing, research skills, and communicating ideas clearly. 

Academic Writing Month (AcWriMo) takes place in November, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate it early. (We have something else lined up for November!)

AcWriMo’s central premise is simple: Set a daily goal for your academic writing project and share progress updates on social media using #AcWriMo. For more structure, though, the University of Oxford runs a Paragraph-a-Day AcWriMo challenge . 

Complete the challenge by selecting a topic that interests you, researching it, and writing one paragraph (200-300 words) about it per day. 

Craft 30 paragraphs on the same topic, or shake things up by writing 30 paragraphs on 30 different topics. Either way, use a formal, academic tone and explain your ideas clearly. 

September: Writing in Reverse

Skills it targets: Structuring your writing well and ensuring all your ideas support your main narrative.

Start by choosing something you’d like to write: a short story, an essay, a blog article, etc. On September 1, write the last paragraph of your new writing project. Then, move backward until you pen the first paragraph on September 30. 

Pay attention to how each new paragraph builds on the ones before it and how they all contribute to your overall story or argument. 

October: Facing Fears

Skills it targets: Writing in different genres and using different forms.

Embrace the spooky season by writing about a different fear — yours, someone else’s, or one totally new to you — every day in October. ( Forbes has a master list of common phobias to help you brainstorm.)

Write about each fear differently. For example, one day, craft a short story featuring a character with aquaphobia (a fear of water). The next, pen a 500-word article explaining the history of bathmophobia (the fear of escalators). You could even get meta and write something on graphophobia — the fear of writing!

November: NaNoWriMo Challenge

Skills it targets: Novel writing and maintaining a daily writing habit with a high word count goal.

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) tasks writers with penning a 50,000-word novel in November. That amounts to 1,667 words per day. 

Many best-selling books were drafted during NaNoWriMo — including Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants , Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, Hank Green’s An Absolutely Remarkable Thing , Emily X.R. Pan’s The Astonishing Color of After, and many more.

To participate, sign up for an account on the NaNoWriMo website , enter details about your novel-in-progress, and log your word count at the end of each day. You can even connect with other participants and attend in-person and virtual NaNoWriMo events with writers in your area. 

If you hit 50,000 words by November 30, you’ll earn a colorful badge and certificate of completion.

Novels not your thing? No problem. Simply write 1,667 words per day every day in November. (That’s close to novelist Stephen King’s daily commitment of 2,000 words !) You’ll still end up with 50,000 words by the end of the month, just like regular NaNoWriMo participants.

December: Rewriting Challenge

Skills it targets: Self-editing, self-critique, using different perspectives, and writing concisely. 

December’s challenge is all about reworking your drafts. It’s split into two parts:

• Each day from December 1-17 , rewrite a draft from another point of view. For example, if you originally wrote your draft in the second person (using you/your/yours pronouns), rewrite it in the first person with yourself as the narrator (using I/me/my pronouns). 
• Each day from December 18-31 , focus on concision. Take something you’ve written and cut its word count in half — without sacrificing clarity or meaning.

Month-long writing challenges are a great way to establish consistency and discipline, unleash your creativity, and steadily improve your writing. 

You have plenty of challenges to choose from, but our top recommendations are compiled in this guide. Mix and match the ones that interest you most, or complete all 12 in a year to really test (and impress) yourself.

For more info on leveling up as a writer, check out our writing and editing guides , visit our Grammar Hub , and sign up for our Freelance Writing Mastery course .

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Category: ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGE

Insights weekly essay challenges 2024 – week 174 – came from plant, use it; made in plant, don’t..

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 174 07 April 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Came from plant, use it; made in plant, don’t.”   ESSAY SYNOPSIS   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 173 – A Business That Makes Nothing More Than Money Is Poor Business.

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 173 30 March 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “A Business That Makes Nothing More Than Money Is Poor Business.”   ESSAY SYNOPSIS   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 172 – If Voting Really Made Difference, They Would Not Let Us Do It

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 172 24 March 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “If Voting Really Made Difference, They Would Not Let Us Do It.”   ESSAY SYNOPSIS   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 171 – Cinema Is Not A Slice Of Life, But A Piece Of Cake

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 171 17 March 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Cinema Is Not A Slice Of Life, But A Piece Of Cake.”   ESSAY SYNOPSIS   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 170 – Education Can give skill, but a liberal education can give dignity

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 170 10 March 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Education Can give skill, but a liberal education can give dignity.”   ESSAY SYNOPSIS   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 169 – Sometimes when you lose your way you find yourself

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 169 3 March 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Sometimes when you lose your way you find yourself.”   ESSAY SYNOPSIS   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 168 – Who Looks Inside Awakes, Who Looks Outside Dream

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 168 25 February 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Who Looks Inside Awakes, Who Looks Outside Dream.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 167 – Never Let School Interfere With Your Education

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 167 18 February 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Never Let School Interfere With Your Education.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 166 – Whoever Controls the Media Controls the Mind

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 166 11 February 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Whoever Controls the Media Controls the Mind.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 165 – A certain darkness is needed to see the stars

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 165 4 February 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “A certain darkness is needed to see the stars.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 164 – Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 164 28 January 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 163 – Subtle Is powerful

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 163 21 January 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Subtle Is powerful.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 162 – The power of community to create health is far greater than any physician, clinic or hospital.

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 162 14 January 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “The power of community to create health is far greater than any physician, clinic or hospital.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 161 – Give them Quality. That’s The Best Kind of Advertising.

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2024 – Week 161 07 January 2024 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Give them Quality. That’s The Best Kind of Advertising.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 160 – The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 160 31 December 2023 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 159 – All Great Changes Are Preceded By Chaos

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 159 24 December 2023 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “All Great Changes Are Preceded By Chaos.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 158 – We are drowning in information, but starved for Knowledge

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 158 17 December 2023 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “We are drowning in information, but starved for Knowledge.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 157 – Violence Is the last resort of the incompetent

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 157 10 December 2023 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Violence Is the last resort of the incompetent.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 156 – Be a Voice, Not an Echo

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 156 3 December 2023 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “Be a Voice, Not an Echo.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 155 – A Society that has more justice is the society that needs less charity.

Insights Weekly Essay Challenges 2023 – Week 155 26 November 2023 Write an essay on the following topic in not more than 1000-1200 words: “A Society that has more justice is the society that needs less charity.”   Join InsightsIAS Official Telegram Channel for Daily Guidance and Motivation   https://t.me/s/insightsIAStips

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