We did it!  It’s the 31st day of the 31 Day Writing Challenge!  Anyone else exhausted? I read from more than one other 31 dayer that a challenge like this is a marathon, not a sprint. They weren’t kidding! As the ballroom writer, I’m claiming top student.

The top student award at ballroom competitions goes to the student that accumulates the most points, based on number of entries and placements in those entries. I never win top student because I can’t afford to enter enough dances to accumulate enough points. But for writing about ballroom for a whole month? I think I earned the prize.

For this last post, I thought I would take some time to look back via my keyboard at what I’ve experienced and learned over the last month of writing every single day (minus day 14).  Last week, someone at the studio asked me, “how do you know what to write?”  Good question!  I did do some planning and make a list of 31 topics at the end of September after I signed up for this marathon.  The problem was when I sat down to write, half the time I wasn’t inspired by those topics!  They were all related to ballroom and all things I wanted to write about.  But they refused to speak to me on cue.  I had to wait until they were ready.

Generally, I come up with topics based on what I’m struggling with at the moment. This month was a little different because I wanted to give a little orientation into this mysterious world, and hopefully take a little of the mystery out of it. Was I successful?

About halfway through the month, I also made an attempt to get organized and read up on how others manage their blogs. I read about blog planners and editorial calendars, how fun! I even found a one-page monthly planner that I printed to keep track of my posts. Yay! I was proud of myself for finding tools to get my blog organized and felt like it was a step toward taking it to the next level. Well, it was a good thing I filled out the calendar on my planner with pencil because I would write, then erase, then write and then erase again. Finally, I stopped trying to plan out posts for more than a day or two at a time. I have learned that my creative process and my desire for organization do not get along.

After a much-needed break, my goal for November is to take the informational “what to expect” posts and turn them into my second eBook! A freshman orientation to ballroom dancing, so to speak. But I need your help!!

Is there anything else you think should be included? Things you’re still curious about? Dancers, anything you wish had been explained to you when you first started?

To refresh your memory, check out the list of posts on the landing page for the 31 Day Writing Challenge.

Let me know in the comments or shoot me a message!

Thanks everyone! I hope you enjoyed these 31ish days of ballroom. If you’re not already following the blog, I invite you to enter your email and keep in touch! After a few days break, I’ll fill you in on my experience as a runner at the Hollywood Dancesport Championships and what it was like watching others compete at the first of many competitions I won’t be able to attend.

Until then, Happy Halloween!!