…and when you come to the end, stop.
That’s advice given to Alice, of Wonderland fame. And it’s hard advice to take as a creative person. I remember my math and science major friends talking about how much homework they had, and how long labs took, and thinking but it’s a finite amount, and you know when you’re done. How do you know when you’re done with a painting, or a story? In some cases, you have a deadline, which helps. I think that’s part of why flash competitions are so popular: unlike a novel or freewrite you’re doing on your own, there’s a point at which you’re forced to stop. Speaking of stopping, I should stop writing this paragraph so you can find out who won the popular vote.
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 #450
One of the hardest parts of personal essay is keeping it personal. That’s something the folks on this week’s grid handled REALLY well. Read back through the essays and think about the bits of the writers’ personalities that filter through. A great personal essay leaves you not just knowing a little more ABOUT the writer, but knowing the writer a little better, too.
Hey writers- quick exercise: go read the image caption for this week’s photo prompt. Notice anything? I’ll wait. Kidding, you’re still reading. Whatever, when you go read that caption, you’ll notice – or maybe you won’t – that there’s no description of the person’s skin color. There’s a reason for that. Now look at your story, and then the last couple stories you wrote. Whose skin color is described and whose isn’t? Are you only describing skin color for people of color, and assuming white skin is the default and that your reader thinks white skin is the default? As a bonus exercise, try imagining everyone whose skin color isn’t described in a story as nonwhite. Can you do it? (For one famous example, JK Rowling literally never described Hermione Grainger’s skin color.) Now: if you’re describing skin for people of color, you should probably describe skin for EVERYONE. If you’re not describing it for one character, don’t describe it for any characters. See what happens to your writing – and your world – if you apply this rule.
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 kick off at midnight tonight!
Congratulations to the Crowd Favorites at YeahWrite #450
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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