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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE WON!!!!!!!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10KGCPHcF2MNY1OASKYD2YwRblGFty24DstWyrrgIBfc/edit

Congratulations to everybody! Maybe we should wait until the last three days to write the story all the time! Just kidding. I am going to try to be more vigilant about giving us time to edit but good job!
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I think someone mentioned that they found the prompt war intimidating because they didn’t think they were a good enough writer to do it. Well, *deepens voice* *Puts on majestic flowing beard that would put Gandalf to shame* *becomes mentor figure* that is not strictly the case.

The prompt wars are not about winning. *Strikes noble mentor pose* *Falls down* Okay, so they are a little bit about winning. But my favorite stories that we have written didn’t win. (Second person and villain chat, if anyone is wondering.) This is a really low stakes environment. There is no prize. You could write “Cat sat on Matt” and it would be good because it would be better than nothing. As long as we have a finished story we have a chance of winning. And to get to a finished story, every word counts. That means every writer sitting down and pushing buttons on the keyboard is a huge help.

The best part about the prompt wars is working as a team. Brainstorming is always more fun when you do it with someone else. When I write, I get stuck on description a lot. *Shakes wrinkled mentor fist at the nemesis that is writing description.* When I work on a prompt war, I can just say “[describtion here]” and leave it to someone who isn’t going to spend five minutes writing “Her hair was brown and her eyes were also brown. She was a very brown person.” Where I am weak, others are strong and vice versa. You don’t need to be a master to help with the war.

One thing you do need, though, is humility. Your awesome idea will be shot down at some point, I guarantee it. At least once a war I think “Well that’s not what I would do but apparently we are going to do this now, I guess.” If you have a plan in your head of where you want the story to go, you better not go to the bathroom because someone will turn it in a completely different direction by the time you get back. Your words will be edited. Examined. Tweaked and possibly completely rewritten. And that’s okay. Part of becoming a writer is getting edited and tweaked. Just because you were edited or even rewritten does not mean your contribution was useless. I am not kidding when I say that every word helps.

Something I have been thinking about recently is the fact that you don’t have to be special to make a difference. You don’t need to be brave, smart, talented, or The Chosen One to make a change. You just need to be willing to try. Plenty of people aren’t. Willingness is enough.

You don’t need to be a great writer to be “good enough” for the prompt war. Willingness is enough.

*Bows head and, in true mentor fashion, dies.*

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