Peaks and troughs
As is often the way in the world of writing, there’s been a flurry of my work published all at once. While that’s delightful and a huge ego boost, I’m also bracing for the fallow period to come, when it feels like absolutely nobody wants to ever publish anything I write <stomps feet>. Why yes, I am being overly dramatic. I love Bollywood movies and Telenovelas, okay? Okay. I’ve also been teaching this week; the first of a four-week writing course. I love teaching. When I’m not teaching, I forget how much I love teaching, but just a few minutes in a classroom and I’m on a pedagogy high (that’s definitely a thing. Definitely). The wonderful side-effect of all this activity is that I’ve also been writing. I can’t tell you what a relief that is. You know that panic that settles in when you haven’t written in a while, and then you wonder if you’ll write ever again, and then you question whether your writing is even worth reading? Yeah, that’s where I was at just a month ago. Which is to say, if you’re feeling despondent or going through a period of writer’s block, hang in there. You’ve got this. I do too. You know what it takes to be a writer? Writing. You know what makes a better writer? More writing, and learning from your failures. Those are achievable goals, right? Right! Keep writing and come talk to us about what you’re writing over on Discord.
~Asha
This Week’s Writing Prompt is:
A circus ringmaster who is afraid of clowns
This week, your job, should you choose to accept it, is to write a story or essay incorporating the above character. Stuck? We’ve gone into detail about unraveling this sort of prompt style in this Technique Toolbox post on character 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! This month we’re taking a turn into the known. That’s right: the known, not the unknown! We’re talking about how to edit nonfiction, what the special challenges of creative nonfiction are, and how not to lose your mind (and voice) in academic writing. Check out our September post, where we’re doing all this and more, and then tune in (and ask questions) (like why are there so many parentheticals here) to the live talk!
This month’s meeting was Sunday, September 11 at 2pm US Eastern time–that means the recording will be up soon! Sign up for a membership today to join the Scarlet Quill Society and automatically receive the Zoom link and password for every meeting. One-off monthly 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 #25 - Microfiction
WIP Write-Ins, AKA Co-Working Hours
Join Christine every Wednesday from 9:00am – 11:00am 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
About the author:
Asha lives near the beach in Perth, Western Australia, but hates sand between her toes. She began blogging at YeahWrite in October 2014 with this post, and YeahWrite was lucky to pull her on board as a Contributing Editor in December 2016. Asha writes flash fiction, short stories, and creative nonfiction. She is published in a variety of places and you can find links to her work at Asha Rajan Writer.
