[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I talk a lot about fiction. It’s my genre, my jam, it’s near and dear to my heart. But let’s take a second to think about nonfiction, ok?
Nonfiction writing costs something. It’s not easy. You have to reach into yourself and pull out a story or an idea or a thought. And then you have to give that thought life, more life than it had in its secret place in your brain and put it out on a page. And as much as our stories and our poems are part of us, they’re not quite as personal as our mostly-true stories and our essays, the things about us that define us, that are important enough to us to share with the world, are they? Because everyone knows that’s you, right there, and it’s a particular kind of vulnerability.
What if it’s not real enough? What if no-one can relate to it? What if I get that love letter saying… well, so what?
Nonfiction is special, you know? It’s our chance to put our personal truths out there in a way that fiction and poetry just can’t do. So here’s what I’d like to actually say about it:
I believe you.
I believe you, and I believe in your truth.
Insouciant segue. For sure. Vocabulary word. But also, in a complete change of tone, just like every Friday, I’m going to give you 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 #258 weekly writing challenge staff picks: microstories
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sentinel by abby
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Abby – a newcomer to yeah write, if I’m not mistaken – gives us glimpse into a very private moment. I’m a sucker for a love poem, but here’s what struck me: the alliteration, the repetitive hiss of the S’s coupled with the punctuation of the rhythm – not steady, but broken in places – all of this reminds me of a pulse; of the beating of a heart and the way it skips, sometimes; of the way we hold our breath, listening, to make sure our loved one is breathing too. The shift in rhythm in the fourth line – “the breach that rends” – draws our attention to the underlying tension, the motivation for the narrator’s anxiety. Overall, the poem is intimate and visceral both in form and in subject.[/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” title=”christine”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][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
Whatever story you’re telling today – true, false, entirely in pictures, or even this ONE AMAZING TRICK, there’s room for it on the moonshine grid. Natalie keeps the fires burning and the “throat coat” tea pouring all weekend, and if you want to bring your flask and sneak a tot into your tea, well, we won’t tell. The only thing you can’t put in your glass is a commercial post. See? Even completely mixed metaphors are ok. Just no commercial posts.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Congratulations to the crowd favorites at yeah write #258
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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