There’s a First Time for Everything
I’m fairly certain that this is the first winners’ post I’ve ever written. But Rowan went and left the building* and now I’m here writing a winners’ post. My calendar tells me she’ll be back next week** so maybe this will also be my last. Who knows?
Thanks to everyone who showed up this week to share your writing with us. No matter how well you do in the vote, we’re glad you’re here! Participants are what makes these challenges work and without your words we’d have very little to do each week. Also, thanks to our readers and commenters. If you did all three this week, then you get three sets of thanks! Seriously, we need all of you.
*There is no building.
**Goodness, I hope she’s back next week.
But it’s not all about the popular vote at YeahWrite, 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. Our editors comb the grids to find, not just the best writing on our grid this week, but what we think is pretty darn great writing anywhere anytime. 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! 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.
The other benefit of the editors’ pick, of course, is that unlike the popular vote we’ll tell you why we liked that post. So don’t just skip reading the blurb if it’s not about your post; you’ll pick up some handy pointers about what makes good writing great that you can apply to your own work. For more of that critical feedback, keep an eye on our Roundup for a quick rundown of trends we see each week. We try to highlight the good stuff and point out problems that more than one writer is struggling with. There’s probably a handy tip in there for you right now, so check it out!
Once you’re done reading through the Editorial Staff Picks and Roundup (and congratulating the winners in the comments), keep scrolling down to check out who won the popular vote on both 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? Both grids have the same Winner, Editorial Staff Pick, and Top Three badges. It doesn’t clutter up our sidebar, and they’ll still look pretty on yours!
YeahWrite #330 Weekly Writing Challenge Staff Picks:
Nonfiction
If Amy had simply listed out her fears or told us the thoughts that haunt her, this essay might not have the impact it does. Instead, she starts by telling us about a book she’s read and uses its premise as a vehicle to share her own concerns. We feel the worry weighing on her – not because she told us to, but because her writing is clear and concise and we know how to feel. She trusts us with these truths in a beautifully haunting posts that feels more like secrets whispered in the dark than a blog post on a challenge grid.
Rowan’s Michelle’s Roundup: YeahWrite Weekly Writing Challenge #330
Writing something others want to read is a tricky undertaking, especially with personal essays. They are, after all, personal. There’s nothing wrong with writing a story that doesn’t appeal to the masses if all you’re doing is writing for yourself. But if you’re looking to captivate your audience and keep your reader engaged, going from journal entry to essay is key. In the process, however, be sure to not add so much detail that your reader gets bogged down. Trust your reader to know where you’re going. Don’t waste words on unnecessary details. You don’t have to only stick to the facts, but you do need to stick to the facts that matter.
Editing takes practice. When you’re revising a piece, particularly for word count, it’s imperative that you go back and reread your story after every round of revisions. You know that thing that happens when you’re proofreading your work but you miss something key because you know what you meant to write? The same thing can happen with editing. If you move or delete a sentence, you must make sure that you haven’t edited out a crucial detail, character, or plot point. Revising can sometimes punch a huge hole in your story and if you’re not careful, you can lose your entire plot or point of view leaving your reader confused or simply disappointed.
That’s it for this week! Remember, we don’t always give out a pick on both grids; if we were impressed by several posts on one grid we’ll give them all picks, and if nothing really stood out for us we’ll hold off. If you didn’t get a pick this week, read back through the Roundup to see if you can use some of this week’s tips and tricks.
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, the Weekend Writing Showcase opens tonight at 6pm Eastern US Time!
Congratulations to the Crowd Favorites at YeahWrite #330
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.
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About the author:
Rowan submitted exactly one piece of microfiction to YeahWrite before being consumed by the editorial darkside. She spent some time working hard as our Submissions Editor before becoming YeahWrite’s Managing Editor in 2016. She was a BlogHer Voice of the Year in 2017 for her work on intersectional feminism, but she suggests you find and follow WOC instead. In real life she’s been at various times an attorney, aerialist, professional knitter, artist, graphic designer (yes, they’re different things), editor, secretary, tailor, and martial artist. It bothers her vaguely that the preceding list isn’t alphabetized, but the Oxford comma makes up for it. She lives in Portlandia with a menagerie which includes at least one other human. She tells lies at textwall and uncomfortable truths at CrossKnit.
Michelle, i agree, Amy’s post was so well done; balanced, clear, and emotive without ever being overly emotional.