I’m Writing 30 Submissions in 30 Days

Just Keep Writing… Just Keep Writing…

This challenge comes from David Majister — a link to the original post is below!

Who In Their Right Mind Would Want To Do This?

In the past year or so, the other distractions in my life have been falling away, making it undeniably clear that I am a writer.

There is no requirement, certificate, or degree need to be a writer, contrary to popular belief. I received a BFA in Communication Design in 2016 and spent the last 5 years working as a graphic designer.

Prior to that, I had applied to a variety of English and Creative Writing programs along with visual arts. I was stuck between two career paths that were both notorious for producing starving artists with no applicable skills for surviving in the “real world”.

Contrary to the stacks of journals I’ve filled since I was old enough to write and the hundreds of books with the spines worn from being read over and over in my childhood bedroom, I went with visual arts.

I have no regrets, and my visual arts and communications background has helped me every step of the way to where I am now. Writing continued to be a big part of my life every step of the way.

In December 2019, a few months before the world changed forever, I walked out of my 9–5 job on a marketing team in the sports industry after a massive blowout with my boss. I had spent the past few years working my rear end off “making it” as a designer in New York City. With every step of the ladder I climbed, I realized that the ladder was going somewhere I didn’t want to be. I jumped off the ladder that day and never returned.

My Motivation For Taking On This Challenge

I had been dreaming of a freelance career since I graduated college, but it took me a wake-up call of massive proportions to kick things into gear. I immediately got to emailing and researching and applying, and soon enough, I had a contract position writing riddles for a mobile game that paid more than my 9–5 with all the freedom I had been craving for so long.

Flash forward to a year and some change later, and here I am. I have a handful of reliable clients and my own blog. I make my own schedule and don’t have a boss breathing down my neck. The only downside to that is that I often feel like I have so many ideas floating in my head but don’t have the time management skills or accountability to get them done.

My takeaway after all of this is that the only solution to not writing is to write. It sounds stupidly simple, but as a writer, it’s often my largest struggle. With my own blog and freelance clients, I have a nearly endless amount of client work to write. When it comes to writing from my heart, somehow, I never seem to have the time.

That’s why the 30-day challenge appeals to me. I have over 15 drafts sitting on Medium that are half-written because I always seem to have something more important to do.

In the next 30 days, I’ll finally prioritize my writing.

What I Hope to Gain From This Experience

Followers

I’m hoping to gain 100 followers. I’m currently at 64, so when I finish on May 12th, I hope to have 164.

Revenue

The most I’ve ever made on a Medium monthly payout is a whopping $2.18. My goal at the end of this challenge is to make $50 at the end of the challenge.

Discovering Publications

I’d love to hone in on some Medium Publications that have interesting content and writers on topics relevant to me. This is great to find a home for my writing but also to learn and grow as a person through reading.

Discovering Writers and Building My Network

I need more community in my life, especially after switching to being a fully remote freelancer.

and most importantly

To Write

I’m hoping this challenge will force me to just sit the &!#$ down and write. I am a perfectionist which often keeps me from publishing work. When I look back at my accomplishments, my best work has been the stuff I’ve written when I was driven by emotion, passion, and need. I need to reconnect to the source inside myself that needs to speak. I have stories to tell, and I’m sick of holding myself back.

My Fears

I find it important to list my fears in order to let them go. Insecurity has been keeping me from reaching my potential for far too long.

• I’m afraid I’ll get rejected and come to the crushing realization that I actually suck as a writer and should not quit my now nonexistent day job
• I’m worried I’ll get burnt out and give up a few days in
• I’ll put in a ton of work and get no results at all

The Results

I will write an article on May 12th to cover the outcome of the challenge. I’ll also be adding all the published articles below throughout the next 30 days.

Time to get writing!

4/13/21 — Day 1:

Rejected

4/14/21 — Day 2:

4/15/21 — Day 3:

4/16/21 — Day 4:

4/17/21 — Day 5: Did not submit

4/18/21 — Day 6: Rejected

4/19/21 — Day 7: Did not submit

4/20/21 — Day 8:

4/21/21 — Day 9:

4/22/21 — Day 10: Did not submit

4/23/21 — Day 11: Did not submit

4/24/21 — Day 12: Did not submit

4/25/21 — Day 13: Did not submit

4/26/21 — Day 14: Did not submit

4/27/21 — Day 15:

4/28/21 — Day 16:

4/29/21 — Day 17: Did not submit

4/30/21 — Day 18: *curated*

5/1/21 — Day 19:

5/2/21 — Day 20:

5/3/21 — Day 21:

5/5/21 — Day 23:

5/6/21 — Day 24:

5/7/21 — Day 25: missed

5/8/21 — Day 26: missed

5/9/21 — Day 27: missed

5/10/21 — Day 28: submitted and waiting

5/11/21 — Day 29: submitted and waiting

5/12/21 — Day 30: missed