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Find your story beneath the surface
I could write a rant this week about how a certain insurance company, whose spokesperson is a woman named Flo, is trying to stick me with partial responsibility for a car accident I didn’t cause. I’m not going to because, well, who cares? Unless I was able to turn that incident into a comedy cavalcade (and I’m not there yet because I’m still pissed off), it would bore readers.
Ranting—unless done exceptionally well, conveying information new to the reader, or as wickedly funny as Lewis Black—is the surest way to alienate readers. They may agree with you, sympathize with you, but more likely than not, they will stop reading halfway through because they’ve had a long day, surrounded by petulant colleagues who hate the supervisor who always takes the best parking spot. And they still have to cook dinner and talk calmly to their children and listen carefully to their spouse, and your post is the last thing they want to read—not because they don’t like you or think you’re a bad writer, but because it doesn’t move them.
You know what rhymes with “rant”? “Can’t.” (I just made that up.)
But you know what? You’re a better writer than that. You are bigger than you think. You have stories to share that need freeing from below that angsty, roiling ranting surface. Dig deeper and pull them up. You can do this.
Storytellers Summit
Yeah write is hanging out at this year’s Storyteller’s Summit. Check out Michelle’s post to learn all about it. Did we mention it’s free?!
Who’s on fourth
Did you ever wonder who is behind all those love letters we hate to love? Not to mention the great free advice? This month, Arden interviews our very own submissions editor, Rowan for our monthly column. Come back at noon today (Monday) to get the inside scoop.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Nonfiction theme of the month: the narrative hook
What are we talking about? Rowan gives us the skinny on how to hook your readers from the very beginning. Use it in your essay for this week’s challenge or don’t! It’s totally up to you. Either way, be sure to read Rowan’s tips. She knows what she’s talking about.
This week’s ultimate question:
a picture is worth 42 words…
We’re switching things up this week! Check out this week’s kickoff to find out what’s happening at the microstory challenge. This optional prompt is here to serve as your inspiration for your nonfiction submission. Already have your own story thought up? No problem! The prompt is only there if you need it.
Want more info?
Is this your first time here? Check out Sunday’s post which kicked off the week here at yeah write. If you don’t think you can remember to check back every Sunday, you can sign up for our email blasts directly to your inbox. Our email subscribers can also join us in the yeah write coffeehouse at its new home on Facebook.
If you’ve never taken the time to read them, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our submission guidelines. The rules are a little different for each of our challenges and we’d hate to have to send back great writing on a technicality.
Did you happen to end up here because you suddenly saw yeah write in your stats? Sometimes members of our community spot excellent writing and they send those posts on over to us. We hope you don’t mind. Take a look around and get to know our community. We’re sure you’ll be happy here.
Have questions you can’t find the answer to by poking around the site? Email us or find us on Facebook and Twitter and we’ll happily help you out.
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Submit to the yeah write #250 nonfiction challenge
The yeah write #250 weekly writing challenge is now 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.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
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