Community Challenge

If there is one thing that I have learnt from 2024 it is to never underestimate what you can achieve when you put your mind to it. I've written a little about this in my recent challenge entry Project Me as well as other goals that I have for 2025, so I will not repeat myself here.

What I am going to write about here though is branching out writing-wise. In 2024, I wrote a microfiction piece every day, 366 of them, some of which formed part of series; some of which were stand alone. I'm proud of every piece as they are all crafted by me, to a deadline and whilst being no more than 366 words, they have had to be involved, with clear progression and character development in order for them to be readable and rounded. I like to think I achieved this in each and every one; that, at least, was my intention.

And now, it's over. Done. It's been hard, I'm not going to lie. But I do feel a little sad that it's finished. I know that my fellow participants are still going and I commend them for it. Me? I need a break from it.

But that doesn't mean I need a break from writing.

What I've noticed about my writing is that it's mainly in two communities on Vocal: Fiction and Poets. Now, I think that I am playing to my strengths here but am I? I mean, these are the forms into which I pour most of my creativity but what if I have talent elsewhere? How will I ever know if I don't try?

I have to admit that I am more comfortable in the kingdom of make-believe i.e. fiction, and meditative introspective wordplay i.e. poems. I don't know if I've yet to find my voice in other forms. I find writing about myself hard although when I do it from the heart, I like the ring of it. But it doesn't come easily to me. In fact, I think that other than the swimming pool changing room or a group role-play at a team meeting, it is probably the place where I feel most self-conscious.

But I am a great believer in "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" and so, the challenge that I am going to set myself this year for Vocal is to write a piece in every community, choosing a different one every week and submitting a piece to it on a suitable topic for that community. Yep, even Filthy. Let's give erotic fiction a go. Why not? I'm not sure it's where my strength lies but let's allow ourselves a little sauce and put ourselves into something tight which can be unlaced, slowly and seductively and slipped to the floor, revealing...

Steady. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Some of these communities I think will be relatively straightforward to write for, like Wander but Potent might be a struggle as might Trader. They are well out of my sphere of knowledge but where's the challenge if there's not a struggle? And I love to learn. I genuinely, truly, love to learn and I hope that this is something which I never lose.

And so, here is my first piece: setting out a challenge and writing for the Writers Community.

I don't want to be defined by one thing. I am many things and I want that to show in my writing, the writing that is again only a part of me.

So, anybody else with me? Let me know if you care to join me on this adventure. Let's explore a little.