Teatro ZinZanni
Spoiler alert: If you have any interest in seeing this show, skip this intro. Or read and forget it immediately. Part of the fun was not knowing what to expect.
The writing was a big platter of cheese. The actor/performers wandered around the hall cracking puns and pulling little pranks before the show that mostly involved glassware attached to serving platters. While we ate, a beautiful man in vaguely BDSM gear screeched a song like Adam Lambert while riding a stage motorcycle one minute and sang a beautiful aria the next. It was very entertaining and hypnotic.
It may have been the two-year desert of any kind of stimulation we’ve all just lived through, but I had such a good time at this Cirque-du-Soleil-meets-Medieval-Times theatrical experience. The aerialists created such amazing lines with their bodies, the acrobats and contortionists forced the audience to see the human body differently, and our hostess, Miss Doily, was so warm and funny. True, she brought unwitting people on stage, but she was as open to being entertained by us as we were her. Their performance was the first brush with other people’s capital-C Creativity I’ve had in a long time and it felt wonderful. I encourage you all to find some yourself now that the world is opening up a little.
~Nate
This Week’s Writing Prompt is:
A Taco Bell burrito and garden shears
This week, your job, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story or essay using the above two object prompts. Stuck? You can find more information on how to incorporate prompts here, and specifically object prompts here.
There are no word limits. You can write fiction or nonfiction; you may interpret the prompt any way you like, but you must use it exactly as written. 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: Scarlet Quill Society (Free Workshop w/ Optional Paid Benefits)
Welcome to the secret back room where the Scarlet Quill Society meets. In this year-long workshop, the YeahWrite editors will help you hone your own editing skills so that you can feel confident that the work you are submitting is at its absolute best. We’re experimenting a little with our workshop format in 2022, and offering a couple add-ons to our always-free posts that we think you’ll find exciting and worth a few bucks a month: The Scarlet Quill Society will have actual face-to-face (okay, virtual) monthly meetings to delve into the topics and answer your questions, and an editorial backroom on Discord!
In March we explored the woods, looking at forests and trees. In April we’re taking a closer look at the paths through the forest, searching for major pitfalls that are lurking to trap writers. We’ll identify some big issues that crop up frequently in writing, creating editing nightmares before the work is ready for publication. Not sure if your work (or a story you’re editing) has fallen into these traps? Come take a look!
This month’s meeting was Sunday, April 10. We’ll be posting a link to the recording this weekend! Sign up for a membership today to automatically receive the Zoom link and password for May’s meeting. One-off meeting tickets can also be purchased on Kofi.
At YeahWrite we believe information wants to be shared. If you can’t afford to join us for society meetings, we post the recording about a week later, and you’re welcome to leave the tip you can afford (even if that’s just a nice thank you comment). Check out our YouTube channel for more.
Super Challenge #24 - Flash Fiction
Registration for Super Challenge #24 is officially open through May 4! This time, we’re heading back to the land of flash fiction. Don’t miss out – Register today! And don’t forget to sign up for our email blast so you don’t miss any important 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 Saturday (sometimes Sunday!) from 11:00 – 1:00pm 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]
Spontaneous Writing Challenges
Looking for a bit of inspiration? Missing the grids? Then join the Coffeehouse on Discord (where the stories are made up and the points don’t matter) and head to the #spontaneous-challenge channel. Each day, anyone can post a micro writing challenge (but just one per day!). Share your responses within the thread and earn XP within the server. We hope to see you there!
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.
