Welcome to the last traditional challenge until September
That’s right, folks. Our summer series begins next Monday, July 14, 2014. At that time, we’ll have one combined grid for the gargleblaster, the traditional challenge (non-fiction, personal essays, traditional blog anecdote), and the speakeasy (fiction and poetry).
There’s still time to find out more about the summer series and to register. This is your chance to participate in a hands-on, workshop-style setting with your favorite yeah write community members and editors. Don’t miss out!
Moderation is still suspended, submissions guidelines still remain
It seemed silly to turn moderation back on for one week when we know it will be suspended for the summer series. In light of that, we’re going to go for another week of open submissions. But this in no way means we are suspending the submission guidelines! Last week we had to send quite a few pieces back due to word count. Remember, your non-fiction personal essay or traditional blog anecdote must be fewer than 600 words in order to be eligible for the grid. In addition, it must have been published no earlier than this immediate past Sunday (that’s Sunday, July 6, 2014, in case you don’t have your calendar handy).
There’s one other thing, and I really can’t stress this enough: You MUST proofread your post. Yes, we’ll let a post on if there’s a minor typo. We might tell you about it or we might not. What we won’t do is move you up to the invitational should it open and you won’t be eligible for the jury prize. But that’s not the only reason. Your blog is an extension of you. It represents who you are and what you stand for. There is never a shortage of “I am a writer” type posts on the internet and yes, by virtue of the fact that you are writing you are indeed a writer. I challenge you to be a good writer. I challenge you to be the kind of writer who doesn’t just have a blog, but the kind of writer who knows that using the right word matters.
Summer reading assignment: read critically
The other thing about open submission is that while we still want our writers to have a so what (and a post that is simply a jumble of words will likely get sent back), a post with a weak so what or a post that doesn’t hold the reader’s interest may get past our censors if it meets the basic guidelines. Without our submissions editor Rowan karate chopping her way through the entries, “bring your best stuff” becomes highly subjective.
Your job as a yeah write participant is to read every post while looking for the most captivating so whats. This doesn’t mean the story that pulled on your heartstrings the hardest or had the biggest OMG twist at the end. I mean the story where you care what’s happening. The post that you don’t dare look away from because you are that engaged. Then on Thursday, vote on merit. Vote because the post really had meaning, or was funny, or was just plain interesting. Don’t vote for the tear-jerker with a barely-there story, even if that subject is the saddest (or happiest) thing ever. You’ve only got a few votes each week, make them count.
Is this your first time here? Welcome!
Did you follow the link from the badge on a friend’s blog? Welcome! Please check out our submission guidelines, then jump right in. We’d love to have you.
Did you land here out of curiosity because you saw a whole bunch of hits from yeah write in your wordpress.com stats? Welcome! That means somebody at yeah write stumbled over your post, thought it was a good fit for us, and submitted your post for consideration. We hope you don’t mind!
If you like, please grab the challenge badge from our sidebar, install it using the HTML view of your post, then visit the other entries on the grid. Did we mention there will be a vote for the best submissions on Thursday? That’s the fun part. Please stick around.
The invitational grid and editor picks will be unlocked at 30+ entries on the challenge grid
In weeks where we receive at least 30 submissions, the special invitational grid opens. The editors will select the cream of the crop, who will go on to compete for the coveted jury prize. Spread the word that this is the last traditional challenge before the summer series begins so we can have one more invitational. Your word of mouth can get those submissions up! Oh, and tell your friends to bring their best work. Let’s make this week’s invitational the best yet.
Kevin the kiwi and Comment Bob: yeah write community spirit awards
Everyone knows Kevin by now! He’s that stylish kiwi with the scarf and hat, rooting around for an exceptional post on the grid. When we have fewer than 30 posts in the challenge grid, Rowan G, our submissions editor, will send Kevin home with her favorite post. If we open the invitational with 30 or more entries, Kevin will gladly sit this one out.
Comment Bob flies through open windows at night and leaves pom-poms under the pillows of the readers leaving the most thoughtful comments on each entry on the challenge grid. Just kidding. Penguins can’t fly. He has a jetpack. The part about the pom-poms, though, is completely true, so please make it a point to participate in our community as a writer, reader, voter and commenter.
We call it a challenge for a reason, and making the rounds to all the other blogs is a very large part of it. Remember, a good comment is more than “great work,” it’s a thoughtful response to the post you just read.
Voting on the challenge grid opens Thursday: more entries means more votes
The crowd favorite is determined by a moderated popular vote. That means it’s never a clicking contest. We expect our readers to vote for the best on the challenge grid based on technical and artistic merit. here’s the scale:
- 01-10 submissions: one vote
- 11-20 submissions: two votes
- 21-30 submissions: three votes
- 31-40 submissions: four votes
- 41-50 submissions: five votes
The more submissions, the more votes. Write a blurb beside your yeah write challenge button inviting your friends to join us. Send a personal email. Talk us up in your writing circles. Stumble over a blog post you think would be perfect for the challenge grid? Email us the link, and if it’s a good fit, we’ll add it ourselves.
Odds, ends, reminders
- The badge you will need to add to your planned submission is over in the sidebar
- This immediate past Sunday is the earliest your submission can be dated
- Your post can be no longer than 600 words: it’s 500 words plus 100 words grace
- Personal essays or traditional blog anecdotes only
- There are no mandatory weekly prompts; the topic is yours. Be compelling
- The grid is open from Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. to Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.
- There is voting. Voting will take place Thursday from midnight to 10:00 p.m. US eastern
- The challenge grid is limited to 50 bloggers
- The winners’ post will be published by noon on Friday
- No commercial, sponsored or self-promotional posts are allowed on the yeah write grid, including those containing links to other blog events and Internet contests
Voting is open at the gargleblaster! If you have a chance, stop by, read all the 42-word entries, then vote on the best three of the gargleblaster grid. It’s yeah write’s newest challenge, and we’re quite proud of it! Yeah write #169 traditional challenge grid is open right here…
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