If you are an Instagram user you’ve likely seen challenges that prompt followers to join a community in a schedule of themed posts. In the writing community, a number of these challenges exist that can get you posting more about your work. What are the benefits for the participants though and why should you join?

Talk About Your Work

Writers, perhaps more than any other professional, have a hard time talking about their work. Perhaps as a group, we tend to be more introverted. Or maybe we aren’t sure that our audience wants to hear that much about our process. Either way, time and time again, you visit an author’s Instagram feed and there is very little in their feed related to writing, their books or life as an author.

The prompts in a writing challenge can get you talking more about your work in a way that is interesting to others.

Meet Other Writers

For reasons that go beyond fun friendships, meeting other writers can be crucial to your career. From workshopping ideas to securing blurbs for your next book, networking with authors (particularly those in your genre) is crucial to your growth. As you participate, don’t just post the challenge prompt for the day and then return to scrolling. Check out the others who are using the hashtag and engage and follow those who seem to be similar to you.

Test New Content

For a lot of people, the content they post while doing a challenge is a detour from their typical posting. You may do something outside your comfort zone like take a selfie or share an inspiring quote. When you’re done with the challenge, go back and review your posts to see which ones performed best. Which had the highest number of likes? Which got the most comments? Try replicating posts that did well during the challenge and see if you can build some momentum.

Consider Starting Your Own Challenge

As you work your way through a challenge you discover a secret. Instagram challenges are kind of easy. Participate in a writing challenge and consider starting your own! If you enjoy it, consider starting one that is more genre specific. Do a #HistoricalFictionWomenWriters challenge or a #ameditingfiction month challenge where challenge others who are editing their books to connect. Challenges can be a great chance to grow your network and your fandom.