You Can’t Handle The Truth
I am a paralegal by day, and in a couple of weeks, I head off to Portland for my very first trial. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but luckily I’m too busy preparing to really feel anxious about it. I’m not sure what to expect either. Visions of my favorite courtroom dramas (Law & Order, Runaway Jury, My Cousin Vinny, etc.) dance through my head, but in reality I know I’ll most likely be tucked away in a cold conference room doing research for weeks on end. Fun!
Being a writer has the same distorted view, I believe. In media, it’s typically portrayed as this glamorous role. You sit in a gorgeous NYC apartment while you write and have enough money to buy all the fanciest clothes. Sure, it may be that way for a select few. But for most of us, at least for me, I feel more like a gremlin hunched over her keyboard as I stare at a blank page or the most recent rejection that pinged into my inbox. It’s good to have a community that understands the reality of being a writer, and we hope that YeahWrite helps in that respect. If you haven’t already, join our Discord server and start a conversation with the best writing community on the web (at least imho).
~Arden Ruth
This Week’s Writing Prompt is:
A wedding photographer and poison ivy
This week, your job, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story or essay using the above combination prompts. Stuck? We’ve gone into detail about unraveling this sort of prompt style in this Technique Toolbox post on combination prompts.
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 April we talked about pitfalls that could be resolved while you’re writing. In May we’re diving into developmental editing, talking about the things you need to look for to make sure your house doesn’t fall down before you can decorate it. Come take a look, May 1st!
This month’s meeting was Sunday, April 10. The link to the recording is posted! 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
The first round of Super Challenge #24 kicks off tonight, Friday, May 6! Good luck to all our participants competing in this rendition of our beloved Super Challenge. Miss out on registration? 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:
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.
