The One-Hour Medium Writing Challenge
Jump start your writing practice with the help of a timer
Since the start of the new year, I’ve all but dropped off the face of Medium.
In December, I couldn’t wait for 2018. Armed with a slew of writing goals, I was ready to take on the world.
But, after the holidays, I just never found my motivation again.
I haven’t completely stopped writing. Here and there, I find time to journal. I’m also proud of a few posts I’ve published on my WordPress blog.
However, when it comes to Medium, I’ve been in a total rut. I’ve only posted something like four times since the start of 2018.
Was there really a time (not all that long ago) that I was posting daily? I had to force myself to take days off!
What Changed?
I fell in love with Medium because the platform is so easy to use and the community is so supportive. I didn’t feel as much pressure publishing here as I did on my WordPress blog.
Medium felt like a place I could learn and grow. I wasn’t afraid to make mistakes here.
I’m not sure how or why things changed, but publishing on Medium got harder and harder. I spent hours writing and editing posts because I was scared to put something “out there” that was less than perfect.
It took until writing this post — it took until right this second! — to realize why I haven’t posted on Medium in over a month:
The fear of failure paralyzed me.
Which is just fucking ridiculous. I’ve only had positive interactions on Medium. No one has attacked me for any of my ideas, typos or grammatical errors…yet.
Ugh! There I go again!
The One-Hour Medium Writing Challenge
I need help, and that’s why I’ve decided to implement the “One-Hour Medium Writing Challenge.”
When I sat down to write this post today, I set a timer for one hour. I gave myself 60 minutes to do all my writing and editing (and worrying). When the timer goes off, I’ve got to hit publish.
My plan is to implement this one hour time limit for my next five posts.
It’s my hope that this challenge will:
#1 Encourage me to publish more frequently
Not many people (myself included) have hours and hours to spend on a post. One hour though? Definitely doable.
#2 Help me combat writer’s block
Time waits for no writer! When the clock starts, there’s no stopping it. I’ve got one hour and one hour only to put something together. I know this strategy might not work for everyone, but personally, I do my best work on a deadline.
#3 Force me to stop overthinking
When I was writing my best Medium stories, I was writing about whatever happened to be on my mind that given day. Because it was at the forefront of my thoughts, it was generally something I was pretty passionate about and that was evident in my writing. It’s easier to write about things you care about. The words just seemed to flow.
#4 Remind me that it’s okay to make mistakes
I don’t want to call myself a “perfectionist” because I know perfection is impossible, so by calling myself one, I’m setting myself up for failure which is the total opposite of perfect; and therefore, something I can’t stand. Do you see how much trouble I’m in here??!! With an hour time limit, I know my stories aren’t going to be flawless. They’ll be written though, and that’s what really matters.
If you want to join me in the One-Hour Medium Writing Challenge, leave me a comment! Or, if you have other ideas or tips to kick start my Medium practice, let me know!
Well, will you look at that: one minute to spare! So far, this challenge seems to be just what I needed.
Hi, I’m Alex! After living in Madrid, Spain, for two years, I recently moved to Mexico. Tacos and sunshine, baby! When I’m not writing, I’m reading, running or drinking red wine. For more of my writing, check out my blog: Backpacking Brunette.
