Yeah, Book!
Earlier this week, I went to a friend’s book launch party here in Boston. It’s always exciting to see a writer friend publish their first book, in his case a memoir, but this event was especially meaningful because I met Bill Dameron here at YeahWrite back in 2012, when we were both participants. That’s right: HE’S A YEAHWRITER! Bill writes beautifully and often won the popular vote back in the YeahWrite olden days. We became good friends, first online through this amazing community, and then met in person about a year later (I think. I’m old so I can’t remember exactly when). If you haven’t read his work, head over to his blog, The Authentic Life, and check it out. You won’t be sorry.
I hope this success story motivates you to keep following your writing dreams. We all have it in us. Reach for the stars, YeahWrite friends! We look forward to celebrating your successes!
-Stacie
Welcome to Week 430
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 – So… what do you write?
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 July we’re helping you answer the dreaded question “so what do you write?” Learn how to talk about your work quickly and concisely while keeping your listener (or potential agent) excited to hear more. We’ll delve into summaries this month, from a quick elevator speech to how you put together a more formal “this is what’s in my book” pitch. So… what DO you write?
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. In honor of Rowan’s firework-induced paranoia, this week’s prompt is fire. Campfire? Forest fire? Just burning your life down and starting over? Wherever this prompt takes you is fine!
Fiction|Poetry Mandatory Prompt
It’s July and we’re just past the half-way point in the year! A new month means it’s time for new prompts. This month we’re bringing you two mandatory prompts; a photograph and an emotion. Instead of a word or phrase that you have to use verbatim (exactly as given) in your story, you’ll have an emotion to convey through your writing without using the word for the emotion. This prompt is a good opportunity to practice how well you can show rather than tell emotion.
The first prompt to incorporate into your story, a photo prompt, is this image by Greyerbaby at Pixabay. You can access a downloadable version of the photo by clicking on it.
The second prompt, from YeahWrite #428 fiction|poetry winner Lisa, is to use the following emotion: schadenfreude (you can find a definition here). Remember with the emotion prompt not to use the word itself in your story. Instead, try to convey a sense of the emotion in other ways; show, don’t tell.
Poets: Meet the newest Poet Laureate of the US, explore a metaphor, and try your hand at a longer poem this month with our poetry slam. Or you can use the photo prompt, or write a poem conveying schadenfreude. Pick at least one of those three available prompts and you’re good to go!
Everyone: Need to brush up on your poetry critique? Check out our guide.
Poetry Slam - Meet Joy Harjo
We’re excited to feature the US’s first Native American poet laureate for this month’s slam. Explore how Joy Harjo’s poem “She Had Some Horses” works, and write your own longform poem in (at least) two cantos exploring metaphor through Harjo’s lens. You’ll learn to employ a couple different poetic techniques, plus get a chance to use your favorite form. Join us!
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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 #13 (nonfiction!) is now open for registration through July 24! 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:
Stacie joined YeahWrite as its Fiction Editor in early 2013 before becoming YeahWrite’s Executive Editor in 2016. She blogs at Stacie’s Snapshots and Tidbits and was thrilled to be honored as a 2015 BlogHer Voice of the Year (VOTY) for this post. Before retiring, Stacie’s career involved developing new medicines for cancer and autoimmune diseases, work that resulted in more than twenty publications in scientific journals. Now, she enjoys daily hikes with her dogs and spending more time with her youngest son while her oldest is off at college.
