We are quickly approaching the first anniversary of the week this writers’ linkup appeared in its original form on my personal blog at free fringes.
In that spirit and, as I continue to help Alison and Ado celebrate their first blogoversaries, I’m introducing yeah write #50 with the explanatory post from free fringes on why I started this whole thing. Don’t be shocked by the profanity and gutter analogies: my mouth is at its most pottiest when I am amongst the people I love who aren’t sticks in the mud.
From April 2011:
Apparently, people are mean to each other on the Interwebs.
Apparently.
I actually have no such concept.
Mainly because I’ve always been that person who leaves the room during an argument. Who ignores office gossip. Who shuts down my teenage daughter’s conversation at the first whiff of high school drama. It’s not my style, so you know what happens?
An alliance gets formed without me and I’m kicked off the island even though I was the cute girl who won all her challenges naked.
Or something like that.
I’ve had three trolls in all my years of blogging. One I emailed and told her to stop attacking my commenters and guest bloggers and, uh, to fuck off. The second one got bored after yelling at me that I was wasting my space with frivolities instead of saving the world with my 10 readers.
The third one, poor guy, never got the hint. After trying to warn him away in comments, Q and his friends started a blog as though it was written from the troll’s perspective called “Free Speech” and would write the silliest posts attacking normal people then end each post with “free speech!” like the guy did on my blog in his comments. I finally had to block his IP address.
These days, I’m no target. I don’t have a million page views each month. I don’t take polarizing positions on anything. I don’t tell you how to raise your children or treat your partner. I don’t even suggest how to manage your depression, and lord knows I could write a book about it. If you want to drink all day and lie around watching Cops reruns, I support you. I only ask that when you write about your day, you write about it compellingly. Without animated GIFs dancing at me while I’m giggling at your post.
It’s for these reasons and more that I started this weekly link up. Everybody needs a little blog love now and again, and I’d like to curate it. One central location for love. Kinda like a whorehouse without the exorbitant fees, social stigma and heroin addicts.
If you’ve got links to share for this week, please link them here. Voting for your favorite starts tomorrow. I may scrounge up a prize for the winner; you never know.
I’ve forgotten what the first prize was that week. I think an iTunes gift card or something like that. Through generous donors and my personal budget, over the past year, I’ve given away, among other great prizes, gift cards, books, video editing services, scented candles, WordPress blog templates, Etsy shop items, New Orleans pralines and coffee, homemade cookies, vinyl records, digital music and, with this month’s superfecta points challenge:
- a new theme installed and mildly tweaked by Erica
- a new header designed and installed by Q
- an 8×10 print or digital photograph with custom elements by Flood. The photo attached to this post is one she made for me at free fringes. The typewriter is for me the writer, the map for me the traveler, the kids’ toys because my kids just can’t let me work interrupted, the liquor bottle and highball glass is for none of your business
- a complete review of your current blog with recommendations on how to improve your content, writing, search engine visibility and design by my Blogging Bash partner Alexis. If you accept her recommendations, as a team, we’ll help you implement them. Are your text and header fonts all crazy and unreadable even though you loves some crazy and unreadable fonts? If you take Alexis’s suggestion for more readable fonts, for example, we help you find ones more suitable and install them. Not just action items—action action.
Thanks, you guys, for a wonderful year. I’ve watched many of you form communities and find new tribes specifically through yeah write, and that energizes me from week to week as I code the linkup on Mondays, tweet out your posts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, get the vote out for you on Thursdays, then announce the winners on Fridays. You make it all worthwhile.
Yeah write #50 is open.
Great write up, Erica. Looking forward to reading the over sixty entries. Sha’woo!
Congrats on the big 5-0, Erica! I’m glad to have been a part of the last 10 or so and looking forward to the next 50.
I’m hoping that this will be the week I win something. Or maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket tonight?
I’m next to Sperk*! And we both use an Asterix*! That must mean something in some country. Somewhere.
tahehe
I forgot to say throw my name in the pot again this week! Please!
Fortunately I have not encountered any advocates for free speech thus far on my blogging journey. It’s most likely because I found yeah write early on in my short career. If my audience only consists of yeah write bloggers for the rest of the life of Sperk*, I will have absolutely no complaints. I love it here. And when I grow up, I want to write profanities just like you…love this post!
Hey Erica I thought this week we were going to limit it to 50? I’m blog-eyed! (-:
This is the final week for unlimited blogs on the grid. Hang on tight!
Erica, while the force behind the start of this was ugly you have made something truly beautiful. I have found in just a few short weeks that I have connected with so many people on so many levels. Through their humor, their pain, their stark raving honesty and mostly their bravery. I think about the things I’ve read, I’ve given myself a break as a mom, I’ve made sure to tell people I love them, I’ve started to pay attention to issues I’ve ignored. Writing is personal. Making it public is a gianormous leap of faith. This has been a safe, fun and welcoming place to do it in. Plus I even learned new swear words….and thats something when you are a miners daughter!
I don’t even know where to begin. I know I not the most loyal Yeah Write blogger. I listen to Erica and she wants great writing. If I don’t have it I don’t link up. I know I should be more loyal to the bloggers here. This is hands down the most amazing group of people I have come across. I am taken aback by Erica… more then adore her… I’m taken aback by her presence and the type of people she has drawn in. My favorite kind of people: small bloggers, genuine, friendly, truly caring and love people and what we write. THANK YOU ERICA!!! MWAH
P.S… Love a good potty mouth. Means your human and were friends
Great Entries! There is so much talent each week!
The whorehouse comment was perfect, especially since as soon as I read it I thought “Dolly Parton & Burt Reynolds” a la Best Little Whorehouse in Texas!
Thanks again Erica!
Thank you so much for all your hard work on yeah write, Erica. I can honestly say that the 6 weeks that I’ve been a part of this community have been my favorite blogging weeks ever. You are awesome!
Please include me in the drawing … I love drawings.
I hope to link up, but the clock seems to be ticking faster than the allotted time. How does that happen?
Thank you for all you do, Erica. The weeks are far more entertaining with Yeah Write!
Eek! My link posted twice!
Now it’s only there once – quick service! 😉
I did it too!
It is a very cozy whorehouse indeed. I like this analogy so much better than the water cooler one. Makes me feel tough and gritty. Excuse me now while I go kick this day’s ass. Ellen
Agreed!!
Hey Erica: Just need you to know I’m shitting self this morning all worried that I’m not going to get my post in before you get 50 linkers. So just in case I don’t get all the stuff done in my “real life world” that I need to in time to link one up, know that you have made me completely anxious today.
God I love Yeah Write.
I don’t know how you do it – Blog Bash is my first link up and it is so all-consuming, I really don’t know how you do it every week – and you are so good at it.
Anyway you may (hopefully) see me…(-:
PS: Thanks for the shout out about Blog Bash.
Knowing the reason behind it all makes me respect it even more. I’m happy to say I love this whorehouse.
I had to laugh at the survivor reference. TOO funny! I enjoyed your “flash back” post. Thanks for sharing!
Happy 50th!! And thank you for helping Ado and I celebrate 1 year – for the shout out, for the sponsorship, the the button, for the support and love. You’re awesomeness personified.
I can’t remember how I found your blog. I don’t remember the first time I linked to lovelinks. I just remember that you’ve always been a great friend to me. For that, I thank you.
I’m so excited! This week My Hillbilly has written a guest post!