Go for the Unexpected
I like to know what to expect and then get what I expected. But I also really like coconut. So when I noticed that Oreo now has a coconut flavored thin version, I was both annoyed (Oreos should taste like Oreos!) but also excited (coconut!). I decided to give these a try, and they are amazing. If you’re a creature of habit like me, try mixing things up a bit. Write in a different genre or style than you’re used to. Submit to a different grid. Step out of your comfort zone. Maybe you’ll find things work out as well as these Coconut Oreo Thins.
Welcome to Week 340
We’re kicking off the week in style at YeahWrite with both our competitive challenge grids in one post, plus prompts, tips, tricks, and more. You asked, we answered! Keep scrolling down cause it’s all right here.
Submissions for this week’s challenges open on Monday at 12 midnight and close on Wednesday at 10pm ET. Voting will then open immediately thereafter and close on Thursday at 10pm ET. The winners, as always, will be celebrated on Friday.
Having trouble getting started? Hop on over to our quick guide. And don’t forget to doublecheck the full submission guidelines before you hit that button.
Looking For Microprose?
Our tiniest challenge with the biggest bang is open the first Wednesday of every month from midnight to 10 p.m.
Nonfiction Challenge
Take A Break
Five and a half years ago I broke my foot, and that is when I finally started writing. I had set up my blog two years before in anticipation of keeping family and friends updated on adventures resulting from our cross-country move, but it languished until my misfortune forced me into inactivity. In the beginning, I posted journal entries or listicles, sometimes with photos. Several months later, I stumbled upon YeahWrite, and the rest is history! I have not been able to concentrate on writing for quite some time now, as you might have guessed from my lack of presence on the grids. Last Wednesday, I broke my pinky toe. Maybe that’s my return ticket. I don’t recommend this method though. Instead, why don’t you set aside an hour and give us a creative nonfiction story this week? I promise it won’t hurt a bit.
Nonfiction Know-How: Foreshadowing
“No spoilers” is the perennial cry of the TV viewer. But spoilers can be your best friend in writing. Learn how to effectively fore (and five) shadow in this month’s Nonfiction Know-How. Get your Nonfiction Know-How right here.
Nonfiction challenge grid:
Basic YeahWrite guidelines: 750 word limit; your entry can be dated no earlier than this past Sunday; nonfiction personal or persuasive essay, creative opinion piece or mostly true story based on actual events.
Check the submission guidelines for our full set of rules. If you’re not sure how to link up, hop over to our quick tutorial for getting started at YeahWrite! Otherwise, click that blue button when the challenge is open, and good luck! Come back to vote starting Wednesday at 10pm, and check out our winners on Friday!
Loading InLinkz ...Fiction|Poetry Challenge
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, Turn And Face The Strange
Like Michelle, I’m not great with change. I say this as someone who has lived in 12 different homes in 23 years (you read that right, a new place on average every two years!). My take-away message from all my moves is, be open to trying new things. Also, don’t accumulate too much stuff because you’ll regret it when you move, but that’s for another post.
In the spirit of being open to changes, why not shake things up this week and write from a point of view you haven’t previously tried?
October Poetry Slam Techtober: Point of View
If you’ve ever wondered what the difference between first, second, and third person is – and why you should care – October’s technique post is for you. Learn about points of view, narrative style, and when to use which from Rowan this month!
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. It’s your job to use that prompt in your poem or story and then run with it. The prompt is just a springboard, though: feel free to use it as your first sentence, move it, change it, or float it down to other territories.
Margaret told us why she’s still awake in her essay Getting a Good Night’s Sleep. The prompt, taken from her piece, is: “Halfway through the multiplication tables she finally passes out.”
Fiction|poetry challenge grid:
Basic YeahWrite guidelines: 750 word limit; your entry can be dated no earlier than this past Sunday; fiction or poetry only.
Check the submission guidelines for our full set of rules. If you’re not sure how to link up, hop over to our quick tutorial for getting started at YeahWrite! Otherwise, click that blue button when the challenge is open, and good luck! Come back to vote starting Wednesday at 10pm, and check out our winners on Friday!
Loading InLinkz ...YeahWrite Super Challenge
Our sixth Super Challenge is officially underway! Best of luck to all our participants as they furiously finish their Round 1 submissions. Did you miss out on registration? Sign up for our email blast so you don’t miss out on any announcements for the next Super Challenge.
Winners’ Round-Up
In case you missed them, you can find last week’s YeahWrite staff picks and crowd favorites all laid out for you on last Friday’s winners’ post. Leave the winners some love in the comments. They will love you right back, we guarantee it.
Last call: This week’s Weekend Writing Showcase is still open for business until the challenge grids start at midnight! 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.
About the author:
Michelle submitted her first entry to YeahWrite in March 2012 and they haven’t been able to get rid of her since. After nearly 20 years in the insurance/employee benefits industry, she decided to give it all up to pursue writing full time. Her work has been featured on The Huffington Post and xoJane, as well as several local sites near her northern NJ home. She blogs at Michelle Longo.
