30Thoughts, 500Words: The Why

Around four years ago, on a whim, I intercepted and submitted an application to join a writer’s group I saw shared on some Facebook rando’s timeline. Shortly after applying, I was both surprised and thrilled to discover that I had been accepted to join the group! With no writing experience whatsoever, I was now a member of The Mix, an outside-contributor writer’s program run by Hearst Digital Media.

Every weekday, we Mix contributors would receive an email containing the five essay topics of the day. We had 48 hours from that moment to submit a 600-800 word essay on any or all of the day’s topics. If Hearst liked your essay, your byline would end up in one or more of Hearst’s numerous digital publications.

If they didn’t like your essay, it was, simply, “declined.”

My submission acceptance rate for The Mix was pretty impressive, at least I thought. As a newbie and one of the older writers, (a Cosmopolitan byline will forever elude me), I was surprised my essays were noticed at all, quite honestly. Altogether, I ended up with 11 distinct bylines in 6 Hearst publications including GoodHousekeeping.com, Redbook.com, and ElleDecor.com before The Mix permanently folded in 2016.

Though fleeting, my experience writing for The Mix changed my life. I was an actual writer now. Since then, I have amassed a portfolio, the contents of which admittedly make me pretty damn proud.

So in terms of product, I’m good.

My process, however… SUCKS.

Everything I have ever published has taken me FOREVER to write. Quick, succinct writing free of obsessive pre-publishing revision eludes me. It takes me longer to edit my work than to write it. It’s BAD.

During my commute home yesterday, with no money nor time to take a writing class, I decided to go the cheaper, more schedule-friendly route and challenge myself instead.

So for one month, I will be writing short, concise blog posts of 500 words or less.

DAILY.

30Thoughts, 500Words: The What

For thirty consecutive days, I pledge to:

1. Publish one blog post per day.
2. Center each post around one main topic of my choosing.
3. Posts must be 100% free of digressions or sidenotes.
4. Posts cannot exceed 500 words.

Number 4, I find legitimately terrifying.

30Thoughts, 500Words: The WTF Am I Thinking?

What are my odds of success? 100-to-1 I’m not sure. Though I’m hoping for the best, concurrently, I’m also preparing for the worst. That philosophy has served me well over the years, so I’ll stick with it.

Plus, I have kids. And a husband. And a full-time job, a house, and adult responsibilities.

On a positive note, at least its 30 days of writing, and not, like, that 21 Day Fix diet and exercise hellpit I tried once and never EVER will again (I lasted all of 2 days with that BS. I’d rather just stay chubby).

Yeah, I think I might even enjoy this. Heck, maybe I’ll will suceed after all.

Thanks for reading. Until tomorrow!!

Day 1 Topic: 30Thoughts, 500Words to Better Writing Habits✅
Word Count: 499✅