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Greetings Earthlings!

I’m not sure what happened to this last month. It flew by, like a rocket through hyperspace. I’ve been so busy paying attention to the view – your amazing stories – that I almost lost track of the destination. We are on our final approach: the fall writing competition ends this week! You’ve got just 24 more hours to hit the bar for one last gargleblaster before we ask you to fasten your seatbelts and prepare for landing.

There’s still time to enter. How? Here’s what you do: First, register for the contest by filling out this entry form. (You’ll need to do this each week you plan to enter.) Second, submit your gargleblaster microstory to the grid. Third, read all the entries and vote for your favorites as usual. Finally, check the winners’ post on Friday to see how the editors scored the entries across all three competitive grids. Gargleblaster microstories will be judged on how well you answer the ultimate question. Creativity, originality, and attention to language and detail are a must. You’ve only got 42 words: use them well.

At the end of the contest, the writer with the most accumulated points will win $200 cash! If you invite a friend to the challenge and your friend wins instead of you? You each get the $200 cash: your friend for winning and you for referring the winner to yeah write. We’ve got some great prizes lined up for second and third place as well. Visit the contest page for all you need to know about yeah write and our contest.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

Answer the ultimate question in exactly 42 words: how come no one warned me?

This week’s question might seem a little tricky, so I’m going to give you some hints. (Never say I don’t love my Earthlings!) We’re asking, “how come?” That is, “why?” Not “how,” or even “about what,” though of course a good story might include one or both of those. Your answer should give us the “because” – though be very careful if you decide to start your story that way. It still needs to make sense without reading the question first, so “because they all hate me” is not going to cut it.

It’s the last week of the competition, so please pay special attention to the guidelines. PROOFREAD. Nothing is easier, and nothing will get you bumped from the voting grid faster than typos, spelling or punctuation mistakes, or grammatical errors. You’ve only got 42 words; mistakes stick out.

Don’t restate the question in your answer but do answer the question, keeping in mind that your post still has to make sense if your reader doesn’t know the question. Don’t use the question as your title or anywhere else in your piece. And remember, any words surrounding your gargleblaster — explanations, references, etc. — will be counted against your 42-word limit. Now, everyone: raise your hand in the comments if you read this whole section, and don’t say we didn’t warn you about the rules!

Need a second set of eyes? Find yourself a writing partner over in the yeah write coffeehouse.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

The top 42 entries will be open for voting on Thursday

Submissions are moderated, but all entries will show up on our submissions grid.  One submission per person, please. Up to 42 entries will be moved to the voting grid, which opens on Thursday. Everybody: read, comment, vote!

If you don’t make the voting grid, don’t despair – you’ll get a detailed love letter from our wonderful submissions editor, Rowan G., letting you know what needed improvement. Email us or head over to our pages on Facebook and Twitter with any questions.

Winners will be announced on Friday

Look for Friday’s combined winners’ post to see the crowd favorites and editors’ picks from across all of our challenge grids.

What else is happening around here?

We’ve got the nonfiction grid opening on Mondays, the speakeasy for fiction and poetry on Tuesdays, the gargleblaster micro challenge on Wednesdays, and the come-one, come-all moonshine grid for the weekends. We’ve also got a great hangout space over at the coffeehouse. Make sure you subscribe to our weekly e-mail blast so you don’t miss out.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

How come no one warned me?

The yeah write #190 weekly writing challenge is open is open for micro-stories: fiction, non-fiction, haiku, whatever. Answer the question in exactly 42 words by clicking the link below.

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