Young Writers Society

:') "claimed"

ok twd

This is the fourth year book I've been around for. First time I've so much as reserved a spot.

Claiming a spot.

(REMINDER TO SNAZZY: still needs to be edited and stuff )

One of the reasons I love YWS so much (and a reason that has become all the more real to me in 2016), is that no matter how bad I feel as a writer (or person in general), this place always makes me feel better. To be more specific: there are times when I haven't reviewed an awful lot, or haven't written at all for the past month or so. There are times where I don't even feel like a real writer because of that. So when I log on here, instead of being met with a bunch of messages or wall posts about me not writing at all, all I see is encouragement. I didn't finish NaPo this year, nor did I finish NaNo. I haven't written as many reviews as I would have hoped this year, but YWS (and YWSers) have helped me realize that these things don't make me a writer. There will be moments of bliss, moments of despair, and those weird moments in between. That, I think, is what makes me a writer. I think that is what makes us all writers.

Shoutouts:
@BlueRoses15 : Are we the same person....? Your love of band and music is so real, and I love it. I know 2016 has been pretty rough, but keep your chin up. Things get better. I'm always open to talk if you need to (even about band in general). <3

@Falconer : Don't think I have forgotten about Taste of Life! Man, that really got to me, and I think it was this year that I finished it. It's totally fine if you aren't continuing it, but it will forever be on the list of my favorite novels on YWS!

@Wolfical: You're always an ecouragement inside and outside Daily Devotions, and whenever I think of YWS, your name comes to mind. You're a very familar and friendly face.

@Mea : You're also a great encouragement in Daily Devotions, and also a really familar and friendly face on YWS! Your life is SO much more interesting than mine, and I always love hearing about what happens with you, and you share my love of The Piano Guys (which is awesome)!

@marmalade: First off, Atana is downright awesome, I just so happen to be very lazy and off in my reviewing. Keep it up. Second, WOW you are motivated. Seeing how much you adore writing is really inspiring to me. Although writing isn't my true passion, you've really inspired me to work as hard as you do in writing towards my music. To give it as it is, your motivation is really motivating. Please don't ever stop. <3

Greetings!
While I don't often jump into the chat section, I still really appreciate everyone I've gotten a chance to interact with on YWS this year!

Some YWS & writing highlights from this year for me:

I wrote a few "Spoken Word" type poems - didn't really post these, but I still started writing them! Yay!
I got my 5th review star and my achieved a cumulative mark of 107 green room reviews for the Knights of the Green Room!
I competed in the 2016 writing Olympics, and had a ton of fun challenging myself to write a few pieces outside of what I generally would.
I also was somehow Featured Member a few months ago!
I wrote a bunch of poems, some I'm more proud of than others, but all were fun to write.
In all I posted 17 poems on YWS in 2016. That is 14 more than 2015, 13 more than 2014, 11 more than 2013. Wow! I’ve actually never posted as much in a year.
Outside of YWS my writing also advanced. I wrote a paper that was accepted to an undergraduate humanities conference and was able to also present my paper and research at the conference. I had another paper nominated for “best undergraduate research paper” in my major at my University.

It was an exciting and interesting year, thank you to all on YWS who were a part of it!
Happy writing to all in 2017!

~alliyah

Links from this year:
My Knights of the Green Room Log:
Knight Alliyah's log

The 2016 Writing Olympics Entries and Challenges:
viewforum.php?f=428

My Featured Member Interview at Squills:
Squills 10/2/2016 - 10/9/2016

and the Featured Member announcement:
Featured Member for Sept 16 - 30: alliyah!

Haven't been around for a chunk of this year but still reserving a place! *hehe*

I would like a spot

Don't worry, I'm getting myself a spot!
#BrandonSandersonIsBestAuthor

I'm just going to snag a spot and go on with a yearbook post really quick.

*Sits on spot* Claimed. Mine.

~~~

Well, I have been a member since April 9, 2016, meaning upcoming April of 2017, I'll be one! How lovely! That's awesome to me because although it's only been a few months here on YWS, it feels like I've been here for a lot longer than just months. I've made tons of new friends and day by day I make more.

I'd like to give a small, tiny shout-out to these following people for being the people I've become closest to: @Casanova @lostthought @amelie @Moonwatcher @Deskro @TigerLilly37 @Gymnast2801 @TheSilverFox @Wolfical @haredrier
Although I may have lost slight contact with some, or don't talk to them as much, I still want to shout them out for the caring people they are.

YWS has been a wonderful place to be apart of, and I give a big thank you to @Nate for the idea, and making YWS happen.

I hope 2017 brings all good things to the lovely people here, and I hope to see YWS spark into an even bigger environment of more wonderful people.

Better late than never >.>

So, 2016 was a weeeeird year for me, and I don't know where 2017 will take me. This site and I, we had our ups and downs, for sure, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

So mentions to people on the top of my head.

@Kaos I'm so proud of you. I remember how different you were in the beginning of the year, and how much you've grown as a person now. Just take a look at what you were doing in January to what you're doing in December. I mean, you became a mod! That's awesome, and you've taken into that role so well. It makes my heart swell. You've helped me stay alive this year, and for that I'm forever thankful. You've been there through thick and thin and still somehow we're friends. Someday we'll play Overwatch together.

@Kosmos Adri <3 you are a wonderful person and you're selfless to a fault. I wish you could see how bright and amazing you are. I see so much potential for you and I know you're going through rough times. I wish I can be there more for you, but know that I'm thankful for you as well. You helped drag me out of dark times by bringing a little perspective to the table. You're immeasurably wise for your age (maybe to the point you forget how to be yourself sometimes) and I'm glad to have been shared even a small bit of that wisdom.

@ScarlettFire Scarrrr hi <3. I don't know what to say that's already been said. We've been friends forever and it still feels fresh every time I see you in the chat or when you share videos of your stubborn kitty wanting to be loved. You are so patient and like a hen mother to us. Everytime I've been through a rough patch, you may not have been there at that moment (ugh timezones) but you've always helped. You are so patient with my ramblings on Storybooks, to the point where I think you even know when one is about to start haha. Even now, you're still willing to put up with my craziness. For that, I thank you.

@Lareine Raye, I miss you, and I'm glad that we still talk. You've been through rough times, but you still manage to help me through mine, even if you have to put aside your problems for a moment. I know that sometimes you may be harsh on yourself, but you're so bright and thoughtful. Every conversation I have with you, I feel like I'm learning something. You know what you're thinking and you say it with pride. I could learn so much just from how you type, and I think that speaks volumes for your character. Maybe you don't see it sometimes, but I think you've made such a positive impact on so many people you've communicated with, including me. I wouldn't have asked for anything different. May 2017 be well on us both <3

@AllisontheWriter you were surprise on my YWS life, to be sure. But, you were a pleasant one at that. When I saw you wanted to join my Storybook, I was a little hesitant, but the passion and positivity you brought to the table was what Shattered Moons needed. You showed me that I should have a little faith sometimes, and you've become an amazing friend. I love our talks about RWBY where we talk about crazy theories (what if Qrow is actually Ruby's father?!) and you sat with me through plot storming for hours at a time. I could definitely see us being real life friends, and I think that speaks volumes. I am excited to see what you do this year, and I'll be rooting for you the entire way.

@TheSilverFox you've grown on me this year. Your presence on the SB Crew is amazing, and I don't know what it would be without your positivity. I've wrapped you into so many SBs because I know that you're a terrific writer and you are patient enough to take criticism. You sit through my many ramblings and even add thoughts of your own. I wish I was more active last year just to work with you, and get to know you more. Maybe 2017 will be that time. Thank you for all that you've done, both for my Storybooks, and for the crew in whole.

@Rydia you are just extremely patient and a wonderful crew leader. It's crazy that we've been working together for over two years now, and you still are bright and full of optimism, taking every project as if it were your first. You're honest, even to the weirdest questions. I've come to you about things that I didn't tell much anyone, and you're there to help. I'm proud to have been a part of your crew, and may 2017 get us working together even more.

@Crysi I just started to talk to you towards the end of this year, but you've given me seriously helpful advice towards the site. You may be an old presence on this site, but it's still a pleasure whenever you're around. Thank you for making me a better mod and a better person. I hope we'll talk more this year, as well.

Okay, so that wraps up my mentions. I missed people, like a lot of them. These were just the ones on the top of my head. To anyone in the SB crew, or who were a part of my SBs, or I've chatted with in the chatroom, you have made me miss this site because you're all wonderful and amazing people. Seriously, I don't know how my life would have been if I never met this place. Thank you. Here's to the new year, and hopefully it'll be even better than the last.

@reason: I miss you <3 But seriously, this year has done a lot of stuff and you've been with me for so long that I miss how much we used to talk, but at the same time, what are we going to talk about? I hate that because I want to talk but I don't have much to say. Also I love you.

@Rurouni: I enjoy writing with you. You've improved so much with the way that you plot, write, draw, and communicate that I can't wait to see this novel of yours!

@Nikayla: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA A YOU ARE MIIIIINE

@Audy: I love you, I miss you, and I want you to come back more frequently. When I first joined YWS you were there to help me through this new adventure, and I loved hanging with you. Your challenges inspire my own, and your poetry makes me weep at my imperfections. You give me a goal to strive towards, and I love that. I hope that I can do the same for you. GET BACK HERE!

@PenguinAttack: God, I have you here but I'm not really sure what to say! Over the past year I've gotten to know you a lot better and I really enjoy how laid back you are about doing things on YWS. It makes me feel like I don't have to be dying in order to be considered good at something. The clarity of your opinions is wonderful. It makes me comfortable because I know exactly what's going on, and you're around to answer questions that I need to ask. I really hope you come back to the mold soon. I'll miss you while you're not around.

@Rosendorn: SHO ME YO ART! [show me your art, seriously.] It's sort of like show me the car fax, but with art. In all seriousness, I hope you already know what I would want to say here because I like to tell you a lot. You're one of the people I rely on when it comes to things I don't know, or I need a second opinion on, and I love that I'm able to help you with things in return. I really hope that our relationship continues to build and fold together now that I'm BB too.

@Kyllorac: <3 I'll get you more articles if it's the last thing I do! But seriously, your ability to edit these things is superb. Like, half of the stuff you notice is stuff that I never would have picked up on in a million years. Your understanding of language, nuance, and argument are on par with none.

@Meshugenah: I'm really happy that I've gotten to know you better this year! I'm still getting to know your style of poetry, but from what I've seen so far, I know I'm going to enjoy it. I really want to see more though, so we'll have to keep doing poetry jams and things together.

@marmalade: Welcome to YWS!! Seriously, this was your first full year on YWS and you've improved so much! I dare you to go back and read some of the first poems you wrote, and then read some of the ones you have now, and write an article about how you've changed. There's been so much going on but you are still getting on, focusing on your writing, and moving forward. Your resolve and clear-headedness is something to envy. Keep trucking, and if you ever need anything, ask!

@JosephGeorge: I'm really excited to see The Writers of the Round Table in full swing! Keep going with it. Don't give in to the silence!

@cleverclogs: I am really excited to have you as part of the poetry crew. You're great at writing reviews, and very fast on the uptake for some of the backyard stuff that needs to happen. If you ever need anything, please, please, involve me! I would love to see what you do with something like an event.

I know I missed a lot of people, so I'm just going to broadspectrum this. To YWS en masse:

Thank you for a wonderful year. While everything in real life was going on with me, I knew I could rely on the people here to be helpful, friendly, and independent thinkers. That last one's a huge thing because a lot of my life I've had to deal with people who just want me to do things for them rather than with them. Here on YWS, we don't have that. We have people who enjoy what they're doing, and that's special.

Keep doing whatever it is you love to do because the more you do it, the better you get, and that's how experts are made. It doesn't matter what it is, doing what you enjoy is important to a healthy mind, a thinking, active mind, and that's what we need now more than ever. There are so many mental distractions, so many things that try to break up our attention into microscopic moments. The ability to put them all together, to consistently focus on something, is a skill that must be cultivated and saved. If you read this whole "To YWS en masse" note, you are someone whom I'm seriously thankful to have on this site.

Thank you!

Super late but I'ma jump in anyways. I just want to say how amazing YWS as a whole is, and I want to thank all the people I see online. You guys are what makes this place awesome, even when you're annoying or frustrating or bratty as hell. This last year has been super crazy but also fairly entertaining. It's been a rough one. Love you guys. Mass tagging incoming when I get back to my computer. <3