Too much
The mountain of laundry to be folded on my bed. How much podcasting content I cram into my head. Layer upon layer of dust on the piano. The two-year-old chattering softly in the background of my life’s soundtrack. Life is really full at this stage, so I have started scheduling in empty times. When the kids are outside playing, I make dinner to the sound of silence. I go out for a walk around the block after they’re asleep for the day, and I don’t put in my headphones. Instead, I listen for what the night creatures are trying to tell me. Crickets. Wind rustling the leaves. The echo of my shoes hitting the pavement. Instead of cramming one more chore into the day, I sit for five minutes and watch the bees in the garden. Butterflies and hummingbirds, too. Look, a praying mantis. When I create more space, this creates room for creativity to flourish, and also grants me permission to just be human for a while.
~Natalie
This Week’s Writing Prompt is:
Revenge tragedy
Your goal is to write a story in this element-based genre. Want some pointers on how to really nail it? 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.
Ongoing: Navigating Prompts - Element-Based Genre Prompts (Free Workshop)
In our monthly Navigating Prompts series, 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, located both on Facebook or Discord, 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!
Ah, genre. Those allcaps titles hanging alluringly over the shelves at your favorite bookstore. Okay, fine, maybe they’re just a checkbox in the margin of your online shopping experience, but when you ask most people what they like to read they’ll name a genre first, and then get more specific. And genre prompts are beloved of competitions and anthologies, because they can give widely disparate stories a sense of unity.
In May, we’ll be taking the first of two looks at genre prompts. This month we’re discussing the sorts of genres that break down into lists of elements. You’ll get tips on what’s vital, what’s nice, and how to tell if you’ve hit or missed the mark in writing to a genre prompt. Check it out!
Super Challenge #20
Round 1 of Super Challenge #20 officially kicks off this evening! Good luck to all our participants! Did you miss out on registration? Make sure you sign up for our email blast.
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.
