Wow, we almost made it.
It was very NEARLY week 420 on 4/20. That would have been fun. Not to mention, the intro for that post would have pretty much written itself.
Instead, I want to talk to you about ableism, and the different ways it can manifest in our writing. #SorryNotSorry, it’s one of #RowansRants. Speaking of, do you see what I did there? Putting your hashtags in camel caps helps people who need to use screen readers hear them correctly. If you don’t know why that might be an issue, consider #therapist. Is that therapist, or the rapist? And do you want to trust a piece of machinery to guess correctly? No? Be clear. Use caps where you need to in hashtags to separate words.
Speaking of words, though, there are a few that I’m really struggling to cut out of my vocabulary, because they were so prevalent when and where I grew up. One of them is “lame.” Another one is r*****d. The word, and why it’s a slur, are behind that link. Here’s the thing. When you use a word to mean “this is negative” but it’s a part of someone’s identity, you’re using a slur. Full stop. If I have trouble walking, and you say your class was lame, what you’re saying is “this class is like Rowan, and that’s the worst thing I can think of.” So think before you write. Do you mean “lame” because it is actually lame? Or are you using a slur as a synonym for “boring” or “condescending?” We have so many words, and you have the option to choose ones that mean precisely what you want to say without hurting anyone. Not picking those? Is… cruel. (Yeah, I know what you thought you were about to read, and I didn’t write it, and you understood me. That’s how it works! You can do it too: don’t risk alienating readers. That can cost you the popular vote, and it will definitely cost you the editors’ pick. Need more? Check out this link. And note: people who are in-group have more flexibility in using words like “crazy” when they mean… actually crazy. So if you have BPD and you want to call yourself crazy, go ahead – just know that you may need to give your readers some foundation to understand why you have the chops to say it.)
AAAAAaaaaaaaanyway. Besides the popular vote, 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 #419
It’s no secret that I solicit feedback from the editors before writing roundups. Honestly, I’m not sure I could say what Christine said any better than she said it this week, and I’m going to hand this roundup over to her. Take it away, Christine.
“It’s sort of about voice, and sort of about audience, and it’s mostly about something I thought people did well. When you’re writing an essay, especially about something that happened in the past, it’s really helpful to think about it like you’re telling the story to someone. Like, remember you have an audience that, theoretically, wants to hear from you. Both Danielle and Melony wrote about something that happened in their childhood, and they did a nice job, I thought, of capturing that storyteller vibe.”
(ps, hey, I missed y’all. Welcome back!)
When I’m writing prep posts for the Super Challenge, a phrase I use a lot is “incorporated the prompt.” But what does that mean?
One thing it felt like folks were really struggling with this week was exactly that: incorporating the prompt. A fully incorporated prompt flows so seamlessly that a reader may have to use the “search” function of their browser to find it, even if they know what they’re looking for. If your prompt stands out and doesn’t sound like the rest of the story, or is shoved into a corner, or is the only piece of dialogue, or doesn’t sound like the character’s voice? It’s not “incorporated” – it’s just “present.” Checking a box will keep you on the grid, but it won’t get you an editors’ pick. I mean, if you want one of those. We think they’re pretty cool.
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, next week’s challenges start at midnight, but the Super Challenge starts at 10pm. GOOD LUCK, SUPER CHALLENGE WRITERS!
Congratulations to the Crowd Favorites at YeahWrite #419
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 ...
