for writers who blog and bloggers who write
Taking back blogging
Just this past week, I had someone tell me that they hate the word blogging because it carries a negative connotation. I get where he was coming from – there are plenty of people who think that all bloggers are just throwing up a word salad and calling it an essay. And, though I’m loathe to admit he might be right, sometimes, well… No. No. I’m not going to do it.
Let’s stop with the blogging isn’t a real thing, shall we? A blog is simply a place to put words one has written, like a magazine or a book or a moleskin journal or a napkin. I’ve read magazines and books that I didn’t like but I didn’t decide that all magazines and books are garbage and not worthy of my time. That would be nonsense. In the same way, writing off all blogging as garbage is nonsense.
But this doesn’t eliminate the need to use our blogs responsibly. At yeah write, we encourage you to use your blog to tell your stories and to tell them well. Remember to show us the action, don’t just tell us it happened. Choose the best word every single time. For the love of olive, proofread. Be your own editor.
I think it was Ghandi who said, “Be the writing you wish to see in the world.”
New feature! Nonfiction theme of the month: irony
We’ll be exploring different themes every month to help you stretch your writing wings. This month’s completely optional theme is irony, and your assignment – should you choose to accept it – is to take at a photograph and tell us what’s really going on. For more on irony, check out Rowan’s article in our writing help section.
This week’s ultimate question:
Where did you take the wolverine?
This optional prompt, which also serves as the ultimate question for the microstory challenge opening Wednesday, is here to serve as your inspiration for your nonfiction submission. Already have your own story thought up? No problem! The prompt is only there if you need it.
Want more info?
Is this your first time here? Check out Sunday’s post which kicked off the week here at yeah write. If you don’t think you can remember to check back every Sunday, you can sign up for our email blasts directly to your inbox. Our email subscribers can also join us in the yeah write coffeehouse at its new home on Facebook.
If you’ve never taken the time to read them, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our submission guidelines. The rules are a little different for each of our challenges and we’d hate to have to send back great writing on a technicality.
Did you happen to end up here because you suddenly saw yeah write in your stats? Sometimes members of our community spot excellent writing and they send those posts on over to us. We hope you don’t mind. Take a look around and get to know our community. We’re sure you’ll be happy here.
Have questions you can’t find the answer to by poking around the site? Email us or find us on Facebook and Twitter and we’ll happily help you out.
Submit to the yeah write #236 nonfiction challenge
The yeah write #236 weekly writing challenge is now open for nonfiction: personal essays, creative opinion, mostly true stories based on actual events. You can check out the submission guidelines and join us with your essay using the link below.
