The Novel Gauntlet is a monthly writing challenge that runs in April and October each year with a focus on finishing writing projects, whether that means starting the first draft or wrapping up one last round of edits.Progress is tracked by the number of words written or edited. October events feature three goal tracks (30K, 60K, and 90K words), and April events are open goal.Next event April 2026. Follow along on BlueSky or join our 18+ Discord challenge community for updates!

How to Participate

Pick Your Project

Whether you’re starting a first draft or in the final edits of a novel, all projects and stages of the writing process are welcome!

Pick Your Project

Choose a goal track that works best for you and your project’s needs.

Pick Your Project

Let us know how your project is going throughout the month so we can cheer you on! Use the tag #NovelGauntlet or tag @NovelGauntlet.com on Bluesky. And don’t forget to snag your Gauntlet project and achievement badges!

Pick Your Project

Get those words and take your project to the finish line!

Track Your Progress

Progress for the Novel Gauntlet is tracked through words written or edited, depending on your goal. You can track this in any way you wish, as well as join in on the community leaderboard hosted on TrackBear.Using TrackBear is NOT required in order to participate in the Gauntlet. It’s just an extra activity for fun!

TrackBear is a free app that allows you to manage your projects, track progress through a variety of means, set goals, and share your progress with others via community leaderboards. TrackBear is not affiliated with the Gauntlet.

Badges

Looking for a bit more motivation? Snag some badges to celebrate your wins throughout the event to complete your badge sheet. Read more about each badge and download at the bottom of the page.

Project and achievement badges designed by Irrlichtwinter

Project Badges

Declare the type of project you're working on for this Gauntlet! There's no wrong answer so pick the one that best fits you!

New Project

You haven’t started working on it yet but the Gauntlet is a great time to start!

Work in Progress

This isn’t a new project but it’s not done yet either!

Multiple Projects

You’re planning to work on more than one project this Gauntlet!

Editing Project

The draft is done but you still have edits to do so let’s get to it!

Achievement Badges

Throughout the month, participate in different aspects of the Gauntlet community to claim some additional badges! You can pick these up on your own as you complete tasks.

Snippet Share

Post a snippet from your story on social media or in the Gauntlet Discord!

Snippet Love

Give some love to someone else’s Gauntlet snippet!

Super Sprinter

Participate in some Gauntlet writing sprints, either on Discord or BlueSky!

Gettin' Chatty

Participate in a Gauntlet BlueSky chat or Discord coffee chat!

Celebrate Your Success!

Hit your Gauntlet goal? Celebrate with the completed project badge! You can grab this at any time throughout the month once you hit your goal.

Share Your Gauntlet Journey

Snag your badges and a collector card to let us know how you’re doing throughout the month! Add your badges as you earn them as well as your project progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of projects can I work on?

This challenge is ideal for novels, novellas, and short fiction collections, but can work for anything involving words. All genres welcome!

Can I participate if I’m working on a novel I already started?

Absolutely! A community challenge is great motivation to make more progress on existing projects.

Can I track editing for this challenge or only drafting?

Yes you can track edits! Editing is tracked via words edited while drafting is words written.

Do I have to write every day?

Definitely not! While some might prefer to focus on writing a specific amount of words each day, you can also simply focus on the total goal for the month and write when it best suits you.

How can I talk to other challenge participants?

If you’re on social media, take advantage of the #NovelGauntlet hashtag to check out who else is participating. You can also join our event Discord.

When does the Gauntlet take place?

The main Novel Gauntlet event is in October, but there is an open-goal event hosted in April for those looking for additional motivation in the spring.

Do I have to be 18+ to participate in the challenge?

Nope! Anyone of any age can participate in the Gauntlet challenge. The only age restriction is on our Discord community which is 18+ for moderation purposes, but you’re welcome to tackle the challenge on your own or join in on BlueSky using #NovelGauntlet!

Still have questions?

Reach out to our team with any additional questions you have about the Novel Gauntlet!