Squills 9/1-9/8/13

Welcome to Squills, the official news bulletin of the Young Writers Society!

What will you find here? Tons of interesting news about YWS, including but not limited to: articles about writing, art, and the world of humanities; interviews with YWS members; shameless plugs; link round-ups; and opinionated columns.

And where will all of this come from? Take a look at our fantastic creative staff!

Spoiler

Editor-in-Chief
Hannah

General Editors
Iggy
ShadowVyper

Friendly Neighborhood Robot
SquillsBot

Friendly Neighborhood Cow
CowLogic

Literary Reporter
SparkofDoubt

Community Reporter
Sapi

Storybook Report
vacant! -- if interested in applying, PM Hannah

Link Cowgirl
megsug

Quibbles Columnist
skorlir

Social Correspondent
StellaThomas

General Reporters
Cspr
BlackNether12
ArcticMonkey
HomeschooledTeen
AfterTheStorm

Past Editors-in-Chief
GriffinKeeper
AlfredSymon

Of course, our content can’t come only from our staff. We also depend on you to help keep Squills successful. You’re all a part of a writing community, after all. If you’re interested in submitting to Squills, pop on over to the Reader’s Corner to find out how you can get involved by contributing an article or participating in other Squills activities.

Well, that’s all I have for now. So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy!

1. YWS MYTHBUSTING
2. EXTRA! EXTRA! HOMESCHOOLEDTEEN AVOIDS HORROR AND EROTICA!
3. IT’S FUN TO BE AT THE YWS!
4. FEATURED RESOURCE ARTICLE
5. QUIBBLES
6. THE UNSUNG GEMS OF THE POETRY FORUMS
7. GREEN ROOM GALLERY
8. SOCIETY PAGES
9. COW SAYS: SEPTEMBER 1st, 2013
10. NEW ARRIVALS
11. THIS WEEK'S ROUNDUP - 9/1
12. SHAMELESS PLUGS
13. SUBSCRIBERS

YWS MYTHBUSTINGwritten by ArcticMonkey < PM: >

Since I've been on YWS for quite a while, I sometimes feel myself reading/writing the same things in reviews for literary works which then the author or others may disagree with. Often, it boils down to opinion, even though people may argue that there are certain rules to follow for these sorts of things. Let's take a look at some of these mythical hard rules and see if they hold any weight.


MYTH: ALL POETRY MUST BE PRESCRIPTIVELY CAPITALIZED

It's a common statement in poetry reviews. "I like your material, but you are supposed to capitalize the front of every line!" "This poem would be great if you knew how to capitalize! Put some effort into it."

Well, let's break it down. First off, poetry doesn’t follow the same rules as prose. Though all the poems you read in school may have been capitalized, academic writing is often different from the current literary climate. Some authors choose to leave their poem in the lower case because of style/ preference. Members argue that this is incorrect English. But @PenguinAttack, who is part of the Poetry Crew on YWS says:






@Persy says,








Next!

MYTH: EVERY NOVEL MUST HAVE A PROLOGUE

The second thing I wanted to talk about, which @Deanie brought up, is about prologues in novels. Are they really necessary?

@Deanie says,






@Rosey%20Unicorn says,






There is more info of what Rosey is talking about here . I personally am not a huge fan of prologues in novels, because I think they’re sometimes just a bit unnecessary and the story would be better just starting off at chapter one.

@SushiSashimi333, however, says,







Next!

MYTH: RHYMING POETRY IS AMATEUR

The last thing I’m going to tackle is again about poetry, but this time about a technique which is often used. Rhyming. I’ve noticed after reading various reviews of poetry on YWS, a lot of people don’t like poems that rhyme, or think it isn’t really necessary to rhyme in poetry. There are some members who are absolutely against the practice, saying that outside of special circumstances, rhyme always weakens a poem.

@JabberHut says,






@Seraph says,






I generally use rhymes in my poems because I usually like adding melodies to my poems, but I think it really depends on the style and message of the poem. Often, rhyming can become distracting, but sometimes it can work really well. Who can really stand up to the power of poems such as Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven ?



So that’s all for this week! If you liked this Squills article, let us know in the Squills Fan Club , and we may potentially turn this into a new column. Also, let us know if you have any writing myths you’d like to be tackled, and we’ll take them into consideration.

EXTRA! EXTRA! HOMESCHOOLEDTEEN AVOIDS HORROR AND EROTICA!written by Hannah < PM: >

The newest featured member on the front page is Squills' very own @HomeschooledTeen. Though you already know her from her work in this publication, Hannah sat her down to ask some questions that may reveal a more personal side to this week's YWS hero.



HomeschooledTeen: Do you mean what does this mean for my offline life?

Well, truth is that I don't really have much of one right now, which is why I'm able to be so dedicated. While I am currently a senior in school I get my work done within a few hours. I do have a job, but it's seasonal and I'm currently not working. I'm home a lot, and I'm always on my computer. As long as YWS doesn't interfere with my school work (which it doesn't) I can be on it as long as I like. And I am. I log on at least once every couple of hours.



HS: YWS has definitely awoken my self awareness. Up until now, only one individual besides myself had ever read what I've written. I'm very self-conscious when it comes to my writing. My parents haven't even seen it. No offence, I love you guys, but I don't know you outside of here. That gave me a sense of freedom to get critique from impartial judges. I never thought that I was this good, to make it this far in so short a time.

What have I learned? That's a loaded question. I've learned that grammar is important, but there are times when it can be ignored. I've learned how to combat the demon formatting. I've learned that there are all kinds of writers out there, and everyone is different.

But most of all, I've learned that no matter what you're going through, there is someone on YWS who can relate, and that the people here will rise up for you in your time of need. We really are a family on here.



HS: I'd say Jesus, but he's a little busy right now, so I'll say Tim Hawkins . His comedy is brilliant. I would love to read the things that he would write. And he supports home-schooling, which is a big plus in my book.



HS: I think that everyone has the potential to learn to write well, but not that everyone has the potential to be a good writer, if that makes any sense.

For example, I can sing very well. But I'm never going to be as good as Whitney Houston, or Celine Dion.

Being a good writer is not something that you learn. It's a God-given talent.



HS: For Tim?

He wouldn't be a best seller, but he would be pretty popular, as long as he stuck to humor/comedy.

I see an unopened journal if he ever attempted a romance.



HS: Well, he is a Christian comedian, but he does crack jokes about his marriage. Nothing dirty, but it's still there. He obviously loves his wife, but his public romantic bones were all replaced by funny bones at work.

One of his monologues complained about his wife punishing him for not saving her from a bear......in her dreams. He was too busy playing poker with a rabbit.

You can tell that he loves her, and his family, but comedy is what he knows. It's in his very soul. I just don't see him writing romance. If I go to that section in the bookstore and see a book with his name on the cover I'll be like, "WHAT??????? Not possible, has to be a different guy."



HS: Well, let's think. Erotica, for one.

Pretty much anything for another. Very few of my offline friends know that I am this involved in writing, and as I have already said there is only one person outside of this site that has ever read my work. My friends have never read anything of mine. Just seeing my name on a book would be a surprise for them.

But my major unopened journal would be horror. I can't even bear to see it, there's no way that I could write it.



HS: If I was younger I would say the dark. Unfortunately I don't have that option anymore.

I'm afraid of conforming. I want to be me, and to not feel like I have to change for anyone. I want to make a difference in the world. My way.
I don't want to be a quiet little housewife who pops out half a dozen kids. My mom did it, and she was awesome at it, but I'm not her. I can never be my mother, even though everyone expects me to be. It's a small farming town. That's the norm.

But because they all have these expectations, I feel like that's what I have to be. That I have to do what they want in order to make them proud of me. And that feeling scares me.



HS: My family's dream for me is to go to college, get a degree that I will never use, get married, and be the quiet little housewife.

I want to go to college, and get a degree that I will use. I want to work as a reporter or a wedding & special occasion photographer. Maybe both. I do want to get married, and I want kids when God intends for me to have them. I want to have a small farm, enough to feed us, and I don't want to live in the city. And I want my husband to love God and the land as much as I do, and to support and love me and our children, no matter what.



HS: First off, by being honest. I'm not saying that a lot of reporters lie, but I'm not going to be like that.

Secondly, by not being paparazzi. Those people who stand outside your home waiting for a story disgust me.

Lastly, by not just getting the news, but the Word out to the people. I have a blog, and while I haven't been on it much lately I have written devotionals in the past. I enjoy it.



HS: First of all, write what you have a passion for. Don't write something because the topic is popular. Next, write with your whole heart. And lastly, don't ever compromise your writing style for anyone, no matter what.



HS: Anytime.

IT’S FUN TO BE AT THE YWS!written by AfterTheStorm < PM: >

Good [/insert time of day], ladies and gentlemen. Welcome back to another interview! This week, I snatched an opportunity to chat with the wonderful @ArcticMonkey about her hilarious featured work, YWS (Parody of Y.M.C.A.)



ArcticMonkey: The pleasure is all mine.



AM: Well, I remember one day I noticed that 'YWS' had the same amount of syllables as 'YMCA' and so would work perfect as a parody. Also, I think writing song parodies are really fun, I always saw a few floating around YWS so I thought why not do one myself?



AM: Hmmm, I'm not sure I guess it was more on a whim. I posted it to hear people's thoughts on it really.



AM: I write quite a lot of songs, but they're all more serious than something like a parody. I think I wrote more sorts of silly things when I was younger but I haven't recently- I think I should!



AM: It came as quite a surprise to me as I did post this three years ago. I think it all started after a friendly neighborhood cow (@CowLogic) liked it then I think other people found out about it. I'm glad that people like it though.



AM: I was really happy! I actually recall this being featured when I first posted it up those years ago, but it definitely wasn't with this many likes so yes, very happy!



AM: Hmm, as soon as I get over a bit of dreaded writer's block!

Well, let’s certainly hope @ArcticMonkey recovers from her case of writer’s block, so the community can enjoy more of her great work again!

That’s all for this interview, folks, so as always: Write on!

FEATURED RESOURCE ARTICLEwritten by SparkOfDoubt < PM: >

Often ignored, the Resources forum is a treasure trove of wonderful knowledge. Every week, @SparkOfDoubt ventures into the Resource Forums to find articles to feature in Squills.

This week's featured Resource Article is Any Exceptional Books about Writing? topic.

Plucked from the Writing Tips forum , this article was originally posted way back in 2006, and still is an awesome reference for whenever you need that little push and are looking for some books on writing. Whether you're looking for a book on how to get published, or just for an inspirational book full of tips and quotes, this topic has something for you!

If you've ever read any books about writing that absolutely changed your life, comment here! Share your experiences with your fellow writers.


Several people for instance think The Plot Whisperer is a fabulous read! Not only does @cgirl1118 think it's super helpful, but @Catnip readily agrees! It's gotta be awesome when two people suggest it.

With five pages full of suggestions for books on every writing need, this topic is definitely something to check out and post in!

Honorable Mentions

Three, no less brilliant, wonderful topics that are so worth a read:

Kiss My Assonance - 5 ways to improve your poetry
By @barefootrunner

The Snowflake Method
By @Albanafsagia

Prose: What It Is (And Is Not)
By @Kyllorac

Be sure to check out all these awesome topics and stay tuned for next week's "Featured Resource Article" (formerly known as "Featured Writer's Corner Article).

QUIBBLESwritten by Skorlir < PM : >

Numbers of amounts of unquantifiable - or at least difficult to count – things. Yes, this week I would like to perorate needlessly about things. Grammatical things… Sort of like last week. And all those other times.

But what this week?

Counting.

In case you, like many silly folk, believe counting to be simple – well, take out your rose-hued contacts and apply some Visine (or other eyeball lubricant), because counting is one of the single most confusing and difficult propositions since the first time man suggested milking cows. That’s right. Counting is hard.

A few hard counting problems:

What is the probability of obtaining a 4-of-a-kind in 5 card stud?

What is the approximate number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy?

How many steps will it take to reach the refrigerator if you walk on your hands?

Right, so if you can easily answer those (and without using your fingers or a calculator), you may as well ignore everything I have to say from now on. (Of course, if you are capable of walking on your hands to the refrigerator, you are hereby obligated to post a video and will thereupon be rewarded props for eternity.)Disclaimers apply.

As for the rest of us, counting is very hard. Combinatorix (super counting) is a very complicated, large branch of mathematics.

But do not fret, for, in grammar, counting essentially consists of only two words: amount and number. Essentially quality and quantity - what cannot easily be counted and what can.

Alas, many writers tend to misuse these words, so I have prepared a few hopefully memorable examples of things one can have a number of, and corresponding things one can have an amount of:

Amount: money, transportation, shelter, cat pee, comfort, happiness, ecstasy, aluminum.

Number: dollars, cars, houses, cats, corduroys, jellybeans, bacon strips, soda cans.

Number/amount mistakes are made as often by professionals as amateurs – once you start spotting them, you can’t stop. The amount is just too great. All you can do is label your numbers and amounts appropriately, and hope others may learn to do the same.

Quibbles is becoming something of an every-other-weekly thing – just by the nature of inspiration and my schedule. If, at any time, Quibbles may not continue, I’ll be sure to let you all know.

Until then, I'll see you in no more than two weeks!

THE UNSUNG GEMS OF THE POETRY FORUMSwritten by SparkOfDoubt < PM: >

Join us every week as @SparkOfDoubt goes in search of poetry gems that haven't gotten the spotlight they deserve.



Silver Nights
By: @shannonlyons

We've all felt the soft nostalgic feeling that comes with a beautiful and peaceful night. This poem puts it into words for us. Slightly sad, soft and fuzzy feeling, it makes you think of the nights you spend laying on the lawn, looking up at the stars. A great poem, and a great message for the end of summer, when our beautiful nights are numbered!


I Write For You; At Least I Thought I Did
By: @SecreteJournalist

This poem's rhythm never ceases, creating a fabulous ring for the poem. Something we've all experienced, this poem talks about unrequited love and what a toll it takes on you. Flowing smoothly from one line to the next, it paints a picture for us of the girl who's in love with the football player, but he's much more interested in the popular chicks. That's not all, however. The narrator eventually realizes that maybe she never really knew the man in the first place, and that she's better off without him.



The Color Of Pain
By: @fortis

Short, sweet, and practically perfect in every way, this three line poem is quite creative. Though hard to review because of its length, it still packs a powerful punch. Saying that pain is a forced smile, fortis makes us think of all the times we've forced smiles for the benefit of others. Sometimes shorter is better, because this little haiku definitely packs a punch!


And that concludes another Unsung Poetry Gems! Join us again next week!

GREEN ROOM GALLERYwritten by HomeschooledTeen < PM: >

Ahh, here we are again my friends. Another week, another Green Room Gallery.

I asked myself today exactly what I would write about, since there are so many topics that could fit under the Green Room. I went through past editions of Squills, read all of my previous articles, and realized two things.

One: That I have been a Squills reporter for over a month now.

And two: All this time I have been writing articles to encourage you to review more, but that I have never actually covered the topic of reviewing. Shame on me.

The best place to go for the official, Nate-approved reviewing tips is The YWS Critique Sandwich .

And here's some of the things that I have learned through my struggles to stay at the top of the leader board.

1) Be honest. Never, ever, say things that you don't mean. It won't help you, and it won't help the author.
2) Don't just praise the author. Give him or her tips as well. If all you do is praise the work, then you aren't really reviewing, you're simply commenting. To review, find something to constructively criticize. Whether it's a grammar error or just something that bugs you personally, mention that to the author and suggest a fix.
3) Quote the work. Quotes can be used in many situations, such as clearly pointing out an error, calling attention to something that is not politically or grammatically correct, or celebrating a really well-written line. Use quotes to indicate clearly to the author what you're referring to.
4) Use coding for further emphasis. You know how in the publishing center you can italicize, bold out, strike through, etc? There may not be magic buttons in your review box for that, but there is code. Check out this thread for all the code that YWS can handle!

In the end, no two people review the same way. But if you follow the general method of the Sandwich, you should do just fine.

Onto the featured GR work!

Conflict of Interest-Chapter One is the current oldest work in the GR. It was written by @Alora, who joined us earlier this week, and who has already posted three different works and written eight reviews.

The description reads:

Jessica embarks on a camping trip in attempt to mend broken friendships. Emotions run high as mysterious events occur & people start to disappear...

Hmm. Sounds interesting. Why don't you give it a try? Although I must warn you, as your Green Room reporter, that this work contains an 18+ rating with warnings for violence, mature content, and language.

Looking through the GR, I realized that it hasn't even been a week since Review Day and we have already filled the Room with 40+ works. Do you think we can empty it again before the next R-Day? I do.

Now, before I go, let me beg you for feedback. How am I doing so far? Is there anything that I should cover in a future article that I haven't yet? Or any particular work you want me to mention? Let me know. You can PM me, or leave me a message in the Squills Fan Club forum. The Squills staff loves hearing back from our readers.

Log on next week for the next edition Squills, and the latest GRG article.

SOCIETY PAGESwritten by Iggy < PM: >

Welcome to the Society Pages! I, Iggy, will be temporarily taking over Lady S for the week! Why, you ask? Because @StellaThomas was busy moving into her new home with her best friend! Should be no roommate problems, eh?
Speaking of college! @Mikko and @ShadowVyper are off to university this week! Wish them lots of luck, and especially Shady, who's not feeling so dandy in her tummy.
@Noelle is also home from college, so welcome back!
@ariaadams is at a writing camp in her home country, Croatia! She promises photos and stories, so we can't wait until she returns home!
@Cailey was accepted into Capernwray Bible School in England! She's super excited and so are we.
@dutifulwriter injured her knee when walking in the rain, so wish her well and lots of time to rest and recover.
Novels are on the rise and fall! @skins managed to power through her writers block to submit the next installment of her novel, The Boy Who Broke Mirrors
On the flip side, @Deanie has halted publishing the next chapter to her novel, Eyes Wide Shut , for some extreme editing, much to the disappointment of her fans @Kevikur, @Skins, @InfiniteSnowfall, and @ArcticMonkey.
@Demeter is home safe after giving some blood, so be nice and pamper her!
@Audy is very busy due to a media literacy project she is currently very involved with, but she's always around via PM if you need her!
@SparkOfDoubt and @OmarEhab were officially married by @Hannah on Tuesday, August 27th. Let this be a date we will remember for all of time! You can check out the wedding photos, done by @louiscypher, here

And speaking of weddings... our very own @Snoink is back from her wonderful honeymoon in Rome! It was a ten day getaway during which she and her beloved husband, Matthew, explored the ruins, Italian restaurants, catacombs, and churches of the ancient country! Professional photos of the wedding should be coming in next month, but we managed to get two beautiful photos from her, one of the wedding and one of her engagement shoot ! We are so very happy for her and wish her a long and love-filled life with her husband.
That's all from me! Remember to get your scandals in to Lady S sometime soon so the gossip can be spread!

xxx

Lady S

COW SAYS: SEPTEMBER 1st, 2013 written by CowLogic < PM: >



Do you ever find flyers that you are the 1,000,000th customer on the inside of your toilet paper rolls? Then why would you for visiting a website?

-The Weekly Words of Wisdom from CowLogic

NEW ARRIVALSwritten by Hannah < PM: >

Take a moment to welcome this week’s newest members to the site!

@PlantEatingWriter is a new member with an interesting username, but no posts on our site so far. I think it will take a few words of welcome to distract her from her already active blog, Leona J. Says .

@lyricalrebel has already granted YWS members 12 reviews, so why not return the favor by dropping a comment or two on her newest poem, Come Back to Me ?

@MysteryMe has done 15 reviews so far, and has even managed to snag a literary spotlight with her work You think you want to be a writer? No you don't. .

@LoveIsInTheAir hates seafood, overly used memes, and loudmouths, but she loves giving and getting reviews. Since joining, she's contributed 14 reviews, so why not stop by her piece, Everything You Said- mysong and return the favor?

@GreenLight24 is a faithful Azula follower who has also blasted into the literary spotlight twice since joining with his fan fiction piece titled Vicky...Not so Icky? . Worry not, because this member has also provided YWSers with 18 reviews so far!

@krissigalea is a new member from Malta, who stays up late to review us. She's written up 12 reviews so far, so wouldn't it be nice to appreciate her contributions with a review on one of her poems? Why not check out Timeline ?

@MikaylaThompson is still getting the hang of YWS, but has managed to post her first work: The Secret Life of Ava French - Chapter One . Why not drop a review on this action/adventure and sci-fi piece to show Mikayla how it's done and encourage her to make some reviews of her own?

THIS WEEK'S ROUNDUP - 9/1
written by Hannah < PM: >

First, you take the mouse and BAM, you click it up a notch! Let's see what spicy links are in store for us this week~



Okay, she doesn't ask you to put it out there for the world to see, but Adna collects postcards, and she's made a thread in the lounge asking for exchanges! Of course, this thread is not exciting for everyone. Poor @yubbies21 chimes in with






For those of you with more control over your mail situation (or parental permission), feel free to hop over to the thread and offer what postcards you have to send.



When @Stori suggested a forum feature he'd seen on other sites, Nate didn't quite understand what all the clamor was about. Instead of outright dismissing the suggestion, however, our fearless leader said,






Will Stori's suggestion be successful? The post is currently hanging at a single like, but if you support the addition of this feature, you're welcome to make your voice heard by clicking a single button!



You may have heard of the YWS marriage of Peyton and Omar in the Society Pages article, but did you see this beautiful artistic contribution to the ceremony? Sadly, Lateritic's graphic seems to be the only present sitting out on the wedding table. You didn't even bring a set of measuring cups?! What is the world coming to these days?

SHAMELESS PLUGS

written by SquillsBot < PM: >

We love to run articles and questions, but we also love to advertise for you. Let people know about your new blog, a poem or story you’re looking for reviews on, or a forum thread you’d like more traffic on through Squills’ Shameless Plugs. PM @SquillsBot with the exact formatting of your advertisement, contained in the following code.

CodeSelect all

Place advertisement here. Make sure you include a title!

She calls it: The Prompts Contest . Several people have already joined. All you have to do is write a short story that includes the prompts you are given, post it, and you have a chance to win! There are some sweet prizes involved, so don't miss out!




This is the official announcement for the beginning of The YWS Book Club . The club will commence with its first book, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green! Beginning on September first, our very own @SparkOfDoubt and @Sakuragirl1 will be teaming up to lead you, the readers, on an adventure through the mind of two young teenagers: Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters. Throughout the month you'll do character analysis, plot analysis, chapter reviews, and other fun and games!



Join the club and start reading today!

*a PDF version will be provided for those who do not have access to the book*

That's all folks~ Now send us yours.

SUBSCRIBERS

written by SquillsBot < PM: >

Find enspoiler-ed a list of our subscribers!

Spoiler

@SquillsBot • @Carina • @ShadowVyper • @ArcticMonkey • @Hannah • @Dante • @LouisCypher • @VeerenVKS • @megsug • @BlackNether12 • @thewritersdream • @Letiki • @Aley • @Rydia • @Alpha • @skorlir • @HomeschooledTeen • @AriaAdams • @neko • @Aquila90 • @DudeMcGuy • @kayfortnight • @Cole • @Blackwood • @manisha • @fortis • @HighTop • @cgirl1118 • @KittyCatMeow • @DrStrangelove • @ChocoCookie

Do you, too, want to be enspoiler-ed and receive a personal weekly notification when the Squills newsletter is posted? Shoot a PM over to SquillsBot to let him know, and you'll be pinged along with the next issue!