[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Help.

Whether it’s an imperative, a noun, or a verb, we all probably need to use this word more often. It’s hard to ask for help, but there are so many things that need doing, and only one of each of us. It’s okay to not be able to do them all yourself, all the time.

Same thing with your writing. Whether you need that word you’re missing, a quick chat over IM to work out the next bit of conversation in your novel, or a kid-free hour or two while your partner takes the little ones to the zoo or swimming, it’s okay to ask for help.

Take a minute to thank the great partners, friends, and family who are already helping you work, whether it’s by giving you space or ideas. And if you can’t think of anyone who’s helping… maybe it’s time to ask.

And now, just like you ask every Friday, I’m going to give you the results on all three of our grids – nonfiction, fiction|poetry, and microfiction – right here! If someone helped you this week, take a minute to let them know how your post did. Share your results as well as your workload- it’s everyone’s success when you work together and do well.

But it’s not all about the popular vote, folks. We also have our editorial staff picks to hand out. Every week our editors comb through your submissions looking for their favorites. Picks are based on writing quality, how successful the author is in conveying information, and just plain style. If you got a staff pick this week, grab your badge from the sidebar and wear it with pride!

Once you’re done reading through the staff picks (and congratulating the winners in the comments), keep scrolling down to check out who won the popular vote on all three grids. If you earned the highest number of votes in any challenge, you are this week’s crowd favorite! If you came in first, second or third, you get “top three” honors. Grab your badge from our sidebar!

Looking for your badge? The fiction|poetry, nonfiction and microstories challenges all have the same winner, staff pick, and top three badges. It doesn’t clutter up our sidebar, and they’ll still look pretty on yours![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Yeah write #225 weekly writing challenge staff picks: nonfiction

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how do i look by anusha

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]”I grew up thinking I was ugly,” Anusha says, and then backs her statement up with an engineer’s precise grasp of evidence. She doesn’t waste a word or pull a punch- this essay would have been half as powerful if it had been twice as long. From the snide and circumstantial evidence of people’s actions to dispassionate descriptions that compare her awkward body to tubers, sticks, scrub, she builds a stone fort of reasons why the reader should believe her, and the people in her life, when she uses the word “ugly.” And then, with a theatre director’s grasp of timing, she knocks the whole fort down with one simple declaration: I am beautiful.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”22649″ style=”vc_box_circle” border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” title=”rowan” img_link_large=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_separator color=”grey”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Yeah write #225 weekly writing challenge staff picks: fiction|poetry

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minnie and bowwow talk on the back porch by red’s wrap

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Two dogs talking to each other: a concept couldn’t get more mundane than that. But with skill, even the most banal of subjects can come alive, as they do here. Jan’s piece uses this month’s focus on fiction, anthropomorphism, and creates canine characters we can not only visualize, but with distinctive voices, individual expressions and idiosyncrasies. They aren’t just talking dogs–they are these talking dogs. Every pet owner knows that their animal has a unique personality, and Jan has given these pets the very voices we all know that deep down, our animals possess. Writers, take note: this is how you do anthropomorphism.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”22651″ alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_circle” border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” title=”natalie”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_separator color=”grey”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Yeah write #225 weekly writing challenge staff picks: microstories

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cry ‘havoc’ in a sleepy classroom by marcy

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]One of the most interesting things about helping to choose the ultimate question every week is seeing where writers take it. Even two writers that appear to be heading down the same path can end up in very different places. When I saw ‘havoc’ in several places on the grid this week I prepared myself for war galore; what I saw instead were pieces like Marcy’s post. This is a perfect example of taking a mundane moment and making it as unexpected as the cry of havoc! [Ed’s note- “havoc” looks really weird when you read it a lot. I can’t even tell if it’s spelled right at this point. /rbg][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”22659″ alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_circle” border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” title=”arden” img_link_large=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_separator color=”grey” align=”align_center”][vc_column_text]

That’s it for our staff picks this week! Remember, we don’t always give out a pick on every grid; if we were impressed by several posts on one grid, we’ll give them all picks, and if nothing really stood out for us on another grid, we’ll hold off.

If you’re lost in the middle of the grid and wondering how you can get a little more feedback on your posts, check out our membership perks!

Everybody: before you go, please take some time to leave your favorites a little love in the comments.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Weekend moonshine grid opens today at 6 p.m. eastern time

If we all get by with a little help from our friends, why not help our friends get by too? Bring them all by the moonshine grid when it opens at 6pm today. Bring your old friends, your new ones, your long and your short ones. Your fictioneers and micronauts, your essayists and dabblers. Just don’t bring their commercial posts. Keep it friendly.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

Congratulations to the crowd favorites at yeah write #225

The thumbnails are now sorted in order of most votes to fewest. Ties in the overall number of votes are broken by number of editor votes.

Congratulations if you’re at or near the top! Writing well is hard work, and we’re honored you’ve chosen us this week to showcase your entry.

If you’re at or near the bottom, don’t be discouraged. You’re in the right community for learning and growing as a writer, and we are always available with resources for those who ask nicely.

To our readers and voters: thank you! See you next week.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

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