Challenge Reviews — Woodland Writers

Writing Challenge Reviews

"Everything about the setup—limited word count, limited time, inclusion of specific prompts—is SUCH a great way to get people to just WRITE! I overthink or second-guess my work a lot as a creator, but this challenge doesn’t give me the luxury to do that. It’s an excellent way to get out of a rut, exercise your brain, and let yourself have fun with what you create—while getting to meet a whole new community of talented, extraordinary individuals who love the things you love, too!"
“This is the perfect challenge for those who want to simply try something new, learn more about their writing style, and also for those who want to challenge their writing in new ways. While working on other writing projects, your mind gets into a rut. This is a helpful way to creatively work on a different project to stretch your writing abilities without the stress of your name getting "out there." The anonymity is helpful for constructive and helpful criticism, as well as high quality encouragement.”
“After being away from any sort of writing practice for a very long time, this writing challenge came at the right time for me to dust off my creativity. It not only sparked my imagination, but was also a fun way to stretch myself as a writer. It reminded me of a part of myself with whom I lost contact long ago. The challenge reminders and communication throughout the whole process was clear and helpful. Since I already felt a part of a writing community through the challenge, I became a member.”
“This is the first challenge I have ever participated in. I had been in a writing rut for a long time--work, life, children--I had started to think I didn't have any stories left inside of me. I started to believe I wasn't creative anymore and that I didn't like writing anymore. But this challenge! It was so fun. It got my creativity wheels turning and I felt challenged and pushed. I can still write! The prompts themselves are really well crafted so that it doesn't feel limiting and the 2000 word limit is tough but it really helps you hone in your writing. Very good challenge. I will definitely participate again. Come join the rest of us, you won't be sorry! =]”
“After participating in 3 of these challenges, I have been able to see progressive feedback from the judges. I took each batch of feedback too heart and applied the concepts to the newest pieces, and by the third challenge I can see that I am making progress I'm proud of. While it would be great to win a challenge at some point, my main goal has become improvement in my writing. While I've been a writer for a long time, it's been many years since I've written fiction for consumption by others and sharing it was an unexpected act of courage. I'm so glad I participated in subsequent challenges and took what I learned into new writing projects. I feel like I've gone through a creative writing course over the past year, with the help of the F&F judges!”
“I signed up for this challenge on a bit of a whim, having never before written a complete story and I’m so glad I did! I’ve always wanted to write, but never made the time. I liked that it had a strict deadline, word limit, guaranteed feedback, and it was even open to complete newbies like myself. I enjoyed the process more than I thought I would. Getting the prompt and later the feedback felt like Christmas morning! It was so exciting and just a little terrifying. I was worried that my story was completely awful, but the written feedback was so helpful. I can’t wait to try again!"
“I had a wonderful time challenging myself both creatively and emotionally. I've never really shared my writing before or entered a writing contest. I didn't know what to expect, but I believe for my very first competition, [Woodland Writers] did an amazing job supporting all levels of authors with their welcoming community. Connecting us with each other to help build us up is above and beyond what I had thought this challenge would bring.”
“This is such a fun and unique writing experience. It allows you to explore your creativity and ability to work under some form of pressure. From the past few writing challenges I have been a part of, I gain more experience every time. I recommend this to anyone who wants to get their creative juices flowing and have a fun experience."
“I genuinely enjoyed participating in this challenge. I have not had the opportunity to fully immerse myself in writing a fun and fluffy story in years. So being able to participate was a joy. It challenged me creatively and helped me to dust off skills I had not used in quite sometime. I look forward to participating in challenges from the Forest and Fawn community in the future. I would encourage any writer of any skill level to participate if only to be able to challenge yourself and to simply enjoy the experience."
“Thank you for hosting these challenges! I haven't had this much fun writing since my teens. This contest not only helped me blast through my writer's block but reminded me how much I truly enjoy the art of character and story creation. Thank you for the honest and thoughtful critique. I’m looking forward to applying what I’ve learned in the next one!"
“This was a fun and supportive challenge. I will join in another one soon. I would have liked to have known why the second reviewer gave me the lowest approval scores possible, but the first reviewer feedback was helpful.”
“I absolutely love participating in the [Woodland Writers] Writing Challenges. The prompts are so unique and magical. Every story gets thoughtful, detailed notes that feel supportive, not judgmental, and help me grow as a writer. If you’re craving creative inspiration and meaningful feedback within an uplifting online writing community, this challenge is a gem.”
“This was a really fun way to stretch creatively and learn more about myself as a writer! The prompts helped me narrow in and write in a way I don't think I would have without some direction, and I loved feeling like part of a community.”
“This really brought me out of my writer's block and got my gears going again! I love the prompts and the community of writers that comes together around these challenges! Will definitely be doing this again.”
“I haven't written any sort of short form story in years but this challenge helped me get my toes wet. It was fun and felt comfortable. I wasn't intimidated and I love knowing I can continue trying and submitting new stories with each challenge!”
“I am a published writer, but not yet outside of college. Thus, still an emerging writer dealing with imposter syndrome while seeking my authentic writing genre. The intensity of the challenge was just the spark I needed! The time crunch, combined with the workshop and the thoughtful, detailed, useful, and kind feedback made the challenge experience energizing and uplifting. What an awesome community. I am doing it again this round!”
“I enjoyed being challenged to produce an original story in a short amount of time- without this challenge I wouldn't have written anything. I had a good time, though I was disappointed at we were required to use a specific cliché line TWICE in our stories. I also didn't like how certain elements of the rubric were not clearly stated at the beginning of the challenge. My story was not about character growth/change and my judge knocked points for that when judging.”
"My favorite part of the latest writing challenge was the feedback I received. It was equal parts encouraging and constructive: something I thought was obvious in my writing actually caused my reader confusion, which means it needed to be reworked. I never would have thought that was an issue and am so grateful this was brought to my attention. I can already tell my writing is improving with each challenge, and I'm regaining the joy I found in writing when I was younger."
“[Woodland Writers] has made writing so approachable with their challenges! This experience has awakened an aspiring writer in me, and I learn so much from each experience: playing with themes and prompts, challenging myself to write a complete story in only 2,000 words, and learning writing craft along the way. The available workshops and group chats provide a sense of community and belonging, and I've made amazing friends while doing these challenges. I look forward to joining more in the future and creating fun new fantasy stories!”
“This experience has been incredibly fulfilling as a SAHM who enjoys reading and storytelling, but has never completed a written project before. I loved the prompts. Their diversity, creative freedom in interpretation, and how they led the story framework. For someone who has a difficult time completing WIP’s, the time frame kept me on task & challenged me to finish my work. The community is also absolutely amazing. So supportive & encouraging.”
“I loved this challenge! It was the first writing challenge I’ve ever participated in & I felt like the rules/prompt was clearly articulated & easy to understand. It was fun to push myself & write something different that I never had done before. I really appreciated the email updates keeping me informed during all stages of the review process. The feedback from the panel was highly valuable & confidence boosting. Even though I didn’t win, I’m incredibly proud of myself & honored to have participated in a contest with so many other incredibly talented creators.”
“This is my favorite writing competition I've ever entered. The targeted topic, specific prompts, and short timeline force you to challenge yourself to just write. You really don't have the time to waffle, you have to just go. Its so inspiring. I'm super excited to do the next one!”
“Sometimes I have story ideas in my mind that might or might not make a full manuscript. This way, I can write out the characters and scenes and experiment with them in a fun environment!”
“The feedback received for my stories has given me areas for improvement so I know how to revise my stories for future use. This is invaluable!”
“Though I write in my career, I've found that I've lost my spark for what I love most - writing creatively. The contest allowed me to tap into a side of writing that I had left dormant for 10+ years. Now, I find myself craving to write nonfiction in my free time and wanting to build my skills in an area that feels much more fulfilling.”
“I was super scared at first, but I did it! And I actually had trouble not writing over the limit. I didn’t place, but I’m impressed with myself, and I enjoyed my own story nonetheless.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed both writing contests I've done with [Woodland Writers]. The prompts provide just enough structure while allowing for interpretation and creativity. With just two under my belt, I've already become a better writer thanks to the feedback I received, and I enjoyed the thrill of challenging myself. This entire community is so supportive and has inspired me to continue writing stories for myself.”
“I've honestly never even considered submitting my writing to a challenge like this before until I saw your Instagram ad. At first I thought it just sounded fun, but I was very hesitant to enter because I'm nervous to share my writing with strangers. But after reading more about it, you made it clear that all skill levels are accepted and it made me feel like submitting to your challenge would not only be fun, but also made me feel like it was a safe environment to do so. I had so much fun writing and I'm excited to participate in future challenges, too!”
“I found this challenge exciting. The prompts were fun and something I might not have considered trying before. I never had to get so many ideas in order in such a way. I’m glad I tried and am grateful for the feedback and the new experience!”
“This challenge provided a great opportunity to push myself and let other people read my writing for the first time! This challenge was a great opportunity to be creative and get some feedback on my writing.”
“This was fun, scary, thrilling, and regardless of the outcome; extremely validating to get feedback on something I wrote. Putting words to paper is the easy part, but when someone else actually reads those words and enjoys them, that was the push I needed to actually allow myself to give writing a go.”
“I love the format of this contest--since everyone has the same amount of time to respond to the prompt, it feels like a more level playing field. And the time limit stops me from analysis paralysis--just pick an idea and GO! Make it WORK!”
“This challenge was so much fun. It shook me out of writer’s block while I am working on my first book and gave me something to look forward to submitting. The prompts were fun, the development and execution of my story was a rush, and the feedback was helpful. It clarified some points of growth that I can take with me in my day to day writing. I have already signed up for the next one!”
“As a writer that keeps most of my scribbling to myself, participating in this contest was the first time I was getting feedback from someone in a more professional sense. It was definitely a boost of confidence to see what the reviewer chose to quote and what stood out about my excerpt. Having a positive experience with this, I am thinking more seriously to pay for editing services, to talk through the plots, tone, and character development following this experience.”
“The short story challenge thru [Woodland Writers] was great fun. I really loved the parameters and required elements. Talk about working your writing muscles , that did it.”
“I really loved participating in this writing challenge! The feedback was super helpful both times I participated. I’m able to apply the feedback to improve my writing. Plus, the 2000 word limit gives good editing practice!”
“I thought the writing challenge was great. It was a way for me to open my horizon to try something new and a way to explore my creativity. Despite cash prize options, all participants will receive feedback which is a valuable prize in itself. For anyone who is thinking about trying it, go for it! You never know what you can unlock, don't miss out what can be a really enjoyable yet challenging experience. I'll for sure join the next one!”
“I am extremely grateful for getting the chance to participate in the Romantasy challenge. I am not in a position to get feedback from others. Most of my friends while close, look down on and poke fun at the genre. Thank you for providing a platform that allows people to explore their creativity with guidance and encouragement. Your kindness has helped me understand how I need to move my story forward. I am immensely grateful.”
“This writing challenge helped me bust through my writer’s block and lit a fire under my ass. I landed up writing a story double the length it needed to be and the faced the monumental task of editing it down. When I was done, I realised I wasn’t finished with this story. I wanted to explore more. I’ve wanted to write my own book for as long as I can remember, but I’ve struggled to find a story that hooked me enough to stick with it for that entire process… this writing challenge helped me find one. Thank you!”
“I was very nervous about sharing my writing with others, especially professionals. As a fairly new writer the thought of not being good enough or talented enough is always looming over every word I type. However, I enjoy a challenge especially when it evolves my dreams. I'm very happy I stuck with with challenge. The feedback I received after submitting my piece was much more encouraging and detailed than I had anticipated. I can't wait until the next one.”
“I was nervous to enter this contest, but it really helped get me out of a writers block and I even finished my manuscript shortly after! I loved that every entry received feedback on their stories and I’ll definitely be entering again!”
“I love these writing challenges! They help so much with incorporating idea's I would have never though would fit!”