Attention, Writers: The Next Blogging U. Challenge Is Here
Writing 201, which starts next Monday, July 21st, will help bloggers develop their storytelling and self-editing skills.
Last month, more than 4,000 bloggers joined us for Writing 101: Building a Blogging Habit, where they challenged themselves to carve out time to write regularly, and to experiment with new forms and styles. The result? Thousands of posts, comments, and follows, and countless new friendships.
We’re excited to announce Blogging U.’s next offering, which begins next Monday, July 21st. Writing 201: Finding Your Story will invite participants to take their craft to the next level by focusing on more advanced storytelling and self-editing tools, from finding the right angle from which to narrate your story, to coming up with strong opening sentences.
Good writing is essentially rewriting.
— Roald Dahl
Writing 201 is a self-directed course on the art of revision: four weeks dedicated to self-editing and rewriting, looking at our work with a magnifying glass, and improving it. If you have existing posts that you’d like to work on, expand, or refocus, whether as a result of Writing 101 or not, this course will be ideal for you.
The nitty gritty
Over four weeks, we’ll present four different workshops, each published on a Monday. You’re free to read each workshop at your own pace — absorb it all in one day, or tackle parts of it throughout the week.
There is no assignment or posting requirement at the end of each workshop, but we’ll offer a series of questions and discussions to reflect on every week. In your own time, you’ll experiment with these techniques in the specific pieces you’re working on. You’ll decide how much time and effort you’d like to spend each day.
Just like in Writing 101, you’ll be invited to join the Commons, a private forum for conversation, support, and feedback. Given the emphasis on editing, the Commons is a key component of this course: it will be the space to workshop your material. Workshopping is all about collaborative brainstorming: you’ll offer specific, constructive feedback to others, and they’ll do the same for you.
If you’re a self-motivated blogger and think your writing can benefit from intensive feedback and greater focus, then Writing 201 might just be the perfect next step for your blog and for your craft. You’ll find the signup form (and more details) here.
- July 14, 2014
- Better Blogging, Community, Writing
WordPress.com News 
Would be glad to be a part of this. I hope short stories and series are acceptable.
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They absolutely are — the type of material you decide to work on is entirely up to you.
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Hi Ben I hope I signed up because I can’t remember. I wrote what I thought was a funny reply and then laughed so much I’m not sure I sent it. Blogging is the best! whee
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Yes — I just double checked and your signup form is there. Enjoy the challenge!
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Really looking forward to this! Missed out on writing 101, I plan to be a part of Writing 201. Thanks!
-Juliet, WWN
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This is really great on all counts.
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So I think I signed up, but it was during the bug. I’m not sure if I’m enrolled.
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The signup form sometimes returns an error message, though it should still work. I’ll double check to see that you’re registered properly.
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Thanks, Ben!
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I just confirmed that it went through — see you next week! 🙂
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Thanks, Ben! You’re the best!
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Looking forward to this greatly!
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I was just thinking how my writing needs an “oomph!” Looking forward to participating
!
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I registered, but I haven’t received the e-mail as of yet
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Participants are added in large batches, so it’s perfectly normal if there’s a lag between signup and the email invitation to the Commons.
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Do we recive an email to participate in the commons or it’s just the application form filling confirmation?
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You will receive an email invitation to join the Commons — we add bloggers in batches, which is why there’s some lag between your signup and the email invite. Let me know in case you don’t receive your invitation by Monday, though!
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Ok. Thanks
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Looking forward to this. I believe I have already signed up. 🙂
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This is very timely as I have been developing some good characters lately and I need to work them into a story.
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I’ve just signed up, looking forward to this as I couldn’t do the blogging 101 due to exam revisions.
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I am Ready sir 😀
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I hope newbies are accepted! I am eager to unleash my writing skills and learn how to better them. I just began my very first blog within the last week and feel that this course may help get me in the write (ha-ha) direction. (Silly, I know!)
Thanks for the opportunity to really get involved.
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Can’t wait!
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I’m so ready for this. All signed up and ready to go!
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Just signed up through WordPress, most definitely will be signing up for this!!
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Will this be beneficial for someone who write mostly fact based technical articles?
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To be honest, it would be hard for me to say since I know very little about technical article-writing. That said, nothing stops you from signing up, trying out the first week, and seeing if it’s something that you find useful or not. Generally, I’d say that any writer who depends on some sort of narrative in his/her pieces — non-fiction, fiction, travel, food, what have you — might find something there to work with.
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I’ve signed up. I’d like to take my blog to the next level too. Thanks for this opportunity!
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Its my first time and i am looking forward to it.
Thank you.
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Hi there! I did’nt find out about 101 but i’m definetely going on 201. I have a question though, is it only for people who write in English or Spanish writers are accepted as well?
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While the workshops are in English, you’re welcome to join and write your own pieces in whatever language you feel comfortable in.
The one caveat is that you might find it hard to find other participants to give you feedback on your writing in a language other than English, but who knows? With hundreds of bloggers involved, it’s possible other Spanish writers will be available as well.
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This is great, I love writing.
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I did not know about it — thanks for the post!
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how do we sign up? would love to be part of this! need to start blogging more! 😦
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Click on the link at the very bottom of the post — it will take you directly to the sign-up form.
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What if I am not ready? Do you have something in store for next month?
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We’re in the process of finalizing our schedule for the next challenges/courses beyond Writing 201. While I can’t say exactly when the next one will start, the gap is rarely more than a few weeks.
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I still haven’t received my invitation mail. 😦
I hope my entry has been received on the other end.
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Your signup form has been received — you’ll receive your email invite very soon (as I explain above, we add bloggers in batches, so there’s a lag between the time you signed up and when you receive the email).
Enjoy the challenge!
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Yes! Thank You!
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Thanks Ben for allowing us to write and have the freedom to post. 🙂
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What a great idea ! I particularly like the idea of the “Commons” shared space and I think it will be very useful for me to grt constructive feedback from the other bloggers.
The Science Geek
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I am really looking forward to this and am ready and willing to be vulnerable to any and all comments. See you there!
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As a new blogger I could really use some tips on doing the best writing I can.
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You should check out our Craft of Writing posts over at The Daily Post — they’re full of tips and ideas for improving your writing.
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Thanks, I’ll check it out!
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Woohoo! Can’t wait.
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Thanks for having next challenge…. i missed the last 2 weeks of writing101 but this time i’m all ready for posting each weekday
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I’m glad you’re joining us again! Just to clarify, this challenge doesn’t have a daily publishing component, as it’s focused on self-editing and revision, though you’re of course welcome to write and post material at whatever pace you choose.
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Thank You.
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Looking forward to this. Hopefully this isn’t too much of a long shot, but I’m actually a professional editor enrolled to get back in touch with narrative writing. My creative side was steamrolled in university.
Perhaps some of us in the class could set up a prompt exchange or something?
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You definitely could, if you wanted to — once the Commons are open you could easily interact with others and see if there are any interested parties.
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Ben, I’ve already read that there may be a lag in sending out confirmation of acceptance etc. but would love to know I’d been added (I sent my application). Thanks!
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Your signup form has been received — so you’ll definitely be getting your email invite ahead of the challenge.
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Cool! Thanks.
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Usually how long is the lag between registration and the invitation the the commons? I sent my registration two days ago and I haven’t received anything as of yet.
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That’s fine! If you’ve signed up two days ago you’ll definitely receive your email invite before the challenge begins on Monday (and, in the very unlikely event of a technical glitch, let me know if you still haven’t received it come Monday).
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This is great, can’t wait to get going 🙂
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I am much more in poetry than the disciplines laid out .Do I have room in the event?
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We conceived the challenge with prose writers in mind — mostly creative non-fiction, though anyone dealing with narrative and storytelling should feel at home there. Whether or not a poet would benefit from this as well is a really interesting question, and I’d love to hear what you think. You could give it a try and sign up; if you end up feeling there isn’t a good fit between the workshops and your work, you could choose not to continue.
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hi ben.
i registered very early for Writing 201 (one or two days after announcement, i think) but i still haven’t received any e-mail.
kindly check if i’m in. thank you very much.
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Hello! Yes, your signup form has been received — so you should expect an email invite very soon.
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great! thanks! 🙂
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i write my blog in Bahasa Indonesia.. is that Ok?
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Of course! We expect to have bloggers from all over participating.
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Hey, there’s no more possibility to access the log-in, so to get in through one’s own blog to work. What’s the matter? Is it a bug or what else? Thank you.
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Hi — you might want to give the signup form (the link is at the bottom of the post) another try; I just double checked and it works, and people can still sign up until the end of next week (so the sooner, the better, of course).
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Just turned in my form. Really looking forward to this!
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I would love to participate
Can u help how to do it as I’m new to it
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This challenge is geared more towards those bloggers who have material they’d like to revise and improve, but of course this doesn’t mean you won’t be gaining something, too — you can simply sign up and see how it goes. If you end up feeling that taking Blogging or Writing 101 makes more sense for you, you can always revisit this one later on.
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I have my 4 articles ready just have to post them after posting them can I take part in it
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You can take part either way — there is no formal publishing requirement for Writing 201 — it’s more about focusing on your own self-editing process.
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Looking forward. 🙂
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Looking forward to having a great learning experience.
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i am just joining here. And i hope i can improve my writing skill.
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Where can I find the Writing 101? I’m new to blogging and I maybe need to start from the beginning.
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Hi there — the entire “assignment” list for 101 is here: https://wordpress.com/dailypost/courses/writing-101-building-a-blogging-habit/
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Thanks ben, I hope it will be educating and interesting as much as possible.
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