They are always acting behind the scenes and put an insane amount of effort into organising events and competitions, initiatives like Squills, Adopt A Novel, the radio play, the Knights of the Green Room to name but a few. Without them, YWS simply would not exist. They are out in the fields making sure YWS runs, with forums neat and questions answered. So while we laud it over everybody in dark green, Big Brother would like to take a very long, very extended moment to reach out to our JMs who do not get half the credit they deserve for the work they put in to making YWS what it is. While they may be modest, this is an amazing group of volunteers who do everything they do out of a life of the site, of its member base and of writing.
Thank you so much, JMs, for everything you do. And not just that, but for being such a pleasant, supportive, fun group of people. The team wouldn't function if it weren't for how helpful, polite and sweet each individual is, but it is a well-oiled machine because of how easy everybody is to work with. You do everything with good grace, compassion and humour, and it's a pleasure to work with you. We love you all.
Storybook Crew
For the first three years I was on YWS, the Lit. Misc. Crew rarely had more than two active members and I didn't expect that to change, but I'm glad that it did. In some ways, the section was bigger then, encompassing areas such as Lyrics and Advanced Critiques, but it was smaller too. Storybooks was a single area, no bigger or more important than the other six in our division and nothing like the multi-storey structure we have today.
In the beginning, it was mostly Hunter and me, with some support from Griffinkeeper and Adam_Atlantian but after a while, the strain of running the Lit. Misc. Crew with a scant team was starting to show. Fortunately for us, Caligula's Launderette kindly stepped over from resources to lend a hand, particularly in the NaNoWriMo section, while we started to consider expanding the crew.
It was hard in the beginning to know what to look for in a Lit. Misc. mod - it was something I had personally never done before - but when it came down to it, the obvious candidate for the position was Maybe. She showed a great love of storybooks and displayed strong activity and skills in that area, as well as art and photography.
These same criteria were used a year later when Jiggity was invited to join the Lit. Misc. Crew. He was strongly experienced in storybooks and had participated in the NaNoWriMo, Novel Workshop and art and photography areas of the section. However, it wasn't until BenFranks joined the next year that the scripts section was given the attention it deserved.
With Ben came Elinor Brynn and in some ways, their moderating styles couldn't have been more different. While Ben was measured and more prone to extensive planning, Elinor was impulsive and spontaneous, but they both shared the same creativity, passion and drive which are now the foundation of this crew. A third adventurer, chibibo, joined at the same time as these two and he was as different from them both again. His focus was on storybooks in their entirety and he ventured out into the field to set a good example to one and all.
The growth of the team didn't stop there though and as they say, all good things come in threes so in November 2010, Octave, Bolt and BondGirl007 were added to the team. Octave was dilligent and progressive, while Bolt was fun loving and enthusiastic. BondGirl007 was a healthy mixture of the two. They were joined early the next year (Jan 2011) by Lumi who brought high activity and idea generation into the mix. Then in May 2011, beckiw was added to oversee art and photography and she did a great job!
The crew was expanding rapidly and so too was the storybook zone so that when Isha was taken on in Nov 2011, First Mate Charlie II was also welcomed aboard to keep a steady hand on the tiller.
Then in Dec 2012, the Lit. Misc. Crew was reorganised into the Storybook Crew as you know it today.
It was more than a year before the crew grew again, but Threnody crept onboard in Jan 2013 to help swab the decks and was joined in June 2013 by AriaAdams, barefootrunner, Carina and Ignorance. Little did we know then that Aria would later succeed me as Captain on this crew in April 2014, but right from the start, she had a keen eye and a sound head on her shoulders. She came aboard in good company with barefootrunner, Carina and Ignorance all displaying the helpful and encouraging attitude of great moderators.
In Dec 2013, it was time to fill the cabins again and ReisePiecey, Cailey, AfterTheStorm and Auxiira swelled the ranks with their dedication and passion for all things adventurous. Then the most recent addition Aquestioning stole aboard in May 2014 to be an enthusiastic and very welcome crew mate!
I've probably rambled on long enough now so I will leave you with a Storybooks timeline in the spoiler below!
Spoiler! :
@AfterTheStorm-Stormy is one of our quiet JMs when it comes to Storybooks, but don't let that fool you -- this girl could talk your ear off if you let her! One of the brightest spirits on staff, she throws herself into any project she takes on, giving it her all. Wherever she goes, she's usually followed by positive vibes, many exclamation! marks, and a sweet smile on her face. She absolutely radiates happiness, because, well, she is the sunshine after the storm! (yeah, I went there) Stormy will often take all of this, all this joy and love, and apply it to Storybooks, making her one of our most cheerful Storybookers, because of the light she brings wherever she goes. She gives everything her all and we consider ourselves very lucky to have her on our staff.
@Ecirahs (ReisePiecey)-Ericahs is always full of ideas and so willing to help others both on YWS and off. One of the things we love most is that she takes the time to welcome new members into the fold and her posts are always friendly and genuine! It's no wonder the members adore her. Over in the Storybook zone, she shakes things up and leads by example with awesome posts, strong characters, and she puts her own twists to the plots to make them imaginative and exciting. Deceptively quiet, Ericahs is somehow able to take storybooks by storm, and she is a bundle of warm energy and kind words, backed up by solid skills in communication and problem solving.
@Elinor%20Brynn- As one of the longest standing members of the Sorybook Crew, Elinor's determination and passion for the section have helped us through many a quiet period and she can always be relied upon to stand firm, even when others are knocked into inactivity by exams or other stresses of daily life. Elinor's enthusiasm would be exhausting if it weren't so magical! Ellie has a way of coming up with ideas that nobody else would, and succeeding where others might fail. Over her time as a JM, she has run official seasonal contests, organised storybooks for both training and fun, and directed the very successful YWS radio play - so good that it left us all gagging for more! Ellie seems to have boundless energy, and over her years as a member she has absolutely flourished, from DrPepperSkaterPunk (uh huh) into the bright, talented and persevering young woman she is today. She probably doesn't realise just how lucky we consider ourselves to have her on the squad.
@Lumi-A recent return to the crew and a longtime member, it's always fun to have Lumi around, because he has a really unique mind. Behind the scenes, he helps out with a lot of different YWS events, like Secret Santa, #15in15 and gift-giving, and his opinion is always the reasonable option that for some reason everybody overlooked. He's particularly known for his creative ideas and for having the drive and imagination to see them through. He's also an insanely-dedicated Storybooker, always striving hard to create new events, keep the forums organized, creating awesome Storybooks to join, and is generally a positive vibe bouncing his way through Storybooks. He's a mentor figure for everybody in the Storybook forum, always taking the time to teach somebody who's ready, willing and eager to improve their skills. We are very happy we were able to dip him back in green mold paint and put him to work!
@Omni (Omniclysm/Aquestioning)-Omni is one of those Storybookers that you just know about, the instant you peek into the Storybook forum. He is so dedicated to Storybooking that when the Grand Downfall of the Storybook Forum happpened, he, with the help of fellow Storybookers, created the Storybook Revolution, a club created with the hopes of encouraging members of the site, and those that already resided in the Storybook forum, to work together and restore the forum to its former glory. Today, the forum isn't as populated as it was before early 2013, but it's certainly a lot more populated than it was in the beginning of the Great Downfall, and that couldn't have been achieved without the help of Omni! He's made an excellent addition to the Storybook crew and is a force to be reckoned with in the Storybook forums.
Resources
Resourcers started as this tiny little crew everybody had forgotten about six years ago, and now it's expanded by leaps and bounds as it grows both by new JMs coming in from nominations and from other crews. The second JM to ever come in was Kyllorac, with Rache coming along a few years later. For years we all ran Resources with help from mods like canislupis, Jagged, Isha, ArcticMonkey, AlfredSymon, Paracosm and GoldFlame. Some of them picked Resources off the bat, some of them shifted between crews after realizing where their best fit was.
No matter how long they stayed green on the crew, they have all provided something special to the crew— something that's absolutely irreplaceable and helped build Resources into the huge success it is today. Every answer, every contact, every article has contributed to the veritable encyclopedia of knowledge and motivational advice that Resources has become, and I'm thankful to be a part of it.
I am absolutely astounded to have all of you. From what began as a crew (and section!) nearly archived multiple times from inactivity has turned into a vibrant, busy crew full of diverse perspectives, personalities, and individuals. There isn't a single thing in the section you guys can't handle, and you make sure Resources continues to grow by offering up more information than I ever thought possible to ever store in such a small group of people. I am so thankful you all picked this (not so) little (anymore) crew.
The timeline of Resources becoming what it is today.
Spoiler! :
@Arkhaion (ancientforever)-Arkhaion is one of those members who has been around for decades, sneaking around and being awesome in the background and we are so glad to have finally snatched them up. Whether you're in the chatroom, Resources, or anywhere in between you can be sure to be greeted with kindness and intelligence and over-all awesome from Arkhaion. Constantly researching and expanding their horizons, Ark can probably help you with everything you want to research. They are the voice of reason, the one who works hard to assist with calming down situations and offering an ear or shoulder whenever it's needed. They're also very accepting of anyone and everyone with a good heart, regardless of who they are. We can't wait to see how much more awesome they can get, if it's even possible for one person to contain that much!
@Birkhoff- A turtle in Resources, slow and steady but consistently providing good advice and a new perspective. When it comes to book or film recommendations, there isn't a better person to talk to. He's up to his ears in knowledge about various bits and bots when it comes to anything to do with film, be it directors, producers, etc. When it comes to the Resources, most often seen from Birk is genuine advice that is flavored with a bit of humor and a dash of honesty. Outside of Resources, however, is a less-serious and more-silly guy, who loves to crack puns and make jokes, all with his heart in the right place. He's quite easy-come, easy-go, but don't get him started on anything to do with film -- he'll talk your ears off!
@Flite (SubtleSanity) - Flite has such a quiet, understated way of approaching any problems, with a drive to learn that's unmatched. They are dedicated to improving their craft and help others along the way with advice they've found in their own search. Flite takes the time to make sure you know those challenges are a part of writing, and while they're not easy to get over, they're part of writing and just as important as getting word count. It takes a special person to remember each and every day to put a part of themselves into their writing and reviewing, and Flite does that with bells on. An overall lovely person, they take the time to truly understand everything put in front of them.
@LadySpark (SparkToFlame/SparkOfDoubt/DramaLlama/Pointe2drama)- Spark is one of those people where you don't really know where to start. She has an energy that just buzzes like electricity (haha. Get it? Spark - never mind).She has a beautiful creative mind, and the motivation to get things done that needs to go along with that... and what motivation this girl has! She's always throwing around ideas for contests and events and general surprises for various things. For every event, for every hour, for every endless Word Doc and ballet practice cut in half and late night spent on YWS, she is always always giving back to the community. Not only that, but her Resources posts are always full of good advice laced with kindness and patience. She is also an amazing reviewer, a wonderful poet, and a good friend. If any of you have dropped by the chat room while she's in there, you know -- Spark is good at what she does. She keeps chat happy and carefree, defusing fights and restoring order effectively. The site is what it is today because of her and staff will always be eternally grateful to have her on board.
@RacheDrache (RachaelElg) - Newly returned to the mod squad, Rache has been a source of infinite wisdom over the years. With amazing knowledge of all things linguistic and grammatical, Rache is happy to share her wisdom with the masses. She has a superb interest and drive when it comes to worldbuilding and culture-building, and her advice isn't simply mechanics, but how to form languages and dialogues and things that mere human brains can't even consider, no, you need a Drache! Her advice, often prefaced with "a different perspective, because I'm a rebel" will often point out issues you didn't even know existed and give you a map to fix it you'd never imagined. An excellent reviewer, a source of eternal inspiration and encouragement, and a wordsmith, Rache is a valuable asset to us and we are so happy to have her back in our arms.
@Tenyo - Ten is best described as "encouraging" in every sense of the word. Whether it be hitting that word count goal, finishing that project, or telling that person you find them cute, Ten will be your personal cheerleader. Ten has organized some of YWS's most interesting, most unique and most fun competitions - the 10,000 Points Contest and Last Man Standing to name a few, that get us thinking in different ways than we normally do for competitions. All of them end up pushing boundaries and getting people producing work, which is the key element of writing! They want to get everybody getting words out, and make sure it's as fun as humanly possible in the process. Ten often comes up with often unconventional advice and it ends up working wonderfully.
General Literature Crew
Once the proud Fictionettes of JabberHut, the General Literature Crew (also known as Lauren and Iggy's Crew of Awesomeness (LICA)) has become the biggest, baddest crew of Junior Moderators on YWS (because, psh, they're awesome like that). Beginning in December 2012, the General Literature Crew as we know it today was formed, leaving behind the domain of fiction to take on every piece of writing that wasn't poetry and absolutely dominating the site with their reviews and advice and helpfulness. No matter where you are or what you post, you're almost guaranteed to be discovered and loved by this amazing crew of JMs.
General Literature Crew's long history can be found below.
Spoiler! :
@BlueAfrica - A recent addition to the Gen Lit crew (we stole her from PCrew and cackled every step of the way), Blue is quite new, but also quite old! She's been a JM for while now, but she's a freshly-hatched Gen Lit baby and we are super-super glad to have her! Not only is she a great reviewer, but she is also a editor for Squills, the YWS e-zine, and has quite the eye for all things grammar and literary! She's also an insanely good writer (The Book Man, anyone?), a frequent reviewer, and a teacher in real life -- all amazing qualities that make her the amazing Gen Lit JM she's come to be. We're so very very happy to have her on board.
@Blues - A recent return to the Gen Lit crew, Blues is one of those people who can really light up your day. Aside from doing anything modly, he's also incessantly polite and hilarious, and is always there to cheer people up when they're feeling down. More often than not, he's a frequent face in the chat room, and can be seen keeping chat fun and engaging or lurking in the shadows as he crams for his A-Levels (but still chatting because studying is super boring). Blues is truly a wonderful person to get to know; he is someone you should get to know as soon as you can, because his words are always laced with a bright smile and a funny comment that'll make you laugh until your stomach hurts.. and hey, don't tell me you haven't stared at his avatar at least once in your life and smiled!
@Deanie - Did someone say top reviewer of all time? If there's any doubt about who'll be kicking Snoink out of her throne someday soon, then you clearly haven't taken a peek at Deanie's reviews! She's seriously an insane reviewer; we have absolutely no idea where she gets all this time to review. Often seen dominating not only the home screen, but the Review Day stats, Deanie is a constant force when it comes to reviewing. Every one she does is delivered with sound advice, a kind smile, helpful commentary, and a general eagerness to see more! She's also a very wonderful writer and a positive vibe that infects everyone she talks to. Truly a wonderful spirit; we are very lucky to have her.
@dragonfphoenix -The dark horse of the GenLit Crew, dragon is deceptively quiet and lies low (probably guarding his dragon horde). He's a full-time college student, so he's been quite busy, but when he can, he's giving reviews like there's no tomorrow! Often said with a kind word and positive feedback, dragon strives to give the best of advice to those whose works he's read. He's also an opinion we value in the staff forums, because he often puts a lot of thought and reason into his posts before he posts them. Not only that, but he's also a pretty nice guy to chat with, and if you haven't had a chance to chat with him yet, you must!
@megsug - It's no wonder we snatched up this girl when we did -- not only is meg a frequent reviewer, but she's been with Squills since its Grand Reopening in July 2013! A constant force on the Squills staff, meg has always done her best to contribute to each and every issue of Squills, always striving to do what she can. On the side, she is a regular reviewer; her reviews are often given with a smile and an aura of kindness radiating from them. She's also a great writer, doing her best to keep up with her novel (and side projects, too!); with that sort of determination, she is definitely a sight to see!
@Noelle - If you haven't seen this girl review, then you'd better head over to her profile and look -- pronto. Noelle is amazing when it comes to following novels! We've, personally, never seen such a persistent novel follower; if you've got a novel and would love a fan, see if your novel fits up her alley! She is the best at giving amazing, sound advice, and is usually quick-as-a-whip when it comes to snatching up Green Room chapters so she can keep on keeping up! Not only that, but she's always bursting with her own novel ideas, and is a recent powerhouse behind The Last Man Standing, a competition started to see who could continue to write chapters until they were the last (wo)man standing -- hopefully with a finished novel in hand! She's been a frequent face to see, tagging her fellow competitors and encouraging them to keep going as she does the same. She's also an insanely-active review, with four red stars in hand and halfway towards the last. You go, girl!
@OliveDreams - Olive is first and foremost a brand new mum, so congratulations on that! We know what an amazing mother she will be because of the caring and nurturing we see her do around the forums. Olive is so chatty and welcoming and always hungry to hear your opinion, and share her own. She is constantly amicable to everybody she meets and is such a great presence in the Lounge. Always a friendly face even if she doesn't know you that well, Olive is a bibliophile and story-lover, which is what makes her such a perfect fit for the GenLit Crew!
@TimmyJake - This guy joined in November 2013 and already has nearly 900 reviews? It's no shocker that we recently invited Timmy to become a JM; if you haven't seen his reviewing record, you'd better open his profile, and also a notebook for some pointers. If you're lucky enough to have received a review from Timmy, you've been greeted with kindness and insight and an overall positive vibe. Voted Best Overall Member in the 2014 YWS Best Awards, Timmy has given more than enough to the site in his mere year and so months on the site. He's a genuinely kind individual, and someone we are happy to be working with.
@TriSARAHtops - even though she's brand new to the squad, we are already excited to have Sarah with us! New mods are chosen for their sparkling personalities, the balance of a sensible member with that of someone who has a good sense of fun. Sarah is definitely a force to be reckoned with -- she can be seen in all parts of the site! But her strongest area is in the literary works. Her reviews are wonderful. She is a kind and patient girl who takes her time, gives genuine, helpful advice, and has been frequently dominating the site with her super-talented works! She is truly a joyful addition to the staff and we can't wait to see what amazing things she gets up to in her time with us.
Poetry Crew
Have you met PCrew? Long serving, hard suffering and generally genial, PCrew has been lurking in corridors for many a year, serving the poetry gods quietly but really very effectively. Always one of the smallest crews, PCrew has maintained a tight and pleasant camaraderie that stems from a devotion to poetry and a love of fun and friendship. Weighted under the hand of Mods such as Incandescence, Meshugenah, Emerson, Via, PenguinAttack, Hannah and Audy, the crew has shuffled quietly but collectedly toward each new horizon, changing shape with new members but never changing ideals.
A timeline of their awesomeness is below.
Spoiler! :
@Aley - Aley is an incredibly motivated, get-things-done sort of person. She has really pushed for initiatives such as Adopt-A-Novel to take place, and it's amazing to see the amount of work and determination that goes into everything she puts her mind to. In addition to everything else, she's a certifiable graphical genius responsible for the fabulous Best Award badges and endless other graphics we see around the site for both official and unofficial site events.A careful, considered and entirely passionate member of PCrew, Aley maintains a standard of writing, reviewing and moderating that is worth praise. When she first joined the crew, Aley was determined to make herself known as an active and engaging member, and she has done that tenfold. One knows that if there is something which could be done, should be done or looks to be done - Aley will put her hand up to do it. Added to her delightful presence in the crew itself, Aley lends herself to every aspect of moderating, prooving herself to be a continual spark of creativity and dedication that is constantly appreciated.
@Morrigan (magpie) - When Morrigan nee magpie joined the crew it was a quiet blast of energy and creativity. That blast has not wavered, her poetry, reviews and actions within the moderating arena have lain testament to the heartfelt love Morrigan holds for poetry. It is often difficult to be a quiet person in a busy room, but Morrigan manages to keep her cool and maintain her stance in the poetry forums without cluttering her time with unncessary subplots to her moderating life. Morrigan never needs to toe the crew company line, her reviews are a badge of honesty and hospitality, each one dedicated to encouraging her fellow writers to grow and improve. A valiant Knight, she keeps quietly working away in the Poetry section, loving works in a way only she can. This love is reflected in the way Morrigan insists that all members are able to write, and to improve, if given the right motivation and the right mentoring. Of course, with a poet like Morrigan on your side, there is nothing to do but put your hands up, and do as the moderator demands.
@Widdershins (fortis) - Widdershins has rolled and crashed her way into the heart of PCrew, collecting limbs and love along the way. A model of dedication to poetry, Widdershins maintains a high review integrity, always allowing for positive and negative commentary. Her stance on poetry is that of a grand affection, and it shows in her writing and in her passionate conversations about poetical matters. She strives to help all poets improve, all the while openly accepting criticism on her own poetry because she understands the small fact of literature -- nothing is perfect and everything can be improved. Not only is she a good influence as a reviewer, but she is also a good influence as a review recipient, always taking criticism in stride and learning from it as best as she can. As a moderator, Widdershins keeps on her toes and moves with the flow of the times, keeping her hand in on conversations and salient crew points of order. Her presence in the crew, and on the site are compounded by a level head and an ever growing knowledge of the ins and outs of poetry and everything attached.
To the DJMs
While we have so many wonderful active staff members, we can't forget all the JMs who have graced the hallowed halls of YWS staff but have since left us. Whether they're gone for a few months or forever, we continue to love our retired staff members and will never forget all they have done for YWS. This site exists today thanks to their love and their efforts, and we would certainly not be the same without them. Just like the current JMs, each and every DJM was chosen for the job because of their special talents, their personality and the quirks that made them invaluable to the team. Just like every JM, they volunteered for it, they sacrificed their time and energy into making YWS not only tick over, but into bettering the site in every way they could imagine. The things that our retired staff members have achieved and accomplished over the years are innumerable, but they were, and remain, integral to the way YWS works. With dozens of different moderating styles and hundreds of events, concepts, competitions, challenges, kind words spoken to members feeling lost, questions answered and creative ways to excite our member base, DJMs are remembered and honoured for moulding YWS into the vibrant, active, friendly and open website it is. A DJM has the ability to enter the mod squad again whenever they want - because these are members we never want to let go of entirely!
Every time you see a bold blue name on the site, that blue name marks somebody who accepted the difficult, sometimes gruelling, sometimes awesome, and all around critical task of being a JM. There are also projects that have made YWS what it is today over the years and pushed people to be the writers they are today. If a name is missing from the above lists, assume they were part of the now long-archived but still important Discussion Crew, that once monitored a much different looking YWS' community section.
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To all JMs: once again, thank you for your service, time, and energy. YWS would not exist without you.
Gender:
Points: 3850
Reviews: 10