Young Writers Society

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

1. SPOTLIGHT ARTICLE
2. LMS CHECK-IN
3. WRITER'S WORLD
4. TWO CENTS
5. WEEKLY ROUND UP
6. SHAMELESS PLUGS
7. SUBSCRIBERS

SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW
REUNION BY MEA

written by AliceAfternoon < PM: >

@Mea wrote an awesome poem called Reunion that got in the spotlight. The work has 7 likes at the moment, 4 comments and 2 reviews. I had the pleasure of interviewing her and getting to know more about her and her work. Here are the questions I asked her:



Mea: Reunion is actually about someone who returns to playing the piano after a long time away from it. I like to think it carries a deeper resonance of healing and building up again what you used to have, whether that be a talent or a relationship or your self-worth.



M: Audy's poetry jam! I wrote it during the one on Saturday/Friday night. We wrote down a bunch of commonplace nouns, and then we had to pick one and decide what it was not, and then write a poem about that. I picked the noun 'piano.' At the time, all of my siblings were practicing the piano in turn, about 10 feet away from me, and it was getting annoying. So for my 'what it is not,' I picked 'quiet.' The poem turned out serious, though, once I started thinking about why the piano would be quiet.



M: Eh, I could still improve it. I like the last two stanzas, but I'm really not satisfied with the first one - I don't think it flows very well. I also don't think it's obvious enough that I'm talking about a piano - I've only had 2 reviewers so far, but neither of them realized it was a piano. So yeah. xD



M: Hmmm.... you're going to suck at first, and that's okay. Writing poetry while you're in the grip of that emotion is great for cathartic release, but you'll need to go back and edit it later. Use specific imagery that is unique to you and your situation - it makes the poem feel less generic, even if the same emotion has been written about thousands of times. Just dive in, read lots of poetry, and eventually you'll figure out what works for you.



M: Honestly? Write something funny. Funny things always get into the spotlight. There are some basic tips - proofread your work. Don't make it too long. Poetry is more likely to make it in there, but a well-written short story can as well. But also remember that the actual number of likes it takes changes a lot. I've had works get in there with only 4 likes, and I've seen others with 7-10 not make it in there because other works are being 'liked' more. But don't write to get into the Spotlight - write what you're passionate about. You'll get there eventually!



M: Ah, to be honest, I kind of deliberately don't get involved in too many school events because I'd rather spend the time writing and playing instruments. That's the big thing - know your limits and know what you really want to spend your time doing. Also, I can't emphasize schedule and routine enough - if you just block out 15 minutes a day and get into that habit, you get a lot done over time. The trick is to be very conscious about how you're spending all your time - could you maybe do some homework in the car driving somewhere? That's 10 minutes more of writing time you've got now. Things like that make all the difference!

Check out Mea's awesome poem and give it some love! Maybe a review or a like if you like!

LAST MAN STANDING CHECK-IN: A MASS INTERVIEW

written by Holysocks < PM: >

This week I decided to have a little chat with the remaining four contestants of the Last Man Standing (LMS) Competition, and see how things have been going for them! For those of you that aren’t aware, LMS is a competition where you write eight hundred words per week on a novel, whilst encouraging each other along the way. They are on week 59 now, which means they have written at least 47,200 words each. I think that’s pretty amazing that they’ve held on so long! Anyway, I won’t keep you waiting, here’s my chat with @Buggiedude2340, @Tortwag, @Falconer, and @TheCrimsonLady:

Squills: 1. Do you remember what made you want to join the Last Man Standing? What was it?

Tortwag: THE POSSIBILITY OF GATHERING DATA! My, uh, crazy way to say that I wanted to get in 'cause 1. competitions are fun, 2. I wanted to test my creative endurance, 3. It would be the perfect test to see how much I could improve over time and build the necessary EXP points which would be used to write an actual novel. And all three points are currently workin' out for me, so, that's a plus.

Buggie: I was actually in the first LMS competition as kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing and didn't last too long. So I wanted to try again and actually have a plan for what I was doing.



Falc: I had seen word of it going around a lot, and when I checked it out, I thought it would be the perfect motivation to keep me writing and started on the new novel I'd had an idea for! I wasn't thinking too much about the competition part- I always figured I'd drop out when school and life started getting crazy, but I got really into it and explored a bit of a new kind of writing for me.

Crim: I was also in the first LMS competition, and I dropped out after week sixteen or seventeen. After dropping out, I pretty much stopped writing, so it's been my motivation to write for over a year now. Yay for over-competitiveness, I guess? Besides, I think I've grown a lot from having to write every week, without a break, for an entire year.



Tortwag: Fuuuuuuun. Very, very, very much fun. I didn't really see this year pass, I was too focused on cuddling my dear characters every week XD Well, that and surviving Life. Y'know, like everyone else.

Buggie: It's been great! I admit that once we got down to only a few competitors, there hasn't been much interaction between the four of us, which I think is a little sad. It's more fun to be on good terms with everyone.

Additional comments on Buggie’s answer:


Falconer: I really love it! I don't think of it as much as a competition with others as with my myself. The year flew by faster than I thought it would, too. It must be because I was enjoying it so much.




Crim: The competition is great, and I am a very competitive person, but I'm here to keep myself writing. But it's pretty awesome in that I've written more for a single project in a year than I have for all of my other projects combined since the beginning of time.

Additional comments on Crim’s answer:





Tortwag: Eh, not really. I'd be proud if I managed to finish the novel RIGHT AT THE VERY END of the competition - that would be an epic win - but that's not gonna happen. And to be fair I just want my data.

Buggie: Absolutely! I actually finished my first novel and have been working on a sequel for the past several weeks. I haven't finished many stories, so this was a big milestone for me.



Falconer: Less so than I thought I would be. While it's true that it's been a long time and I've written a lot, I think my writing quality isn't quite as good as it was in the beginning, and I want to try to improve it. However, I have learned a lot about the way I tend to write and think about what really makes "good writing", so I consider that a plus. Especially when I will eventually edit!



Crim: I'm very proud of... the amount I've written. The quality- well, I think it's worsened as the weeks have continued, and it definitely needs editing that I don't have the time to do. But I do realise that it is only my first draft, and nothing is going to be even vaguely perfect. Honestly, if LMS teaches me how to write regularly, I'll be incredibly proud of myself, regardless of whether I win or complete my project.




Tortwag: Hmm... Well I don't see any word limit for these three sentences.
FATAL MISTAKE.
Ahem.
So my story, Muster Heroes, is about a fictional world in which pupils learn things through virtual realities, AKA they go to school and learn their stuff through gaming sessions.
This brand new type of teaching gathers people of all origins and educational background so that they may play to learn, and the adventure focuses on Team Daemorph, a class of ten students that try to fit in this brand new mold while gaining experience points, both in the real world and the virtual setting of Muster Heroes - the game itself.


Buggie: Let's see if I can do it in one!


Buggie: One man's failed quest for immortality ends up unleashing spirits, vampires, and a serial killer with a grudge against blondes on the formerly quiet Franklin City, and now it's up to the citizens to clean up his mess.


Falconer: On an alien world, the fate of all humanity is held in the hands of one person: Pyrok. She volunteers to save humans, but to do so, she must travel to Earth and live three lives as one, enduring all of the hardships- and also the wonders- of the world. Her decision at the end of those three lives will determine the destiny of all humans.

Crim: Oh, no, three sentences? How 'bout three hundred?
Er, anyway, have an attempt, at least.
A faerie princess, determined to save her country from war and revolution, battles her power-hungry mother for the throne, while simultaneously learning about her past, the past of her country, and what has been determined for her in the future by the Triad, her gods.
Ha, did it in one very long sentence.





Tortwag: ...A LOT. I can't give you a precise scale, but thanks to the awesome people that give me their reviews so that I may harvest more data and, y'know, improve my writing with it, and also because Brain tends to mess up my planning and make up ideas on the fly instead of sticking to the plan, there are a lot of things that shouldn't have happened that did, and a lot about my writing... changed. Mostly for the better, as I now feel so much closer to my characters than in the beginning.

Buggie: I'm not sure, honestly. Sometimes I think my style suffered because I'm trying to put out so many words per week. The plot has greatly expanded though, and I've ended up adding a lot more characters than I anticipated. Hopefully I can make them all interesting.

Falconer: As I mentioned before, I think the writing quality has gone down a little, and I also think my main point has shifted a bit as well. At the same time, though, my writing has matured and all the things going on in my life are influencing and changing it. I've gotten inspiration from other authors as I've read a lot this year, and each time I find an interesting new way of saying something that I tend to put in my own writing.




Tortwag: You bet it was! As for how, welp, you've got a bit of an answer in that "how much has your novel changed" question, but basically, my formatting has evolved - English not being my native language, this is a VITAL step in the right direction for me - and most importantly, my characters right now are not just words and references set in a master plan of mine. They're not just extensions of me put in a fictional settings. They're... They're themselves, if you will.

Additional comments on Tort’s answer:


Buggie: As far as just getting the novel done and putting out words, LMS was a huge help. First drafts are always a pain to finish, so this competition has been a wonderful source of motivation.



Falconer: This has been SO GOOD for my writing and novel! Even though at times it doesn't seem good, I've learned a lot about keeping up with writing, having goals for myself, and saving editing for the end. While I may not think my writing is great right now, I will go back in and apply the things I've been learning.

Crim: I quite appreciate what it does for my writing and my novel. While my novel has gone down in quality, I've gotten so much good information from LMS about characters and plots and worldbuilding that I wouldn't trade it for anything. And my writing has definitely improved- or at least, I think it has!

Additional comments on Crim’s answer:







Tortwag: At least a few of them. Mostly my teammates - because yes that's a thing - and CrimsonLady, though that's not just because of LMS.
...IN FACT WE'RE GETTING MA- I'm kidding. I'M KIDDING! She'll get it. And if you don't, dear readers, just remember that I'm crazy.

Additional comments on Tortwag’s answer:


Buggie: At the beginning, I certainly did! Tort, @AstralHunter, @EnderFlash, and I were all companions, and while I was already friends with Tort and Hunter, talking and reviewing with them all was very enlightening. I know all three much better than I did before LMS.

Additional comments on Buggie’s answer:


Falconer: Not as much as I could've, I suppose. I knew quite a few people during the beginning, but as the crowd thinned out and I stopped publishing my chapters, I didn't really communicate with others all that much. Luckily, I think there's still time to change that, so I think I will.

Crim: I mean, the only other contestant that I've, erm, actually talked to is Twaggy- which- YES, YES, I TOTALLY VOTE FOR THE GUNS, BY THE WAY. Erm, aside from our eventual wedding- not really. And Twaggy and I talking to each other really wasn't caused by LMS- at least, not in my opinion. But my companion and I- Pompadour- she's not in the competition anymore, but we really got to know each other, and she's awesome, obviously. I think, overall, if I had made more of an effort to talk to my competition-mates, it would've happened, though.





Tortwag: The same, not quite. I guess it depends on the week, really. One thing that's definitely easier is writing for my characters because I got their personalities down, by now, but I make plans for everything, sooooo I make things easy for myself by knowing where I'm going anyway. Well, when brain doesn't decide to forget the plan and make up something different, but still.

Buggie: The beginning is always easier for me. Something about trying to pull all the little plot strings together correctly, or working through a complicated fight scene has always gotten my brain a little fried. That and I never want to let the story end, since I love my characters so much!

Falconer: The beginning was much easier! I spread things out more, so I could think them over during the week and write and go back in and change things. Now I just think all week, then write on Sunday and push the deadline. I'd like to try and change this habit as well! However, I also know where I'm going and where I've been now, so in that sense it's a little easier.



Crim: Writing the first week was terrible, for me, because I can NEVER figure out where to start stories. I'm terrible at opening scenes- I hate my first chapter, actually- so no, the first week was hell. But I'm not going to say it's gotten easier; I've certainly gotten into a schedule, and I've grown used to writing every week, but there are definitely new challenges that pop up each week. Still, none of the obstacles thus far have made me want to quit, so yay!





Tortwag: Right. As far as I know, we're supposed to write 800 words per week as a minimum, and each 800 words are supposed to be related to whatever story we're writing specifically for LMS. Which means that we can't use a work we were previously writing for, and we also can't write about something, and then something else next week that doesn't coherently ties with the previous 800 words. So yeah. Story.

Additional comments on Tort’s answer:




Tortwag: I would, if I hadn't harvested so much deeeeeeeliciously tasty data. If I don't use it for my actual novel plan, the ingredients are just gonna dry out, and I can't allow that. So no, I won't participate. 'Cause I'll be busy workin' on Muster Heroes 2.0, among other stuff.

Buggie: If there is another LMS--and I hope there will be, for the sake of other members--I probably won't go for it. I'm going to be at university next year and I'm not sure how much extra time I'll have with my major.

Falconer: I would love it if there was another one! If there were a break between the end of this round and the next, and I had time to plan another novel and get a solid end to the one I'm working on now, I would certainly join!

Additional comments on Falc’s answer:


Crim: Eh. I think that this LMS (and LMS I) were awesome, and fun, and helped me a lot. That being said, I don't think I need it to continue writing, and I think if I keep joining LMS, I'm going to have a whole lot of first drafts with no revisions whatsoever. And that isn't my goal, so no, I wouldn't do it again. Besides, I'd need to come up with an actual idea- ew!




Tort: Ya weeeeeelcome! It's been a pleasure.

Buggie: Thanks for asking!

Falconer: Thank you very much! It's been lovely.

Crim: Thanks, it was fun!


By the sounds of it, these four lovely people are still going strong! I can hardly wait to see what happens next for them!

Writer's World: Fantasy Realmwritten by Lightsong < PM: >

Ooh, yes! YES! This is my favourite topic. I’m glad I’ll be talking about it. Thank you for choosing this for me. Jokes, aside, I want to focus on the fantasy genre of novel. If you check at the Green Room, most of its pieces consists of fantasy, be it action fantasy or paranormal fantasy or other kind of fantasy. It is clear, then, at least in YWS, fantasy is the most sought genre used in short stories or novels.

Why is this so?

Well, it’s fantasy. It plays with our imaginations, allowing it to go rampant. Why, I have read stories about an army of people with dangerous powers, a lot of dragons, some weird yet fascinating magical abilities, and other impossible events made possible with the magical settings. We research abut the type of mages, about the various kinds of fantastical beasts, and about the societies in which the stories are set in, and we put all of these into words. And I love it, I love everything magical and fantastical. The less sense it makes, the better. The crazier it shows, the more awesome it gets. To me, at least.

There is a limit, however. Fantasy works when it is understandable and conforms to the magical law to which it is bound. A wizard can be very powerful by controlling the weather, but it is done with a great cost, in that he is susceptible to any attack launches at him. He could not defend itself, and it shows that there is a great risk with holding great power. It is not a convenient power if there are enemies who can get close to him and strike him at the vital parts of his body. See? Often, in fantasy novel, great power comes with great price, and it has to have flaws.

Let us take a look at Brandon Sanderson’s Words of Radiance. In that novel, a character named Jasnah can turn an object to something else. From first read, we know this is a very useful ability, and can be dangerous if used lethally. However, upon further reading, we know there is a process leading to the transformation of such object, and said process can kill the the ability’s wielder if it is not done right. Now, it does not look as tempting as it did before, does it, that ability? In the novel, the ability is called Soulcasting, and it is one of the many abilities Brandon has created, that come with adequate prices.

Fantasy works even better if we can relate it to real life, comparing some of its parts with those that we witness around us. Think about the Mudbloods in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. They are witches and wizards that are born from Muggle parents, not from magician parents. At such, they are considered impure, and are treated severely. It just shows how even in the world of mages, bloodlines are treated as painfully important, outpassing the view of the Muggle-born mages’ potentials and how they can contribute to the magic world. Also, some view mages superior than Muggles (humans). Does that remind you of something else? Everywhere in the world, a certain race is considered superior than others, and another race is viewed inferior than others.

Fantasy can be set on a modern world. This has been demonstrated by J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, and other series out there. Riordan utilizes the ancient Greek mythology in the modern world, using teenage characters as those who are introduced to it. He even manages to make use of Egypt mythology and insert it in a modern world. The Greek gods and goddesses are reinvented to be more relatable, and the latest series regarding Apollo, god of the sun and music, has been met with positive reviews in a prestigious site like Goodreads. Due to this, you do not have to worry about inserting fantasy element into the modern world.

To sum it up, fantasy genre is not all about fighting scenes between characters with powerful abilities. It is more than that. It requires a certain level of logic based on the laws it is set upon. It needs to be relatable to engage readers, and it can work in any timeline, be it medieval one or the modern one. The societies in fantasy setting are pretty interesting too. Fantasy is a canvas for your awesome ideas, and it would be nice to see more writers using fantasy as a mean to channel their opinions and comments in the real word.

TWO CENTS: USERNAMEwritten by Aley < PM: >

As we interact with people face to face, we learn to get used to them through exposure. When someone looks a certain way, they are usually expressing their emotions in minute projections through their body language. Sometimes, it's more than body language, it's the way they dress too. What they chose to wear and how they choose to wear it, matters. It matters because we as people interpret everything as a type of discourse, a type of communication.

There's a theory in Rhetoric which "everything is rhetoric" which translates to everything we do and say is something that communicates to others. Now, at first, you might say No, no, the color of my nails, the way I comb my hair, these things, surely they're not rhetoric, but yes, this theory would say they are. Why? Because if you choose not to do these things, then it allows people to make assumptions about you. For instance, if you choose not to comb your hair one day, and you have feathers in it from your pillow, then people can see that and assume you don't care about how you look. This is communication. If you wear dirty clothes, have feathers in your hair, and don't brush your teeth, they can assume you don't care about other people's opinion of you, and that you're a slob.

To put it simply, our rules of etiquette dictate that you do certain things or you'll have consequences elsewhere. So how does that match up online? Well, usernames. Your username is the first and only visual appearance we get of you unless you post more later. It's your first impression. If you have a username about cats, for instance, then we're all going to assume you love cats. In real life that's sort of like having a cat binder, in a cat backpack, with a cat shirt, and cat shoes. Let's not forget the cat-fur all over your clothes. Now, this could be exactly what you want to say, or it might not be. You might grow out of wanting to be everything cat as you go through life, and ditch the cat backpack for something else, and this relates to username changes.

The problem is that you cannot ditch your entire face, and body in the physical reality. Online, you can. When you change usernames, these things we assumed about you completely warp and shift. When we first interact with you, it becomes an interaction with someone who has had a makeover and we don't recognize you immediately.

For me, the most interesting thing about usernames is when people change back. Sometimes a username change is from something long, like Ignorant, to something short, @ Iggy, or something similar sounding RoseyUnicorn to @ Rosendorn, and these changes are often easy to adjust. They're just sprucing up of the main appearance. Other times, like Pegasus 2 to @ Rurouni it's harder to adjust because the username is becoming less a descriptor of some like, and more of a descriptor of a personality.

When you're deciding on what type of username you want to change to, give it some thought. It's going to be a new YWS for a little while as people re-familiarize themselves with you, and while sometimes that can be nice. It's going to take some time for other people to adjust to a new username unless you do it to a nickname most people use anyway, but that wouldn't be much of a style up date, now would it?

In the end, I think your username should fit who you are. I am all for username changes. As you grow, and develop how you want to present yourself, it's fine to try out new usernames and discover what one you like the best. It's the only piece of clothing we have on the internet, so we might as well make it our own style.

This Week’s Link Round Up 8/28 written by megsug < PM: >

Checking out Writing Activities in This Week’s Link Round Up.


@ ChildOfNowhere recognizes that the first few sentences make it or break it whether someone is trying to get published or get readers. So she’s created a thread where users post their first three sentences, and others explain why or why not they would continue reading. One excerpt is:







Currently, Child is the only one to have posted their first three sentences. Those who rate her sentences get some points as well!


@ FeatherPen started a thread where users have to get out of an impossible situation someone else creates. @ Audy created the last situation:







Good luck to whoever posts next!


@ Iggy announced the winners for the Writing Olympics last week.



Each winner gets something out of the YWS store worth up to $15 or $30, depending on the medal they were awarded. Congrats to the winners!


@ Aley is given us another article. This one is about how to count syllables. Why would you want to count syllables? Well, according to Aley





How do you count syllables? Read the article to find out!

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