The best 60
Yeah write has been compared to an artisinal cheese shop and, because it’s now two, an adorable toddler. To me, it’s a dark and delicious jazz club that fills with great music every Tuesday when the yeah write week gets interesting. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are exciting as we wait to see who’s going to walk through the door next. On Wednesday night, certain posts surface and sparkle like a soaring horn solo and the voting begins. Did thirty or more writers pack our smoky little club? Then we choose the best of the batch for an invitational grid; it’s the backstage of yeah write. On Friday, we all congratulate the winners and slouch home with our prizes, or with determination to win one next time, and often with a new friendship or two brewing.
This week we’re highlighting seven of our favorite posts from the history of yeah write (and choosing them wasn’t easy, people). Next week you’ll get seven more. We’ve also worked hard to build a larger best-of-yeah-write grid of sixty excellent posts, chosen from more than 3,500. Congratulations to all, and please keep coming back; you make us better editors, you bring life to the party, and the music doesn’t sound nearly as good when you’re not here.
Cindy
on Jessie
In Teeth, her spot-on description of a visit to the dentist, Jessie at Jester Queen accomplishes what good flash-nonfiction should: Set a detailed scene, create realistic characters (four of them!), and effortlessly toss up memorable dialogue while moving our narrator from Point A to Point B emotionally. To do all that while relating a laugh out loud funny story that is a true slice of life? That merits a best of yeah write slot. —Cindy Reed
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Courtenay
on Christie
Christie from Outlaw Mama often finds herself in our top row or standing upon the winner’s dais, but my absolutely most favorite post of hers is My Internist Said a Four-Letter Word: Lump. I love this post because it is an exemplary illustration of Christie’s ability to weave humanity into words. This post is artfully crafted; it weaves the mundane with the sublime to bring us all into the exam room with her. It is painted with grief, humor, fear, hope and always, always, always, soul. —Courtenay Baker
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Erica
on Kim
Unless your mom has ever been featured in a national magazine in a full-page ad for old people sex, I don’t know if you can feel Kim’s pain in Mama Drama, but you can certainly empathize with her. Written from the perspective of a daughter who’s grown up in the shadow of an attention-grabber, we watch Kim’s mom get in a major car accident for attention. Have emergency colon surgery. For attention. Rely on a post-surgery morphine pump. For attention. Does this woman ever stop? We don’t know, and with the fun Kim handles it in her narrative and photos, we kinda don’t want her to. —Erica Mullenix
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Flood
on Joe
Crimson Tide’s clean writing made this post zip along pleasantly, so my eyes didn’t even glaze over after reading the words “nuclear powered submarine, armed with 24 intercontinental ballistic missiles.” The ‘so what’ of this anecdote is a nail-biter: Will Joe get his underwear in time? Kellie’s dedication to remedying her husband’s plight is admirable, despite her girly throw. In a kind of kooky rendition of “An Officer and A Gentleman,” Joe gets to carry away his underpants, rather than Debra Winger, to wild cheers and applause. This entry is a great example of yeah write’s reminder to tell your story with a clear beginning, middle and end, and proof it can be done well with just 578 words. —Flood G
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Kristin
on Stacey
Circles by Stacey from Confessions of a Supermommy, connects voice, structure, and plot elegantly – beginning with the title. This story reflects the seemingly easy cycle families often follow – occasionally inserting harsher realities that intersect. The iconic scene of a family “nestled” in the Buick for a Sunday drive is modernized by the longing of a young girl to stay close to her father and grandfather – but not feeling welcome in the “manly world” of cars. The real beauty of the post is how it seamlessly connects Stacey’s girlhood with her son’s boyhood. The image of her husband and son re-creating a past generation’s experience is both poignant and hopeful. —Kristin Wald
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Louise
on Bill
Bill Dameron’s The Other Bill tells a story both joyful and heartbreaking. We see an uncertain, newly-out Bill exiting a multi-decade marriage, looking for an apartment and rejecting each on some flimsy pretext (like imagining the landlord was homophobic because he talked about sports). “In the end,” Bill writes, “I was discriminating against myself. If I couldn’t accept me, how could I expect others to?” His story of finding the perfect home, then growing confident enough to leave it, has stayed with me since yeah write #59. Memorable characters (including two dogs), a happy ending and a plot that moves so quickly that even the participants lament its speed all combine to showcase one of my favorite bloggers at his fabulous best. —Louise Ducote
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Stacie
on Ashley
Ashley Austrew’s How Bizarre expertly takes us back to the face-burning humiliation of not being like all the other kids in kindergarten. Given an assignment to paint “any kind of tree,” five-year-old Ashley creates a beautiful multi-colored tree while her classmates each produce “a think brown trunk topped by a cloud of green.” When the teacher holds up the pictures one by one and says, “Students, is this what a tree looks like?” we feel little Ashley’s panic; we silently plead with her, “Please don’t pick mine.” (Ashley, guess what! We picked you!) This memorable glimpse of a young artist tugged at my heartstrings and made me cheer for individuality. —Stacie D
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We’ve made all 60 of you your very own badge
We’d be honored if you’d display it in the sidebar of your blog. Only 60 people in the whole world have earned one. That alone should be reason for you to grab the code and show it off.
More editor highlights coming next Wednesday. If you’re not already on this week’s grid, yeah write #104 should still be open, and you’re welcome to join us. Happy yeah write birthday, everybody!
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Cheers! It is perfect time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy.
I don’t have the words to say how I feel about being a part of this grid, but I do know where I’ll be browsing tomorrow with my pot of coffee.
Way to kick me in the keister and remind me I’ve been neglecting my blog! I am so honored and moved to be listed among such great writers. Thank you!
Thank you so much!! It’s an honor to be noticed with all of these other fabulous bloggers!!
I’m working on getting the link in my sidebar…I’m have some technical difficulties tonight.
Thank you for such a wonderful honor!! That email made my day!!
This is the most freaking awesome thing ever!!! I’m thrilled and beyond honored. Thank you, thank you! This is such a wonderful community, so kind and supportive. Not to mention the quality of the writing which makes us all work a little harder and stand a little taller. AND the time and talent our editors have committed to all of us who hang here makes it the best place on the inter-webs! Happy Birthday, Yeah Write. I will be back to join in the fun soon and if not soon by August. By then, I will have an abundance of cool material to share.
I am so inspired by seeing all these great stories in one place. I can’t wait to read all the ones I haven’t seen before and revisit the ones I have loved in the past. Thank you so much. Happy birthday! What a great community.
Omigosh THANKS, YOU GUYS! I am so honored to be picked ’cause I just started linking up with you this year. Couldn’t be happier about it; I’m in excellent company here. Congrats to ALL of you brilliant storytellers.
Wow, thank you for including my post in such an illustrious list. I have been missing Yeah Write – eventually I’ll be in a place where I can try to plug back in again. You all are ten kinds of awesome.
I am so incredibly honored and touched (giggity giggity) that you included me in this grid.
Seriously guys.
I can’t even begin to tell you how lucky I feel to have been welcomed into your super cool kid club.
Damned ninjas must be cutting onions at my desk again. Buggers.
Thanks for all of the effort it took to make this grid! The walk down memory lane was awesome!
What a great surprise and an incredible honor! I’ve been away from the Yeah Write grid for a while (too long, really) due to time constraints and lack of material that meets the Yeah Write criteria, but I look forward to rejoining y’all soon. You’re doing great things! Keep up the good work.
Yay! What an honor! I’mma wear that badge proudly. In fact, I think I’ll print one out, laminate it, tape a add a safety pin to the back, and wear it on my shirt. (I’m so old school, I still think Pluto’s a planet.) Seriously, guys – thank you! I was also so happy to see all my old Yeah Write peeps here on the grid. I miss you all! Gotta get out of my blogging slump and come back for a nice, long visit soon.
Holy shit. “Flattered” doesn’t even begin to describe it. Thank you SO MUCH.
What a great surprise this morning! Thank you!
I, too, was surprised and delighted to find the e-mail this morning! Thank you so much for including me. It’s a real honor! I can’t wait to read and re-read the writers on this grid. Thanks again!
‘A badge, a badge.” I feel like Steve Martin in The Jerk — “with this kind of spontaneous publicity, things are going to start happening for me now.” Or something like that. Thanks for thinking of me and that was a special post to me personally. I look forward to many great things and posts to come from the entire Yeah Write community.
Finding the e-mail in my inbox this morning made an ordinary Wednesday pretty spectacular. I am so touched and honored to be included with such an amazing and talented group. I am so incredibly grateful to Yeah Write for giving me this writing community and a blogging family. Happy second birthday, and here’s to many, many more.
I am tremendously honored and touched by this grid and my inclusion in it. You guys work pretty damn hard to make this place cool. Happy Birthday!!!
Congrats to the BEST OF Yeah Write! Maybe I’ll be there next year… haha 🙂
You probably will be, Kate. Your willingness to learn and grow will get you there sooner than later.
Wow! That email shocked the heck out of me. I had to grab a cup of coffee and read it again to be sure I wasn’t dreaming. I am honored and tickled pink to be included in a group of such talented writers and can’t wait to read the posts I missed.
Happy 2nd birthday, Yeah Write!
Congratulations to everyone on our list — I have to admit that choosing my posts for this grid was one of the best experiences of my life! I re-read every winning post and found myself completely inspired. Way to go!!
This is like a big basket of love wrapped in cellophane and tied with a gingham bow. Like and Edible Arrangements delivery, only EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF FRUIT is dipped in chocolate, not just the strawberries. Thanks for including me 🙂 ~ Cindy
Wow, I have to echo Kianwi and say I’m quite surprised! Thank you so much!
How exciting to be included among these truly excellent writers and posts! Thank you so much! And Happy Birthday, yeah write!
And like Mayor Gia, I will apologize for being absent. New job has taken over my life 🙂 But I do think of you all often and miss reading the truly excellent blogs that I always find here 🙂
Hope to catch up soon! And thanks again!
I was dumbfounded this morning when I got an email that I was included on the best of 60. What an honor! Thank you so much. And I had fun looking over the list, seeing all my favorite writers there 🙂
Happy Birthday Yeah Write!
Thank you so much for including me! I’m going to enjoy re-reading some of my favorites and reading some of the older ones for the first time. Happy Birthday Yeah Write!
I love this walk down memory lane. Really touching posts and hilarious ones, too. I like seeing some that I forgot about but were terrific. It’s like finding old friends.
I can’t wait to read them all! Lots I missed or before my time.
Awww thanks for including me! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY YEAHWRITE! (My apologies for the absence lately…life has gotten busy and I’ve cut way back on reading other blogs. I shall make more of an effort to join in!)