Too much

My job is precarious, like much of the world today. I get assignments to teach classes based on student enrollment numbers. This semester, the numbers were just not on my side, and I joined many others in the unemployment lines. Without classes to teach, I thought I would have all this free time to write. Embroider. Bake. Relax. Ha. Joke’s on me, because as soon as I lost my class, I picked up some freelance work that will likely take me through to the next semester. You would think that after so many years of overestimating my free time, I would learn, but no. I still squeeze writing into the cracks of my life. But I make those cracks as big as I can, because writing ceased to be a hobby years ago. It’s a need. A compulsion. And regardless of how much free time I estimate for my life, it will never be too much.

~Natalie

Welcome to Week #520

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, located both on Facebook or Discord.

This Week’s Writing Prompt is:

Image description: A large flock of seagulls standing in shallow turquoise water. No land or sky is visible, and the point of view is “downwards” but not directly down.

Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story or essay using this image. 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 Coffeehouse, located both on Facebook or Discord, 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, located both on Facebook or Discord. 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. 

About the author:

An English Professor living in Southern California, Natalie enjoys too many hobbies to be a practical person. When her children give her a minute, she writes essays, fiction and poetry on her personal blog, The Cat Lady Sings. Natalie is a Contributing Editor here at YeahWrite.

natalie@yeahwrite.me