Out with the old
Well, look at that. I’m the lucky duck who gets to kick the old year to the curb and welcome in the new one. There’s no guarantee, of course, that 2021 will treat us any more kindly than 2020 did, but I’m generally an optimist, and I like beginnings, so I am choosing to look ahead with renewed enthusiasm and determination.
I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions and I’m not going to ask you for yours. I’m just going to leave you with one request for 2021: defy expectations. Your own, other people’s, the world’s. Take a good hard look at what you expect from the coming year, and do your best to change your own narrative. You’ve got this, and we’ll be here to help.
Happy New Year from the entire YeahWrite team.
~Christine
In with the new!
YeahWrite just opened a Discord server*, and you’re all invited. Like forums, Discord servers are organized into topic-based channels where you can talk about all things writing-related without losing messages in your Facebook feed. Think of it like a writing group you can carry in your pocket! You can share your successes and challenges, ask for help or constructive criticism, let your fellow YeahWriters know about exciting calls for submissions, or just hang out and chat. There’s even a special place for Super Challenge participants that is closed to the judges, so you can feel free to talk about stories and prompts without giving away your identity. Join us!
*This isn’t meant to replace the Coffeehouse on Facebook, but rather to provide an additional venue for folks to meet up.
PS: Speaking of new things, check out our new free monthly workshop series on Navigating Prompts! This year we’ll be working with various prompts that you’ll encounter in competitions and calls for submission, trying to give you the best chance possible at making this the year you snag that win or acceptance!
Welcome to Week #508
Here’s where you’ll find everything you need to get yourself ready to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard)! Use our prompts—or don’t—and share links to your essays, stories, and poems in the Coffeehouse.
This Week’s Writing Prompt is:
A teapot
Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to incorporate this object into your story or essay. Want some pointers on how to do this? We’ve gone into detail in this month’s Technique Toolbox on Navigating Prompts.
There are no word limits. You can write fiction or nonfiction; you may interpret the prompt any way you like. Share your response in the YeahWrite Coffeehouse by linking your blog post, Google Doc, or other file. Check out your fellow YeahWriters’ responses, and don’t forget to leave them some love in the comments!
Looking for our weekly grids? After nearly ten years, they’ve been retired. Read more about the latest changes to YeahWrite in the #500 Weekly Writing Challenge Kickoff Post.
The Schedule
We will release a new prompt on our blog every Friday at 12pm Eastern.
Then it’s up to you! Write your response to the prompt on your own blog or website and share the link in the Coffeehouse. If you prefer to keep your work under wraps (and away from the eyes of potential publishers), you can still ask for beta readers in the Coffeehouse and share your work privately!
Every Monday, we’ll check in to see how you’re doing and what your writing goals are for the week.
Wednesdays are “Work-in-Progress Wednesdays.” Share a few sentences or even a paragraph or two in the Coffeehouse (no more than 250 words, please). Even if you’re not done writing, this could be the boost you need to stay motivated.
Did you publish a book? Do you have a story in a magazine? The First Friday of every month is for self-promotion, where you can share commercial links to your work for purchase. (You can always share the news that you’ve been accepted for publication, though!)
And of course, the entire community is here 24-7 to share your victories and setbacks, challenges and accomplishments. So come on in, pull up a chair, and say hello. We’re all writers here.
Upcoming and Ongoing
Sign up for our email blast so you don’t miss out on any upcoming classes, workshops, or competitions.
Ongoing: Navigating Prompts
Each month, we’ll talk you through how to analyze and respond to a specific prompt style. We’ll coordinate the weekly prompts with the monthly post so you’ll have a chance to practice, compare notes with other writers in the Coffeehouse, and get advice from beta readers and YeahWrite editors. You’ll get to hone your skills when you’re not in crisis mode, trying to meet that fast-approaching deadline. And who knows—maybe you’ll end up with a new story or two in your back pocket!
This month, we’ll be taking a hard look at the ubiquitous—and deceptively difficult—”object” prompt. How do you incorporate a particular object into your story to maximum effect? How can you center the object in your story while maintaining your own unique perspective? January’s post will walk you through it. Check it out!
Super Challenge #18
Congrats to Lin Morris, our Super Challenge #18 champion, and to Jen Mierisch and Shelby Van Pelt for rounding out the top three!
Super Challenge #19
Registration for Super Challenge #19 opens on Monday, January 4! This one’s for the personal essayists and creative nonfictioneers out there—or for anyone looking to stretch their writing skills. Make sure you also sign up for our email blast so you don’t miss out on any Super Challenge announcements.
About the author:
Christine Hanolsy is a (primarily) science fiction and fantasy writer who simply cannot resist a love story. She joined the YeahWrite team in 2014 as the microstory editor and stepped into the role of Editor-In-Chief in 2020. Christine was a 2015 BlogHer Voices of the Year award recipient and Community Keynote speaker for her YeahWrite essay, “Rights and Privileges.” Her short fiction has been published in a number of anthologies and periodicals and her creative nonfiction at Dead Housekeeping and in the Timberline Review. Outside of YeahWrite, Christine’s past roles have included Russian language scholar, composer, interpreter, and general cat herder. Find her online at christinehanolsy.com.
