Greetings Earthlings!
My routine is broken. I mean, it’s not all bad. I finished a draft of something I’ve been working on for a million years – which is awesome – but now I have to switch gears and spend more of my time editing instead of writing. And that means a whole new routine.
I’ve never edited something this extensively before. I mean, I’ve edited microstories, poems, short stories, essays, but never anything this large. It’s like learning to walk again. Am I more productive in the morning? In the evening? In small chunks of time or large blocks? I don’t know. I’m still fixing my broken routine, trying to figure it out. If I come up with any great tips, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, how about sharing your editing routines in the coffeehouse?
Who’s on fourth
This month we invite you to learn more about Emily Bingham! The interview will publish Wednesday at 12pm ET, but in the meantime, head over to Plenty Plenty and read up on her awesome microstories.
Answer the ultimate question in exactly 42 words: what’s broken?
This week’s question requires you to identify something that is broken: cracked, malfunctioning, in pieces, torn apart, or just plain stopped. Lamps, limbs, hearts, trust, promises, toys, bread, the US electoral system – it’s all fair game.
Don’t get disqualified on a technicality
READ THE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES. Take us seriously so we can take you seriously.
COUNT YOUR WORDS. Use your eyes, not your word processor. Your post may not be eligible for voting if you go over or under 42 words. And remember, any words surrounding your microstory — explanations, references, footnotes, shout-outs, etc. — will be counted against your 42-word limit. (The only exception is photo credits.)
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.
ANSWER THE QUESTION. We try to give you some basic guidelines with every question; pay attention to what we’re looking for. 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.
Need a second set of eyes? Find yourself a writing partner over in the yeah write coffeehouse.
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! Participation is the key to making this community work.
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.
Submit to the yeah write microstory challenge
The yeah write weekly writing challenge is now open for microstories. You can check out the submission guidelines and join us with your 42-word microstory using the button below.
What else is happening around here?
We’ve got the nonfiction challenge opening on Mondays, the fiction and poetry challenge on Tuesdays, the microstory 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.
