Young Writers Society

Cookies have them...so does yogurt - and also people! But did you know that Storybooks also have expiration dates?

As many of you have encountered, even the most promising Storybook dies. Sometimes even before it's taken off, or right in the middle of some elaborate action scene.

Here are some simple ways that you can accurately calculate your Storybook's dying day. It's not as easy as encountering cockroaches, having the stench of dead dairy product explode in your face as you open the container, or recognizing rigor mortis.

1. How many people are actively invested in it?
Studies have shown that people with companionship and serious relationships live longer. The same is true with storybooks. How many people in your storybook are looking to help it succeed and are willing to give it little pushes in the right direction when it's lost its way? If the number is small, zero, or negative (are people trying to bring it down?!) then you'd better get its affairs in order. However, that's not your only option. Drumming up support for a storybook is pretty easy. Make sure you're not being an overprotective parent. Let others have a say in the direction of your storybook and you'll find that, with a bit of friendship and support, your storybook will live a longer and happier life.

2. Does it "Keep to itself"?
This is one of the main things neighbors of serial killers say about them. It turns out, if your only friends are the ones living in your head, you're in for some problems. If not enough communication takes place amongst the authors of your storybooks, heads could roll. You want everyone on board with what's taking place on RMS Your Storybook. This doesn't necessarily mean you need to be on constant chat with everyone in your storybook, only that you should consider the characters that you are including in your storybook, the action that took place before your post, and the direction the storybook is meandering towards. It's a group project, so don't "keep to yourself" and ignore what others have contributed. Else-wise, you may want to put a second mortgage on that house and start planning your storybook's funeral.

3. Does it have a solid foundation?
Something that does not have a solid premise will more often than not, fail to succeed. In terms of storybooking, this means a number of different things. If the parent of the storybook is trying to teach it how to ride a bike, they shouldn't set it on a bike and send it down a hill to see if it would catch on. That storybook would probably die. This parent should make sure that there is enough instruction given beforehand and do that thing where they walk next to bike and hold on to it until the rider's balanced and stuff. To elaborate on the analogy, make sure you the creator are willing to provide enough details and a good starting post that will allow your fellow authors the chance to take off with it. Or else the storybook won't have legs to stand on, won't be able to support itself, and will die.

Hopefully, you can now tell whether your storybook is the top name on Death's clipboard.

I'm going to break this to you now though: Every storybook will die. Just like we'll all die some day. But it's important that you give it a good run and ensure that it's full potential is reached before it does. Every storybook has its life before them and you are in control over whether it makes the most of it, lives fast and dies young, or dies before it even knew it had been alive in the first place.

I'm sure there are more ways one can tell if a storybooks is facing its expiration date in the near future. You should let me know by replying to this post!

Thanks,
Threnody