Enough
As I write this, George Floyd is dead. As I write this, Regis Korchinski-Paquet is dead. As I write this, Tony McDade is dead. As I write this, Minneapolis is burning.
It’s tempting to say, “I’m a writer, I can write about what I want. What makes me feel good. What lets me escape.” And these are important things, and real things.
George Floyd is real too. Regis Korchinski-Paquet is real too. Tony McDade is real too.
It’s tempting to say, “I’m a writer. And I’m already doing so much, I’m staying home, I’m washing my hands. People I know have died, too.”
And you’re right, and that’s real too.
All I’m asking this week is that you think about what you’re writing, and what’s real, and what’s happening while you write. Because you’re a writer, and writing is how we not only engage with our reality, but how we help others engage. It’s also how we imagine a way forward, a time after, a solution, a cure, a helping hand. It’s how we remind ourselves and each other that a riot isn’t just the voice of the unheard, it’s a tool for change. That throwing bricks is valid but so is holding the line, so is washing the face of a friend who’s been maced, so is bandaging knees and elbows and making sure everyone has a mask. I love steampunk, but this year? Write me some hopepunk. Don’t just tell me it gets better. Tell me how. And then put down your pen and show me.
In the meantime, you can keep scrolling down to find out who won the popular vote this 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.
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!
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 Editorial Staff Picks and Roundup (and congratulating the winners in the comments), keep scrolling down to check out who won the popular vote on all three 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? All our 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 #476
We often hear “first impressions are important,” but what about last impressions? Don’t forget to end your story or essay as strong as you started it. Go somewhere. Don’t coax your readers into your 1969 convertible Mustang and then leave them stranded somewhere on Route 66 when the gas runs out.
Y’all have one more week with these prompts: make em count. Let me give you a quick rundown on what we’ve been seeing overall this month so you can try to sneak in for that coveted pick:
- Make us care about the character we’re supposed to invest in.
- Give us enough information to tell what’s going on.
- Something should happen. I know this sounds like a no-brainer but I’m as guilty as the next person of writing “Anna walks into the room and thinks” as my whole story.
- There should be stakes – real consequences to the outcome of the story.
- Make the characters different from each other in thought, voice, and motivation.
That’s it for this week! Remember, we don’t always give out a pick on every grid; 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, next week’s challenge grids will be kicking off right here at midnight!
Congratulations to the Crowd Favorites at YeahWrite #476
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
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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.
