A cast of thousands
Yesterday I went to see Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), and as I type this I’ve got Netflix’s They’ve Gotta Have Us playing in the background (have you seen it? Hurry, go queue it up in your list or borrow a friend’s Netflix login. I’ll wait. Have you put it on your list? Okay, good). Although they’re both about film, a medium I haven’t worked in, they’ve got me reflecting on the diversity of the characters I write and the worlds those characters inhabit. Of course, it’s not enough to have diverse characters if those characters aren’t also true to life. As writers, we should regularly reflect on what’s presented as a default, what roles we assign to characters, and whether those characters have nuance and depth. We should be asking questions about our characters, how they’re portrayed, and whether we’ve done the research to portray them fairly and justly. Are the character’s actions stereotypical, or are they fair representations of how a real person in a similar real situation might act? Does the character respond genuinely to other characters, or could they just as easily be replaced by a sexy lamp? Is the character tokenistic? Which characters’ genders or skin colours or accents or cultural backgrounds or abilities are described, and which ones aren’t? Is there more to a character than that single trait? Is it relevant to the plot? This kind of questioning is a good thing. It can lead to deeper explorations of characters, scenes, and worlds, and (hopefully) to more genuine representations. If you have trouble distancing yourself from your work (I often do!), a diverse group of beta readers, and/or the services of a sensitivity reader can be invaluable. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to seek out readers who can guide you to a greater honesty in your work.
– Asha
Welcome to Week 463
We’re kicking off the week in style at YeahWrite with 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: 20/20 Hindsight
For 2020 we’re looking back at stories. Didn’t get a chance to write one in January? That’s fine: jump in whenever you can.
If you did write a story or essay in January, we’ve got our hardest hindsight challenge first: rewrite your work in only 100 words. [ed’s note: We did this. It was terrible. But if we can, you can. /RBG&CH]
Check out this month’s challenge and some suggestions for how to succeed 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 use our header image wayyyy up there at the top of the page for inspiration. Sometimes if you’re not getting inspired by one kind of prompt, switching up the prompt STYLE rather than just the prompt text can get you moving. To use an image prompt like this, sit with the image for a minute. You don’t have to include that specific image or action in your essay. Does it remind you of someone? Did you do something LIKE that once? Do the colors remind you of a place you’ve been? Have fun!
Fiction|Poetry Mandatory Prompt
For February’s prompts, we’re going to reverse engineer January’s prompt. Here’s how it works: We give you a decision that has already been made and that will become the final moments of your story. Your job will be to create the backstory of that decision. How did the decision come about? What significance does the decision have on the characters?
For example, say the prompt is “The main character does not get the job they applied for.” You will need to show the reader how the MC became unemployed, build up the stakes of what it means for the character not to have a job, and then your last scene will be the phone call or email informing them of their failure.
This week’s decision point is:
The main character does not get to go to the party.
The ending of your story must contain some form of the event described in the prompt. Good stories will build significance to the outcome; have a clear beginning, middle, and end; and invoke emotion from the consequences of the event.
This week’s special hint: pay attention to the way prompts like this are phrased. “Does not get to go” means that the character isn’t deciding not to go because they don’t want to. The character is prevented from going physically or psychologically, and they would have preferred to be there.
Poets: Check out our technique-based February slam, then explore that technique to write a poem of your own. Or write a different style of poem incorporating the prompt above. Or both, we’re not your mom.
Poetry Slam - Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day?
In 2020, we’re turning from “how to write a poem” to “what is a poem?” with technique-based slams. This month, we’ll use Sonnet 18 to examine metaphor and how to make it fresh and unexpected by exploiting (instead of being exploited by) cliches and expectations. There’s even a bonus round! Check it out. (Or check last week’s winners’ post for a handy hint, if you’re still struggling with this technique.)
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 Saturday of every month for exactly 48 hours.
YeahWrite Super Challenge
Super Challenge #15 (nonfiction!) is officially underway! Good luck to all our contestants as they anxiously await their Round 1 results. 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:
Asha lives near the beach in Perth, Western Australia, but hates sand between her toes. She began blogging at YeahWrite in October 2014 with this post, and YeahWrite was lucky to pull her on board as a Contributing Editor in December 2016. In addition to short stories and personal essays, she is currently working on a novel set in the Perth hills. Asha is published in a variety of places including Modern Loss, PANK, Dead Housekeeping, and SheKnows. You can find her inconsistent blogging at Asha Rajan Writer.
