Writing might get intimidating then but you musn't forget the reason for why you write. You may be writing because you want to tell the world your story, because you enjoy writing, or because you want to make money. For whatever reason it is, the life of a writer is that of celebration. You are creating words and sentences, and people and places. You're giving life, taking life and creating values. You're changing the lives of the people that read your work without even knowing so. Here are seven events that you must be adding to your calendar to celebrate living the writer's life.
1. Book lovers day - 9 August
A day that brings together all book lovers. Whether you're a writer who reads other works or if you're a writer who doesn't read, this day is still special for you. Why? Because this is the day for 'book lovers'. This is a day dedicated to all those readers that read your book or might read your book with love. To me, not only readers but writers too are book lovers. Celebrate this day by reading a book, writing one, or listening to one.
2. National Novel Writing Month - November
If you've written a novel before or are considering writing one soon, NaNoWriMo is something you must give a try. Many writers find that writing one complete novel in a month to be ineffective. If you're one of them, you can still take part in this year's event. You may develop a writing habit and learn a lot about your writing process. I participated in NaNoWriMo 2020 and it was a beautiful experience for me. I was able to write a novel within a month and that is a very empowering feeling. I attended my first online writing sprint conducted by Reedsy and made an appearance in their 2nd Week Writing Sprint. Apart from the first draft that I was able to write, I learnt so much about writing from the writing sprints, writing groups and articles that I read.
3. Picture Book Month - November
November seems to be THE month for writers. Picture books are often looked down upon among the writing community for being for children but we musn't forget that they are important as any other book may be. This is exactly why the Picture Book Month is observed. Every day in November, there is a new post from a picture book champion explaining why he/she thinks picture books are important.
4. Writer's Games - July
The Writer's Games is an annual event conducted by The Writer's Workout. This is, in my opinion, the best writing contest a writer could ask for. The writer is given with 48 hours to craft a story from the prompts they give and are asked to submit their story. If you opt for the option, feedback is given on your writing. Not one, but around 4-5 judges provide their different insights on your writing. Upon selection, your writing will be featured in their anthology called 48 Hours of Instanity. It gets better. This contest is completely free!
I'd written a few short stories for The Writer's Games, one being A Garden Reverie for the Practice Event. For this event, writers were asked to write a story by bringing everyday things to life and matters of adventure in the eyes of a child. I enjoyed writing this story and researching Gardening tools for the same. I'd love for you to read it. Send in a comment or contact me to tell me how you felt about it?
5. World Book and Copyright Day - 23 April
World Book Day or International Day of the Book is an annual event organised by the United Nations. It is a day celebrated by all UN states. It is a day that is observed to celebrate books and the impact they have on society, culture, education and life. From the 1st of April until the 23rd, UNESCO shares quotes, poems and excerpts to celebrate the joy of reading.
6. Paperback book day - 30 July
There is a day to celebrate these paperback beauties. How lovely is that! This day is celebrated commemmorating the first paperback books published by Penguin. The best way to celebrate this day is by reading your favourite paperback book. At a time when eBooks are booming, it always feels nice to curl up with some hot chocolate and your paperback book and take in the smell of these papers.
7. World Poetry Day - 21 March
UNESCO declared the World Poetry Day "with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard". Poetry is not an easy form of writing. Within few words, the poet has to put forth how highly they think about a little ant or how deeply they feel about someone they love. Not everyone can write poetry and not everyone can understand it. People with the gift of either two, or people hoping to hone these skills can take a day to celebrate the melody of poetry.
Information from Wikipedia, NaNoWriMo and Picture Book Month.
Are there any writing events that you celebrate or know of that I've missed out on? Let me know in the comments! 😃