Spring into summer 2025
Friday 21st March to Saturday 10th May
What is Spring into Summer?
Spring into Summer is a 50-day writing challenge to achieve a writing goal of your choosing, whether that's finishing 10 poems, writing a book review, hitting 100,000 words in your novel, finishing an essay, planning a short story, or completing your research proposal.
Whatever your writing goal is, there’s room for you in our writing challenge.
Register now and join a community of like-minded writers hitting their goals just in time to relax for the summer. You’ll be able to attend dedicated writing events and virtual write-ins just for our challenge participants, and even win some swag if you hit your goal!
How does the challenge work?
Firstly, register for the challenge through Eventbrite to get all the information you need and event updates.
Join us in person at our goal-setting workshop on the 21st March 2025 or online on the 22nd March 2025 where we will help you determine a realistic and achievable writing goal that suits your lifestyle and commitments.
At the goal setting workshop, everyone will get set up using Pacemaker Press, which is a great goal tracking tool that allows you to log your progress. We’re all about (gentle!) accountability, so you’ll also be able to see how your fellow challenge writers are doing and cheer them on.
You’ll also be sorted into a group with other writers working in a similar medium to you. Your mini group will be your mini cheerleading squad, there to support you through the writer’s block and celebrate your victories. You’ll have your very own WhatsApp chat too, giving you the chance to get to know each other better throughout the challenge. Though this is optional!
Want more accountability?
You can also choose to be part of a Nuclear Pair for the Ultimate Accountability! This is where you and one other writer of your choice join forces and commit to achieving your unique goal – or else! If both writers achieve their goal, then you get a prize! However, if one writer fails, you both fail. It’s all or nothing for the Nuclear Pairs. Doesn’t sound right for you? Don’t worry. Pairing up and going nuclear is totally optional!
What about events?
We’ll run a regular schedule of in-person and virtual writing events, with at least two a week just for our challenge participants. You can also attend our regular Women Who Write meets. We’re all about getting any and all words on the page when the muse strikes, so keep an eye on the Women Who Write WhatsApp and Instagram for ad hoc write-ins, too.
Need to get dates in your diary? You can check out our event calendar here.
Happy writing!
FAQs
Wait – Who are you?
We’re Women Who Write. We are a community of women and non-binary writers founded in early 2024, whose mission is to give writers the time, space and support they need to write.
We interpret the word 'writer' broadly. You might write fiction or non-fiction, novels or short stories, scripts or poems, blogs or newsletters, theses, love letters, journal entries or restaurant reviews. It doesn't matter. If you write and you identify as a woman or non-binary, then you're welcome to join us.
We host free and paid events in and around Scotland, and run challenges twice a year to help writers achieve their goals.
Do I need to be based in scotland to participate in Spring into summer?
No! Our in-person events are based in Edinburgh, but we always welcome writers from further afield. To help connect you with our community, we have a virtual kick-off event to help you set your goal and host at least one weekly virtual write-in as well. Your mini support group will include all virtual writers as well.
What goal(s) should I set?
You can set any goal you like for the challenge – it doesn’t have to be a word count, and you’re welcome to set up to two. We’ll help you work out what is realistic and how you want to measure your progress, but your goal could be anything from writing 100,000 words across the challenge to spending five minutes a day scribbling on the page, editing 20 lines, revising a manuscript, publishing a Substack every week, drafting an outline for a story, or translating a poem.
what does it cost to join the challenge?
We have three options for the registration fee. A no-cost fee for those who need it, no questions asked. A £5 fee to cover the administrative costs, and a pay-it-forward fee of £10 to be held for a writer who needs it.
Why is there a cost for Spring into Summer?
There’s a lot that goes into organising and setting up the challenge and events. So, this year, we’ve introduced a registration fee that will cover the software we pay to support the challenge, organising events and venue costs, covering the prizes for those in the nuclear pairs, and the administrative costs.
We are committed to keeping everything we host and organise as affordable as possible and always have free places for those who need it.
Can I participate and not pay the fee?
Of course! Just click the fee-free registration option.
Do I have to come to events to participate?
Not at all. If you want to write at home or in your own time, please do. We arrange the events for those who like writing in company, but there’s no pressure to attend. This is your challenge time – use it as you like.
Why 50 days?
We know many challenges, goals, and habit-tracking events are 30 days, but we think that's too much pressure in too little time. People have work, caring responsibilities, trips, and other lifestyle considerations that mean it’s not always realistic to achieve a goal in just a month. We think 50 days is much more sustainable, realistic and achievable.
How do I use pacemaker?
We’ll walk you through using Pacemaker at our goal-setting events and via a video – watch this space!
I can’t fit this challenge into my schedule. Will you run another?
Yes! We run challenges twice a year: one in the spring, and one in the autumn called Fall into Winter. Come back here in October! In the meantime, follow our Instagram and Substack, or come along to one of our friendly, low-pressure events outside the challenge.
Any other questions?
Email us at womenwhowriteedinburgh@gmail.com
