Long-winded Writing Tips
This is going to be a two-fold lesson, so bear with me here. Anyone who knows me know that I am majorly irked by people repeating trite phrases. When everyone is saying a thing, it gets on my nerves. (Yes, I know that I say common things, too. We all do. All the time. I never said this was rational.) The one that’s currently bugging me is the whole “defiition of insanity” thing. Einstein said something along the lines of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results. I feel like we’ve all heard this a million times before, but no one shortens it, presumably on the off chance their reader is the one person on earth who hasn’t heard it. But using this phrase and others like it just end up eating your wordcount and boring the reader. Use these phrases sparingly.
Point number two: I’ve had a cold/sinus infection for over two weeks now. I’m fairly miserable and cranky (see above paragraph for evidence). I’ve been taking a decongestant but it’s not helping enough and I can’t sleep. I’m limited in what I can take because of interactions with other medications I’m on. So I keep taking this decongestant and although I’m suffering from medicine head, I don’t feel better. I just feel tired. You know what the definition of insanity is? It’s doing the same thing over and over and expecing a different result (see what I did there?). So today I took an allergy pill and, lo and behold, I’m starting to feel a little better. Such is the case with writing: if you’re not getting anywhere with your current approach, try something else. What can it hurt?
–Michelle
Welcome to Week 464
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 have a story or essay to work on, tag in: March’s challenge is to rewrite your work using a limited number of adjectives. We’re activating our verbs and participating in our participles this month to try to strip the purple out of our prose.
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 write about a vehicle. That could be a car, a motorcycle, a buggy, or an airplane. Or whatever you want. You could be the owner, or it could be someone else’s. See where this prompt takes you, if you’re a little bit stuck this week. (and if you’re extra tired because of the Super Challenge, congratulations on making it to the final round!)
Fiction|Poetry Mandatory Prompt
March is here! Hooray! We made it.
I [Nate] have noticed calls for submissions lately that use structural requirements, so I thought we should practice those. By “structural requirement,” I mean a cosmetic prompt that does not affect the plot, such as “the last word of your story must be onomatopoeia” or “The opening line must be a proverb.” Our second prompt will be one of our stand-bys. You must incorporate both prompts to enter the challenge.
This week’s structural requirement is:
Your story must start with a two-word sentence.
This week’s tried-and-true prompt is: an occupation.
One of your characters must be a phlebotomist. This character must be INTEGRAL, which means their job must affect the plot in a meaningful way. To test if you have made the occupation integral, give the phlebotomist character another occupation and see if it would significantly affect your plot. If it does, you are approved. Follow this link to read a definition of phlebotomy.
Poets: This month, we’re playing with rhymes in a new way: by moving them from the ends of lines to… well, wherever you want them. Check out our technique-based March slam then explore that technique to write a poem of your own. Or write a different style of poem incorporating at least one of the prompts above. Or some combination of those things, if you’re feeling extra fancy this week.
Poetry Slam - Internal Rhyme
In 2020, we’re turning from “how to write a poem” to “what is a poem?” with technique-based slams. This month, we’re playing with rhymes in a new way: by moving them from the ends of lines to… well, wherever you want them. Check it out.
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 remaining contestants as they furiously finish their Final Round essays. 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.
