Is That All?
Probably the biggest thing I’ve learned (and continue to learn) from participating in YeahWrite challenges is how to tell a complete fictional or nonfictional story in a tight word count and still maintain a style and themes. It’s not easy. As storytellers we feel obligated to think big. After all, most of us read novels and watch 2-hour long movies, as opposed to reading flash fiction and movie shorts regularly. We’re used to twists and panoramic shots and backstory and explosions. All of these things can take up a lot of real estate on a page.
You didn’t ask, but I’m going to give my advice anyway on how to write a complete short story versus writing the first chapter of a novel.
Think of the stories you tell your friends in conversation. Do they take an hour and six costume changes to tell? Probably not. They’re simplified, but they still maintain a style because your personality shapes your word choices, sentence structure, and delivery.
Start in the middle of the action and plant clues to a backstory along the way to the conclusion. Try not to frontload your 750 words with a long explanation of the backstory at the beginning. It is not always the most engaging start and it’s a lot for the reader to take in.
Donate one editing sweep to finding all the plot points your story introduces and making sure they’re answered by the end. Do you really need six different characters? Does the side story about the goat wandering in your basement resolve? If not, will your story make sense still if you cut it?
Dropping the plot extras can give you the space to fit in style and theme. It will also improve pacing and Bonus: you’ll never get the dreaded comment “This feels like a larger story” again.
~Nate
Welcome to Week 405
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 Saturday 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.
Technique Toolbox: Year of Fearless Writing – Tracking Submissions
Ready to take yourself seriously as a writer? Not sure how, or not convinced you’re ready? We think you can, and are, and will be. This year is our Year of Fearless Writing, where we’re going to focus on the craft of writing, not the art, to take you from “I write” to “I’m a writer.”
Our January focus is tracking submissions: why do you need to, and how should you do it? Find out, and take this month’s YFW challenge, right here!
Nonfiction: Optional Prompt
The nonfiction grid has no mandatory prompts. However, each week, we will give you an optional prompt in case that helps your mostly-true story juices flow. This week’s prompt is to write about a time you lost something. Have fun!
Fiction|Poetry Mandatory Prompt
Prompt Up is our mandatory weekly writing prompt for the fiction|poetry challenge! Here's How It Works!
It’s a new month and a new year! In celebration, we’re returning to the compulsory two-prompt format in January; the first prompt will come
2019 is the Year of the Pig according to the Chinese Lunar calendar, so we’re asking you to write a main character that embodies a personality trait of people born in the Year of the Pig chosen from this list.
Remember if your main character is lazy, for example, don’t say “she’s so lazy”. Instead, show the reader how she reclined on the couch, the TV remote inches from her left foot, and called out to her husband in the kitchen to fetch it for her — and could he get her a glass of water too? I’ve chosen a negative trait as an example, but there are plenty of positive traits to choose from, and some that could, well, go either way. If you’re this week’s winner, keep an eye out for an email in your inbox, because we’ll be asking you to help pick our prompt!
The personality trait prompt for your main character, chosen by our YeahWrite #403 fiction|poetry winner, Nate, is: impulsive.
The genre prompt, from YeahWrite Editors,
Need a refresher on our genre and how to write it? You can find a guide right here. Or check this one out.
Poets: January’s poetry slam is blank verse- check it out right here, and write a poem in that style. Or you can write a poem incorporating our personality trait prompt. Or both! (Just not neither- you have to pick at least one prompt.)
Poetry Slam - Blank Verse
Trying to remember how poetry works? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. This month our slam takes it back to basics with blank verse, the simplest form of metered poetry. Get a handy tutorial on scansion (or learn how) and then jump in right here! We’ve got additional levels of difficulty for experienced or adventurous poets to step it up, too, so don’t skip this one.
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Our tiniest challenge with the biggest bang is open the first Wednesday of every month from midnight to 10 p.m.
YeahWrite Super Challenge
Super Challenge #11 (nonfiction!) is now open for registration! Our next contest kicks off in January so sign up today to ensure your spot. Make sure you sign up for our email blast so you don’t miss out on any Super Challenge announcements.
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.
About the author:
As a professional editor and writer, Nate has published his work in numerous English and history textbooks and in online reading programs. In February 2014, he found his way back to creative writing and began submitting to YeahWrite. Soon after, he became an editor of the Fiction|Poetry challenge. You can read his work at northwest journals, a blog that has been recognized by WordPress Discover, Five Star Mix-tape, Genealogy á la Carte, The Drabble, and BlogHer’s Voice of the Year. He lives in Chicago with his partner and a mini-Bengal tiger.
