The Answer is Iowa
For at least a decade now, I’ve been trying to figure out who one of my 2nd great-grandfather’s parents are. Long story short: No one in my family could ever find a paper trail on where he came from. So I’ve been digging and collaborating and sending messages to potential cousins asking for family bibles or local documents or shamanic rituals that will invoke my great-grandfather to tell me his stories.
So I went to Iowa last weekend to keep searching. And you know what? I FIGURED IT OUT.
Well, I know who his mother is now at least. Once I knew her name, I went back through all those records I’d found on him and she was literally living near him for decades. They had moved from Ohio to Iowa together. I just had no idea of their connection: they didn’t share the same last name and weren’t born in the same state, so I’d never thought to really look at her.
The answer was there all along. I just needed to go to Iowa to see it. Are you getting what I’m saying here? Message received?
~Nate
Welcome to Week 425
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 – Networking on- and offline
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 June we’re still talking about you, but who else is? Without a little buzz, no matter how busy a bee you are, you won’t get much honey. But who do you need to know, and how do you meet them? Networking is a critical part of the business of writing now, whether you love it, hate it, or constantly forget it exists until you’re digging for your business cards (you do have cards, right? we just asked you about cards, right?) in the back of your desk drawer. Find out some ways to make contact this month!
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 on the fiction|poetry grid got me thinking about one of my favorite portmanteaus: jackalope. This wily (and entirely fictional) antelope-jackrabbit hybrid is said to haunt the Western US, living in the desert and only rarely seen. What fictional animal were you once totally convinced was real? (Alternately, what totally made-up fact about a real animal were you sure was true?)
Fiction|Poetry Mandatory Prompt
June is here! Let’s give ourselves some time to enjoy the sun and flowers (in the northern hemisphere, at least) by only assigning one prompt this month.
The word and definition prompt, chosen by our YeahWrite #423 fiction|poetry winner, Kim, is: portmanteau, which is either a large suitcase or a combination of two or more words to make an original word, such as motor + hotel = motel.
You must use the prompt word in your story, employing either of its definitions. Stories that make the prompt word integral to the story and use it naturally will be favored by the editors. Hint: You may have to change up your writing style to become an author that would use the prompt word. We encourage that!
Poets: Try your hand at the hay(na)ku. It’s as easy as 1-2-3! But don’t let the simple form fool you, the six (or any multiple of six) words have to move the reader in some way. Or write a poem in any form that uses the one-word prompt!
Poetry Slam - Hay(na)ku
June days may be long, but our June poetry slam is short. Or as long as you want it to be!
To celebrate the Philippines this month we’re writing hay(na)ku. This form is as easy as 1-2-3, with a simple building block verse structure that you can expand into as many verses as you need to say what you’re trying to say. Join us on the grid!
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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
Congrats to Noel Alcoba, our Super Challenge #12 champion and to Myna Chang and Lisa Short for rounding out the top three! Super Challenge #13 (nonfiction!) opens just around the corner, so 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.
