Unmoored
This is the first summer in a long, long time—like, since I was a student—where I don’t have every minute scheduled. It used to be day camps and childcare for the kids, and the regular 9-5 for me. Even after I left my office job to pursue writing, I had something like a schedule, even in the summer. This year, though, the kids are home and my spouse is working upstairs and I feel somewhat lost. At sea. Unmoored. On the one hand, it’s been really nice to let myself slow down. We’ve had some great family time, and I’ve played more Uno and Apples to Apples in the last two weeks than in the last two years. On the other hand, it turns out I’m the kind of writer that needs a schedule (and, often, a deadline—and not a self-imposed one). It’s much to easy to keep putting things off until either they get done in a panic, or I move another submission call to the “Missed Opportunities” section of my spreadsheet.
And then, I had a brilliant idea. (OK, the YeahWrite team had a brilliant idea; I’m just the one most desperate for it.) What if a group of writers got together at scheduled times to just hang out and write? And this is how we came up with summer co-working hours. I mean, I figure I’m not the only one struggling, right? And writing doesn’t have to be a lonely proposition. Come and hang out, meet your fellow YeahWriters (plus an editor or two), and get some writing done. Can’t wait to see you there.
~Christine
This Week’s Writing Prompt is:
[Photo: silhouette of a slim person wearing a brimmed hat and backpack, a jacket, long pants, and boots, standing on a barren hilltop at sunrise or sunset. They are holding binoculars to their face and looking away from the viewer. The sky is bright yellow and orange on the horizon, shifting to dark blue higher up, and no details of the hilly, rocky landscape can be seen except the silhouette.]
For this week’s prompt, we’re using the header image for the latest Navigating Promps workshop on characters!
Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story or essay incorporating the character featured in the above image. The person in the photo doesn’t have to be the main character, but they should be important enough that their presence affects the story. Stuck? Think about what you can see in the image vs what you can infer from it. The image may give you hints about who the character is, where they are (and/or when), or even what is happening to (or because of) the character. Need more pointers on how to use a character prompt? 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.
Navigating Prompts - Character Image 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!
What does a picture tell you about a person? And how do you describe them in a way that is both honest and respectful? Behind every photograph is a story, and it’s up to us to discover—or imagine—what that story is.
In July, we’re taking a second look at character prompts, this time as image prompts. We’ll discuss the difference between what you can observe in a photograph vs what you can infer, and delve into how to describe characters in a way that is both honest and respectful. Finally, we’ll talk about how to take a static portrait and build a story around it. We’ll even give you an opportunity to practice. Check it out!
Super Challenge #21 - Nonfiction
Super Challenge #21 is officially open for early bird registration! We’re heading back to the land of creative nonfiction, so be sure to register today to take advantage of this discounted rate. You can also sign up for our email blast. so that you don’t miss out on any Super Challenge announcements.
Summer Co-working!
This summer, join YeahWrite editors and writers for a series of laid-back, low-key co-working sessions. We hold 1-2 hosted Zoom calls every week, with an eye to time zones so that everyone will have a chance to particpate. We’ll have a little time to say hello and socialize, and then we’ll buckle down to work on writing (or writing-related) projects. Working on a short story or novel? Updating your author website or scheduling out some social media posts? Or maybe you’re just organizing your writing space. Whatever it is, we’re here for it, and we hope you will be too. Details and a calendar are already available; note that we’ll likely add or adjust sessions based on writers’ and editors’ availability. Learn more here!
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.
