Blogger KRISTI HOLL is the author of 42 books, including
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31 Minutes for 31 Days: the Challenge

December 7, 2012

Time to dust off those dreams! Join me in a kick-start challenge for the new year!

It may seem early for this–after all, we haven’t had Christmas yet–but now is the time to think about your goals and dreams.

Time to Re-Boot

After the hustle-bustle of the holidays and kids home for vacation, getting back into a writing routine is often the first challenge of the new year.

If that’s your usual post-holiday situation, then check out Katia Raina’s “Gimme 31 for Your Dreams: A Challenge and A Giveaway.” The help you need could be right here.

Call to Action

Who qualifies for Katia’s challenge? In her own words:

It’s really for anyone who has a serious dream but has been frustrated by lack of time and energy, assaulted by procrastination, tortured by doubts into apathy.

No matter how young — or how old you are – no matter how big your dream (or how small, I suppose), my goal with this challenge is to get you back upon your feet, or get you started, or just let you give yourself a chance.

You’ll want to read the entire post about resurrecting your writing dreams, but here is Katia’s challenge in a nutshell:

During those 31 days, I want each one of you busy dreamers to give me 31 minutes of your precious time. Pick the time of the day that works best for you. Think in advance about your dream. Put a timer on. Seriously, do it. Use a timer. And once it’s on, rush to the computer (or your studio, or whatever), and do the work. No breaks. Thirty-one minutes. Write. Paint. Meditate (if that’s your dream). Thirty-one measly minutes. Don’t be stingy with me. That’s not much, I’m asking.

Little kids? Demanding full-time jobs? I don’t care. If you have time to be reading this blog, you have 31 minutes to spare to your dream.

I’m joining the “31 minutes for 31 days” challenge in January, and I hope you will sign up too. I am particularly pleased to do this because Katia is a former student of mine. I love seeing a nurtured writer who is now nurturing other writers’ dreams.

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14 Comments »

  1. Dear Kristi,

    As I told you before, you were an amazing and yes, NURTURING mentor to me when I was your student, and even long after, through your books and this blog. I am so thankful and honored to have you take up my challenge. Here’s to a super-charged, super-productive start to 2013 for us all!

    Katia

    Comment by Katia Raina — December 7, 2012 @ 7:12 am

  2. Katia, you’re so welcome. We are all in this together, and I need the camaraderie of other writers as much as anyone. And this is perfect timing. I have had an unusually hectic six or eight weeks lately, and my writing habit has been so hit and miss. I really look forward to your January challenge and feeling like a “real writer” again.

    Comment by Kristi Holl — December 7, 2012 @ 8:05 am

  3. A timer is a writer’s best friend. I used it when my kids were little, and I use it now for myself.

    Comment by Vijaya — December 7, 2012 @ 8:31 am

  4. Vijaya, yes, a timer is a great writer’s friend! I use my kitchen timer most of the time, even though I have one on the computer too. It helps me stay planted in the chair and reminds me to get moving! 8-)

    Comment by Kristi Holl — December 7, 2012 @ 9:17 am

  5. Totally acheivable. I mean, who doesn’t have 31 minutes a day? I know I do!

    I recently listed my goals for 2013, and I am starting to break them down into smaller chunks for myself. This 31 minutes deal is a great way to break bigger goals down into something smaller and easier!

    Thanks for sharing!

    Comment by Beth Consugar — December 7, 2012 @ 11:26 am

  6. Beth, that is EXACTLY why I love this challenge. No only will it work to jump start January, it is a technique to use all day long throughout the year. Getting it done, one slice at a time!

    Comment by Kristi Holl — December 7, 2012 @ 11:53 am

  7. I like this idea. Maybe I won’t wait until January since I’m struggling now with getting the writing done. Why wait? Still, I’d like to participate come the new year.

    Comment by PatriciaW — December 7, 2012 @ 2:54 pm

  8. Patricia, good point! Start now if you need to. But near the first of the year, I’ll remind everyone again if they didn’t sign up at her website. Then they can be eligible for the giveaway at the end of the month.

    Comment by Kristi Holl — December 7, 2012 @ 3:09 pm

  9. Thanks for sharing. I just signed up. Perfect timing, too! Can’t wait to work up a plan.

    Comment by Christie Wright Wild — December 10, 2012 @ 2:52 pm

  10. I’m eager too, Christie. This month has totally wiped out any schedule I had so carefully created! Looking forward to getting back on track!

    Comment by Kristi Holl — December 10, 2012 @ 3:28 pm

  11. Dear Kristi, Thank you for your ‘First Aid’! More than you could ever know, Writing Through the Storms of Life, page 125 of book 2, was the best medicine & literally brought me back to life! I can DO this. I want to DO this, and I can use the situations I’m in, after all, I know them best. After a few months of being shut in, I decided I can sit at my computer as easily as in front of the television! I have more ideas than ever. I started back at the Institute and I want to take the 31 day challenge. WOW! When God closes a door, He really does open windows. Marlane M.

    Comment by Marlane Mazur — January 3, 2013 @ 3:02 pm

  12. Marlane, what a lovely note. Thank you! I really appreciate knowing that something I wrote was helpful to you. I hope and pray that you will be able to persevere and make this a great writing year. I am doing the 31 day challenge too. Again, thank you for your note. :-)

    Comment by Kristi Holl — January 3, 2013 @ 7:16 pm

  13. I have done more writing this month than in the last 2 years. And they aren’t just’words’, they are valuable new changes that I feel are bringing NEW life to my work. Again, I started reading Writer’s First Aid…back to the beginning..(page 7) Turn on the ignition. Ease out of the driveway of daily routine. I close my eyes for a few minutes at the computer, relax, take a deep breath and listen to the hum of my engine as I let myself travel, slowly. Its a new day. No need to rush, there’s no traffic, just me on the road, enjoying the trip and writing what comes. 31 minutes goes by in a blink. thanks everyone. You have each added to my inspiration this month. Marlane

    Comment by Marlane Mazur — January 20, 2013 @ 11:58 pm

  14. Marlane, good for you! I’m so glad the challenge helped you! I have missed two days out of 21, which is better than I’ve done in years too!

    And thanks so much for the “review” of Writer’s First Aid. I’m thinking I should go back and read it again myself–and remind myself of what I know. :-)

    Comment by Kristi Holl — January 21, 2013 @ 5:00 pm

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