What do you love most about YWS?

I'm always curious to find out what other people like the most about the site.

I hate to say it, but I think it's slowly croaking. I don't remember another time when a simple post like this in the Lounge could go unanswered for this long. Even with the chatroom back no one is ever there. I guess it's tough competing for eyes in 2019. My favourite thing is that it's still here, though, persisting.

Totally love the reviews! One of the main reasons I'm on here is to get my work critiqued, so, yeah. I like reviewing other people's work, too. Also, I read so many thought-provoking works on here. It's great.

I love how nice everyone is. Sometimes I get the feeling I can't say anything on the internet without being judged, but this place is different. Here, I feel I don't have to act different to fit in, I'm just accepted as I am.

@Prokaryote I certainly hope not, though I do see where you're coming from. There has to be some way to inject some life into this place somehow. Also, perhaps everyone's just focused a little more on reviews than the forum. Speaking of which...

@WinnyWriter I love the reviews too! It gives the feeling that we're not all just here to promote our own works, but rather to help each other improve however we can.

Prokaryote wrote:I hate to say it, but I think it's slowly croaking. I don't remember another time when a simple post like this in the Lounge could go unanswered for this long. Even with the chatroom back no one is ever there. I guess it's tough competing for eyes in 2019. My favourite thing is that it's still here, though, persisting.

I feel you. It's far quieter on here now than when I first joined. I think that the chatroom just doesn't have the same magic as its dear, departed cousin, the chat bar. For me personally, I adored the chat bar but could never get into the chatroom. Something about the one-on-one intimacy of the bar made it feel special—like talking to a friend in real life—whereas the chatroom always felt more, I dunno, Internet-y. I know a lot of people back in the day joined the site for feedback on their writing but then stuck around because of the friendships they made, which they were able to maintain primarily through the bar. Without that feature, the site's just not the same. I understand it was taken away for necessary, logical reasons, but still. It's hard not to miss it, especially seeing how sharply the site activity has dropped off since its closure.

Anyway, enough about chat.

What I love most is the fact that YWS isn't just a time-wasting site, the way certain other teen-oriented websites (cough cough social media cough cough) are. You can actually improve your writing on here, get advice, learn, grow, refine your projects, et cetera. I joined in Dec. '13, when I was fourteen years old, with the intention of simply posting some stories and getting feedback. I gained a lot more than I expected. Specifically, I was able to take on projects and collaborate in ways that were productive, that taught me a lot. Then, years later, when I applied for college, I was able to list on my applications various things I accomplished through this website—like that I was a reporter for Squills, and that I co-created a second, unofficial YWS news source (The Weekly Writer, may it rest in peace). I ended up getting accepted at all the colleges I applied to, which were very elite, competitive universities. Of course my acceptances weren't just because of YWS, but did my experiences here play a role? I'm sure they did. (It's true what they say: Squills does look good on a college application!) If you told me when I was fourteen that this site—a place I loved spending time on and didn't really think of as an educational resource—would one day help me gain acceptance at my dream college, I wouldn't have believed it. But it did! And that's the power of YWS, I think. It's not just a fun site to hang out on, you can really grow as a person and especially as a writer. You can gain something tangible from your time here. I know I did.

UUHHHHH everything. Most of all probably the people and the opportunity. In my day to day life, it is rare to find another writer but here everyone loves writing as much as I do! Before the world made me feel ashamed and self-conscious of my work, I only had one person I really shared my work with. But since joining this program I am proud to be in such an amazing group of writers. No, I want to shout from the mountains I am a writer!! I also really love that you have to review others' work to post your own. I mean I would review others' work regardless, but I think it a cool concept. I love how I am always so excited to go onto this website, and if I didn' t have a life would probably be on it 24-7. I love getting to know other writer all around the world and hear their stories. Having a passion is amazing, but having a group with that same passion is... beyond words I might say. Everyone has been so welcoming and I absolutely loooooove it! Sometimes it can be a lil scary to put your work out there but I am learning how to navigate. Thank you so much YWS. You without a doubt have changed my life and my writer's life! 💖💖💖

The people behind it. Guys like Lightsong, Sacredlege, Mage and Traves are good fun. A good chunk of the people I know are inactive atm, but with the remaining familiar names it feels a bit closer, you feel? Like a small club of sorts lmaoo

My favorite thing(s) about this site would have to be the people! I enjoy each and every one of them and they have made my writing skills grow tremendously. No, I haven't per se, ever posted any of my personal stories on here for review or feedback like I should have but I have grew through the storybook processes.

Being able to share a story with other people through our creations have been absolutely perfect. I have this one character who has stuck with me for years since being made up for a storybook, she is waiting for her perfect story to be created that I just haven't gotten to it yet.

I used to have another account on here in like 2010 I think, so I have been around a lot and although I get on here every couple of months now, not every single day, I still love this site and hope it stays for many more years. I do see that it isn't as active as it used to be but there is still time for it to pick back up and hope that it really does!!

-Nicole-

One thing I love about this site are the people. They are just so friendly and supportive, and it's great talking to them. However, if I am honest, I feel like the moderating isn't what it should be. I've met some very rude people, who got all over me just for misunderstanding something I said as homophobic...I reported them...but I don't understand why they were not given a temporary ban. The moderators dismissed it as user to user arguments, and said that they don't moderate stuff like that. I wish they did ):.
On the bright side, though, most people here are usually willing to make peace, and I have actually had some fun, good-natured disagreements.
I don't really know what the Chat Bar is...I didn't join way back when. XD.
I definitely love reviewing. Reviewing. It's the best thing in the world.

I truly hope this site lasts through the years. Teenagers need a place where they won't be judged, and where they will be encouraged-and this site is it.
Thank you Nate for creating Y.W.S!
I hope greater things come to this site!

I love the people

1) How welcoming people are to newcomers! 2) The quality of reviews and thought that people put into critiquing/complimenting your work. 3) The community on here is superb!! 4) The site is super user-friendly for the most part (the only thing I can't figure out is how to put a theme on my blog! I'm not familiar with CSS/HTML or anything like that LOL)