Yeah write summer series: building community through writing

Here we go: the yeah write summer series is open! Starting this week yeah write is in summer mode. What does this mean? A couple of things.

Summer grid

For the next six weeks this is your one-stop shop for yeah write posts. Non-fiction, fiction, microfiction, poetry – it all gets posted in one place. We hope this gives you a chance to explore some new writers and genres. The grid will open on Tuesdays at midnight and close on Thursdays at midnight,  just like the challenge and speakeasy grids. Voting will open immediately and will run until 6:00 PM on Friday, when the moonshine grid opens. Yes, that’s almost two full days to read, comment and vote! Never say we won’t cut you a break. Winners will be posted in the Sunday kickoff post, where we’ll also give you an optional question prompt for the next week. Gargleblasters, you can answer the question as per usual; everyone else, use the prompt to inspire your writing if you wish, or ignore it completely.

The same basic rules apply to the summer grid:

• Pieces should be written specifically for the yeah write grid. Please, no cross-posting to other challenges or writing sites.
• Non-fiction pieces should aim to be under 600 words, fiction under 750, and gargleblasters exactly 42.
• Include the summer series badge and backlink – you can grab it from the left-hand sidebar.
• No commercial posts, no spam.

Writing topics

Each week we’ll be focusing on one or two topics that we think are important in our journey to becoming better writers. We’ll preview the topics on Sundays, and the writing topics themselves will be posted on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Consider these topics when creating your summer grid entries. If you’re participating in one of our critique lounges, you’ll want to pay particular attention.

This week’s writing topic is conflict

This week, Suzanne will discuss conflict- what it is, and why your writing needs it. Conflict isn’t just about fighting, it’s an essential part of generating tension in your writing and keeping your readers interested from beginning to end. As you write this week, think about what conflict exists in the story you’re telling. Check out the Tuesday and Thursday posts for extra tips and information as you read and revise!

Optional prompts

Even though the speakeasy and gargleblaster are closed for the summer, we know sometimes it’s hard to start writing without a little extra push. Since we can’t put coffee through your monitor, we’ll do the next best thing and feature an optional prompt each week that you can use to strike your creative spark.

This week’s optional prompt is Where have all the flowers gone?

Go ahead and answer that question in a gargleblaster, incorporate it in your longer fiction, or use it as inspiration for your nonfiction. You can also feel free to ignore it entirely if you’ve already got a great idea!

Critique lounges

We believe that constructive criticism is essential for any writer who wants to improve his or her writing. But we also know that not everyone is comfortable having every piece they write poked and prodded by others. This is why we have set up three lounges as safe spaces for giving and receiving constructive criticism.

• The bronze lounge is free and open to all. Register for the lounge to gain access, and you can join in the peer-to-peer critique fun.
• The silver lounge is a week-long small group writing workshop, and costs $25. Groups of no more than 4 plus an editor will get together for a more traditional workshopping experience.
• The gold lounge is for those who want to work one-on-one with one of our editors. Suzanne P. and Natalie D. are on tap to help you really dig into your writing, from the nuts and bolts of grammar and punctuation to the broader topics of themes and storylines. For only $50 you won’t find a better place to review your work.

You can register for any lounge at any time. Just try to give us a little heads up for the silver lounge so that we can put together our workshop groups.

Moonshine grid

Bootleggers never take vacations, and neither does the moonshine grid, which will be open for business as usual all summer. Every Friday swing by and post anything you like – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, how-to’s – whatever floats your boat. You can even link to an old post that you want to put in front of new eyes. Just no commercial posts, please.

Yeah write coffeehouse

The coffeehouse is open for business! Planned as a year-round endeavor, the coffeehouse is yeah write’s casual corner where you can meet up for casual small talk, introductions, and other writing-related conversations. The link is in the menu over there to the left, and we’re open 24-7. Stop by and say hello.

Summer schedule

In a nutshell, here’s how the summer will play out. All times are Eastern US.

• Sunday, 12:01 am: Kickoff post with preview of upcoming writing topics, summary of summer grid winners, moonshine grid closes
• Tuesday, 12:01 am: Writing topic post #1, summer grid opens for submissions
• Thursday, 12:01 am: Writing topic post #2, summer grid opens for voting
• Friday, 12:00 noon: Voting closes, moonshine grid opens

What do you think?

Are you ready for some laid-back fun this summer? We sure are. Don’t forget – you can register for the lounges at any point during the summer. And we’ll be back to our regular programming starting August 24. So stick around, try something new, and have a wonderful summer!