Even though I have a separate FAQ page for people who may have general questions about yeah write, I thought I’d take a few minutes to answer a few of the more infrequent questions that hit my inbox.
It’ll be a nice break from fantasizing about selling my toddler for a buy-one-get-one-free Rice Krispies Treats coupon.
Who are you and why are you doing this?
I’m a work-from-home writer who started yeah write (as lovelinks) as a way to build a community around writers who blog and bloggers who write who may not have the social marketing ambition to become corporate media powerhouses, but who still would enjoy the occasional visitor to their writing spaces. I especially like being the secondary source of some of your comments on those days I may not have the emotional capacity to hang out on your blog. I send you about 15 people instead of coming in person, and we’re good, right? My blankets are soooo comfy.
Can anybody link up to yeah write?
Yes and no. Mainly no. But kind of yes. If you’re a blogger in search of a tribe, this is the place for you. Unless you’re trying to sell us something or using us to promote your own event. There are so many other places designed for marketing promotion, even for the smaller blogs. I see links to blog networks all over the place. If I weren’t allergic to groups, I’d totally join one.
YW is also for people who know how to tell a pretty good story with a beginning, middle and end: one part blogging showcase, two parts writing competition and three parts illegal homemade liquor—it says so right in the tagline. Here, lemme help.
After writing your super fabulous post, if you’re thinking any of the following, link it up!
- I can’t wait until Tuesday when yeah write opens because this is the perfect personal story, humorous anecdote, or photo post for those awesome yeah write readers. It’s like I wrote it just for them. Wait, I did write it just for them.
- I hope Erica notices I’ve added more white space to my blog design.
- Okay, while working on my writing, I’ve moved up from #35 on the grid to #26 to #11. This is my week, I can feel it!
- I wish Flood and Q could be my personal blog lurkers. I’ve got the perfect pescatarian recipe for Q, and Flood’s photos make me weep uncontrollably. They seem like awesome people.
When the yeah write email blast hits your inbox, if you’re thinking any of the following, maybe hold off a little.
- The post I have ready to go is kinda nowhere near my best stuff, but Erica is so not the boss of me.
- Hunh. I can never remember how to resize the yeah write badge to fit among all those other badges from all those link ups where I’ve already linked this post. Oh, well, here goes nothing.
- I’m not even feeling yeah write this week, but I must have one of those 50 spots at all costs. All costs. Too bad, person who’s feeling it, but whose spot I’m about to take.
- Wow. I feel like Mr. BusyPants married to Mrs. BusyPants, and 50 blogs to read, huh? Oh well, skimming two blogs is totally close enough to reading 50, amirite? Too bad, person who would have made the time to read all 50 blogs whose spot I’m about to take.
- WTF? The same effing people win effing yeah write every effing week. It’s totally rigged because everyone knows blog post writing competitions with no actual prizes are always rigged. Gaw, I hate that. Lemme go grab the new button code.
Hey, thanks! I get it now. What if I thirst for even more information?
guide to writing winning yeah write post
I’ll answer more questions later. These should do for now. I gotta go check what my middle kid is going for on eBay. His reserve price is, like, two bucks, but he comes with the entire Harry Potter collection.
Yeah write #45 opens Tuesday.
I’m late reading this. After I read that I should read it, I felt like a 3rd grader who forgot to have her permission slip signed for the field trip to the wax museum. I thought I’d be staying behind at school with the janitor while my classmates where off examining detailed replicas of wonderful people we should all know about. You know, the important people. But, I am OK. I passed. Or so I think. The checks and balances you provide are solid, understandable guidelines. Very helpful.
Yeah Write is wonderful. I am learning so much here and am grateful to be a part of it.
I was Mrs. Busypants last week and linked up anyway while totally overestimating my ability to participate. So, this week I’m inflicting self-punishment by not linking up. And also because I’m just not feeling it. So there – I learned my lesson. Happy now?
BTW, you are so not the boss of me.
Okay, THAT was funny. You’ll still be around to read and vote, right? You know: to make up for last week when you weren’t? Heh.
Okay, your Q&A just cracked me UP. Very helpful. Thank you for the clarification! I will totally take of my BusyPants and BossyPants next time I link up. (And I’ll freshen up a little down there too.)
I may take a shower today. Depends on if I have any errands that aren’t a quick trip to Walmart.
So glad to have discovered this site, Erica. I’ve met some great writers and also great people. Looking forward to more. Now when I write I’m always thinking, “would this be good for YW”???
So you’re saying I should totally clean up my act and not just link up any ol’ post I want?
Damnit.
Bring us your best stuff, Lee. That’s all I’m saying. Bring. It.
Glad for more insight into the yeah write world. I can’t say enough how much I love the “small town” feel of this community. I feel like so many bloggers get lost in the giveaways/kloutscores/PR/socialmedia shuffle, and that’s truly a shame. It’s good to know that there is a place that values, as you said, “quality over quantity.”
I only wish I could have found such a supportive community as a new blogger. I can’t tell you how I used to anguish over things like followers and page views and other numbers, because I felt like all of that determined my success as a “blogger.” Since then I’ve found my own sense of balance and the thing that started this whole adventure (a love of writing) has returned to its rightful place of front and center.
There are many talented writers in the blogging community, but sometimes a talent for writing is overshadowed by a talent for marketing. Thanks for shifting the focus back where it should be.
We all fall into that same trap of not quite knowing how to define success. It’s part of my introverted condition that finally told me to make a little quiet corner for those who wanted to join me here. Thanks for finding us, Katie. You’re so encouraging, and I’m glad you’re here.
I think at some point while i was figuring out my place in this world I’ve been each of those checks and x’s. Must be a little bit closer to the checks because all weekend I think about what am I going to write for YW this week?
We were all checks and Xs, Jamie. That’s what I love: how we’re evolving together. Nothing has ever been written in stone. Brick, maybe. Written in brick with a little hidden graffiti.
I love that you’re planning ahead for your posts. Thanks for that.
you put the “kickass” in curate, that’s what. I love yeah write – I’ve met some great bloggers on (through?) this site and given the infinitude of the blogosphere, it’s really nice that YW gives some of that writing a home. Because it’s a limited number of lnkups, the site isn’t like the Costco of the internet. It’s more like YW is…that small specialty food store where you go for really great vinegars and then walk out with vinegar, some perfect olives, a great hard cheese, and maybe some cookies. Delish, all the way around.
Wow. Thanks. The boutique feel is what I’d been after, and I think we’re there. Pretty good writing, really awesome people, not a mish-mash of 200 sites you can’t possibly visit in a week. It’s the old quality over quantity, and it’s working. See you Tuesday!