An Incomplete History Of Blogtober (With Current Resources)

In case you missed it last week, this October I am participating in Blogtober.  I thought it would be interesting to give a little history about the various October blogging challenges that started years ago, but after poking around on the internet for 5 minutes (I have limited time, guys), I still couldn't find any information. Who started this blogging tradition? Was there originally a linkup?  I don't know, I can't figure it out.  

I did figure out that Write 31 Days (another October blogging challenge) started on The Nester blog with a personal challenge in 2008, that eventually turned into a linkup before she handed it off in 2016 to another blogger, Crystal Stine. She created a website that used to be dedicated to the challenge, but which is no longer available.

I can tell you that Blogtober and Write 31 Days (another October blogging challenge) both started around the same time in my memory.  I believe it was around 2013 that I first started seeing people doing October challenges (I specifically remember Cassidy's 31 Days Of Contentment).  The challenges looked fun, but I had a toddler and a baby and another one on the way, and there was no way I could participate. I finally attempted my own 31 Days Of Memory-Keeping in 2017, right as the challenges (or the blog world) was losing steam.  Always late to the party, that's me. 

So who is keeping Blogtober and Write 31 Days alive now?  Well, just regular old blogs like this one.  As I was poking around, I found quite a few bloggers that have participated in Blogtober or Write 31 Days, including many that are still participating this year.  These challenges have seemed to go the way of the entire casual blogging world - greatly diminished, but not dead.  

For this post I wanted to share some of the interesting posts and blogs I've found that have tips for Blogtober/Write 31 Days, as well as a roundup of some new-to-me blogs that are participating in 2021!  So if you miss the blogging of yore, maybe you'll find a few new ones to read in the month of October.

Resources For A 31 Day Writing Project

Five Minute Friday is one website that has taken over the writing-every-day-in-October tradition.  They give you prompts to work with each day, if you need some inspiration.  They also host a linkup for people who are using their prompts that may be a fun place to find blogs to read!

I found a list of 31 Days Of Writing/Blogging prompts on this website.  I might use some of these!

I found this post with a bunch of fall-themed post ideas for inspiration.

There is also apparently a hashtag for Blogtober (#blogtober21), but I wouldn't know about that.

Bloggers That Are Writing Every Day In October

Note: These are new-to-me blogs, so don't necessarily take this as an endorsement, but more as a section to explore Blogtober!  These are the blogs I found participating in some sort of October writing challenge that looked interesting to me.  I didn't include blogs that were following the Five Minute Friday prompts, since I enjoy seeing what people come up with on their own, but there are many more blogs you could check out on that linkup as well.

Some Days There's Pie

Walking By Faith

Joy Returns

Attic 24

The Saxophone Player's Wife (this blog also has a prompt list for Blogtober, and a list of more participating blogs)

The Yorkshire Dreamer

A Different Kind Of Woman

Hope's Notes (this blog looked interesting - it's written by someone who is blind!)

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I could probably find more, but I'm tired of looking and hungry for lunch, so I'm going to wrap this up.  Blog buddies, if you are participating in Blogtober or Write 31 Days and I missed it, comment so I can add you to my list!