Hello, and welcome to the latest Free Author Challenge!
Everything you need is in the video above, but if you’d rather read than watch, it’s all here too.
This is your reminder that we kick off TOMORROW, and it’s also where I let you in on something I have never done in a live challenge before.
Something brand new this time
For the first time ever, I’m going to be giving you real feedback, written directly inside your own documents, on your actual writing.
This is a five-day challenge (really more like six, because I’ve snuck in a little extra), and this time you won’t just be planning.
You’ll be writing scenes for your book, and you’ll have the chance to submit them to me and get my genuine feedback right there in your pages. I’ll walk you through exactly how that works a little further down, but I wanted you to know straight away, because I’m so excited about it.
New here? A quick hello
If you’re wondering who I am or why this landed in your inbox, I’m Dr. Shelly Sayer Lorts, and I help people write books.
You’re on this list because you signed up for (and hopefully did) the 30-Day Free Author Challenge back in January. If you did, you probably set yourself a goal to write a book this year. Well, it’s the end of July, so let me ask the obvious question: how’s it going?
• Some of you I’ve heard from, and you are doing a fantastic job.
• Some of you joined the cohort inside Academy of Story in the Write It program, so I know exactly how you’re doing, because we talk every week and I read your writing every week. Say hi. I love you guys.
• And some of you may have stalled a bit, and you’re not as far along as you’d hoped to be by now.
If you’re in that last group, this challenge was built for you. It’ll be useful for everyone, but it’s going to be especially helpful for getting you unstuck and moving again.
The basics for this Challenge
Here’s how the week runs:
• It kicks off tomorrow with Day Zero. Day Zero isn’t technically a challenge day. It’s where I give you everything you need: what this challenge is, what you’ll be doing, and your worksheet.
• Lessons land at 5am UK time, every morning, in your inbox. I do it that early because so many of you carve out writing time before the rest of the day begins, and I want it ready and waiting for you. If you work best at another time of day, that’s completely fine. It’ll be there whenever you are.
• The fifth day falls on Saturday, and then we’ll do something a little special on Sunday as a farewell.
• Tomorrow’s Day Zero assignment is small, and it isn’t actual writing. The real writing starts once the challenge is properly underway.
How the daily feedback works
This is the new part, so read it carefully. Here’s the flow:
1. Your lesson drops at 5am. As long as you’ve submitted that day’s work to me by midnight, I’ll give you feedback inside your writing for the next day.
2. Write in a Google Doc with open permissions. I need to be able to go in and write directly in your document, so please make sure the sharing permissions are open.
3. Submit through the private form. I’ll give you a form to fill out. It’s private, so nobody else can see the link to your document. You’ll pop your doc link in there.
4. Leave a comment on that day’s post telling me you’ve submitted your work.
5. Then close your document and don’t open it until you see that I’ve liked your comment. When I like your comment, it means my feedback is in, and you’re free to go back in and read it.
A few important notes on that:
• I’ll always have feedback to you by 8am the next day, so you’ll have a full day to sit with it and work from it.
• Early birds, email me. If you’re up and writing before 8am, let me know at shelly@academyofstory.com, and I’ll make sure you get your feedback earlier, when it’s actually useful to you.
• I’ll only be giving feedback for the days we’re on. Sorry, but if you’re a day or two behind, I won’t be able to give you feedback. To keep everything on track, I’m only giving feedback for writing submitted on the day that each lesson goes live.
• Why the “don’t peek” rule? I’ve noticed writers get a little anxious when they know someone’s in their document giving feedback, and they’ll hover and watch. I want to take that away for you (and honestly, it’s a bit awkward for me too). Submit, comment, close the doc, and wait for the like. It’s better for all of us.
A small habit that really helps: like the post
After you’ve watched a lesson or done the homework, click “like” on the post.
It’s a simple way to keep track of where you are, especially in a challenge where the lessons can start to pile up. If you ever lose your place, your likes tell you exactly which days you’ve done. It helps me too, but mostly it’s for you. Every single time, the writers who do this are the ones who finish, and finish on time.
Your homework for today
Two quick things before tomorrow:
1. Like this post, so I know you’ve watched and I can keep track of who’s live with me in the challenge (and therefore who I’ll be giving feedback to).
2. Introduce yourself in the comments. Tell us who you are, what your story is, and what your premise is. Let me know if you did the 30-Day Challenge or if you’re brand new. So many of you emailed and DM’d me after the last post, which was lovely, but doing it in the comments means everyone gets to know each other. Some real friendships came out of the last challenge, and I’d love that for you too.
Let’s go!
Your Day Zero lesson drops tomorrow morning at 5am, where I’ll tell you exactly what this challenge is, hand you your worksheet, and we’ll be off to the races.
See you then!
Xx, Shelly
