Just Write
Sometimes you want to write something and it’s based on real events and to use what actually happened in your writing will have an adverse effect. Maybe it’s a nonfiction essay where you can’t directly call someone out because of repurcussions. Perhaps it’s a work of fiction but if you don’t change enough details, people could make assumptions. Trying to figure out how to get the words onto the page while staying authetic but also maintaining some privacy is not necessarily easy. I was talking with a friend who was having exactly this problem on a personal essay they were writing. She was stuck before she even started because of some specifics. My advice to her, and I’ll share it with you now in case you’re stuck somewhere too, is to just write it. Write it how it happened without changing names or details just yet. Do a brain dump of the situation and see where it leaves you. Once it’s out, you can edit people and places and things how you need to for your piece to work.
Don’t let one small detail trip you up. No one has to see your first draft (and, frankly, no one should), so it’s safe to say what you need to say there. Jump over that hurdle so you can write the rest, then go tighten it up later. In other words, just keep writing. You’ll figure out how to fix it later.
–Michelle
[Ed’s note: Conversely, don’t get hung up in making sure every detail is exactly as it happened. You can also edit out THOSE details, or honestly, it may not matter whether your dog snuck into your car on Tuesday or Wednesday. Write a day and move on. You can remember later. /rbg]
Welcome to Week 452
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 you’re a writer; now what?
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.”
For December, we’re putting it all together, breaking this year’s lessons into craft, publishing, and career moves. As the year draws to a close it’s a great chance to revisit what it means to be a writer, and to see which areas you might want to focus more on going into next year. Oh yeah, and we have some great homework for you.
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 dry skin. What? We like a weird prompt once in a while. If you don’t want to use it, the good news is you don’t have to!
Fiction|Poetry Mandatory Prompt
The last month of the year is a time for reflection and hope. So, while were pondering heavy things, let’s make our two mandatory prompts simple.
The first prompt to incorporate into your story is the first line: He was excited to see 150 new emails in his inbox.
The sentence must be the first sentence in your story. Do not alter the sentence (don’t add words at the beginning, leave the period where it is, it’s not a comma). Show us why he is excited. Show us who “he” is. Tell us a story.
The second prompt is a noun: ghost.
Use it anywhere in your story, however you want.
Poets: Our December tradition is a free-for-all of poetic forms we explored during the last year. For our fiction|poetry grid you’re welcome to utilize any one of this year’s forms, or to write in any form you prefer using one or both of our fiction prompts. Won’t you join us on the grid?
Poetry Slam - It was a very good year
If you, like us, are sitting around with a bunch of random lines of poetry and half-finished things you meant to get on the grid this year but just couldn’t find the time or energy to finish, have we got good news for you: December is a free-for-all of this year’s slams. Pick any one of the forms or techniques we explored this year and write the poem you meant to write, or revisit your favorite form!
A QUICK NOTE REGARDING OUR GRIDS: Inlinkz, which supports our grid format, is currently upgrading its offerings and website which can sometimes result in a glitch or two. If you upload a piece to the grid and notice it disappears later on, please email us and let us know. This has been happening to one or two pieces each week. We will happily add it manually once we are notified. We apologize for the inconvenience, and are looking into alternative services. Thank you for your patience!
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Our tiniest challenge with the biggest bang is open the first weekend of every month!
YeahWrite Super Challenge
Congrats to Chrissie Rohrman, our Super Challenge #14 champion, as well as Charlie Rogers and Gail Webber for rounding out the top three! Did you miss out on registration? 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:
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.
