Yet Another Writing Challenge
I’m back with yet another writing challenge.
Once a year, I throw myself into a writing challenge to publish a certain number of posts within a selected time frame.
While transitioning into the data field in 2023, I created a challenge called 66 Days of Math and Programming. I published 300-500-word blog posts every day for 66 days—the average time to build a habit.
Each piece explained a math or programming topic I recently learned. The goal was to improve my communication skills, make complex topics easy to understand, and remember what I learned.
Despite the posts being short and sweet, the high publishing frequency built strong momentum. It encouraged me to write more. Eventually, I dedicated my writing to LinkedIn and built a large, engaged data following.
That challenge was a success.
My second big challenge, however, did not go as well.
Last summer, I started a 90-day writing challenge. The plan was to publish a data-related blog post every three days for 90 days.
I created this challenge to write consistently, share my ideas publicly, solidify my name in the data industry, and improve my communication skills.
But I didn’t share my work publicly, so I never made my name known in the data industry.
Also, I cut the challenge short, ending it after 50 days. I made the mistake of doing both a fitness and a reading challenge at the same time, so I couldn’t manage my time well.
I want to make up for last year’s failed venture and succeed with my 2026 writing challenge.
The challenge, which will last 3 months, is as follows:
- Write for at least one hour daily
- Publish 2 articles per week
I’m doing this challenge to hold myself accountable.
I already planned to publish a lot over the next 3 months, but having a challenge adds a layer of gamification that keeps me on track.
Knowing my two biggest weaknesses will let me start strong.
One weakness is writer’s block.
I don’t struggle coming up with topics to write about. I have a few Notion docs filled with thoughts I’ve never published. However, I struggle to find ideas I’m passionate about or interested in enough to dedicate hours to writing a decent post. So, I need to pay attention to ideation and ensure I select appropriate topics.
My other weakness is time management.
I don’t meticulously track my day, but I know I waste a lot of time. Exercise and social events are non-negotiables I won’t skip. So, I have to cut back on passive leisure activities like watching TV and YouTube. This shouldn’t be an issue, but sometimes the dopamine addiction hits, and I succumb to these vices.
Writing is my sole focus for the year, so no other habits will get in my way. As long as I’m mindful of my ideation and time management, this challenge shouldn’t trouble me.
As time progresses, I intend to track data regarding the posts I publish and the time I spend writing.
You will see the data shared below, so you can follow along on my journey. Or, if you’re reading this in the future, you can see how well I adhere to the plan.
2026-01-29 Update
I’m no longer forcing myself to publish two articles per week. In 2026, I want to identify the topic I will dedicate my future writing to. That means writing about concepts I’ve never written about before. So, a lot of what I produce will suck. And I don’t want to publish pieces to hit an arbitrary number. I don’t want to feel satisfied with what I share with the world. I want to feel proud. That said, the updated challenge is simply to write for at least one hour every day.