Permission

Lately I’ve found myself in the position of having to say “no” a lot—no, you can’t have more screen time; no, we can’t go out for burgers; no, you can’t go play until you’re done with your homework. And then, last week, we decided to give the kids a “yes” day. We played video games together. We watched The Great British Baking Show (kid-the-younger’s choice). We skipped practicing the flute and our daily online math lessons. It was a necessary and welcome respite when everything this past year has been no, no, no.

I also gave myself permission not to write last week. It meant a week of not beating myself up for not making word count or for failing to meet expectations (my own as well as others’). And guess what? I haven’t lost faith in my ability to write, even after losing a bit of momentum. It was a chance to take a deep breath before diving back in. And even if I swim a little slower going forward, I think I’ll make more progress knowing that I am allowed to take a break.

So give yourself a break if you need one. Don’t beat yourself up. And when you’ve regained a little energy, take that deep breath and dive right back in.

~Christine

Welcome to Week #521

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:

An elderly dogwalker

We’re starting off this month’s character prompt series with a broad prompt that leaves lots of room for you to add ideas and information. Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story or essay using this character. Think about what information is included (or implied) in the prompt. 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

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