Writing Joy - One-Story September Sign Ups are Open


The other day I sent a survey asking what you love about writing a story.

I wish I could share all the answers with you because the fierce passion that poured out of my monitor was genuinely thrilling.

  • You people are alive with joy for the process of creating something that simply didn’t exist before you sat down to write.
  • You are more in touch than anyone else I’ve met, with the deep satisfaction and pride that comes when you can point at a story and say, "That? Yeah, I did that."
  • Many of you celebrated, "That moment when my reader gets it," or "When I can share what I wrote with my children"—or other significant people in your lives—proving that nobody needs to give you permission to spread the wealth by sharing your stories.
  • And are you playful? Yes, you are! I read over and over again about the surprise and delight of discovering what your characters are up to…or rediscovering stories you wrote in the past and thinking, "Wow, I really like this!"

I want you to have more moments of feeling alive, being in the flow, playing with your imaginary friends, and handing stories to the people who need to read them.

Of course, many of you also talked about the challenges of actually finishing stories; getting from ‘cool idea’ to ‘the end’.

And that’s exactly why I’m inviting you to participate in this year’s One-Story September - The Whole Story Edition.

I’ll provide the framework that will help you move through a single story and reach the moment where it is 'finished' and ready to share. That’s when your story really comes alive.

Each week you’ll have writing lessons and assignments designed to keep you progressing, understanding what each part of the story needs to do for readers. No more getting lost in the middle! I’ll also send a suggested schedule, plus you’ll have a cohort of people to chat with in the comments.

Join us for One-Story September - The Whole Story Edition 2026

As a bonus, during September, I’ll also invite you along to weekly 'writing dates' so you have an excuse to put some writing time on your calendar and get the support of doing this with other writers.

We start on Sept 1, 2026, and we stay together all month long.

Imagine something new | Make it real | Find your creative flow | Connect with other humans

Keep writing,

Julie

P. S. Find out more or hit 'reply' and ask your question.

Julie Duffy

Hi, I'm Julie Duffy, founder & director of StoryADay. Every year since 2010 I've challenged writers like you to prove to themselves that they can write more (and better) than they think, during the StoryADay May challenge. During the rest of the year, StoryADay supports you with the StoryAWeek newsletter (writing lessons & prompts), a popular podcast, blog posts, mini-challenges, courses, and a members' community. StoryADay May has become a fixture on the writing calendar, and the lively community is one of Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers. Join me for info, workshops, challenges & courses, and of course, the StoryAWeek newsletter.

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