3 Anytime Alternatives to NaNoWriMo

I have a compulsive but very human need to attribute all of my failures to some sort of systemic flaw instead of my own own shortcomings. This is normal, but as a twisted subliminal penance, I've become obsessed with finding some alternatives to National Novel Writing Month.

Here are my top 3 choices for year-round literary productivity.

750 Words
Described as the "online, future-fied, fun-ified translation" of the The Artist's Way, 750 words prompts you to write 3 pages (or, as you may have guessed, 750 words) a day. The interface is clean, and it automatically saves everything as private for you. There are no tags or titles. There are no forums or profile pages. It's specifically designed as the modern equivalent to that sticker-covered notebook that your brother keeps trying to steal and read.

Continuous Creation Challenge
A continuous creation challenge is "a period of time where you shift all of your energy from the many forms of consumption into channeled creation." By consumption, they're talking about things like television and eating. The minimum recommended time for this is about 12 hours, which works out perfectly, because I love to do something hard for like a day and then bitch/brag about it for weeks afterward. Although it's not an ongoing, day-to-day challenge, fans schedule creation challenges regularly, and there is a dedicated forum where you can interact with other manic crazies who are willing to fast for a day in the name of art.


The Artist's Way Meetup Groups
I could go on all day about the benefits and drawbacks of this old chestnut. It's not for everyone, but you're having trouble getting motivated virtually, it might help to go out and spend some time with your fellow artists. Since it's not medium-specific, inspiration could lurk in unexpected places, and it's always good to have a reason to put on pants. You may want to take a look at the book first, so you know just what it is you're putting on pants for.


See, I'm of the millennial school of getting things done. I love motivational tools, but I want to start whenever I want, and put it off for as long as I want. I also want smaller goals and gentler deadlines, because I'm a winner and you're a winner and we're all exceptional and we should all get a medal!
Do you have any go-to methods for a kick in the ass? If so, please divulge!