Have I Quit the 60-Day Writing Challenge?

Or does the marathon continue?

Yes, I embarked on a 60-day writing challenge on June 2, 2022. And it has been a challenge and learning experience.

First, I think you should know it was never a 60-Day writing challenge for me because I have maintained a daily writing habit for almost 17 years. This writing challenge has been much more.

It has been 60 days of writing, editing, more editing, digitally drawing an image in Canva (a term I derived from Jerikho Jordan), and publishing.

Secondly, I have a plan to continue publishing daily. So, yes, the party doesn’t stop.

I Love Everything About the 60-Day Writing Challenge, Except…

Everything about the 60-day writing challenge has been great. However, there is one thing I didn’t enjoy. I didn’t enjoy counting. Counting days isn’t fun for me—it’s somewhat distracting.

Counting Days During a Writing and Publishing Challenge

While on the 60-day writing challenge, I counted my days 1–42.

I discovered I don’t enjoy counting days. When I count days, it feels as if life is slipping away.

I love summertime, and as I counted each day, it felt like the days were going by too fast. Life moves quickly enough without counting. For example, we are 30 days into summer.

I wouldn’t have paid much attention to that had I not been counting days.

Perhaps, in future challenges, I will be more product-focused.

Instead of counting days, I think occasional writing and publishing challenges focusing on what I produce versus how many days I write and publish would be better for my writing career and journey.

For instance, I would dedicate seven days to writing stories about a specific topic or seven days to sharing information about a new skill or creativity enhancement activity.

In other words, what value did I produce for the reader at the end of the challenge? I would instead focus on creating value for the reader, not counting days.

Don’t get me wrong, it has been fun, and I’ve learned a great deal, but counting days haven’t been good for my mindset. It feels as if life is in hyper-speed mode.

Specifically, What Have I Learned from the 60-Day Writing Challenge?

After publishing daily for 42 days, I have developed a habit, one of those good habits. The habit is the desire to write great stories daily and share them with you.

The dopamine rush is real, but the things I’ve learned far surpass any jolt of happy hormones I get from clicking that green publish button.

As some may know, I am in the incubation stage of developing a writing, content creation, and publishing business with my best friend. In this phase, we study business models that will work for us long-term.

We are studying models that won’t stifle our creativity as we create multiple streams of revenue and a creative brand we can be proud of.

It isn’t my first rodeo, so I’m not about to shoot in the dark and create a business I won’t enjoy 20+ years from now. I’ve already created a business I grew to resent later.

I’ve learned daily publishing works for my writing career.

At this point, daily publishing works for me. Surely, days will pop up, and I may not click the publishing button, but consistency is vital when building.

Once you follow the path of authorship, you are no longer an everyday working writer. When you choose authorship, you are in the publishing business.

And let’s be honest. Business never sleeps even when we do.

I learned that many would encourage you with every challenge, but a few will take your forward motion as a personal attack against them.

Many writers have cheered me on, and it has been so encouraging. I’d get behind the keyboard daily thinking about the writers and readers who said, “keep going, Carmellita.”

Although many weren’t on a challenge and couldn’t write daily, they shared how my daily commitment has inspired them.

Unfortunately, I’ve annoyed (I think that’s the best word) a few writers who somehow think my choice to publish daily was wagging my finger at them and putting them down.

It is not. I’m sharing my experience and the benefits I see from publishing daily, hoping to inspire, not ridicule.

Ironically, I learned a few things even from “annoying” a few writers:

• Many excellent writers on this platform want to write and publish more but don’t have the time. It’s okay. I want each of you to know you are still a writer even if you don’t write daily.
• Each writer has their writing and publishing journey. Every writer on this platform is not walking hand-in-hand, skipping down a yellow brick road. Do you. I’ll do me. And yes, we can support, motivate, and encourage each other.
• Some writers on this platform compete — more than I realized. I’m not interested in competition. I’m interested in ideas, creativity, and cooperation.

I’ve learned I have been off course from my writing goals.

Daily publishing has helped me return to my original goals. I’m not here on Medium to become a better writer. You may be thinking…

“Oh no she didn’t. That should be everyone’s goal.”

No, it’s not my goal. That’s not the agreement I digitally signed with Medium. I am here to write and publish premium content for Medium Members. And through this commitment, I can build an audience, my writing career, and a viable business.

You see, I was distracted by a culture that has formed on Medium that doesn’t have the same goals I do. I’m not saying I’m better than anyone else, but not all of us have the same goals because we aren’t on the same journey.

It’s similar to when I first started college. I had to remember I was enrolled in college to get a degree for a career path I would enjoy.

The addendums such as clubs, groups, sororities, and extra-curriculum activities enhanced my college experience but had nothing to do with my getting a degree.

I couldn’t forget the goal. Without a degree, I had nothing else to fall back on but a lousy job.

I was aware of the students who had become “professional” students because they were socializing more than focusing on the curriculum and their degrees.

Their circumstances were very different from mine. My parents weren’t footing the bill; I was.

It’s the same for my writing journey here on Medium. To reach my goals, I have to remember Medium’s members are paying for premium content. Also, I have a business partner who is counting on me to do my part.

I may sound harsh, but I am not here to play on Medium to muster a false sense of accomplishment.

It’s business. A business I’ve dreamed about for a very long time.

I know many of my writerly friends understand because we’ve discussed it.

I have been shown incredible love on this platform and am genuinely grateful, but my goal isn’t to hang out on Medium.

I’ve learned to accept the triad of writing premium content

Like a harmonic triad, quantity, quality, and expertise reign equally. It’s not one over the other. I have not wanted to accept this one.

If I am serious about my writing career and business while taking full advantage of this platform, then quantity, quality, and expertise aren’t an either/or decision. It’s all three, equally.

I’ve pivoted in that direction. I can’t just cater to writers who don’t want to read content over 4 minutes. Will I still write three and 4-minute stories? I will, but long-form is very important on this platform and will be even more critical in the future (wink, wink).

Why does it look like I Quit the 60-Day Writing Challenge?

It looks like I quit the challenge because I had some serious research to do after watching Sinem Günel’s interview with Tony Stubblebine, the new CEO of Medium.

His insights about Medium’s future align with what I’ve learned during this 60-day writing challenge.

Moreover, his vision for the platform aligns with what I want to accomplish here as a writer— authority and, yes, authorship. Authority and authorship is my main reason for writing on this platform.

Please take some time to read Ellen Eastwood’s takeaways and insightful viewpoints on the interview, and yes, don’t forget to watch the interview here. Sinem did a great job asking questions about changes in Medium’s future and how changes will directly affect writers.

The interview reminded me I am not here to become a better writer. I am here to write premium stories and, yes, “hearticles” for Medium’s members. That’s my responsibility as a Medium partner. If I want to be a better writer, workshops do that.

After studying the work of Coach Tony — now CEO Tony, I can see I will have to improve on my approach to Medium.

I have to pivot in a much more productive way. Again, that’s another story.

Yes, Fam, the challenge has become the standard. When I said it was time for me to level up, I meant it.

Fam, I’m curious. Have you ever taken on a challenge that became much more than you originally intended? Did you have to pivot or make changes? Were the outcomes rewarding?

Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Here is Ellen Eastwood’s Story

And don’t forget the Interview…HERE