Last updated on Jan 30, 2026
Reedsy Studio Writing Challenges
Martin Cavannagh
Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.
View profile →Whether you’re drafting your first chapter or racing toward the end of a manuscript, Reedsy Studio's Writing Challenges can help you stay motivated in your writing.
These free, goal-based challenges are designed to fit around real life — with flexible timelines, seasonal themes, and clear word-count targets to keep you moving forward. Pick a challenge, track your progress in Studio, and turn good intentions into finished words. Sign in and start your challenge.
This Month's Challenges
The Writer’s Half-Marathon
You don’t need a full marathon to prove you can go the distance. This month, aim for 13,100 words: the equivalent of a half-marathon in writing form. Pace yourself across the month, chip away at your draft, and watch the miles (and words) add up.
Goal: 13,100 words
Timeline: March 2nd – April 2nd, 2026
The Weekend Push
From Friday afternoon to Sunday night, your mission is simple: write! Even with a busy personal life, this goal is achievable and will leave you satisfied and ready to start a new week.
Goal: 3,000 words
Timeline: Every Friday, Midday Eastern to Sunday Midnight.
Past Challenges
New Year, New Challenge
Start the year the way you mean to go on. This month-long writing push is designed to help you turn fresh intentions into real momentum. Launching a new project or getting back into the habit? Let's get to it!
Goal: 20,000 words
Timeline: January 1st – January 31st, 2026
28 Pages Later…
[Winner to be announced this week]
February might be a short month, but it’s long enough to build real creative momentum! We’re challenging you to write 14,000 words this February — that’s an average of one 500-word page per day. And you won’t just be making valuable progress on your draft — everyone who completes the challenge will be entered into a draw to win a year’s Reedsy Learning membership worth $249. (Note: You must write the words directly in Studio to qualify for the prize draw — no copying and pasting large chunks of text.)
Goal: 14,000 words
Timeline: February 1st – February 28th, 2026
How to Sign Up
Entry in these challenges is free with any level of Reedsy Studio. Log in and head to the challenges tab of your editor bar to select any challenge you'd like to take part in.
