Young Writers Society

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!





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. You can also subscribe to the Squills Fan Club , or PM SquillsBot to receive a notification each time a new issue is published!

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

1. WE NEED YOUR VOTES
2. A CALL TO REVIEW
3. ADVENTURES IN WRITING
4. HOW TO SURVIVE A VALENTINE’S DAY WHEN YOU’RE FOREVER ALONE
5. TWO CENTS: A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE
6. ASK GRUNO
7. FM INTERVIEW WITH STEAMPOWERED
8. THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS
9. WELCOME TO THE BOULEVARD OF SUICIDE
10. SHIRTTAILS
11. THE THING WE ALL GO THROUGH
12. NEW ARRIVALS
13. THIS WEEK’S ROUNDUP - 2/15
14. SHAMELESS PLUGS
15. SUBSCRIBERS

WE NEED YOUR VOTESwritten by SquillsBot < PM: >

Beep boop. SquillsBot here to inform you that we are having a friendly contest between our journalists. The winner will be the journalist whose article receives the most votes from you, our readers.

So this week, we ask that, as you read, you like your favorite articles. You can like more than one, but be sure to like the ones you think are best. The deadline for voting is .

Spread the word. Tell your friends. And support your hardworking Squills team.

Note: The time and date have been adjusted to your time zone.


GREEN ROOM GALLERY
written by BlueAfrica < PM: >

Although I can tell by the numbers that there’s been a valiant attempt to cut down new literary works in their prime, the Green Room is still overflowing with works in need of review! At this time, there are 14 works with 0 reviews and 62 works with 1 review. Here are some of the fine but long-suffering works that fall among those numbers.

My little book of funny moments -Chapter 2 by @EPICnumber1

This is the second chapter of a realistic teen fiction. Gemma Rose Fisherman has to deal with a new school in London when she and her mom move yet again. Luckily, she has her little book of funny moments to help get her through.

Go here to read Chapter 1.

Shaping the world: Spirits Enraged by @Alchemist

Among the oldest of the works in the Green Room, this is the first chapter of a new fantasy series. Jae, her husband Lat, and their son Ferrin watch a forest burn, worrying that this is the product of mankind’s wrongdoings as it was long ago. But is it? Lat isn’t convinced--he’s pretty sure the gods have simply gone mad.

Home O’ Umbra by @Heir

A reverse poem filled with haunting imagery.

Extract: Messenger by @Tenyo
Rated 18+ for mature content.

An extract from a script about a young man who seeks revenge for his brother’s execution. It contains mature content, but it’s an intriguing scene that leaves you wanting more.

Gold Struck by @ccwritingrainbow
Rated 18+ for language.

A short story about twin brothers reunited under strange circumstances. Not long after their reunion, one of the twins realizes his brother has been running a scam all along...

You can find these in the Green Room, along with many more! Let me leave you with this reminder: You can get up to 150 points for reviewing a work in the Green Room--up to 175 points if it’s been in the Green Room for more than three days! So head on over to our poor, crowded Green Room and start reviewing!


ADVENTURES IN WRITINGwritten by BlueAfrica < PM: >

I have not dated much.

Also, I don’t know how to flirt.

It’s a miracle that I’m married, to be honest. Somehow, I’ve won the dating game without having any idea what the rules are or how to play. Perhaps my high school friends could see into my future—maybe that’s why they always turned to me for relationship advice, despite the fact that, at the time, I had been on exactly zero dates and kissed exactly zero people.

You can say I’m inexperienced in the area of romance. I certainly think I am. Nonetheless, my years of observation and the first-hand experience of being married have given me insight into romantic relationships. You’re getting a lot of advice about romance here today, but I have three simple points I think you should remember when writing romantic relationships.

Romance is awkward. People in romance novels and films are always looking deep into each other’s eyes and saying things like, “You complete me.”

Without saying it in a funny voice. Or rolling their eyes. Or giggling.

In real life, it’s pretty rare for people to confess such things in this straightforward, dramatic manner. You might think it, but it’s hard to tell someone she completes you. It’s hard enough to say a simple “I love you” for the first time, because what if the person doesn’t say it back? What if she laughs at you? Slaps you across the face? Says she never wants to see you again?

Even if someone does say this, the person she says it to is not always going to react by kissing her passionately. Think about all the compliments and comments you receive in real life—“you look nice today,” “that drawing is beautiful,” “I never knew you could sing like that”—and how you react to them. What would you do if someone said, “You complete me”? Thank them? Blush? And what if you don’t feel that way about them?

“Er. Thank you. Um. You complete, um…my need for friends.”

My husband is one of those people who actually voices sentimental claptrap like that in all seriousness, without any trace of irony. I, on the other hand, am one of those people who—no matter how much we might like the idea of romance—either hears it with a flood of embarrassment or replies with a joke or a ruse to stop the flow of mush.

When writing romance into your story, remember that not all people are equally comfortable in romantic situations. It’s okay to have a couple characters who are the type of people to say things like, “You complete me” and mean it. It’s when your entire cast gets so sappy that readers start to roll their eyes. Some of your characters might be shy and uncertain about every aspect of romance. Others might dive into kisses but hate talking or hearing about feelings. And those that are comfortable talking about their feelings might be less melodramatic in their choice of expression than the “You complete me” people. Vary your cast’s responses to romantic situations for a more believable story.

Love is hard. Love takes work. There are many people who seem to think that it shouldn’t, but it does. Couples fight. Resentments fester. Jobs, children, and time apart can dim the flame of romance. And there are an annoying number of attractive single people walking about.

But these issues don’t mean that the couple doesn’t really love each other or that they can’t make things work. What it does mean is that both partners have to be communicative, honest, and mature enough to discuss their problems. It means that both partners have to be willing to compromise, apologize, forgive each other, carve out time for date nights, and not jump the bones of every attractive single person they meet.

Then there’s the issue of other people. Romantic couples do not live in bubbles (even if they sometimes seem to). Friends and family members can be hostile toward a date or embarrassing in the extreme, or maybe the situation is reversed and it’s the date causing the problem. Getting a date in the first place can be the source of teasing at the expense of friends and relatives. And once a couple has been together for a while, there’s a danger of people voicing their expectations at any moment:

“Why aren’t you married yet? You two make a cute couple. You should get married. You’d have cute kids. Why don’t you have kids yet? You don’t want kids? Why not? You must not love each other very much if you don’t want to have kids together.”

Ah, the joy of societal expectations and the difficult conversations that sometimes follow. Then, of course, there’s the awkwardness of all the first-time coupley things: first date, first kiss, first “I love you,” and any number of other firsts that tend to be terrifying until you’ve made it past them.

Love is easy. Wait, a minute. Love is easy? But love is hard, Blue. You just said so.

Yes. Love is hard. But a longstanding relationship can also be the most familiar and comfortable thing in the world. A partner can be a best friend and your biggest supporter. A couple can be goofy and stupid together just as often (and frequently more often) than they share romantic moments. TV shows like to add in “couples drama” once a longtime ship has finally become canon, as if the writers were afraid that things will get “too boring” without the sexual tension provided by a will-they/won’t-they plot line, but personally I think there’s very little in this world that’s more awesome than two people who love each other kicking butt as they face the world together.

Obviously, that last point paints a picture of a happy couple. Love won’t be easy for all your characters. There could be trust issues, lots of fights, instances of infidelity, jealousy, and so on. But my point is that these are three things that are going to exist in varying amounts in any relationship in your story. So play around with them. Decide which characters are comfortable with romance and which aren’t, which are willing to put work into their relationships and which aren’t. Have fun with it!


HOW TO SURVIVE VALENTINE’S DAY WHEN YOU’RE FOREVER ALONEwritten by Gravity < PM: >

Step One: The first thing you need to do is get up out of bed because the world is not ending. If it is when you're reading this, then please just pretend it's not.

Step Two: Do what you always do. Take out your smartphone, tablet, computer, iPod or anything that has internet and stalk your crush on Facebook, Twitter, Vine, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Google plus, Yahoo, Snapchat, Kik, Skype and whatever other places you can find their information! If you don't have a crush on anybody, feel free to stalk another couple at school or work or wherever. Or if you must, you may skip this step. But I'm watching. I see everything. Everything

Step Three: Go to the store and buy those cheap chocolates from the store that always go on sale on Valentine's Day or the day after and have those fruity fillings that you say are disgusting but secretly have been craving all year. And while you're there, grab some fluffy pajamas. Because seriously, if you don't have a pair of fluffy pajamas, it's no wonder you're miserable on Valentine's Day.

Step Four: Look on Netflix or go to Redbox or Family Video and then tap/click on/rent the cheesiest, most gag worthy romance/romantic comedy you can find. Yes, you may substitute the movie with a book, but it is not advisable. Remember, I see everything. Everything

Step Five: Put on said fluffy pajamas and watch the movie you picked out while you binge eat the chocolate. Eat sugar until you are either so hyper you forget you are depressed or you fall asleep and then Valentine's Day is over.

Step Six: Work off the calories you just ate and read a book to make you smarter. Then go to places like cafes or poetry slams. Or poetry slams at cafes. And then hopefully you won’t be alone next year for February 14th. The most awful day of the year.


TWO CENTS: A LITTLE BIT OF LOVEwritten by Aley < PM: >

I can't say I'm a huge fan of Valentine's Day. I haven't had much luck in romance, so it never has really mattered. It's a fattening day with lots of chocolate around and a time when romantic love drives over love in general, so I figured I'd run through a few things I know about relationships for you to consider either in your books or for yourself. A lot of these are things I practice myself, and others are things I've learned from my mom and my sister.

1) Before you go out with someone, know how they break up.
If you know how your potential significant other broke up with their last relationship, you can figure out a few things. First, if you know why they broke up, you can find out if there is a vice you don't like about your potential before going through the rigorous relationship and getting in too deep. More importantly, though, you can tell if they're an honest, kind, or respectable person or if things get out of hand with them. Consider both sides of the last relationship, see if they let them down gently, or if it was a screaming match, if it's consistent with other breakups, and, most importantly, if you'd be okay getting let off the hook like that. A kind person isn't going to get into a screaming match, a fist fight, or a petty war with their ex. It's a civil matter, hopefully, and if you have standards of not getting broken up with over the phone, then don't date someone who has broken up with someone else over the phone. After all, how often is it that people change?

In stories and poems, this can be really helpful. You can have someone asking about past relationships or talking about past relationships as foreshadowing. If their last relationship was abusive and horrible when it was broken off, then chances are high they're either damaged or damaging enough to potentially end up in the same situation again. The story might even evolve into the main character abusing their secondary character just like in the first relationship due to the type the character goes after. It might also be that they keep expecting this horrible thing to happen, and that breaks confidence in the relationship. Considering this for your older relationships can be really helpful for character building.

2) A relationship is a balance between what is given and what is received.
When looking at your friendships and romantic attachments, consider how much you gain through the relationship and how much you lose. I don't mean keeping tallies every time the other individual decides not to go out to dinner with you or spend time with you on the weekend; I mean bigger things like how much you enjoy their company and how much they frustrate you. This balance can help identify when a relationship is going poorly and give both parties a chance to improve themselves towards the end goal of the relationship. It also can help keep relationships away from the territory of abuse. If you gain too many negative things from the relationship that cannot be outweighed, the relationship needs tweaking, or it needs to end. Letting a poor relationship continue can lead to insecurities and permanent imbalance.

For writing, this is valuable because there's always a little bit of imbalance, but figuring out how to balance better between time for her to speak and time for him to speak can create enough tension to last a book. After all, asking someone to change how much time they give someone else to do things they find pleasurable can be frustrating for someone who always wants to be in the spotlight. There's always that chance that they might go too far. The other individual will feel that the relationship is no longer worth its merit as their scale is different than the other individual. It's like Battle Ships. You hit and miss a lot, but when you find something useful, you hammer after it, and they do the same with you. The best way to win is to never end the game. Watching one person sweep another can be entertaining, but it's more fun to watch them battle it out with swings in the game. This works best for rivalries where they make each other better, or a relationship where they're learning to come back to a friendship after ruining a romance.

3) Don't date to change the other person.
This is a problem that a lot of people have in regards to who they pick to date. Sometimes they are dating someone and after a month or two, they realize that the person really is selfish, but they expect that it will change as the relationship grows. It won't change because of you. People don't grow as people because of the effort and work of the significant other; they grow through support and wanting to change themselves. If someone doesn't want to create that change, which they probably don't if you nag at them, then they aren't going to change.

The tensions created by this last thing are excellent for stories. One of the ripest avenues for examination in romance is the romance where people get together again and again and again either because they're cheating, they're not getting their life together, or they're irritated and just can't take it anymore. Genuinely, they want to love the other person. Maybe they even do. But once they're around them for ten-twelve months, they just can't stand that one thing they do any more, and off it goes again. These chronic pairs have one major fault; you can't force people to change. Driving this message home can be the endless cycle of "No, I swear, this time it'll be different." The book can be showing that it never is different. Or maybe, somehow, this is the anomaly case where something does change in the environment, and they learn to change too! Here's to dreaming!

I hope you liked my top three things about romance. There are a lot of 'Do's and 'Don't's I could have given you, like “don't get back together” and “do you think you can live with their lifestyle,” but I think you get the gist. Overall, I'm not much of a romance writer. But it always frustrates me when the two characters who have tried it three times and failed get back together again and it's happily ever after without some external traumatic event. Or that people don't pay attention to the past when it comes to their romantic interests. For instance, if you learned that your Boo had a wife locked in the attic for insanity, would you still find him attractive, or would that make you think twice about him? Me, I'd think twice. First off, he locked her in the attic and lied to me about it. Second, it might just be his fault she became insane in the first place! Of course, in Jane Eyre this wasn't the case, she had chronic insanity in her family, but still, it should make you pause.

All in all, romance can be a lot of fun to write when you look at it like a horror story. How many ways can we keep them apart and still get done in 100k words? How many ways can I make my readers squirm because they want them to stay together but something prevents that?



ASK GRUNOwritten by Gruno < PM: >

Welcome to Ask Gruno, the advice column in which stuff happens. Gruno will answer any questions you throw at him, be it advice, personal opinion, solutions or philosophy. My cousin Pruno has been busy at the wonderful school for Pruno people, so I will be taking over the column. Every now and again, Pruno may make an appearance, so never fear! May the question answering commence!

Dear love guru,
I really, really, really love ice cream. It's getting pretty serious, but after I started eating it out of the carton, I'm not sure where to take our relationship. Please help?

-Not getting fat. Nope. Not at all.


Hel-lo gorgeous!,
I think if you’re serious about ice cream, you need to make sure he’s serious about you. Legitimately, it’s time to go all the way. Take it out to dinner, you know, dessert. Then after, go to your room and it’s time to get freaky. Like horror movie, and then eating the ENTIRE CARTON.

Love,
Gruno

Dear Gruno,
Before you criticize me about our dinner dates, or the dumb idea of this whole thing, I ask that you take a moment to think about how mean you are. We all can't be "normal". I've been in a relationship with a can of Cranberry Sprite for several months. It all started as a casual encounter at Squirt's apartment party. I started casually talking to Cranberry Sprite, and gosh, she is great. She has a sense of humor, a great one. We were talking when Pepsi Cherry, drunk, tried hitting on her. I was about to stand up for her, but she had the perfect response.

"Leave."

Ever since that, we started talking a lot. Going to football games, watching Inuyasha together on my thirty dollar sofa, you name it. Thing is, after several months, I want to propose to Cranberry. She is the greatest, not like that cheap Vanilla Coke girl I dated a year ago, or my La Croix ex. The reason why I brought them up, because I actually proposed to them and they broke my heart. After this close connection, and great intimacy, should I propose?
-Anonymous

Dear Anon,
I think if you’re ready, that’s fine. Although numerous beverages have broken my heart, I can’t say I’ve ever proposed to one. (And I totally get what you mean by Vanilla Coke. She wears the vanilla logo like a tramp stamp). Just make sure Cranberry Sprite is the right one and you won’t get sick of it. Personally I’m not a fan of cranberry, but to each his own.

Love,
Gruno

XD Dear XD Gruno
XD I XD like XD this XD guy XD who XD is XD in XD choir XD. XD Should XD I XD ask XD him XD out? XD.

-XD Gosh XD Darnit XD Garlic.

XD Dear XD G XD D XD G XD
XD YASSSS XD GURRRL XD YOU XD ARE XD TOTES XD GORG! XD Go XD For XD It XD! XD.

-XD Love XD
XD Gruno XD

That concludes this fantabulously adorable edition of ask Gruno. This column cannot survive without your questions. So feel free to ask them here But seriously. Gruno is dying and Pruno is locked up somewhere you will never find him in prison, I think. So ask questions!

Happy Valentine's Day!


FM INTERVIEW WITH STEAMPOWEREDwritten by Omni < PM: >

Our newest Featured Member is amazing in her reviews and welcoming people. Please welcome @steampowered. She's being featured for her willingness to help others out in the site, and that's caught the attention of the staff on YWS. She's made a mark in the short time she's been here, and I personally think she's well deserving of the Featured Member. I think she's on the up and up!



Steampowered: Hello!



SP: Totally shocked. I logged on to YWS and wondered why I had so many notifications... then I realised it was because I was FM! I couldn't believe it - I got up and danced around the house!



SP: Yes, I've never been featured before.



SP: Almost exactly two months - I joined in December 2014.



SP: I'd love to be able to say I'd actually uploaded something to the website, but I haven't done so yet. My best achievement has to be reviewing - my review count for January Review Day was one of the highest. I was reviewing the entire day (probably about 12 hours, which can't have been good for me and made me really tired afterwards), but it was worth it!



SP: I'm in chat a lot, I'm fairly active in the forums, I follow other members and post on their walls, and I welcome quite a lot of new members. Also, I write a lot of reviews.



SP: Review and chat mostly.



SP: I like to write, but haven't done much recently. I also enjoy reading, going swimming, and playing the piano.



SP: Get all over YWS! Write reviews, participate in various YWS events (such as Review Day) do storybooks, join in the clubs, post in the forums and make use of the wonderful chat rooms. Follow lots of people, be creative with your profile page (so you stand out) and try and log in to YWS regularly (And of course be nice to the mods!)



SP: No problem!

Here's to next time, readers!


THIS WEEK’S SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORSwritten by SquillsBot < PM: >

As you may be aware, this week we called for submissions from you, our readers. We asked for your best love-related stories, poetry, scripts, and chapters. Unfortunately, this call came barely a week before our intended publishing date, which did not give our beloved readers much time to turn things in. However, we do have three special contributors this week. Keep reading to see the submissions from @CaptainSaltWater, @Widdershins, and @Dracula.


WELCOME TO THE BOULEVARD OF SUICIDEwritten by CaptainSaltWater

A reminder to never self-harm. There are issues and problems in our lives, but don't take it out by self-harming. Your are perfect and amazing no matter what.



The full text can be found here . Stop by to leave @CaptainSaltWater a review.


SHIRTTAILSwritten by Widdershins

A poem about someone who left.



The full text can be found here . Stop by to leave @Widdershins a review.


THE THING WE ALL GO THROUGHwritten by Dracula

A Valentine’s Day mystery.

"Mum!" I bounded into the house, holding up the pink envelope I'd just pulled out of the mail box. "Someone sent me a Valentine!"

I ran into the kitchen and thrust the paper into her face.

"How nice!" she said, beaming as she pushed the card away from her eyes. "Who's your secret admirer?"

That one question prompted the most detailed investigation in the history of my life; eleven years.

Instantly I went into my bedroom and grabbed the phone.

"Someone sent me a Valentine!" I squealed into the speaker, staring at the envelope. "Do you know if anyone likes me?"

My friend hummed to herself on the other end of the line for a minute. "Well, I've thought about it, and the only possible guy is Matty Frigson."

"Batty Matty?"

I wondered if I still wanted the Valentine. Yes; Batty Matty was better than no one.

"What does it say inside?"

I realised that I hadn't actually opened it. I told my friend to gimme a sec and used my nail to rip open the envelope.

"Oh. It couldn't be Matty, this writing is way too neat." I read the card. "It says 'To a wonderful girl on Valentine's Day'. But that's all."

"Hmm. Neat writing you say? What about the newspaper boy, he writes neat, doesn't he?"

I thought over the possibility. "He would be able to place the Valentine in my letterbox without anyone being suspicious."

"It's got to be him!" my friend said, and she excused herself for lunch.

The next morning, I sat on the front lawn with the card in my pocket, deciding what I would ask the newspaper boy to secretly find out if he was my admirer.

When he came along and put a paper in my letterbox, I stood up. "You came by yesterday but didn't leave a newspaper. Did you forget?"

He shook his head. "No way did I come by on a Sunday. I ain't missing out on my cartoons."

I bit my tongue in frustration. "So it wasn't you who left the card?"

He laughed and walked away.

I sat there, trying to figure out who could have left my Valentine. My neighbours were all too old, and my friend had confirmed that no one at school had written it.

"Who has neat handwriting, isn't my neighbour and doesn't go to my school?" I thought out loud. "My secret admirer has to be the son of one of dad's colleagues!"

I caught my dad just before he went to work. "Do you know if any of your work mates have kids?"

"Looking for friends, are we?" He smiled. "Well, there's Lilly, she's eight. But no one else at work has kids. Except me of course."

Dad ruffled my hair. "Would you like to visit Lilly one day?"

"No thank you." I walked away, frustrated. Who was my secret admirer? There were no possible suspects left!

I entered the house and went to the fridge to grab a juice box. I froze. There on the fridge was the shopping list, and it was written in the exact same handwriting as my Valentine.

"Mum!" I yelled, and she ran into the room as if the house was fire.

"What is it, honey? Did something happen?"

I pulled the pink envelope out of my pocket and held it up. "Are you my secret admirer?"

A gigantic grin engulfed mum's face and she opened her arms wide like she was expecting a big hug. "Yes!"

The full text can be found here . Stop by to leave @Dracula a review.


NEW ARRIVALS
written by BlueAfrica < PM: >

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

@ooh4764 has already earned their first review star. Go to their wall and congratulate them .

@AredhelIrisse is talented at archery, knife throwing, and sewing, among other things. Check out her post in this thread for a full list of her talents .

@antiihero has posted a short horror story called The Human Soul. Read it here and leave a review .








THIS WEEK'S ROUNDUP – 2/15written by megsug < PM: >

I like four links and I cannot lie!


@TinyJarStoredDreams has made a happy thread where people can brag about what they’re good at. It’s cool to read what everyone does outside of the obvious writing. @Alpha probably has the best talent though:





Share your talent with YWS today!


@Yuna229 is writing a story with multiple dreams in it and was curious if that was the right way to go or not. Several people answered, saying that the overuse of dreams was discouraged, but most like @Sherri said something along the lines of:





This thread is definitely worth the read if you’re wondering why dreams can be frowned upon in the writing world.


@TriSARAHtops wants to know what your favorite opening lines are. One of her examples is:






It’s great to talk about what lines really pulled us in, so we can work aspects of them into our own writing. Tell us your favorite opening line!


…Except maybe not so dual… Maybe one cohesive personality with traits that are hard to illustrate in the same plot line naturally. @Redbox275 has a character like this. They wanted advice on how to portray this character in all of its complexity. @Rosedorn asked three questions for more information:





These question are actually helpful for any writer struggling with this problem. Rosey wound up pulling advice from redbox’s answers. Check the thread out if you’re having similar issues.