Six… hundred? There must be some mistake
Traditionally, we’ve done some kind of event for YeahWrite’s milestones. Zoom parties for our birthdays (don’t worry, we’ll keep doing those) or a special grid (back when we had those) or prompt or badge. But this one kinda snuck up on us (IN OUR DEFENSE, MANY OF THOSE WEEKS TOOK PLACE IN 2020 AND 2020 THE SEQUELS). On the other hand, this is a great time to take another look at how we got here. And where we’re going. Or at least to sign up for the new Super Challenge or stop by our Discord server to weigh in on what you’d like to see for next year’s Scarlet Quill Society workshop. Or just let us know what you miss from the grids. For me, I kind of miss being forced to write weekly, instead of having that be optional. So this week I celebrated by putting some words down on the next novel, and hanging out with my favorite co-author in the world, trying to plan a writing retreat. I guess what I’m saying is… treat yourself this week. Write something fun, buy a new journal if that’s in your budget, or just grab a font you love to see when you write. It’s been six hundred weeks since YeahWrite kicked off, and we haven’t missed a prompt for ONE of them. This week is, in that sense, no different. So if you want to give US a present? Jot something down for the prompt in this post and share it with us on WIP Wednesday next week!
~Rowan
This Week’s Writing Prompt is:
It’s been 26 years and I still carry around this briefcase as if it contains something more than guilt.
This line is from editor Meg’s essay “Emptying the Cabinet of Angst,” which also gave us our prompt for week 500. We’re treating this prompt a little differently from our usual word or phrase prompt style, though. Feel free to use the line as a general idea for a story plot, to create a character, or as a line of narration or dialogue. Maybe it reminds you of an event in your own life, cleaning out a loved one’s house or office or storage unit. See if you can unravel it to its elements like you’d need to for a micro, or plop it into your work as-is. Make this prompt the prompt that YOU want to write to!
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: 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 getting into the nitty-gritty and talking about what most people expect editing is for: line- and copyedits. Check out our October 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 will take place on Sunday, October 9 at 2pm US Eastern time. 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 #26 - Fiction
Registration for Super Challenge #26 is now open! This one is for flash fiction – we’ll give you a prompt, you incorporate that into a story of 1,000 words or fewer. And all within 48 hours! You just might win some cash at the end of it. Curiosity piqued? Check out the schedule and registration details.
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 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:
Rowan submitted exactly one piece of microfiction to YeahWrite before being consumed by the editorial darkside. She spent some time working hard as our Submissions Editor before becoming YeahWrite’s Managing Editor in 2016. She was a BlogHer Voice of the Year in 2017 for her work on intersectional feminism, but she suggests you find and follow WOC instead. In real life she’s been at various times an attorney, aerialist, professional knitter, artist, graphic designer (yes, they’re different things), editor, secretary, tailor, and martial artist. It bothers her vaguely that the preceding list isn’t alphabetized, but the Oxford comma makes up for it. She lives in Portlandia with a menagerie which includes at least one other human. She tells lies at textwall and uncomfortable truths at CrossKnit.
