How I Survived the #JuneWriting Challenge with 8Letters

It was two weeks before the end of May when I found the announcement about a 30-day writing challenge by 8Letters. By then, I was almost done conceptualizing something in my head. Most of my inspiration comes from dreams, but the real grinding starts whenever I am awake. I usually daydream about things and write them down, no matter how inconsequential they may seem. 

Since I have survived this grueling battle with myself, I plan to share with you some important tips and tricks I have realized as a writer.

Planning Ahead of the Game

I dedicated one afternoon to crafting the perfect story into three main parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. After that, I added a few details and left some spaces for more inspiration. With the story mapped out as if it had already ended, I moved on to the next part.

Using AI to Plot Your Book

I used ChatGPT to plan my book. I gave it a prompt highlighting my story targets, such as the number of days, word count, and major plot lines I wanted to include. I also checked if the mood of the whole story matched the algorithm. Most of the time, AI cannot make accurate predictions, but it is beneficial to use if you want to avoid cliché scenes and endings. I also use AI as a consultant for my work, especially whenever I finish a chapter.

Plotting Phase

Depending on the amount of work you want to finish, it is now time to prepare your work in one document. Use headings to separate major parts, which you can easily break into chapters.

Social Media Posting

I usually post either late in the evening or early in the morning. I set an alarm to remind myself so I can write as much as I can.

Writing Phase

I often ignore the word count. What matters is how I have completely conveyed what is plotted in my outline. Since I already used AI to finish the outline of my story, all that is left to do is to "flesh it out" for the readers. Sometimes, I diverge a little, so I use the comments function on my Google Docs and highlights so I can circle back when needed.

Editing Phase

I dedicated two weeks to editing my work. Since I hadn't edited it for 30 days straight, you can guess how difficult it was to look at my typos and grammatical errors. To avoid damaging my first draft, I duplicated it and edited the second one. That way, I have a copy of my original work in all its messy glory.

Submission Phase

I had a friend check my book before I submitted it. It was scary waiting for questions and comments as my baby was being judged before it was even "born."

Along the way, I also dabbled in digital art and conceptualizing my book cover. If ever this book gets published, I want to be able to create a graphic image that represents every chapter of my book. Speaking of which, here's my Main Character's graphic art! It's barely a model but this is how I viewed my MC during the first stages of my writing days.

Lessons Learned

• It's okay to finish the book a few days early. If I had plotted my story for a full three weeks, then I would've had more time to edit my work. Maybe then, I wouldn't have been so burned out.

• Do other things to get your mind working. Move a lot and explore. The outdoors can be a very beautiful place to daydream. Throughout the writing challenge, I spent much of my time going home early just to write my book. Sometimes, I even skipped some days because I wrote longer pieces to compensate for it.

• Lastly, the jinx. You can tell people bits and pieces about the story, but never, ever reveal how it ends. This is a personal tip for me because it makes the relationship with the manuscript stronger and more intimate until it's time for the work to be put to the test.

To end this chapter, I would like to share the initial blurb of my book and how my one working title made its way into my heart. Here it goes:

Blurb: What if evil people were reincarnated as cats, given nine extra lives to make amends before judgment day? Forced to adhere to the Kitty Laws of living, these former criminals must navigate their new feline existence to earn a fair and just death, and ultimately, a place in Heaven.

This is the story of a criminal...

Accepted or not, I was more than happy to have participated in this competition. I even have some loyal friends and fans looking forward to getting my work published soon, if not later.