Young Writers Society

Writer of the Week (WOTW) is an exciting event that happens every week. And often times (particularly here at the Weekly Writer) you will hear people talk about "the WOTW team." Who are these people? How did they become part of the team? Can anyone join? How would someone go about joining? I'm here to answer some of those questions.

Who's there now?
As of right now we have 26 members. We have a few mods, but mostly we're just regular members. We have some really popular, well-recognized members, and some not-so-well-heard-of members. Some members are social butterflies, who everyone has at least heard of. Some are a little more shy and haven't really made a name for themself on YWS yet. Some are well recognized in a specific literary area. Some are still a little scattered and haven't got a specialty.

Our team has a mixture of people. The one thing that's consistent in all of our members is a love for writing.

How many ways are there to be recruited?
Two. You can either ask to join, or be asked to join. I'll cover both in this article. First, let's look things that apply to both...

Who can join?
We will consider pretty much anyone. Our one requirement for consideration is that you have an interest in writing, and just the fact that you joined YWS is enough proof of that for us.

There aren't any requirements on age or literary genre or anything. But while there are no direct requirements, there are some things we look for...

What do we look for in new recruits?
When we're looking to accept or decline a new member we actually have quite a few things we're looking for. We don't expect them to be particularly good in all of them, but they should be mediocre in all of them (if they're a little behind in one, then they should be a little ahead in another).

We want to make sure that we have writers selecting WOTW. So we will read their works and see how good they are. They don't have to be exceptional, but the better they are the better their chances.
We also want to know that they know how to identify a good piece of writing. So we will read their reviews. What kind of things do they talk about? Are they correct? What do they say about the piece overall? How do they phrase their review? Do they sound pleasant? How thorough are their reviews? What are some things they left out of the review? They don't have to be the type of reviewer that gets random PMs with people asking them to review their works, but they should display an understanding of how to tell if a piece is good or not.

This person will be a part of a team, so they'll have to be friendly. (This is usually the easiest requirement to meet. Why would you join a society of young writers if you don't like other people?) We read through some of their posts to get a feel for how they interact with other members. We want to see how respectful they are, how willing they are to share their opinion, how friendly they are, and things like that.
There are a few other minor things we may check out (like how many other commitments do they have? How much time can they devote to WOTW?), but usually those things won't matter if they do well on the three above. So I'm not gonna waste your time going on about those.

Are there any other variables?
Yes, of course. The biggest one being the size of the team. If we currently have a really big team, then you'd have to really impress us for us to accept you. For the simple reason that we don't want the team to be huge, we want it to be a close-knit group that can feel comfortable being completely honest with each other. So when we have to many members, we won't accept new members. But if we were to suddenly lose half of our members, we would probably start looking for a lot of new members to take their places. In which case your chances of getting accepted would go up.

We will also consider the strong/weak points within the team. If the team is really big, but we only have four writers who know anything about short stories, then we'll be looking for more people who are good with short stories. (right now we're struggling with the MIsc./Other week, which includes, articles, essays, scripts, lyrics, screenplays, and anything else not covered in one of the other weeks)

So if we don't accept someone it might not be because they didn't match up with what we're looking for. It could simply be that we don't have room for them at that time.

When asking to join, what should you say?
All you really have to say is that you'd like to join the WOTW team. We can take it from there. But if you wanna make our job easier you can help us find out if you meet what we're looking for. That would be done by telling us a little about yourself (and other obligations which might interfere with WOTW), and provide links to what you consider to be your best works/reviews.

Who should you ask?
Shoot a PM on over to @Messenger and he'll take care of everything from there!

What happens then?
One of two things will happen. 1) We decide that either you are not the right fit for our team, or that we don't have room right now, or something along those lines. At which point you will receive a PM notifying you of this decision. Or 2) we will decide that you are the right fit and we do have room, at which point we will send you a link to our super-secret club so that you can join our team!

How does the team find new members?
Everyone within the team is required to vote for WOTW. But outside of that they have other jobs. One job, called Talent Scout (aka T-Scout) has the responsibility of finding new members. So while if someone comes to us and asks about joining the team we will consider them, sometimes that's not enough. So the T-Scouts will just pay attention to the people they interact with all over the site to see if they find anyone they think would be a good match. If they're doing something on YWS and they meet someone who peeks their interest, they will then check out their works and reviews and such to see if they're a good match. If they are, then the T-Scout will ask them to join!

How do the T-Scouts ask?
Usually they will send the person a PM. If they're online they can do it through private chat, but usually it's through PM. They'll just make sure they know what WOTW is (provide a link to the main topic), and then tell them a little about the team. If they sound interested in joining, they will tell them about the different jobs and such within the team. If the person decides to join, the T-Scout will give them a link to the super-secret club where the team meets.

Is that it?
Pretty much. We try to keep things simple so that it's easy for new members to get the hang of things. So two simple, straightforward ways to join is all we need.


I hope you've enjoyed this edition of BTS. If you have something particular about the academy you'd like to know feel free to ask me to include it in one of my upcoming article at the requests topic on The Weekly Writer's fan club. (Please do keep in mind there is no guarantee that your request will get in. These are just requests, I may or may not write about them. But I probably will.)

Thanks for reading! Keep an eye out for the next BTS coming in two weeks!

~WW

THE WEEKLY WRITER

YWS's Unofficial Writing-Related Newsletter

Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekly Writer! Before we go further, a shoutout to the cast and crew:



I'm sorry for the delay this week. We are short on staff (more info).

Now onto the articles!

Writers Block is a terrible thing that blocks up all the inspiration for the project you were working on,

You often sit at your desk, wondering what to do. Every single idea you have, you dismiss because it is to ‘stupid’.

Now, I often write poetry when I get writers block. It is an emotional outlet to let out my frustration. But, not all of you like to write poetry. So… I’ll give you a few writing challenges. And if you don’t have Writers Block you can… read, and do the challenges anyway!

Now before we go about this, you’ll need some things.
1. A character. (Feel free to make a new one.)
2. A writing utensil. (Use whatever you have on hand.)
3. And a writing prompt. (Don’t worry, I’m giving you those.)

1. Your character has just been informed his/her friend was going to die. Go through their reactions, then write about the final conversation between the two.

2. Character is watching someone get bullied. Do they brush it off? Get involved? Side note: The bully is the character’s best friend. (Oh no! What are they going to do!)

3. Tomorrow is the end of your character's world. What are their last actions? How does the world end? (Be as gory as you want.)

4. Ugh, your character is sick. And so is everyone else. The sickness is not fatal, but there is no one to sympathize! (Poor baby…) Is your character mad now? Possibly planning to take over the world because of that?

5. Good morning character! Guess what? You can’t remember anything! Your mother’s name is lost on your dry lips, the name of your father won’t come to your empty mind! How will your character cope!

Are ideas churning through your head right now?

But, sometimes when you’re dealing with Writers Block you don’t have to start a new project. Just take a short break from the project you’re working on. You might want to: watch a video, listen to music, review a work. You’ll get inspired in time.

~RavenMoonStone

When I first started writing there where several "writer's terms" (as I like to call them) that confused me. One of which was the "plot bunny." What is it? Is it a good or bad thing? Do I need one? How do you get one? I knew it was a fictitious thing that exists in a writer's head, but that's pretty much all I knew at the time. So now I'm going to go through and answer some of the questions I had. Hopefully this will help some new (and experienced) writers get a better idea of what a plot bunny is.

If you were to get it down to its simplest form a plot bunny is an idea that won't stop bugging you.

Generally due to it's name, people will assume that it's an idea for a plot, but that's not true. It can be an idea for anything. Maybe it's an idea for a naming scheme, or a poem, or a fictional city, or a topic for your next Weekly Writer article! Any idea will do. The only requirement is that the idea won't leave you alone. You just keep thinking about it again and again, and the only way to get it to go away is to write about it.

The idea of a plot bunny is neither good nor bad. It has elements and side effects that are one or the other, but the overall concept is pretty balanced. What is good or bad is the specific plot bunny. This mostly depends on which elements and side effect are strongest in that bunny.
Having a plot bunny is always a good sign. Because it means that some part of your brain (whether conscious or subconscious) is thinking about writing. Plot bunnies serve as an excellent source of motivation. Usually the only reason an idea will bug you is because you like it. Having an idea you like is always the best motivation.

They are also good because plot bunnies have a tendency to be random. They'll show up out of nowhere for no apparent reason at the strangest time. Under most circumstances that means the plot bunny is very original. And the more original ideas you have, the less the cliche ones matter!

The biggest problem with plot bunnies is if you can't write them down. They have a desire to be your focus, and when they're not, they'll distract you from whatever it is you are focusing on. And occasionally you will find a plot bunny that doesn't tie into a piece of writing very well. When that happens if you try to force the bunny into the writing then the piece will become a little less to-the-point and a little more drifty, which is normally a bad thing. So you have to be careful that you aren't too eager about your plot bunnies.

So a plot bunny isn't something you can just "get." It's something that comes to you. And chances are if you've written more then three pieces, you've probably already had a plot bunny or two. They aren't necessary for writing, but if you get the right ones and use them correctly they can be quite helpful.

Another widely discussed thing about plot bunnies is the "plot bunny stampede." That is basically when you have a plot bunny that is pretty broad and general, and then all of a sudden that one plot bunny triggers a lot of other bunnies about its general topic. These are usually very helpful (particularly for novels), but you have to make sure you have something to write with/on when you get the stampede, just to make sure you don't miss any of the little bunnies! The little ones have a tendency to grow.

Stampedes are the reason you find writers (particularly novelists) who always carry around a pencil and notebook (or some other small writing device). You never know when you'll get a plot bunny stampede, so it's best to keep writing tools with you at all times.

I hope I've helped to answer some of your questions about plot bunnies. Feel free to PM me any further question.
Thank you for reading!

~WW

Working Past Writer's Block

Writers block affects us all—tree, root and twig. At one time or another, any writer has sat down at their preferred tablet—whether it be computer, notebooks or papyrus—and doodled, wondering what to write. Trying to discover another idea to continue a story or begin one. Because each new word is an entirely different idea from the one before, and we writers have to come up with those ideas—the reader depending on each next word being unlike from the one before.

The truth is, Writers Block is in your head. I mean, it is literally in your head to begin with, but it is truly just a figment of our imagination. Yet it seems very real to us! There are many methods to getting past the Blockage. In fact, there are over four million results on the search engine for dealing with it. So as it turns out, we aren’t the only ones who are plagued with it. We all are.

So how do you get past it? Let’s see what other YWS’ers think about Writers Block and how they deal with it.

@ShadowVyper came in with her advice…

Oh dear... I've actually written an article about this myself. xD Um, I tend to use word wars as motivators if it's more laziness/lack of drive. If I have trouble coming up ideas, then I'll write out of order. Like, if I have an idea for a chapter in the future I'll write that-- and usually I'll come up with a storyline for in between where I am and that chapter so then I can go back and write it in.

@Aley came in awesome, like usual.

I don't often notice I have writers block. When I feel like I don't want to write on things, I don't write on them. I do other things. Most of the time this means I pick up a book or read works and review them for a while, and then when I get inspired again, I go back to it.

Other times, like when I did NaPo, I would change my plot to better interest me because I always felt like writers block was caused by trying too hard to make something bad, good.
or something very familiar, new.

@Temporarilyshane was blunt and to the point, giving a lot of advice in few words.

By writing through it. The only way to get over writers block is to make yourself get over it.

@Messenger hasn’t suffered this. Lucky him.

I don't. Sorry. I have never had it

@GoldFlame must be pardoned for the length. Her fingers must have been smoking by the time she finished.

Writer's block is one of the most difficult topics to write about. First, you can't sculpt a decent story out of it, unless you're writing a poem or essay or something, but it's a topic that's been combed so frequently, it's difficult taking your own writing seriously.
So, Tip #1: Don't write about writer's block. Tip #2: Don't just write random stuff, unless you have a knack for morphing shapeless plots into actual shapes. Pretend that was phrased better. Anyhoot, you need an idea. You need a launching pad.
People get their inspiration from weird places. In an online writing course I recently took, the instructor made us interview someone close to us and write a short story/flash fiction on it. Oh, goodness. You can't play around with nonfiction people like you can with fiction people, because it's so much easier to offend them.

So everyone has their own different ideas on how to get past Writers Block, but most of them are similar in at least one way. You can always take a break from writing and come back to it. That always works, and your writing will be there when you get back. Or you could write more! Even if you take a break from a specific type, don’t quit altogether. Keep going, and work past the Block. And because you aren’t the first to be struck with this, every writer can lend both sympathy and advice to becoming inspired again.

~timmyjake

THE WEEKLY WRITER

YWS's Unofficial Writing-Related Newsletter

Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekly Writer! Before we go further, a shoutout to the cast and crew:



Now onto the articles!

Hey everyone!
This past week you did not get to read this interview due to communications problems, it was not ready in time. However, here it is now! I hope you enjoy this interview with @ConfusedGlasses, last week's WOTW. Selected for her fantastic novel-writing skills!

Messenger: Hi Confused! Congratulations on winning the Writer Of The Week honor! You really deserved it with your great writing. I see you've only been on here for about two months. did you even know what WOTW was? And how did you respond?

ConfusedGlasses: Well, I wasn't expecting anything like this in the least. So, yeah, when I saw the notification I was like "Eh? Why would someone mention me at a forum like that?" Then I clicked on the link and the page showed up. I was staring at the screen for five minutes flat! Honestly I was so surprised! And yeah, I didn't know something like this existed but I wasn't surprised that it did.
I must say that I don't think I am as deserving of the honor as you say I am. But this honor is something that has invigorated me to write more and better. It will keep encouraging me till the day I die, I promise you.

M: That's really awesome Confused! The whole point of WOTW is to give honor and credit to less-known writers who may not make the spotlight or become Featured Member's, but are nonetheless fantastic writers. I read some of your works and I can assure you you're very worthy of the title If this keeps you going in your writing careers, we at the Official WOTW Club (where we voted for you) can't ask for much more. If we are helping writers keep writing and gaining confidence, we are happy XD
How, specifically, do you think this will help your writing, or your mindset of being a writer?

CG: This honor has brought me many reviews (okay not many, but at least it was from people who haven't read my writing before). And they came up with very good suggestions and showed me new horizons on which I could improve my writing. So that's one way it helped me.
Another way it meant so much to me is that it showed me that I have talent too. I knew that from before I guess, but being appreciated by a community of people I have only come to know recently means a lot.

M: That's really neat! It's always nice to get new reviewers, new followers, and just more busy-ness around your writing! Do you have any advice to others who want to become the Writer Of The Week?

CG: Well, I guess I just wanna say, be yourself and write what you wanna write. Writing to please others never worked for me. And I don't see how it can ever work for others. And don't steal. What you write has to be your own.
That's it I guess...

M: Thank for your time Confused! Have a great weekend!


Well there you are readers! Some wise points given by ConfusedGlasses! I hope this excites you to try your best at the wickedly tough job of writing, and you may just become the next Writer Of The Week! Till next time!

~Messenger

I find that it truly depends on the genre. Series, I find, are often slightly more superficial in the way they handle topics, (with a few notable exceptions,) trading off depth of content for quantity. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it seems to work best for genres such as Fantasy and perhaps even Sci-Fi. Standalone books, on the other hand, often seem to go into less content with more details, which would make them my choice with genres such as horror. Naturally, that too has exceptions. Overall, I might say that I prefer Fantasy, for there is just much more to read and more opportunity for dramatic irony ^_^

These are the words of @Lapis.

I asked around, and though I had several interesting and intriguing responses, Lapis' struck me the most. Now, I know what you're thinking...WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? Well, my friends, that's what we're here to discuss. Shall we?

If you haven't guessed by now, my question was; Do you like a series, or standalone book better? If you had the choice. Now, we had a poll about this a couple weeks ago, and that is what sparked this article. It got me thinking. Why do some prefer series over stand alone? Is there a reason?

Now, we all have our own opinions, and I have mine, but I will attempt to be completely unbiased in my statement of each.

Series:
These books must be clever in the way they keep readers attracted. Reading so many books in a series that seems endless can get exhausting right? (*cough cough* Percy Jackson *cough cough*) So, the author must find a way to keep readers attracted. And that can be difficult.

Stand-Alone:
Usually short and intriguing. These books tend to go more in depth than a series. They need to catch a readers attention and keep it. But, unlike series, Stand-Alones tend to have an abrupt ending. It's like BAM!!!! done.

If you haven't shared your opinion yet, go visit the topic; Book Series or Stand-Alone Books?

That wasn't biased, was it? Haha anyway, Lapis' response was unique in the way he both answered and failed to answer my question. The truth in his response also grabbed my attention. So, thank you to everyone I asked for taking your time to reply. And even if you hadn't voted or hadn't been asked, go share your opinion in the link above.

Until next time!

This week I'm going to talk about the different jobs and positions within the WOTW team. I'll cover the things that are directly tied to WOTW, and the things that branch off a little.

What are the jobs?
That's a pretty simple list...

Voting
Nominating
Finding new members
Posting on the forums
Updating/managing the official club
Updating/managing fan clubs

How does a member get a job?
Most of them are volunteer based. A few aren't. For those either 1) it's mandatory, or 2) you will be asked to take on the job.

Voters
This is the core of WOTW. If no one voted, we wouldn't have a writer for that week. So this job is mandatory.
Voting is pretty straightforward. There is a topic at our club for each week. On that topic the Nominators will post their nominees. Voters will read the works of all nominees, and then vote for one. Several members will work together to keep track of the votes, updating the topic as we go along. The voting will go on until either 1) everyone has voted, or 2) it's monday and we need to announce WOTW.
All members must vote as often as possible. If they can we ask that they vote every week. But we understand that isn't always possible. So just voting most weeks is acceptable.

Nominators
The nominating is a volunteer job. We try to make sure we have at least four nominators each week. Nominators usually will nominate one or two people.
Their job is basically just to read works and analyse them. When they find a work they like, they will read other works by that same author. If they decide that they think that writer is worthy of WOTW, then when that week's topic is up they will post a link to the writer's portfolio (and possibly a specific work or two) with some reasons why they think that person is worthy of WOTW.

Talent Scouts (T-Scouts)
T-scouts are in charge of recruiting new members. They will pay attention to the team's strengths and weaknesses, and try to find new members to fill the gaps. They have to keep an eye out during their day-to-day interactions with other YWSers. When they find a member that they think would make a good addition to the team, they will do a little more research. What is this person like? how's their writing skills? and things like that. If they are satisfied that yes, this person is a good candidate for the WOTW team, then they will contact that person. They'll talk to them about WOTW and what's expected of the team members. If the person is interested in joining, then they will get a link to the secret-WOTW-team-club where we do all of our nominating.
How many people a t-scout is expected to recruit varies with the size and activity of the current team. If we're low on members and haven't been very active, then a t-scout may need to recruit three people in the same week. But when we have plenty members and have been really active, they might not even need to recruite one a month.

Forum Peeps
Our forums peeps are the people you see announcing WOTW every week. That is pretty much their job. They decide who is going to announce WOTW that week, and then that person announces WOTW on monday.
Occasionally we'll have other announcements or something special in the forums. At which time a forum peep will come and take care of that for us.
Their job is pretty simple, but vital to the existence of WOTW.

Fan Club Admins
Fan club admins have the easiest job. Which is why most FCAs have another job, and this is just a secondary thing. (to those of you who are unaware, the fan club can be found here)
All they have to do is make announcements to the fan club, and make sure that everything at the fan club is running smoothly.
Generally someone will be asked to be a FCA. It is a pretty easy job, so pretty much anyone in the WOTW team can do it.

Official Club Admins
These guys have got it the hardest, by far.
They have to keep an eye out to make sure that things are generally running smoothly. They have to post the topics for voting and such. They have to take part in any conversations about changes to WOTW and/or the team. They have to accept new members. And most importantly, they have to motivate people when they start slacking.
On top of all that, they also take on one of the other jobs!
There is a reason you have to be asked to take on this position. I don't know how many of our members could handle this.
I want to say an official thank you to all the OCAs. They work really hard, and I'm glad to have them on board.


That pretty much sums it up. One mandatory job, three primary jobs, a secondary job, and a big-handful job. That's pretty much how the WOTW team is divided up. Although many of our members have multiple jobs. So it's not really divided at all.

For all of the volunteer positions, we do allow the other members to help. I'm a T-Scout, and there have been several weeks when I've nominated. And if someone else wanted to recruit a certain member, all they'd have to do is PM me (or another t-scout) asking about it.
We're all very friendly about our positions, and don't mind having other step in every now and again.

I hope you've enjoyed this edition of BTS. And as always if you have a request, feel free to drop by at the [url]request topic[/url]. I'd love to hear from you!
Thank you for reading. I look forward to writing the next article for the June 27th edition.

~WW

When Did You Start Writing?
An Interview With ongoeslife

Written By Sunshine1113

Hello all! This week I interviewed @ongoeslife on how she got into writing and what her first stories were.

Sunshine1113: Hello ^_^ May I interview you for The Weekly Writer?

ongoeslife: Hello! May I ask what that is before I concede or decline?

S: The Weekly Writer is the newsletter for Writer of the Week. We write articles on writing related things.

ogl: Alright.

S: When/how did you get into writing?

ogl: Ooh, tough question. My whole family writes in some form or another, and all of us love to read. I guess I started writing my first stories when I was perhaps 6, after I started reading Brian Jacques' "Redwall" series.

S: That's cool, my family writes too. What was the first thing you remember writing?

ogl: I'm not sure if it was a story about a slave in the 1800's or a story about a girl living in South Dakota. There were likely more before those two, but those are the ones I found recently and remember. I'm not sure which of the two was first.

S: That's awesome! Well, that was my last question and this interview is over.

ogl: Wow, that was short.

S: Well the interview was only about your first story and how you first started writing .

ogl: Okay.

S: Thank you for your time.

This concludes my first ever interview for TWW. Lots more interviews to come!

~Suneshine1113

“You’re going to fast! Slow down.”

“Honey, stop and ask for directions.”

Yah, we all hate ‘em, especially because half the time they’re right. But hey, we’re the ones driving, so they need to shut it. Right? Personally, I consider myself a very good, safe driver and can’t stand backseat drivers, or passenger seat drivers for that matter. But this isn’t driver’s ed, so I’ll move on.

As I write daily, I have noticed a very frightening trend that follows along with me. You see, before I write I like to get in the mood, so if I’m writing an emotional part I’ll listen to some slow, moody music or watch a movie like “My Dog Skip.” If it’s some epic battle scene I’ll throw up a Lord of the Rings montage and power out to AC/DC.

Once I’m “in the zone” I jump in feet first and start pumping the keys like nobody’s business. Half an hour, hour and a half, three hours later I lean back, whistle, and look with satisfaction over the four or five thousand points I just put on the board. Pretty good huh?

Then I read it.

More often then not, I am utterly surprised to find that what I have just written is, quite frankly, crap. It sucks! In frustration I crumble it up and toss it away-into the virtual recycle bin, of course. There goes another few hours wasted, and I can never understand why. So, I sat down and analyzed myself, and this is what I found.

The first few hundred words are almost always great, and I love them, but it quickly becomes apparent that my mind wasn’t on the writing. So where was it going? What was I thinking about? In the end, I had to admit that I was attempting to write while my mind was playing out the scenes like a movie. I was writing a script in my mind, and that’s how it was coming out on paper, or screen.

Bob picks up the sword.

Bob swings the sword.

Bill ducks, evading the attack.

Camera swing to the left.

Yah, no fun to read at all. I had never thought that my focus would play such a big role in how my writing turned out, but it looks like it does. In an effort to power full steam ahead, I had turned the wheel over to my fingers and let my mind-the device containing all of the brains, imagine that-wander back into the rear seat and throw out an occasional blip of unimportant, unheeded info. I had become a Backseat Writer.

The funny part was, once I noticed this and made note of it, it doesn’t happen anymore. It’s really not that difficult of a thing to do, honestly. All you have to do is get comfortable and let it rip, and if you aren’t paying really good attention, you end up somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle instead of New York city.

How to stay in the driver seat? Getting in is just as easy as getting out. All you have to really do is stay conscious about your writing and make sure that your focus stays on the words, rather than the epic scene playing out in your mind. Remember, your a writer, not a movie director.

And there’s another one for the road.

THE WEEKLY WRITER

YWS's Unofficial Writing-Related Newsletter

Welcome to this week's edition of the Weekly Writer! Before we go further, a shoutout to the cast and crew:



Now onto the articles!

So, if you don't already know, us judges over at Writer of the Week, (known as the Academy,) and the dear Lucrezia in particular, created an Employee of the Month title. This is our second month with the title up for grabs, and this week we bring you a fabulous winner.

If you haven't guessed from the title, this week's EOTM is @WritingWolf. Shall we take a look at the interview?

The Weekly Writer: Hi WritingWolf! Congrats on being Employee of the Month for June!

WritingWolf: Thank you so much. It makes me so happy! I really don't know what to say.

The Weekly Writer: Speechless? Lol, well can you find your voice to answer a few questions?

WritingWolf: Probably. Hopefully. But be careful, once I find it it may not stop.
Fire away.

The Weekly Writer: Haha ok!

First off, what was your reaction when you found out? Were you shocked? Surprised? Suspecting of it?

WritingWolf: Well, ever since the first WOTM was announced I've been paying attention to everyone at WOTW trying to guess at who might get EOTM. I will admit that I did think I had a chance, but I didn't think it would be for awhile (probably not until closer to the end of the year).

When I saw that I was EOTM the very next month, well, I had no idea what to do. I was just so happy! And everyone was so encouraging. They kept on saying thank you, and most of the time I didn't know how to respond. It still hasn't really sunk in, I am the second EOTM ever.

Every time someone brings it up I just want to say thank you. I feel like the other members of the WOTW team might start finding it a little redundant. But really "thank you" is the only way to describe how I feel.

Thank you guys so much.

The Weekly Writer: Wow. Well, you definitely deserved it.

This may seem a bit, conceited, but do you have any idea of why you were named EOTM?

WritingWolf: Well, I have had several people thank me for my ideas and commitment to WOTW and TWW. So I think those two probably have something to do with it.

I would love to know why you think I got EOTM?

The Weekly Writer:I know why you got EOTM silly. I choose you as EOTM.

WritingWolf: Oh, I wasn't sure if the decision was entirely up to you, or if there was a group of people who chose, or if someone else chose and you just did the announcing/interview.

So why?

The Weekly Writer: Mess and I really appreciate everything you've done for the Academy and The Weekly Writer. And I think I speak for both of us when I say the following:

It really means a lot to us to see someone like you so dedicated to TWW and the Academy. How you come up with all these amazing ideas to help us. And every week you always take the time to vote and nominate for WOTW. You edit for TWW and wrote your own articles.

So thank you. Thank you, because I'll honestly say that I don't even know if there was another option for EOTM besides you. You totally blew out all competition and I really appreciate everything.

Thank you.

WritingWolf: Wow, You're welcome. Thank you. I, um, I'm glad I had the opportunity to make you so happy.
I don't know what to say, again.

The Weekly Writer: Haha well is there anything you want to say to future EOTM's?

WritingWolf: One thing, just because you get EOTM doesn't mean you can stop working hard! I will try my hardest to continue being as helpful as I have been, and if possible, maybe be even more helpful. I hope that the future EOTMs will attempt to do the same. EOTM is a wonderful honor, but it shouldn't be a goal. In my mind any member who works had is EOTM, even if they don't actually get the title.

The Weekly Writer: Wow. Those are some words of wisdom. I'm sure our future EOTM's will take them to heart.

And that about sums it up! Thank you WritingWolf, for that wonderful interview and everything you do for the Academy!

Until next month!

Jaye C. Shore: Hey WOTW!

cleverclogs:

JC: Would you mind if I asked you a few questions for this weeks WOTW article, spotlighting yourself?

CC: Not at all!

JC: Sweet! Let's get started then. So, were you surprised to find out you were WOTW?

CC: Yes. I wasn't expecting anything like it at all. It was a very pleasant surprise, though. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

JC: Warm fuzzies are always good.
Did you know WOTW existed before this?

CC: Yes, but I never really took the time to look at it. I will now, though.

JC: I take note that you've only been here for a month, almost. And 71 reviews! That's impressive! Do you enjoy YWS?

CC: Thanks. I really upped my game on review day. And yes, I enjoy YWS. To the point that it's almost an addiction. I'm on whenever I can be. I love that everyone's so friendly and that they actually leave reviews! (I'm looking at you, Wattpad.) Not to mention, there are tons of people who share my interests and fandoms, and I have people to geek out with.

JC: Lol. "Geek out with." That's awesome. If your life depended on it, what would you say is your absolute favorite part of YWS?

CC: That's probably one of the most difficult questions I've ever been asked. I'd have to say... posting and reviewing works. I love getting feedback (praise isn't bad either and helping other people, too. My mother's a freelance editor. It must be genetic. XD

JC: Must be. You seem very talented, both in the writing, and reviewing ends of the spectrum. And by seem I mean "are".

CC: Haha, thanks. Means a lot to me.

JC: That's actually one of the reasons you were nominated for WOTW. Activity on the site plays a big part.
Now, I have a very important question to ask.

CC: ...yes?

JC: Cheesecake, or Choco-chunk brownies with chocolate swirls?

CC: WHAT? FORGET WHAT I SAID ABOUT THE OTHER QUESTION BEING DIFFICULT THIS TOPS ALL!
Cheesecake, though.

JC: Good, you made the right choice. Otherwise we'd have to send you to counseling.
All right, last question.
What is your goal for your writing? Where do you see yourself in...let's say, five years?

CC: Oooh, I don't know. Still on this site, hopefully. I hope I can start a novel and y'know, actually be able to finish. There's a reason all my works are short stories. XD I haven't really decided where I want to go in life (remember, I'm only 13), but writing is definitely a possibility. I want to expand into other areas, like poetry and novels. I don't know if that really answered the "five years" part, but that's what I have to say. Smile

JC: Ah, well, the five years don't really matter. It's all about the now, anyways. Have you ever considered compiling your shorts?

CC: I have now. XD But I think I'd wait until I have quite a bit more of them.

JC: True. Well, I assure you that YWS will help you out on your journey. There's plenty of really good people who have been through the drudgery of writing and rewriting, editing and publishing. I know they'll help you out.
And just remember, whatever happens, you'll always have at least one fan!

CC: ...my mother? XD

JC: Well, hopefully. But no...ME!

CC: D'aaaaw! Thanks.

JC: Well, I suppose I'll stop asking questions and let you have your own time back.
But seriously, I really liked your stories. And many of your other works. You have great talent, and it will take you far.

And that concludes the interview. If you would, please take some time to go congratulate @cleverclogs and maybe even review some of her works. You won't be disappointed!

-JC-

Publishing Your Book is Possible

Writing a book is a long journey, one that many of us begin but never fully finish. A journey that many of us want to begin, but don’t know how. All of us young and old writers alike are intimidated by at least one thing. Rejection.

What will people think of my book? Will they hate it? They are the controversial questions that we always ask ourselves, no matter what it is we are publishing or even where we are publishing the work.

When in doubt, and unsure of what to do, or just need a boost of encouragement, it’s always a good idea to look at how others have done. Writers that didn't give up and kept pushing forward. Refusing to give up and move on. Determined to make writing something that they could actually do and not just a hobby, but a profession.

I asked a published author for some time for an interview, and she was happy to answer my questions. Her name is Christi Corbett and her book is titled Along the Way Home.

Timmyjake: So how long did it take you to publish Along the Way Home?

Christi: Publishing is a tough business and not for quitters. While right now I’m happily thinking of how to best promote my debut novel, it took over THIRTEEN years to get to said happiness.

Yes, it took me thirteen years to go from, “Hey, I’ve got a really great idea for a book!” to signing the publication contract from Astraea Press.

Timmyjake: Wow, and you didn't think about giving up during that time?

Christi: There were plenty of times during those thirteen years when I considered quitting. Considered that maybe I didn't have it in me to go the long haul. Considered that maybe the process was just too hard. Considered that maybe my story idea was stupid and no one would want to read about a family’s adventures and misfortunes on the 1843 Oregon Trail.

But, even though over those thirteen years there were plenty of days, months, and even years when I didn't write at all, there was always a little voice deep inside me, rooting me on and saying “Don’t worry. Right now you’re dealing with a lot, but when things calm down you’ll get back to this story.”

Timmyjake: I guess we all have that voice! Just some choose to listen to it, and others to ignore it.

How many times did you rewrite your book?

Christi: I ripped my book apart and revised it, from the first word to the last…SIX TIMES. Then I found a local writing group and two critique partners who showed me I had a lot more work to do. So I revised it again…TWO MORE TIMES.

Timmyjake: How many times did you have to submit your work to publishers before someone published it?

Christi: A few months into it I had around forty rejections, but I also had six agents and three editors (Medallion Press, Tor/Forge, and a small press) reviewing requested partials/fulls, an R&R offer from an agent, and an offer pending from another small press.
And then I finally decided it was time to query the one publisher I’d had my eye on for months. I sent off a query to Astraea Press late one afternoon, and woke up the next morning to an offer! And it was my birthday too!

Timmyjake: Wow, that was probably a really exciting day for you, then! I betcha it was an awesome birthday present.

Do you have any last words or bits of advice that you would like to give other writers?

Christi: Never ever EVER give up. On your path to publication you’re going to hear horrific things about your writing and your story lines, you’re going to get rejection after rejection and then a bunch more, but if you keep going in the face of those criticisms and continually strive to learn all you can about the craft of writing, and you NEVER QUIT, you will succeed. Because all it takes is one person to say yes.

I had over 50 rejections on the day I queried Astraea Press. I got many more after I signed the contract (publishing is slow and agent response times are even slower). I got two rejections the week before it released, one more on release day, and then yet another on the very day I hit Number One on Amazon’s Top 100 list for Hot New Releases in Westerns.
Imagine if I had taken all those rejections as a sign I shouldn't be a writer and gave up!


Timmyjake: Thanks for your advice, Christi! I think it is very helpful to everyone aspiring to be a writer, or just having a hard time keeping going… Like me.

I hope this helped some of you with your confidence. You don't have to listen to rejection, and you don't have to listen to those who critique it harshly, and toss it aside. You are going to have people telling you that your book is rubbish, but you just have to push through that and keep writing, keeping in mind that the next top-selling novel out there could be yours.