Bucket List For Writers (Things Writers Should Do WAY Before They Kick The Bucket)
I’m a writer! I love lists! I love buckets! Okay, that third one might not be quite so true—I mean who loves buckets? Apparently, Shayla Raquel, the editorial blogger I borrowed inspiration—and this list—from. Shayla says Catherine Smith of Sooner Not Later first came up with this idea and she even completed 52 bucket list items in 2015. Low whistle. 😏 Impressive.
A lot of the goals on Shayla’s list are actual goals I have on my own bucket list so I thought it would be fun to put my own spin on it by scratching out what I’ve completed and adding my own items as well. Check out Shayla’s list here. I’m going to have to get creative to cross off green eggs and ham as a vegan!
Make sure to read until the end to get your free PDF version so you can start crossing off items right away!
Travel
- Go on a writing retreat
- Visit Stratford-upon-Avon to see where Shakespeare lived
- Take a weekend getaway to Walden Pond and live simply for a while—no cell phones!
- Set off on a literary pilgrimage to a site where your favorite author lived or spent his/her time writing
- Visit a printing plant to see how books are made
- Go to a book signing and show support for a local author
- Visit a famous bookstore in another state
Go to a writer’s convention
- Visit a bookstore or library in another country (like Dublin, Ireland’s “The Long Room”)
- Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- Spend a day in the Library of Congress
Experience
- Do something weird just to write about it
- Start a book club or writing workshop
Write an in-depth book review
Start a personal library
- Go to the late show at the circus
Create art out of books that are falling apart
Read at least one book from every genre
- Cosplay as a book character and see if friends can guess it
Read a ridiculously difficult book, like Ulysses(Not my line, but OMG! I’ve never read anything truer in my life.)
Take a character quiz for your favorite story
- Start a savings fund for self-publishing
Try editing a book
Bookish Buys
Collect a series
Buy old books at garage sales—and barter!
- Get an autographed book
- Purchase a real inkwell and quill
- Go to a book signing and get a selfie with the author
Visit a library
Buy a beautiful leather (or vegan leather) journal
- Pick up a vintage polaroid camera
Have a movie marathon based on the books you love
- Buy a first edition copy of a bestseller
- Purchase a handmade book
Buy a typewriter
Write On
Get an article published
- Write under a pen name
Write a poem
- Submit to Writer's Digest
Write fan fiction
- Send fan mail to your favorite authors
- Write a comic strip or graphic novel
- Write 100,000 words for one project
- Guest blog for someone famous
- Write in a genre that you hate
Write a letter to your future self
Self-publish a book
- Send your ready-for-publication book to at least three traditional publishing houses
Personal Development
Find a mentor
Write an affirmation statement that expresses all your strengths as a writer
Buy a book for a child
- Read The Elements of Style
Donate any unused or forgotten books to a local library
- Donate copies of your book to a worthy cause
- Join at least three writing associations
- Mentor a teen who is interested in writing
Create a productive writing space
Trade manuscripts with a close writer friend and critique each other
Subscribe to a "word of the day" email
- Tutor students in English
- Write a private self-help blog for yourself
Literary Eats
Host an Alice in Wonderland tea party
- Eat a cake that’s designed like a book
- Make green eggs and ham
Visit a coffee shop you’ve never been to
- Have a midnight dinner like in the Night Circus
Have second breakfast
Throw a Great Gatsby-themed party
Does a Great Gatsby-themed/Roaring 20's themed prom count?😂
My friend Hailey and I at our 1920’s/ Great Gatsby themed senior prom. Photo by Hailey Donaldson.
It looks like I’ve still got some things to check off my own list! Have you done any of the items above?Comment below and let me know what you think of the list! Don’t forget, the concept goes to Catherine Smith and Shayla Raquel for originally doing this bucket list for writers! Check out Shayla’s list here and Catherine’s Facebook page for Sooner NOT Later here.
If you love this writerly bucket list as much as we do, click here to download the printable PDF version so you can start crossing off items right away!
And that’s it for my writerly bucket list! Have you crossed any of these off of your own bucket list? What did you think? Did I forget anything! Let me know in the comments below!
Thumbnail photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters.