[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Fall, y’all.

Ok. I know. It’s spring where some of you are. And I hope you’re the sort of people who really look forward to the longer days, to the sunlight everywhere, to summer and ice cream and swimming and sunburns and sweat and humidity and having to go to bed while it’s still light out and the fan making the air touch you where you don’t want to be touched.

In case you hadn’t guessed, though, fall is my absolute favorite. My birthday, my sister’s birthday, and all the holidays with the sparkly things attached to them are right around the corner. Sparkly, you guys! Hallowe’en. Yule. Solstice. Christmas. Hanukah. Festivals of lights, and dress-up, where sequins are de rigeur and candles are doing their best to dispel the frost and chill. When you get to pull out your poofy coat and hope for snow. (Get over it, East Coast. SNOW IS THE BEST.)

I’m starting the gift-giving season early this year by adding a little something special to next month’s focus on fiction and poetry slam – a treat for the nonfiction writers among us! Stay tuned as we move into October next week.

In the meantime, though, I’m going to give you the same presents I give out every Friday: the 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 #232 weekly writing challenge staff picks: nonfiction

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why #istandwithahmed by shailaja

doors open by jan

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Often on this grid we find essays about an event that happened to the writer and how that event shaped their outlook on life. We received two entries this week where the authors chose a different approach. In both pieces, we learn about how the writer’s thoughts and opinions were shaped through their perception of other people’s experiences. Shailaja of The Moving Quill wrote a powerful piece unlike anything she’s ever submitted in the past. She discussed the issues around a controversial topic that was important to her, carefully weaving together her research and how it’s shaped her opinions. Over at Red’s Wrap, Jan invited us to take a journey with her to a community program. Jan educated and informed us but also shared what the information means to her and how it has changed her perception. I enjoyed seeing both writers branch out into something a little different. An essay doesn’t have to be specifically about the writer’s own life experience to be deeply moving; informative essays have a place at yeah write, especially when they are as thoughtfully and authentically written as these two.

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Yeah write #232 weekly writing challenge staff picks: microstories

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hugo, 1989 by gennaclaire

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GennaClaire’s microstory is a beautiful example of using language intentionally. Her title clues us in to the specific event, but the story stands even without that context. Her word choice is simple and precise—she doesn’t go overboard with florid descriptions; in fact, in the whole piece, there are no adverbs and only three adjectives, each of which contributes to the overall metaphor. This is how you pack a great punch with only 42 words.

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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

Get out the nutmeg and heat the cider! Natalie’s got a sweet fall lineup down at the moonshine grid when it opens at 6:00 today. From pumpkin to pumpkin spice, caramel apple to candy corn, she’s warming up your favorite fall posts. Bring your red leaves, your back-to-schools and your cozy sweaters, but leave the commercial posts at home![/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 #232

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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