(Co)Work Hard, Play Hard
For years, writing almost every day was one of the easiest things for me to do, but before long, life and other things began to get in the way and writing began to mold into yet another chore needing to be completed. Projects gathered dust, stories remained unsubmitted. But now? Now I’ve finally rediscovered my writing groove, and YeahWrite’s new offering of coworking hours this summer has certainly helped! Check out the calendar and join us whenever you’re available for some writing sprints and facetime with your favorite YeahWrite editors. See you there!
~Arden Ruth
This Week’s Writing Prompt is:
[Image: a slim, dark-skinned, bearded Black man with short, unstyled and tousled natural hair stands in the foreground of a field of shoulder-high grass with storm clouds rising behind him at the flat horizon. He is wearing a beige vest with pockets in a small plaid print with no shirt underneath along with two silk neckerchiefs, one patterned in gold, another in red, and darker brown, belted pants. He faces the viewer’s left in profile, staring into a tan cowboy hat which he holds in his right hand, extended out from his body. He has small streaks of grey in his beard but not his hair.]
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.
Ongoing: 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:
Behind the scenes, Arden is currently working on the first novel of her Fated Paths trilogy. She also published a number of short stories and a fantasy anthology which can all be purchased on Amazon. Arden lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband and two rescue pups. To read more of her stories, visit her website.
