Sign up for the 17th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge #SOL24

The 17th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge will begin on Friday, March 1st! I’m delighted to reconnect with our global community of participants and am eager to welcome new ones!

A BACKSTORY: Last fall, I read Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain by Andrew McCarthy. I saved an excerpt of the text since it reflected what we do as participants of TWT’s annual writing challenge. 

Unless you have a large-scale trip planned for March, forget the last sentence for a moment. Focus on what McCarthy said about unplanned moments. There are ordinary moments in life that can add up to more when we take the time to pause and jot about them, then analyze and interpret them as writers. Writing about small, ordinary moments is at the heart of the Slice of Life Story Challenge. 

HERE’S WHY: The sign-up form below helps us keep track of participants in the 17th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. (We retire our database after each year’s challenge, so please fill this out even if you filled it out last year.) Your contact information will allow the co-author team to share resources to help you make the most of this month-long challenge. In addition, our troubleshooting team will be able to connect with you in case of any issues with the links you share.

OF NOTE: Please complete the form by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, 3/1/24. The form will close on the morning of March 2nd. 

GO DEEPER: 

Listen: Melanie Meehan and I recorded two podcast episodes to help you start with the Slice of Life Story Challenge. ICYMI: you may listen to them here or stream them on your preferred podcast platform.

• An Overview of the Slice of Life Story Challenge (from January 2023)
• Developing as a Writer in the Slice of Life Community (from January 2024)

Read: Read one or all of these pieces I’ve written if you’re unsure about the importance of committing to our month-long challenge:

• Have you ever said this?
• The Importance of Being a Teacher-Writer
• The Secret to Teaching Writing Well

Watch: Our global community of Slicers gathered virtually two years ago to discuss the challenge. 

• Chatting About the Benefits of Taking the Slice of Life Story Challenge
• Educators Talk About the Power of Being Part of a Community of Writers

MORE INFORMATION: Comments are closed on this post. Contact one of these co-authors if you have questions about the individual challenge.

• If your last name begins with the letters A – F, please email questions to Betsy Hubbard at betsymhubbard[at]gmail.com. 
• If your last name begins with the letters G – K, please email questions to Jenna Komarin at Jennakomarin[at]gmail.com. 
• If your last name begins with the letters L – P, please email questions to Lainie Levin at lainlev72[at]gmail.com.
• If your last name begins with the letters Q – U, please email questions to Stacey Shubitz at stacey[at]staceyshubitz.com. 
• If your last name begins with the letters V – Z, please email questions to Sarah Valter at sarahvalterreads[at]gmail.com.

Direct questions about the Classroom Slice of Life Story Challenge to one of these co-authors:

• If your last name begins with the letters A -L, please email questions to Leah Koch at Leah.koch7[at]gmail.com.
• If your last name begins with the letters M – Z, please email questions to Melanie Meehan at meehanmelanie[at]gmail.com.