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Greetings Earthlings!
This week I lost my voice. No, not figuratively – I literally cannot force sound through my vocal chords. It’s either some crazy alien plague or something my kid brought home from preschool. Come to think of it, same difference, really.
But let’s talk about voice. Whether you’re writing 1000 words or 42, your voice is what makes you unique. Tienne of Silverleaf Journal has it. Michael of Hypothetically Writing has it. Erica of free fringes has it in spades. The trick with finding your voice is authenticity. Tienne’s lush language doesn’t sound forced; Michael’s quirky humor is unmistakably his. If you’re not Tienne or Michael, don’t try to sound like them. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t experiment or play around with different styles. But if it doesn’t feel natural to you, it won’t feel natural to your readers, either. So practice. Find what works for you. Find your voice.[/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: what happened to the wagon?
This week’s question requires only two things for a good answer: a wagon, be it of the covered, station, little red or any other sort; and something indicating a change in its condition. The wagon might be gone, it might be altered in some way, but something changed. What was it? Please note that whatever happened to the wagon happened in the past.
A few other reminders:
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.
Keep in mind that your post 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, footnotes, shout-outs, etc. — will be counted against your 42-word limit.
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
You may enter only one gargleblaster microstory. Submissions are moderated. All entries will show up on our submissions grid, and 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]
What happened to the wagon?
The yeah write #212 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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