Do Not Waste Time
Y’all. I know you’ve all seen the inspirational memes out there that tell you to go for your dreams, you have to take action to get what you want, success takes work, and so on. In fact, if you’re anything like me, you’ve seen them so often they mean nothing. Or, you think they don’t apply to you. They are for other people. You’ve tried and still failed, and so on, so what’s the point?
Yes, of course, there are factors beyond our control – you can write the thing but you can’t find an agent, for example – but you owe it to yourself to take your goals as far as you possibly can. If you don’t do your part, the success cannot happen. It’s that simple. If you’re like me and you get overwhelmed thinking about how much there is between you and the goal? Take your eyes off the prize for a minute. We can get overwhelmed by all-or-nothing thinking when the reality is that every tiny step matters. Can’t write a novel today? Write a hundred words. Do something.
Life is short. The problem is that we don’t know how short. We can spend it waiting and hoping and stalling, or we can spend it doing the things we’ve been hoping for. Break out the pen you’ve been saving “for when you’re a writer.” Put some coffee or tea in the good cup that you never use because you’re afraid of breaking it. And write. What have you got to lose?
-Michelle
Welcome to Week 420
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 – Critique Groups
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.”
In April we’re going to tell you all about critique groups. How can you tell if your idea is good? Are you stuck on a plot point? A critique group can help you sort out in-progress writing that isn’t ready for an edit, or figure out what’s missing in a piece that’s racking up rejections.
Nonfiction: Optional Prompt
The nonfiction grid has no mandatory prompts. However, each week, we will give you an optional prompt just in case that helps your mostly-true story juices flow. This week’s prompt is to write about a time something spilled. Did you spill your coffee or tea (out of the good cup?) or were you living on the Gulf Coast during an oil spill? Did the whole office find out about your colonoscopy when you knocked the Orange Drink into your file cabinet? Or did your boss’ Secret Whiskey Stash get revealed after a bout with gravity? Have fun!
Fiction|Poetry Mandatory Prompt
After two months of some pretty challenging prompts, we’re steering this ship back to familiar waters. Two prompts!
The occupation prompt, chosen by our YeahWrite #418 fiction|poetry winner, Kim,
The dialogue prompt, which must not be changed in any way, is: “He was unconscious when I found him.”
Poets: It’s National Poetry Month! This month we’re focusing on reading and writing more poetry. Work at least one of our prompts into a poem in any style or form! If the prompts aren’t speaking to you this week, remember that our nonfiction grid also accepts poetry that speaks your truth, and doesn’t require you to write to a prompt. And for this month only, we’re waiving our linkup rules for poetry. That means it’s fine to also link to your NaPoWriMo, Poem of the Day, or whatever other challenge you may be taking part of, as long as it’s not a competition and not a commercial link!
Poetry Slam - National Poetry Month
It’s National Poetry Month and all we want is… poetry! This month’s “slam” focuses on poetry itself, what makes us love it, and why we want to write it. Discover a new poem that you’ll love, and write one that we’ll love. It’s as simple as that!
Since there’s no official form requirement, poetry for the fiction|poetry grid will need to incorporate one of the grid prompts. But never fear, our nonfiction grid also accepts poetry that speaks to your understanding of the truth, whether that’s your inner truth or the world around you.
For April, we’re waiving our linkup rules for poetry. It’s fine to also link to your NaPoWriMo, Poem of the Day, or whatever other challenge you may be taking part of, as long as it’s not a separate competition (i.e. with voting, etc.) and not a commercial link.
A QUICK NOTE REGARDING OUR GRIDS: Inlinkz, which supports our grid format, is currently upgrading its offerings and may not be able to support image-based grids for a brief period of time. Don’t be worried if your link and other links appear as text over the coming weeks (or perhaps even months) during this transition. Thank you for your patience!
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Loading InLinkz ...Microprose Challenge Opens Wednesday
This week has the first Wednesday of the month, and you know what that means: our tiniest challenge will be open for under 24 hours, starting Wednesday at midnight! Every microprose challenge has different rules, so you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled and your fingers fast. Need a quick link to the challenge? This one goes live when the microprose grid opens.
Micro Weeks are Moderated Weeks!
YeahWrite Super Challenge
Super Challenge #12 (fiction!) is now officially underway! Good luck to all our competitors as they anxiously await their first round results. Did you miss out on registration? Make sure you also sign up for our email blast so you don’t miss 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:
Michelle submitted her first entry to YeahWrite in March 2012 and was brought on staff shortly thereafter. In 2016, she stepped into the role of Editor-In-Chief. Outside of YeahWrite, she is a freelance writer working with a variety of corporate clients, primarily in the insurance and employee benefits space. Her work has been featured on The Huffington Post, Cosplay Culture, and xoJane, as well as several local websites near her former home in northern NJ home. She now lives in Southern California, enjoying the sunshine. She sometimes blogs at themichellelongo.com.
