[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]I know we’ve been talking about coffee all week, but let’s take a break with another liquid, ok? One of my personal favorites: wine. Specifically, let’s talk about the phrase in vino veritas. Truth, found in wine.

But what is truth, really? That’s something that we all ask ourselves as writers and storytellers. Are you the kind of storyteller who really needs to get clear in your head whether the car you owned in 1993 was blue or green before you can go on with the story, or is it ok to just kind of pick one of those colors, knowing it doesn’t affect the heart of what you’re trying to tell your reader? In other words, how much truth is enough? Does it matter if a poem is about the author’s real experience, or is it better to use an imaginary experience if it enables the author to convey the idea, emotion or image they are trying to express more clearly?

In stories, microstories, essays and poetry, we’re conveying our truth. And maybe revealing a little more about ourselves than we intend. The next time you read or write, ask yourself: what is this story about? and then ask: what is the truth of this story?

Speaking of truth, I’m going to give you the true, accurate, and more or less real results on all three of our grids – nonfiction, fiction|poetry, and microfiction – right here!

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 #226 weekly writing challenge staff picks: nonfiction

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so what by kelly

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]So what? Kelly asks. What’s the point, what’s the heart of your story, what should you be doing about that, why are you telling me this. If you’ve ever gotten a love letter from me on your nonfiction piece, you’ve probably heard the exact same thing. In fact, I almost didn’t write this blurb, because it became increasingly recursive to tell you how I looked for the heart of the story only to find that the heart of the story was the heart of the story. Find your so what, Kelly admonishes. Her use of literary devices like repetition, varied paragraph lengths, anecdotes and imperatives keeps the piece fresh where it could be stale, finding a dozen different ways to tell you that sometimes so what is the so what.[/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 #226 weekly writing challenge staff picks: fiction|poetry

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morning routine by red’s wrap

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]How does life look when a person starts to lose their ability to name objects around them? What about the loved ones who must restructure their vocabularies and, by extension, their frameworks of reality, in order to accommodate this new way of living? With subtle artistry, Jan creates a protagonist who renames everyday objects for the sake of her spouse without much expostulation. “Sidewalks” become “straight path[s] that people go on,” and “coffee” becomes its container: “WOOF.” Bare-ish on explanation, it’s a picture of the situation as it is–kind of like the experience of a world without words. The vignette is heartfelt without being saccharine, and I admit to tearing up a little while reading this demonstration that we need not rely on language to convey truth.[/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 #226 weekly writing challenge staff picks: microstories

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roasted pods, filtered decoction by yeshua

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The first time I read Yeshua’s microstory, I admit it stumped me a little. The vocabulary felt off-kilter; the references unfamiliar. After a second read (and a few minutes on Google) I realized she built a very precise, intentional image of a very specific place. And by using language specific to that place and to her experience of it, she juxtaposed her feeling of otherness – of being an outsider – with my own.[/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=”22657″ alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_circle” border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” title=”christine”][/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

Coffee, wine, water or Sunny Delight, we’re pouring it all on the moonshine grid. Come on down for the beverage of your choice starting at 6pm today. Leave your commercial posts at home, though. And keep an eye on the coffeehouse for your shots of espresso and some extra tips and tricks![/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 #226

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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