ChapterBuzz - Where serious writers become published authors

One week. 10,000 words.
Are you ready?

The 10K Novel-Building Challenge starts on
the 1st of every March and October.

Write 10,000 words

This is your chance to add 10,000 words to your novel, whether it's currently a blank page or halfway done.

Win an award

You could be an award-winning writer by the end of the month! You'll also appear in Books & Buzz Magazine as a Challenge winner.

Receive feedback

Develop your talent and build confidence in your writing skills by receiving friendly feedback from other participants.

E-mails that motivate

I'll send you daily e-mails to help you stay on track and motivate you to keep writing.

Meet other writers

You'll have opportunities to make connections—or even friends—with other writers during the Challenge.

Post your word count

Show off your progress by posting your word count every day. Your word counts will be displayed on your profile page.

Ready to kick your writing into high gear?

You'll be able to enter once registration opens. Check back soon!

“

I want to thank you for the push you provided in getting me motivated to reach the end of my draft.”

—Gloria Elle Gabrie, author of Darkness Gleams

Recent award winners

Apparent Power
by Dacia Arnold

Most Buzz Award
~March 2017~

Mama needs new shoes
by Shirley Holder Platt

Most Buzz Award
~October 2018~

See more award winners...

More than a writing challenge.
It's an experience.

“

I want to thank you for the push you provided in getting me motivated to reach the end of my draft and begin the adventure of editing. I have met some wonderful writers here and look forward to reading their masterpieces as they progress. I will also look forward to March, when another Challenge begins, and use it to get Book 2 in full swing. Thank you, again.”

—Gloria Elle Gabrie, author of Darkness Gleams

“

The morning I opened the email informing me The Girl with White Hair had won an award, I was half asleep and squinting to read the screen. There was this pause where I processed it, followed by the biggest flood of relief and sense of achievement.

I don't think I've ever wanted to work so hard for something before. I'd written for hours on the last night of the Challenge trying to hit that 10,000 word mark, and I am so happy that I managed to get through and finish.”

—Bexx Matthews, winner, Most Buzz Award

“

The Challenge pushed me to write more than I ever have before—every day—which in itself has given me so much pleasure. I have made a start on my very first novel, which is something I'd always thought only other people did! The sense of pride and personal achievement is immense. I have made some new friends who share my enthusiasm and excitement in the process.

I think that's one of the crucial elements, actually: to be encouraged by a community of writers who understand how difficult the process can be. Truth be told, after I reached the high of achieving the target of 10,000 words, I was very disappointed that it was all over. I am convinced that this month will absolutely stand out as one of the high points of this year for me.”

—Liberty Henwick, winner, Fan Favorite Award

“

I thought to myself that if I committed to this Challenge, I'd force myself to finish my book. Thus began the story of The Girl in the Woods. I was so nervous, just looking at the blank document. Then the first line came to me, and I was off! As I wrote, I could see scenes in my head and I typed them up. I was really doing it! I was writing! Sometimes it would be challenging to keep up the word count, and some days I couldn't write at all. But in the end, I finished the Challenge—mentally exhausted, but so very happy. It was the first complete story I had finished.”

—Cynthia A. Jensen, author of The Girl in the Woods

“

This 10K Challenge is the most rewarding thing that I have ever been a part of—the pivotal moment my novel needed. I enjoyed the feedback, and reading how much others were enjoying what I was writing. If you haven't joined us yet, you should really consider it!”

—Tiffany S. Doran, award-winning author of Desires of the Heart

“	This Challenge was a huge boost for my writing and my ego. It was refreshing to receive so much feedback on my work-in-progress that I can't stop now. Thank you for creating this amazing opportunity.” —Dacia M Arnold, two-time winner of the Most Buzz Award

“

I loved the Challenge. I work anywhere from 36-74 hours a week so the lower daily word count made this Challenge very managable for me. I also love that I've been able to connect with other writers, which is something I've always found a bit difficult to do.”

—Sibille Rose, winner, Challenge Choice Award

“	I signed up for October's Challenge, and we had to write 10,000 words in a week. The last time I completed the Challenge, it was 10,000 words in a month. I didn't think I could do it, but I worked hard and did it! I wrote 10,063 words in one week.” —Cynthia A. Jensen, author of Starrbodies

Ready to kick your writing into high gear?

You'll be able to enter once registration opens. Check back soon!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 10K Novel-Building Challenge?

The "10K" is a month-long novel-writing marathon that challenges you to write 10,000 words in the first week, then spend the rest of the month adding chapters, fine-tuning the ones you've already written, and connecting with other writers by giving and receiving feedback on each other's work.

Daily e-mails of encouragement, feedback from other participants, and the possibility of winning an award will help keep you motivated along the way.

The end result: a strong foundation for an excellent novel. The Challenge is a great way to meet other writers, build your readership, and even win an award for your work!

Do I need to go anywhere? Or be somewhere at a certain time?

It all takes place online at the ChapterBuzz website, so you'll complete the Challenge from the comfort of your home—or the coziness of your local coffee shop. Work when you can, because it's all self-paced.

The only hard deadline is writing 10,000 words before the end of the first week, so be prepared to write 1,500 words a day for the first 7 days!

I've already started on my novel. Can I still enter?

Yes! In fact, you're encouraged to prepare materials in advance so that you don't have to start cold. This includes outlines, character sketches, even unfinished books you've already posted on ChapterBuzz. Heck, bring your 50,000 words from the last NaNoWriMo!

As long as you write 10,000 new words during the first week of the Challenge, you'll be eligible for an award.

What awards are given?

Three individual awards recognize excellence in writing: the Most Buzz, Fan Favorite, and Challenge Choice Awards. We'll be recognizing both raw writing ability and how well your work-in-progress is received by readers during the Challenge. Just think, you could be an award-winning writer by the end of the month!

How do I win an award for my book?

The more readers you reach, and the more Buzz you get, the better chance you have of winning an award.

Here are some tips for reaching more readers and getting more Buzz:

Invite friends. Invite friends and family members to stop by and read and give you feedback.

Earn Fame Points. The more involved and active you are on ChapterBuzz, the more Fame Points you earn (here are all the ways to earn Fame Points). The more Fame Points you earn, the more you'll stand out in our community, which helps you attract more readers. This leads to more Buzz...and possibly the Most Buzz Award!

Give feedback. Give as much feedback to others as you can. They'll be much more likely to return the favor—and Buzz your chapters while they're at it.

It also helps greatly to share your ChapterBuzz page on your blog and social media to get people to stop by and read and "Buzz" your chapters.

Why 10,000 words?

By focusing on a relatively small number of words—instead of, say, 50,000—you'll be able to put more thought into what you’re writing, and end up with a solid foundation for a great novel that you can build on over time.

Just be ready to hit the ground running on the 1st of the month. 10,000 words in one week is about 1,500 words a day—manageable, but it requires focus!

Is any genre allowed?

We have a good answer in the general ChapterBuzz FAQ: Is any genre allowed?

Do I have to post my writing publicly?

You do not have to post your material publicly in order to complete the Challenge, but you would be missing out on half the fun! Feedback from readers and other writers can be especially useful and informative at this stage. You would also not be eligible for an award since we wouldn't be able to read your story.

What if I'm not confident in my writing, or unsure about the best way to write my novel?

At this stage, don't worry about how great your writing is—just do your best. Since 10,000 words is only a fraction of the length of a novel, it's still very much a rough draft this early on. Recognizing that it by no means has to be perfect might take the pressure off just enough to accomplish the real objective: getting those words onto paper.

See also: I'm nervous. Will I fit in at ChapterBuzz?

Ready to kick your writing into high gear?

You'll be able to enter once registration opens. Check back soon!