Keep going
One week from now, the days (at least here in the northern hemisphere where I am) will begin to get longer. I’ve already grown weary of the frigid air and it’s not even officially winter yet. Since I’m rarely one for a rosy outlook on things, I find it funny that the upcoming winter solstice is a source of comfort. The notion of lengthening days has a promise to it even if there’s a full season of possibly terrible weather ahead of me. I’m pointed in the right direction and sometimes that’s the best there is.
How does this relate to writing? Well, sometimes we struggle. To be less vague, I’m struggling. Writing is not for the faint of heart. It takes strength and tenacity. A writer must weather the difficult seasons and sometimes that moment when the direction of things shifts and brighter days are on the horizon is all it takes to shift our perspective enough so that we can carry on. There will still be dreary days, but we’re going in the right direction.
My point, a bit hokey as it may be, is to keep going. If you’re in your dark days, keep going. If things are all sunshine and buttercups where you are, then keep going. That’s all any of us can do. Stopping to wallow or bask for too long means stagnation. Take each day for what it is and keep going.
Contest winners announced!
Hey, remember that fall writing contest that just wrapped up not too long ago? The winners were announced in this post right here! Stop by and congratulate them for a job well done.
Is this your first time here?
Yesterday’s kickoff post tells you everything you need to know about all of yeah write. We tell you about the schedule, upcoming events and get you ready for the week ahead.
Have questions you can’t find the answer to by poking around the site? Email us or find us on Facebook or Twitter and we’ll happily help you out.
Just the basics
That link to yesterday’s kickoff post isn’t just for the newcomers. There’s valuable information in that post. Go read it. You might even find a little inspiration this week in our December poetry slam!
Today the grid opens for our nonfiction writing challenge. There is a limit of 500 words plus 100 words grace. You must tell a compelling story. If we get bored or can’t figure out what’s going on, you’ll get a nicely detailed note from our submissions editor explaining where we fell off. You can rewrite it, rework it and workshop it. We’ll be happy to read it again in a few weeks.
The nonfiction challenge closes Wednesday at 9:59 p.m. US eastern. If your entry is accepted, our editors will move you over to the invitational grid open to voting both by our readers and our editorial staff. On Friday, we will publish editorial picks and announce the popular vote winner.
The ultimate question: where did you find it?
Our microstory challenge opens each Wednesday and in it we ask that you answer the ultimate question in exactly 42 words. But our questions are also available to you as an optional prompt in this nonfiction challenge and our fiction|poetry challenge which opens each Tuesday.
If you find yourself in need of a little inspiration, spend some time pondering this week’s question. Let your mind wander. Because this is optional, you can let the question take you anywhere you want and we don’t even need to realize that your submission is a take on the prompt. We’re just throwing it out there to get the creative juices flowing. You can grab hold of it, or not. Your call.
The yeah write #192 weekly writing challenge is open for nonfiction: personal essays, creative opinion, mostly true stories based on actual events. You can check out the submission guidelines and join us with your essay using the link below.
