Oh there’s no place like home for the holidays
Which is clearly why this is the season when all our editors take vacations. Between packing, unpacking, baking, and, um, I think I’m supposed to be working, who has time to shop, or even make a holiday gift list? Don’t worry. We got you covered. Our editors have put together a little catalogue of some of our favorite stuff, so make a list, check it twice, and get something nice for yourself or your favorite writer. [Ed’s note: unless the stuff you’re buying is actually YeahWrite swag from the YeahWrite shop, we don’t get any cash from your purchase, it’s just a fun gift guide. So please make sure you’re signed up for Amazon Smile or a comparable “charity from your purchases” situation, so that someone who needs it can have a good holiday, okay? /rbg]
In the meantime, we’ve got gifts for our popular vote and top three winners on this week’s grid: that fancy badge over there in the sidebar. We also have the option of handing out an editorial staff pick to any post on our grids. Picks are based on writing quality, how successful the author is in conveying information, and just plain style. 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- and we’d love to, so keep that great work coming!
On weeks when we don’t award a staff pick, keep an extra close eye on the Roundup. That’s our rundown of trends we see from week to 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 Roundup, 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!
Rowan’s Roundup: YeahWrite Weekly Writing Challenge #398
I’m going to pick on Stacie this week, but not in the usual way where I link to her essay about the green bag under the sink. But kind of in that way. Because everyone on the grid this week took a bunch of disparate ideas and a handful of facts and tried to make an essay out of them, but Stacie’s essay had the best *transitions* that kept you focused on the idea that you’d come back to a central theme, which made it feel like the essay was going someplace. She started and ended with the same solid hook, and built an essay between them. Think about trying that out if you’re worried that your essay is just a list of events: grab the catchiest or most interesting thing about it and tuck that in at the beginning and end of your work to make it more memorable.
It felt like folks were struggling a lot with this week’s prompt. One of the things that can make a nuanced prompt feel less manageable is trying to get a handle on it all on your own. A way to make that not happen? Grab a friend or beta reader. Ask if they can see the prompt. But even more, bounce ideas off them before you start writing. Crowdsource nuance. “What does insulation mean to you?” Is it physical? Emotional? How would you use it as a metaphor? Do you think it’s a big or small thing? What other associations can we come up with, together? Writing can feel like a very isolating activity, but it doesn’t have to. There’s this silly idea going around that only one person can ever have an idea at a time, and it’s just not true. Not only is it not true, there’s room for all the stories that come out of the idea to coexist together, because nobody is going to write your story just like you.
For example, one Super Challenge had “a plot summary” as a prompt. *Everyone* got the same summary. Nobody wrote the same story. You’ll be fine. Share ideas. Bounce them off each other. Everyone’s stories will be better for the cross-pollination.
That’s it for this week! 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! If you’re more the self-help type, remember to scroll through our writing help section for tips and tricks. Even if a post isn’t directed at your favorite grid, there’s probably a handy hint for you in there anyway! 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 #398
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.
Nonfiction Challenge
Loading InLinkz ...Fiction|Poetry Challenge
Loading InLinkz ...
Yeah, I thought my interpretation of ‘insulation’ was quite clear until Nate commented he had no idea why I’d submitted the story to this week’s prompt. *sigh*
Aww, thanks for picking on me!