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Why do today…
What you can put off until tomorrow? Procrastination… when I hear the word, I automatically start singing it to the tune of “Anticipation” by Carly Simon. If you’re not familiar, look it up. It’s not actually that great of a song, but it get stuck in my head all the time. I find that procrastination is something many of us do – I hear it a lot from fellow writers that they wait and wait until an article or post or what have you is due and then they have to cram it in last minute. Unfortunately, I find that when I do this, whatever I write tends to be subpar. My procrastination shows. Take this post for example: it’s just about 4 hours until the post goes live and I have about three minutes until I have to emerge from my office, put my kid to bed, and spend some quality time with my spouse. I think I should also note that I have another article due in 4 hours as well. That’s for a paying gig, so I hope it’s better than this one.
My point is this: You can phone it in or your can commit. Either way, your editor knows. The editors here know. If you want to write, then WRITE. Make it a priority and give it the attention it deserves. You owe it to yourself. I owe it to myself, too.
Yeah write super challenge
The yeah write super challenge #2 may be over and done with, but stay tuned for news for the next one coming in early 2017! Make sure you sign up for our email blast so you don’t miss out on any announcements regarding super challenge #3.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
The basics
Yeah write gives you two competitive challenge grids — nonfiction and fiction|poetry — both of which are unmoderated. Everyone gets to the voting round on Thursday. (Remember, your post must be dated appropriately, not be offensive to our audience, and cannot be over word count.) Got a question? E-mail us, tweet us, ping us on Facebook, or visit our online community, the yeah write coffeehouse. You can learn more about yeah write in our FAQ. Please make sure you are familiar with our submission guidelines before you enter. We don’t have a lot of rules, but we do enforce them across the board. We’d hate to see anyone get disqualified by a technicality.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Bring us your personal essays and creative nonfiction!
The nonfiction challenge grid opens on Monday at midnight EST. This is the best place on the ‘net to showcase your best writing. Make us laugh, make us cry, make us think, and above all: make us care.
Nonfiction know-how: class is in session
What do you remember from learning to write in school? Did you have a particular teacher who made writing interesting? Did you read a story or article and think “oh, I wish I could write like that?” We get so used to the structured learning in school that sometimes when we’re out on our own in the Real World we’re not sure how to continue – or even begin – the learning process. That’s what this month’s nonfiction know-how is about: finding the master class that’s happening all around you.
Is fiction more your thing?
The fiction|poetry grid opens on Tuesday. Grab a mic and join our monthly poetry slam or check out our weekly prompt up!
Prompt up!
Prompt up is our optional weekly writing prompt for the fiction|poetry challenge! Here’s how it works: we choose a sentence prompt from last week’s winning nonfiction post and announce it in the kickoff. It’s your job to use that prompt as the first sentence in your poem or story and then run with it. The prompt is just a springboard, though: feel free to keep it as your first sentence, move it, change it, or float down it to other territories.
This week’s prompt up from Lisa’s essay The Extensive Exam is: “He left me sitting there in a cloud of stale cologne.”
December poetry slam: the ballade
A ballade is almost more a recipe for a poem than an actual rigid form. There are two or three absolute requirements, but each one has some options for you to choose from. That gives you a little freedom to work with, but hopefully not so much freedom that the form is intimidating. If you get overwhelmed, just flip a coin for any of the choices, and use that answer to dictate your form! Learn more from Rowan here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Winners’ round-up
In case you missed them, you can find last week’s yeah write staff picks and crowd favorites all laid out for you on Friday’s winners’ post. Leave the winners some love in the comments. They will love you right back, we guarantee it.
Weekend writing showcase
The weekend’s not over: the moonshine grid is still open. Have something to add? Old posts and new are welcome. No moderation, no voting. It’s a laid-back relaxed kind of place. Just leave your commercial or sponsored posts at home. Drop by, share your work, and while you’re there, visit your fellow yeah writers.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
