How a 31 day challenge turned into a 365 day habit

Thank you, Jeff Goins, for issuing this challenge and introducing me this wonderful group of people.

365 days ago, I joined a group of writers and bloggers in a 31 day challenge issued by Jeff Goins. He started the group on Facebook to encourage people to get into the habit of writing at least 500 words every day.

As with many other writers’ groups on Facebook, I joined but was not overly enthusiastic about its success, because of past experiences. How wrong did I turn out to be!

The 31 day challenge sparked a lot of interest, but that is not what I base my opinion on, quite the opposite. It is the continued support and encouragement from the group’s members that makes it such a wonderful group.

I will go so far as to say that I have formed friendships with people that I may never meet face-to-face in my lifetime.  While I may never have the opportunity to share a cup of coffee or a hug, when I don’t see a regular post or a comment from them, I do wonder if they are alright. Of course, I have real life friends in the group too, and we share the same views, our online friends…are friends.

One year have now passed since we started the group and not only has it grown in numbers, but also in maturity. It does take time for a group to form, even if we share the same goals. Sensitive topics have been debated, and while we don’t always agree, I love the respect we show towards each other.

Yes, our aim is still the same: write at least 500 words every day: be it blog posts, fiction or journal entries – and hold ourselves accountable for doing so. The group has grown to be more than a writer’s group, and it will probably be the last group I leave on Facebook, if ever.

On a personal note: I don’t write fiction every day, although I aim to write every day, with the exception of December. Even I need a break sometimes :)

What does 2015 hold in store for this awesome group of writers and bloggers? I cannot predict the future, but if the past is an indication of what the future holds… it will grow in depth and maturity and I will grow along with it, not only as a writer, but also as a human being.

What some of the awesome people who have been with me on this journey of 365 days have to say:

Vanessa Wright's Humouring the dark
Roslynn Pryor’s Pushing the Bruise
Stella Myers’ Stella’s Starshine
Amy Bovaird‪'s Amy's Adventures‬
Crystal Thieringer’s Muse and Meander
‪Carryl A Robinson‪’s Echoes from the Cave

Becky Williams Waters' A Novel Creation
Laura Hille's For The Love of Storytelling

Wishing all my friends from the My 500 Word groups, a successful and blessed 2015!

May your writing dreams come true in every way!