Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
I love October. The wool jackets and the falling leaves. Little kids in costumes, freaky movie marathons. It just doesn’t get any better. But about two-thirds of the way through my wheels screech and I veer off the road. My birthday always stops me in my tracks, makes me take inventory of my life. The gratitude I feel for what I do have bolsters me, but there’s always a “you could do more” there among the pumpkins and caramel apples. This year the nagging tasks are the things I like to do: writing, roller skating, reading. Somehow all this time at home made me feel like I hadn’t done enough to deserve my favorite things. What better way to celebrate than by treating myself?
~Nathan
This Week’s Writing Prompt is:
Fantasy Bildungsroman
Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story or essay using the above writing style.
Bildungsroman stories describe how a character matures over time. In literature, Jane Eyre and Oliver Twist are the most famous examples. A fantasy Bildungsroman not only requires inventing a character in an imagined world; it also requires a definition of maturity in the character’s society. Think Frodo in the Lord of the Rings books or Katniss in the Hunger Games series.
Stuck? We’ve gone into detail about unraveling style prompts 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 - Styles (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!
In October, we’re talking about style over substance. A story is more than a list of events, and certain genres call for a particular voice or format. How do you make sure your crime story is “noir” and not “thriller”? It’s all in the voice. Check out the post to see what we mean!
Super Challenge #22 - Flash Fiction
Super Challenge #22 is now open for registration! This time around it’s our ever-popular flash fiction competition, so be sure to register today. You can also sign up for our email blast so that you don’t miss out on any Super Challenge announcements.
WIP Write-Ins, AKA Co-Working Hours
Last summer, you all joined the YeahWrite editors (and writers like you) for a series of laid-back, low-key co-working sessions. We chatted, we brainstormed, we got to know one another, and arguably most importantly, we wrote actual words! Once summer ended, we weren’t ready for co-working to disappear like the hot weather, so starting in October, co-working is back!
Join Christine every Wednesday from 9:00am – 11:00am Pacific Time and Arden every other Friday from 12:00 – 2:00pm Pacific Time for regular WIP Write-ins. Other sessions will be scheduled in the future, so keep an eye on our calendar and we’ll be sure to post announcements of pop-up sessions in our Discord and Facebook groups. See you there!
[Ed’s note: if you add that calendar to your own Google calendar, it’ll change the times to match your time zone automagically. No more searching “what time is 9am Pacific in Warsaw?” You’re welcome. /RBG]
About the author:
As a professional editor and writer, Nate has published his work in numerous English and history textbooks and in online reading programs. In February 2014, he found his way back to creative writing and began submitting to YeahWrite. Soon after, he became an editor of the Fiction|Poetry challenge. You can read his work at northwest journals, a blog that has been recognized by WordPress Discover, Five Star Mix-tape, Genealogy á la Carte, The Drabble, and BlogHer’s Voice of the Year. He lives in Chicago with his partner and a mini-Bengal tiger.
