Young Writers Society

Thank you Yewis, but most importantly thank you Pat Buchanan, whose conservative spending and protectionist trade policies have allowed this blue piece of webspace to endure throughout the centuries.

And thank you, @Nate, for providing the shadow government the people deserve.

I cannot write anything more that everyone else on this thread has not already expressed, but, nonetheless, I can offer my thanks for YWS.

Here is my YWS story.

In 6th grade, a dozen people from New Zealand visited my school to see how our technology system was helping our education. At the time, we were working in small groups, making commercials with the iPads. One New Zealand guy was asking us questions, and when he learned that I wanted to be a writer, he told me about an online writing blog. I don't think that he was talking about YWS specifically (and I couldn't remember if he was), but it wasn't until April of 8th grade when I took up his advice.

That is when a simple Google search changed my writing life.

For one thing, I learned that one-lined sentences make everything more dramatic.

Even if it is a bit cliche.

I attribute the A+'s for my first three essays of high school to the practice I have gained here over this past summer, whether it be from storybooks, reviewing chapters, or working on my own novel. I remember that my first essay grade of 8th grade was terrible, simply because I was out of writing practice.

This site has given me this and much more. Thank you, YWS. You're the best.

Four years ago, I was a young child living in a remote rural Washington town. I was just starting to get active on the internet, and I was looking to find communities that appealed to me. I found a few young movie buff forums, a few composer forums, and - well, look at that, I found YWS too. Over just one year, I found friends, I wrote short films, and I built myself through this community. These days - well, I still live in that Washington town, but I'm a much different person now than I was back then, and this site was responsible for at least some of it. Movies became the only option for my life's direction. Writing is now a passion, and just thinking about writing is more like an obsession. The passage of time is not something I enjoy, but in this case it feels... good, pure, right - some other word that escapes me at this hour. YWS may already be ten but the legend will live on for years to come. And you can be sure I'll be thanking all of you in my Oscar speech.

I can't even begin or thank YWS and @Nate enough. I've met so many amazing people through YWS, some of whom I've even had the chance to meet in real life, even though none of them lives in the same country as me! Well, until a few months ago, I mean. Because if it wasn't for YWS, I wouldn't have @Charlie II as a roommate.

YWS is my favourite and all of you are my favourites on YWS. All except @Meshugenah. I don't really like her.

I'm aware that I'm late, but going into a debate tournament in the middle of the state sucks.

Anywho, a year ago on July 3rd 2013, a young Drstrangelove was looking for websites to write on that isn't called Wattpad (where no one pays attention to you). I was a sucky writer, so I decided to join and pretend I was some big shot who lied about his age just so he didn't have to grab parents permission (my birthday is July 7th, and I didn't want to wait)

A lot of you guys are amazing. I swear, some of the works I read on here are just extraordinary. I looked down on myself, thinking that I wouldn't fit in. There are some people who motivated me, though. Such as @Birkhoff , who actually read my works and helped me shape as an author (plus has a cool movie taste). Or @Rosey%20Unicorn , who helped me when I got a bad review and literally thought about quitting the site.
I was such a baby back then.

My angst filled satire poetry streak happened, but when criticism came it helped me change my mind a little bit and adjusted me to different styles. A person who reviewed these for me sometimes that actually pushed me was @magpie , believe it or not. I then posted a poem on an alternate, and it helped me.

I got a head start when it came to writing in school. According to my English teacher, I have a great 'writer's voice'. Which I don't think so, but that's just me. I'm a very simple person, it's natural.

Sure, I've made a few enemies here and there. Been insulted before, treated like a little kid (i am a man), or that I don't know anything. This isn't the biggest part, as this is a true community.

Many arguments, disagreements, and member mod warnings later, I end up here. Being a piece of the wall known as Young Writers' Society. Talking to other members, interacting, and learning more.

Plus, as a writer, I have tried many different things. Very offensive essays with a friend ( @Blackwood), Storybooks where I quit in the first two weeks, listening to new music (Thanks to Music Buffs), and stuff like that.

I would like to say thank you to old friends, such as @Flite or @Laure . We barely talk anymore, but eh. @JayeCShore (or commonly known as @AEChronicle) , especially. You are never active anymore and you leave to go to Japan for two years in a month, so this is a perfect time to say bye.

The biggest thank you should go to @Nate . You are a great site owner. You made me feel apart of something. That's the greatest thing a human being can do, create an united community.

I love YWS with all my heart. You guys are great.

EDIT: I am very politically incorrect. Hong Kong is in China, not Japan I'm pretty sure.

Thank you for creating something so tangible and beautiful that I am compelled to say thank you.

The best thing about YWS is the way this site functions. I have my own quirky experience to share.

I had written 2 short stories in January. My parents arent quite fond of satires, neither are my friends. I desperately wanted to show my stories to someone who was passionate about reading. While surfing on net, I saw this blog post which gave a list of websites which had Wattpad, fictionpress, YWS, and many more. Desperate to share my story, I had made nearly 17 accounts on almost all the writing websites listed there.

I posted my story on all these sites. I opened YWS after a week and I had as many as 13 notifications, which included welcome posts, comments and reviews on my story. This was quite surprising for me, because the remaining websites had more or less ignored my story. No wonder I never visited them back and became a permanent YWS member

I also like the fact that here, bad is called bad. I cant grow if I refuse to believe that my work is below average and needs improvement. I have cringed, yelled and shouted on many reviewers who were brutally honest. But the fact is, they have really really helped me!

YWS is special because its not about glossy and attractive designs here. For any newcomer, attractive website is not the aim (at least not for me) The way @Nate has designed it, it is really easy to access most of the functions without any issues. There are loads of people who are modestly helping newcomers, both to access this site and improve their writing.

Fun fact is, most people on "Young" writers society are really matured. I have been saying that I'm gonna leave this site because of my studies for nearly 5 months but I find it really difficult to give up. @Nate thanks a lot for assembling all passionate, charismatic writers together on one site. I can go on with minute details like auto-save, star system, but this comment is getting rather long! Personally, YWS has really helped me shape my writing in a really big way!

A big thank you guys, keep rocking! Stay awesome!

Before I forget--thank you, @Nate, for this patch of blue on my computer screen.

Thank you, YWS, for helping me see in a way that my glasses never could.

Thank you for meaning so much to me that when it comes to listing down exactly why I'm saying thank you ... I'm rendered wordless. I don't know what to say. YWS has always been home, a place where I can escape to and people won't judge me. Thank you for letting me be heard. Thank you for teaching me not to fear my own writing, and not to be hesitant with letting my ideas be drawn to the page. Thank you for letting me make mistakes and, more importantly, to feel happy when someone points them out--and I can rectify them.

*perches on a chair and peruses list of thankyous.*


Nearly a year ago, I typed in 'platforms for young writers online' on Google. YWS showed up in the results, among other sites. At first it felt a little odd on here, but the community was so very, very friendly that I thought I'd stay. And when I settled down, I was all like: THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE ME HERE. People who loved reading and writing and vociferously devoured words like they actually meant something to them.

YWS has let me meet so many wonderful people, people I've stayed up half the night chatting or writing with. I wouldn't ever have imagined being able to interact so easily with people from across the globe. Never shall I forget those three a.m write-ups with Goldy, chatting with @TimmyJake and @Deanie and all you amazing, amazing people. Thank you so much for bearing with me, guys. <3

Erm, I guess the last thing I can say is this: Twenty or so years later, when I look back at life, I'll remember YWS. It's become a part of my life; it's helped me grow up.

So yeah, I'll remember you.

Well, I'm pretty new here, so I'm just starting to get to know the awesomeness that is YWS. But so far, I'm really, really glad I joined. This is such a great place. I'd been looking for something to motivate my writing for a while when I had the idea of finding an online writing community. I'm shy, so I wanted one that wasn't one of those huge, really well-known sites, but I also didn't want to feel like I was an intruder into a small clique. Then I found YWS, and it was exactly what I was looking for!

I love how this site is so diverse and varied. I love how there are clubs, forums, and blogs in addition to posting and reviewing literary works. There is just so much to do on here! The amount of time I've been spending on here just exploring is only comparable to the amount I spent when I first discovered TVTropes about a year ago!

I also love the review system. It's a great way to ensure that everybody's work gets some attention. Plus, I really like reviewing, and this is already helping me grow as a reviewer as well as a writer!

Finally, I love how this site is motivating me to write more. It's just what I hoped would happen! Talking with people about writing every day is making me spend more time on writing. Mission accomplished! Thank you @Nate for all you've done to make this site a haven for young writers!

Hey, YWS! You might not remember me under my old username, but I talk about it all the time. I was called KnightHuntress. Only on here for a while. I made a welcome forum, replied a couple of times, attempted too review, then left. Now, how I found YWS is something magical, and really cool (in my opinion).

It was a dark, and stormy night. Nine year old me was sitting at her computer... Until her dad brought up something called "NANOWRIMO!" Dun, dun, dun. She immediately made an account, and started to plan her novel. Little did she know that the little decision would change the way she wrote-- forever. Some of the details are fuzzy. She might have made an account that same night, or did it the next day. All she knows now that a simple Google search changed her life.

Raven had found a few forums. None of them were really for her.

Some hurt her eyes, others were too confusing for her tiny brain to try and figure out.

Then she found YWS.

It didn't hurt her eyes as much, and it had a chat room! Brilliant, was one of her many thoughts.

So, she chatted. Today, she cannot recall much of that which was talked about. However, for the first time... she felt welcomed on a site. So, Raven stayed.

Raven didn't stay for long.

Within a few days, she left.

No one knew why, not even her.

The next few months are history. A lot happened, though. The girl turned ten, got an idea for a book (which is currently on its 34th chapter), lost some friends, gained some friends. However, she was missing something. Even with her fanfiction, and ideas-- she couldn't actually write.

Everything. Almost everything was scrapped at some point.

Looking back on it, Raven wished she had saved some things.

Though, something happened... Something made her come back. Under a new username. RavenMoonStone was perfect. Her pen name could be her writing username. It was excellent.

So, she started to be more active. Getting into the chatroom once more, going to the forums. Raven joined on the 12th... but didn't truly become active until the 23rd. The funny thing is, she only logged back on to show her grandmother the background she had made.

It was Review Day. Raven had joined Red Writing Hood, with the intent to win. (Spoiler alert, she got five reviews in, but her team did not win.) Those five reviews were a lot. She had gotten her first star, and wanted more. Maybe that's why she stayed.

If anyone's wondering: she's eleven now. A lot older, and a lot wiser than when she first started. She has a little brother on here by the name of RickyFireStone. Raven still makes those silly grammar mistakes, and sometime tells instead of showing.

There's one more thing: she'll be staying on YWS, no matter what.

***

Thank you, YWS, for giving me a home where I can write. <3

~Rae

I swear I'm going to be sixty and still on YWS.

Thank you for everything you've done for me. I've met some of my closest friends on here (@lostthought @RavenMoonStone)- something I never thought would happen. And my 1 year anniversary is in a month and a half. Who knows how I'll be then.

~Aure