Madge knows what she’s talking about. We all need a bit of a makeover now and then.
And that’s exactly what we’re doing here at Write on Edge. We’re evaluating what we do, and figuring out how we can do it better.
Your response to Cam’s post on Monday was both thoughtful and insightful—exactly the type of constructive critique we’ve come to expect from our community.
And now? We’re taking your advice to heart. The most major change that you’ll notice is that we are discontinuing our Tuesday memoir link-up, RemembeRED.
Why are we doing this? Because we would rather do one thing really well than do two things halfway.
Our hope is that in focusing on one weekly link-up, Red Writing Hood, everybody will have more time to write, to reflect on the prompt, and to respond to each other in a timely fashion.
“But I only write memoir!” you say. Well, let me make this clear, and I apologize for shouting: RED WRITING HOOD IS FOR MEMOIR AND FICTION! YOU CAN HAZ NON FICTION!
Ahem. We will be diligent when we write our Red Writing Hood Prompts (which, as always, will be announced on Tuesday, and linked on Friday) to make them friendly for both memoir AND fiction. You choose. Some editors will probably write fiction. Others, such as yours truly, will usually link up memoir.
Not convinced? Look at this week’s Red Writing Hood Prompt, and see how it lends itself to both memoir and fiction. After all, great writing is great writing. What you write isn’t important. Do you make us cry? Laugh? Think? That’s what matters.
Additionally, we’re creating specific themes for each day of the week. This will help the editorial team play to our strengths, as well as set up a framework for the community.
Mondays will focus on The Writer’s Life: the emotional and mental elements of our craft.
On Tuesdays, we will reveal the Red Writing Hood prompt for the Friday link-up, as well as highlight members of our community.
On Wednesdays, we will discuss The Tools of Writing, including our Read on Edge book club.
On Thursday, we will look through the Publishing Lens, sharing thoughts on all all things related to longer works and publishing.
On Friday, we will celebrate our creativity with our weekly link-up, Red Writing Hood. Please note that per your request, the link will be live starting at midnight Friday morning.
Our Weekend Linky will remain on Saturday morning.
We truly value your feedback. Please let us know your thoughts about this, and we thank you for taking the time and effort to support this community, and create a very special corner of the Internet.
I applaud the changes you’re making, WOE ladies. I haven’t linked up in a long time for a couple of reasons – some of the prompts were not speaking to me, and some, were honestly beyond me. I hope with the RWH prompts tailored toward both fiction and memoir, they will be ‘friendlier’ to not-so-serious writers like me
I wish I had something insightful to add, but I echo Alison’s sentiments 100 percent. While I don’t write fiction and keep things rather light, I’m excited to see these changes in the future!
I really like the changes you are putting in place. I have been absent from WOE for longer than I really wanted to be. The old schedule just did not fit…and some of the prompts just were not working for me. The new schedule is giving me hope to develop ideas, have the time to write them and then share! And I love that BOTH options are available.
I guess some changes are welcome. Maybe, now i will actually sit down and write some good fiction. I haven’t linked up here for quite some time now because i couldn’t let myself feel for some of the prompts and yes! i was scared too… of not living up to the standards of the other remarkable writers.
Always a day late and a dollar short…this is more of a response to Monday’s post, but I do think the proposed changes sound good (as someone who doesn’t do fiction, I do hope the RWH prompts will really be memoir appropriate too).
I started my blog for fun and never considered myself a “writer.” I stumbled on TRDC and many of the memoir prompts spoke to me, so I linked up quite often. I’m grateful because it opened up a new world to me, of trying to improve my writing. But it’s hard to put yourself out there–especially with memoir–and then have radio silence. It started to feel not worth the effort, which for me is intense as writing doesn’t come very naturally.
Seeing how “easily” others in the group can “show and not tell,” has been sobering. I would love to be able to convey the spirit of a story with fewer words and less heaviness of explanation, but that just isn’t my strength. I think I’m more of an essay writer than a creative writer.
Something I didn’t see mentioned but that has been taking up most of my writing time is Precipice…I’ve been trying to get a submission ready and have really cut down the rest of my blogging activity to meet the deadline.
Thanks for taking the time to check in with us.
We’re excited that you’re submitting to Precipice! Along with everybody else considering submission.
I do like the new schedule, but there is one thing that would be great:
Earlier notification of Friday’s prompt.
Is there any way we could find out on Friday, what the next week’s prompt is, or on Sunday? Some weekends are crazy, yes, but weekdays are less flexible and if anything pops up between Tuesday and Friday, I just can’t get the prompt done. I often had less issues with time for RemembeRED because it spanned a weekend – but my true love lies in fiction.
Am I alone in this?
Perhaps if you didn’t want to post it, you could set up something like Mama Kat’s prompt subscription – where you get it earlier than the post if you subscribe.
Just a suggestion.
Duly noted, Kelly. For now, we’re bumping the RWH prompt up to early on Tuesday mornings, but we’ll definitely keep the Sunday suggestion under our hats for future consideration.
Even one extra day helps, but I too think the earlier notification would be great.
The middle of the week is the busiest time with work and the kids in school. It’s so much easier to write on weekends.
I do like the idea of having one prompt. Then, when I don’t do it, I only get disappointed in myself one day a week, instead of two. Summer cannot get here fast enough!
I was thinking the same thing as Kelly. While I often leave the writing for Thursday or Friday, I really appreciate time to sort through ideas in my head in order to sufficiently “hear” those (character) voices in my head.
Been on a blogging break, but am looking forward to writing.
Those are great changes and can’t wait! I think that the change will be good and hopefully there will be a lot more people writing and linking up!
Applauding the changes all around!
The fantastic WoE editors continue to refine and push the community they serve – makes me honored to be a part.
I will absolutely be coming back soon – Right after I finish my short story for a Monday night fiction class!
I am going to miss RemebeRED , because I love writing fiction on fridays and tuesdays taught me how to mine my memories…it taught me how to write. So maybe I will post a memoir piece on my blog on Tuesdays (I know I’m talking / thinking out loud..sorry)
But I like the changes and look forward to moving forward WITH all of you..who taught me to write!!!! Xo
Oy! My week out of town and I missed the news. Honestly, I do agree with Kir here in that I prefer the breakdown of the two prompts. I always knew Fridays could be non-fiction, so I suppose I missed any confusion there. I think that wherever you head with these changes many of us will surely follow and I, too, thank you for kick-starting my creative juices and enjoy the way it motivated me to write again!
I like streamking the prompt into one day. one notification. This really helps the community. I’m glad you will be highltining your members. Afterall, that’s how I found most of you.
Madge is always right. Except for covering American Pie.
That was dreadful, that American Pie.
I like the idea of only one prompt. Would it make people more or less comfortable to have two linkies within that prompt. Something like this
Fiction responders linkup here
Memoir resonders linkup here
Would that just serve to decrease the total number of responses any one person got? Would it maybe ease the fears of those who are concerned about losing RemembeRed? I’m the sort who would read both memoir and fiction no matter where I linked up, but maybe that’s just me.
Presently, it’s difficult to have two different linkups on the same day. However, if it makes people comfortable, they can label their writing as memoir or fiction in the title.
I was nervous when I saw the email about the lack of linkups, but I’m happy with the changes. I have only posted a few times, and I couldn’t seem to find the time to post to the different prompts. I still want a place to share my fiction work, though, and I have found the past two prompts inspiring.
Glad to hear it! We hope to hear more from you.
I’m very happy with the changes! And I also vote for early notification of the week’s prompt. Even if it came on Sunday, that would help.
Question: The link-up will now be available at midnight? In which time zone? It’s midnight on the east coast now, and I was hoping to enter mine before going off to bed. I probably won’t be able to be on the computer again until after dinner tomorrow night.
I’m in the same boat. I was trying to stay awake until the linkup, but I don’t see it. I’ve had problems finding it before, so I thought it was just me.
Our time zone is presently set to PDT. So, East Coasters wouldn’t be able to link up until 3:00 AM.
Thanks! I think the confusion was that the prompt said “Friday morning (midnight EDT).” I will file away “PDT” for the future.
By the way, there’s a ‘library’ of blog hops that you should submit Red Writing Hood to
http://www.weidknecht.com/p/blog-hops.html