[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Everybody else wrote something really thoughtful this week so I’m just gonna say IT SNOWED ON ME TODAY AND I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER.
I know winter’s not everyone’s jam, but it’s definitely mine and I’m ready for it. I embrace the decorative gourd, the fairy light strewn lamp-posts, and the early darkness. For one thing, it gives me an excuse to be inside writing with a mug of tea instead of out doing yardwork. For another, everything’s just cozier and more intimate when you’re inside a tiny point of light surrounded by dark.
In a sense, that’s what you’re doing when you write: shining a spotlight on a little corner of your life, on a world you create, or on an image or feeling you think is worth sharing. So cozy up with your laptop or phone and re-read this week’s grids, congratulate the winners, and check out how you did in the popular vote.
But it’s not all about the popular vote at yeah write, folks. We also have our editorial staff picks to hand out. See, while there’s a popular vote winner every week, we don’t always give out a staff pick. Picks are based on writing quality, how successful the author is in conveying information, and just plain style. Some weeks, the editors will comb through the grids and nothing really stands out for us. Maybe the best stories had a bunch of typos or the grammatically perfect ones didn’t have much there there. You’ve really got to nail the details of both elements – structure and storytelling – to earn a staff pick. The great part is that we don’t have a finite number of picks to hand out. That means that if two, three, five, or even all the works on one grid are fantastic, we can give them all kudos.
On weeks when the grids are unmoderated, you can check out the Roundup, where I try to identify trends and troubles that show up for more than one writer on the grid. If you’re curious why there’s no pick, there’s usually a clue in the Roundup why that post you liked didn’t make the cut. Then keep scrolling down to check out who won the popular vote on both grids. If you earned the highest number of votes in either 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? Our challenges share 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]
Rowan’s roundup: yeah write weekly writing challenge #289
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nonfiction
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Pace yourself. How often have you heard that? Well, it goes for your writing too. A thousand words isn’t all that much space to tell a complete story, so you need to make sure it all flows smoothly and without feeling rushed. Conversely, if your story is meandering or repeating itself, you’re taking up space that you could be using to say something productive. Read back through your latest story or essay. Does the end feel jammed together and tacked on? Did you have to stop using descriptions and anecdotes and just summarize the last two paragraphs’ worth of events? You’re telling a story that’s probably too big for the space you’re in. Either dial back the anecdotes, adjectives, and cute phrases earlier on, or focus on one aspect of the story. It’s not as important to put a bow on that tale as it is to avoid sounding like a Grade 8 book report about your life for the last few paragraphs.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”29344″ alignment=”center”][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]
fiction|poetry
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]I bet y’all are sick of hearing me talk about nonets, but I’m gonna do it one last time before we move on to the super-cool poetry form I’ve got lined up for next month. Nonets, haiku, and really any scanned form of poetry have one big issue in common: regional accents can really screw you up! What am I talking about?
Say “crayon” out loud.
Did you say “cran” or “cray-on?” How about orange? Ornj or Or-andj? Caramel? When you’re counting syllables and checking stresses, remember that readers who speak a different regional dialect may end up with a different syllable count if you use one of these words, which can make your poem sound “wrong” to them even if it’s not for your pronunciation. You don’t have to stop using these words, obviously, but you should definitely be aware of them and how they can affect how a reader interacts with your poetry.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”29345″ alignment=”center”][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][vc_column_text]That’s it for this week, so let’s move on to the popular vote results. 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, and don’t forget, our weekend grid opens tonight at 6pm Eastern US Time![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Congratulations to the crowd favorites at yeah write #289
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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