Welcome to the new and experimental yeah write #55 hangout grid.
I’m nervous and excited about offering you a choice each week of what kind of blogger you’ll be: the sharp shooter or the cool surfer. With unlimited spots on the hangout grid, you’ll never again arrive “too late” to link up, and that’s gotta be a big relief. We’ll accept you as you are when you get here. If you’re feeling a bit grumpy, ply us with moonshine, and all is forgiven.
This second grid will be a little more loose with no limits on how many bloggers can link up. Yes, the backlink is still required, no, you cannot link up your personal promotions or linkups. However, there will be no competition, no voting and you can read at your leisure. It opens at the same time as the challenge grid, but stays open until Sunday afternoon US eastern time [-4 GMT]. You even have your own button.
The hangout grid will be good for those who aren’t sure if they like the competitive aspect of yeah write, but who love the spirit of community that has grown so freely here. Link up, make the rounds, if you don’t get to everybody, there should be no guilt on your part. Just remember: just like any other project in the universe, you should put into it what you expect to get out of it.
On the hangout grid, you guys are in charge of your own social media campaign. Tweet out your faves, share on Facebook, blog about your new friends, it’s all what you make it. I’ll be available for technical issues as long as you cut me some slack on Tuesdays through Thursdays while I’m managing the challenge grid.
Each week, you can only choose one grid for your blog post, however, if you link up with the hangout grid this week, you can certainly choose the challenge grid next week. You can commit to challenging yourself for six weeks, then hanging out for three. It will all depend on how you feel on Tuesdays when the grids open for lovin’. Nope, you cannot link one post on the challenge grid then an entirely different one on the hangout during the same week. If you accidentally link to both, I’ll help you along by deleting your challenge grid entry.
Thanks to @wilyguy, @thelyonsdin, @saidkristin, @momma23monkeys, @kdwald, @iamnotthemaid, @sensiblemoms,@sperk01, @michellelongo, @dadofthedecade, @chicknoodlegrav, @foxinthecity_j, @writerinseblog and @peskypippi for the emails, blog posts, comments and tweets that spurred me into action and for some of the language I’m sure I’ve stolen to write this post and drive the mission of our challenge and hangout experiment.
The yeah write #55 challenge grid is over here.
The yeah write #55 hangout grid is open. Have fun with it!
ok i’ve linked up under the heading “better late than never”
Love It!
Look at all of the cool kids in the hangout! I feel like I’m missing the party!
I’ve done my voting, now I have plenty of reading for the weekend. Ellen
Agree with everyone. Am in awe, admiration and complete gratitude for all the work you put into this Erica – even without technical problems! Tuesday is the highlight of my blogging week when the grid opens up and the new posts roll in. Thank you so much.
Okay, I finally get it. This might be more up my alley, considering my er, condition.
Maybe so! You should try it.
I love this idea, Erica – thanks!
No, thank you, Katie!
This. Is. Genius!! I am a little…ahem…competitive, but I’m certainly not to the point that I can produce a competition level post every week. The hang out grid is the perfect solution because I have fallen so in love with this community. Yay Erica! One more idea to throw your way – do you want to specify that writers can’t link the same post to the hang out and competition grids in different weeks? Or did you already say that and I missed it? Thank you again for all of this!
I’m glad you like the idea. I’m excited about it.
I hadn’t thought about the duplicate posts in separate weeks, but I’m thinking it would be okay since sometimes people may land on the hangout grid simply because they’d missed the closing of the challenge grid. Maybe they’d like to see how their post would hold up to voting. I’ll have to stew on it 🙂
shut up. i was just coming over here, tail between legs. sad because i won’t get my crap together until tomorrow at the earliest. and here you were, solving all my problems. i still wanted to hang out, just wasn’t able to swing it. now i can. happy-clappy.
Totally stealing happy-clappy. I love being a problem-solver!
You’re so smart. And also I kind of love you. For reals. Thanks for coming up with yet ANOTHER way to encourage high quality blog writing!
Thanks, Stephanie. It looks like it’s gonna work out well.
Love this! I don’t mind the competitive aspect but I’m always worried I’m not going to link up in time. This is fun cuz I can play either way! Yay!
Yay! Have fun with it!
I’m giggling at how busy you’re going to be with this. Giggling from the safety of my home 700 miles away.
It’s a fun busy. Giggle away, woman.
Hi Erica,
My first time here.
I came across your meme through Christine’s A Punch In The Nose. What a great idea. I love finding great new bloggers and decided to join up today. I hope I didn’t miss a theme or anything. Just let me know if I did.
Thanks,
Dana
Dana, welcome to yeah write! No, there’s no theme unless you count sharing with us a good story. Make the rounds and have fun!
I freakin’ LOVE this idea!!! And I love that the challenge grid is almost full already. You have some hardcore followers, Erica. Love it. The hangout grid is totally my speed, though. xoxo
With the day I’m having, I’m beginning to realize the hangout grid is probably more my style, too. Thanks for your wonderful words, Christine.
This is my first time linking up…hope I did it right!
I’ve been following yeahwrite but have too scared to link up before (cause I’m a wimp=) The hang out grid is perfect for me! Thanks for including this feature.
Danielle
This hangout grid is perfect for you! You get to read and be read and there’s no fear of being voted off the island. It’s a win-win. Welcome to yeah write!
Hey Erica, what a great idea! I love the community aspect of this new grid . . . now to write a post with posting on it. 🙂
No rush, Jenn, since it won’t close on you before you’re done. So much more relaxing.
Yes! Yes! This is perfect for those of us who were feeling intimidated by the awesomeness of the writers on the “challenge grid” (me!) but still want to share! Thanks so much for putting this together. I am so excited I may even start a twitter account 😉
Erin, I’m so in love with you right now. Thanks for understanding what I’m trying to do here. I’m excited you’ll be joining Aubrey and the doctor’s wife. They’ve been lonely.
The posts even come up on the grid in random order?!? My non-competitive self is in love with not being a number!
Great idea! And the new badges look very cool!
Thanks, Katie!
The badges look great!Ellen
Thanks, Ellen! And, I’m sure eventually, Erin!
I think it’s a great idea. More than that, I think you are truly awesome to spend so much time and energy putting something out there for all of us. And then to put something *else* out there, too. I can’t wait to see how it all plays out!
Thanks, Michelle. I’m nervous but hopeful.