Game on!
It took complete isolation to finally get me off my rump to run that tabletop RPG I’ve been talking about for years. It’s been reminding me about character building, that’s for sure. Some of my players are first-time gamers. Others have years of experience. So instead of making everyone build their own character sheet (a list of the statistics that determine what your character can do) I gave my players a questionnaire to fill out, and I’m making character sheets for them based on who the character is. I based my questionnaire on several different ones, but it reminded me that filling in a questionnaire about your characters is a good way to get to know the little details about their background that will influence their decisions.
See, writing is just like running a RPG (more on that in the (dramatic music) workshop I’m putting together). Your characters need to have motivations and backstories, and then you try to convince them to do things. And, like last night, sometimes your characters want nothing to do with the plot and you have to throw little clues at them while they wander around the streets of Chicago in 2008, administering first aid to drunk people outside of clubs, until they get interested in the plot points you’re trying to push.
My point is, though, that character is important in your writing. If your characters behave, well, out of character, it’s going to be jarring to your readers. That can cost you in the long run, when your readers are dissatisfied and not sure why. Knowing your characters well isn’t the only path to the top of the popular vote, but not knowing them is a pretty good path to the bottom.
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!
But we don’t limit kudos to posts: our commentariat commendation goes to a writer who has gone above and beyond to offer help and community to authors with work on the grids. You can check out our Critic’s Guide for examples of what we mean, but we don’t limit the commentariat commendation to posts with the concrit badge on. There are definitely still ways to help and support authors who don’t feel confident asking for robust criticism, and we trust our community to find them. On weeks when we find a comment to commend, we’ll let you know in the Roundup section.
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 #470
The danger (and the joy) of writing a personal essay is that it tells people about you. Not just the story in the essay, but the way it’s written, the way you frame things, the choices you tell people that you’ve made, the history you have. Little things like which counting rhymes you knew on the playground can tell folks a lot about your background. Hema’s lovely, layered essay tells you so many things: what centering techniques are ingrained in her memory, what her day is like, and even what her mind is like as she writes. These multiple layers let her (and hopefully you) pack extra information into that essay, making it rich and tender. Read back through the rest of the grid if you have a chance today and see if you can pick out the mindset of each writer. What do you know about them now that they didn’t explicitly put in their essay?
Hi! Long time no read! No, really. I’m hearing a lot of people feeling intimidated, like what they did wasn’t good enough, or they started and then got lost, or … or something. So! Since I get to talk about trends on the grid here I’m gonna talk about that one. Help each other out. But also, let people help you. Don’t know how to finish a story? Hand it off to another writer. Co-write with someone who didn’t have an idea to begin with but could run with yours. Intimidated by getting on the grid? Okay, but you live for feedback and connection – you’re a writer. If you put your story up, you’ll get it: you’ll hear what you did right, and give people a chance to get to know you. It’s not scary, I promise.
I know it’s hard to write right now, when all the creative parts of your brain are consumed with adapting to your new normal. But do it. Write something, and make that connection. We’re a worldwide community, and I miss you. And if you’re ever having trouble getting started? I’m an idea factory. Hit me up in the coffeehouse and I’ll give you an add on to the prompt if you need a little push.
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 #470
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 ...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.
