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.

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

1. FM INTERVIEW: KILLEHAM
2. NAPOWRIMO: AN INTERVIEW WITH ARTICUS
3. INSPO FOR NAPO -INTERVIEW WITH ALEY
4. THE SQUILLS NEWSHOUR: WEEK 3
5. THE SQUILLS NEWSHOUR: EXTRA INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN RYDIA PLUS A FEW YWS ADS
6. GREEN ROOM GALLERY
7. (NOT SO) RANDOM WORD SEARCH
8. POKE-SHIPPING
9. TWO CENTS: MASKS
10. LITERATURE LESSONS - THE GRAPES OF WRATH
11. FEATURED POETRY CLUBS BY ALLIYAH
12. SHAMELESS PLUGS
13. SUBSCRIBERS

FM INTERVIEW: KILLEHAM
written by Kanome < PM: >

It’s that time again where we bring out our newest Featured Member into the making! Today, we have our very own Squills editor @killeham to discuss with her about the latest news about her being a Featured Member.



killham: I couldn’t believe it! In no way was I expecting to be FM. I’ve just been having fun being on YWS more lately, so yeah this was a definite surprise.



K: Oh it’s very exciting. I’m guessing that’s what did it, since I don’t participate much in storybooks or forums. I really didn’t think the reviewing was that sensational, since I hadn’t reviewed in a while. I’m grateful either way.



K: Let’s see. I’d recommend that users at least attempt Inspo for NaPo since it’s just a nice way organizing your thoughts and what you want to do in April. I should honestly do more on my own notebook, but I haven’t had time. Other than that, I would say to just see how much time you will have realistically to write in April, and go from there. Making goals and scheduling specific times for writing would be a good place to start.



K: Well, when the first time an editor position opened up a few months ago, I was too nervous to apply. This time around, I wanted to at least give it a shot, and I was happily surprised when I got the position. Squills has been a really fun experience and I’m excited to have the opportunity to do more with it!



K: Thank you! For new members, all I can say is explore the site to begin with. Click on the Welcome Mat, look at the forums, check out Storybooks. If something catches your eye, then don’t hold yourself back! And, as always, please don’t be afraid of asking questions or talking to users overall. This website is meant for you to enjoy yourself and have fun and contribute to the writing world. I hope you all like it on here and stay active!



K: One thing I would like to say is that if you ever feel inspired to write an article, we are always open to members! Seriously. Besides that, I just want you all to have fun on here, and don’t feel stressed about having to review daily or getting into too many storybooks and being unable to keep up. YWS is not meant to stress you out!

Until next time, Squillians!

NAPOWRIMO: AN INTERVIEW WITH ARTICUSwritten by neptune < PM: >

It's March, meaning National Poetry Month is coming upon us! With all of the hype and chatter around NaPo, it can be frightening. I haven't personally participated in NaPo, but this year I might give it a shot, who knows!

Since I haven't participated in NaPo before, I thought I'd do a quick interview with @Articus, who has been doing NaPo for four years in a row now!



Articus: I participated this year because firstly, I do so every year - it's almost like a ritual by now. Secondly, because it is a chance to write more and watch others do the same as well - which is always a good way to flex your poetic muscles, right? Thirdly, it's a festive time and I don't want to miss out on all the poetry jams. Writing together is always fun. So yeah.



A: For me, the sheer commitment of one poem per day is the hardest part. Because see - on one hand, you've got to think in numerical terms - the very idea of NaPo is mathematical - the need to stick to the poetic rate of one poem per day. On the other hand, as a poet, you want to do more than just write random poems just to keep up with that rate: you want to write quality poems. So, NaPo sort of becomes a balancing act between quantity and quality.



A: No I don't decide on the theme beforehand, the mood of the day sets the theme. Another reason is that NaPo offers you a chance to write a lot of poems in a very short amount of time, so why not use it as an opportunity to explore and experiment with different themes? Why constrain yourself to one? But yes, some people prefer it that way because they like the consistency. It doesn't work for me, though.



A: Don't feel discouraged if you can't keep up or if you fail to complete your thirty poems goal. The official goal of NaPo may be to cross the finish line, but the essence of it is simply enthusiastic participation. NaPo is all about enjoying poetry and merely by participating in NaPo, you're a part of it. Just write as much as you can, whether or not you finish with thirty hardly matters. NaPo is a celebration of poetry, so just have fun.



We still have a couple of weeks left until NaPo starts, so if you haven't yet (and would like to), make a thread in the NaPoWriMo Forum .

INSPO FOR NAPO -INTERVIEW WITH ALEYwritten by killeham< PM: >

I’m sure this isn’t the first time you’ve heard of this, but March is now the “Inspo for NaPo” month! Why, you may ask? Since April, next month, is NaPo, a group of mods on here, including our very own interviewee today, created something to help inspire all of those poems. The amazing @Aley is here to give some insight for those curious about this idea.



Aley: Well I was talking to Poetry Crew about what we wanted to do for National Poetry Month, NaPo, and we were discussing doing workshops or jams to get people geared up when it just sort of hit me, what about something more intensive? What if we helped people prep for NaPo on their own? I felt like maybe this would be a way to let everyone have exactly what they wanted when NaPo came! Plus it meant less work for us.



A: Read poetry! The #1 thing that someone aspiring to do something can do to help them improve is to absorb as much content that's already out there as possible. Now, I could go into a long diatribe about why, and I think I have in Two Cents in the past, but suffice it to say that if you read poetry, you'll get better because you'll see what you like and what you don't like. Once you can identify different types of poetry, and poetry you like or hate, you'll be able to avoid or assimilate those aspects into your own poems. Poets are usually pretty good at writing poems, but reading them can be harder. It takes more work to sit down and consider what's being said than it does to say something pretty and try to force meaning into it.



A: Right now with Inspo I'm approaching it slowly. I've got my plan laid out which is great, but finding inspiration is coming a bit slower for me. I think I'm going to go through all my old poems next week and fish out some ones I want to re-write.



A: Yeah! I read it and if I don't remember it, I rewrite it. If I do remember it, I put it in a folder marked "revised" so I'll work on editing them eventually. So far I've edited only a handful that ended up in that folder. Most of the time I just rewrite the theme again. For me, re-writing usually means finding a line or an idea in the poem that made me write it in the first place, and then starting over. I'll usually repeat the line or idea in my head until I find some way to broach the subject to someone new, and then go from there. Oftentimes I'll hand-write whatever it is first, and then when I type it, I begin the editing process and begin revisions from page to pixels.



A: Well, for approaching Inspo, spend some time creating a database that you like for things you want to use during NaPo. This year's NaPo threads will be a bit different, so we're hoping that users will take it upon themselves to find their own inspiration even though we will provide some. I've always found that hand-picked inspiration is best, so going out and getting it yourself will be a good exercise in being self-reliant at other times of the year.

As for NaPo, try to have fun with it! Pick a goal you're going to enjoy and don't worry if your poetry is bad or good, just write it. If you're enjoying yourself, your reader will enjoy themselves too.

Well, folks, I hope you learned something new about Inspo, and that maybe you’re interested in doing it. There’s plenty of time to get something for all of the different categories of inspiration, so don’t give up! I hope to see you all later in the club’s page or check out the
forum .

Until next time, everyone!

THE SQUILLS NEWSHOUR: WEEK 3

written by LadyLizz< PM: >


Link to video version.
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you know you want to



We probably will not face those important topics that I listed during week 1 and never got around. It’s Saturday night and Saint Patrick’s Day is not yet over with, so I can’t really bring you the news on that. For all topics considering past years of Saint Patrick’s Day parties, I’m afraid very few of those would be Squills appropriate.
So on the list today we have some stories about animals, other animals, YWSers and a little bit about green beer.


Where else would it be but my home state where this kind of crap happens.
There haven’t been too many recent reports on this but as someone who lives near the river, I can vouch for the fact these little buggers are vicious.
When people were reporting it, after managing to survive the ferocious beasts, there were 10 cases in between 2011 and 2014.
Maybe these alligator hunters have retired or maybe they’re just getting better at hunting.



Well actually it was probably to escape a bird or some other predator, but that title did draw you in.
This case is not unique, the scientists involved said that they have found 3 tailed lizards before. In the National Geographic article, they also mentioned that 2 tailed lizards are a more common specimen to find.
I really don’t have a joke for this because it’s a joke in itself?



Many doggos and puppers were dressed up in celebration of the holiday, thanks to some pet owners who have found new ways to have fun. Not only do humans dress themselves in green clothing, dying their hair and anything else available, but now pets have joined the mix.
The more spirit the better?



A leprechaun was arrested earlier today in Dublin, by two cops who were surprisingly up beat, while working this stressful beat.
The reactions of the people around the unusually tall mythological creature, prove to be funnier than the green being himself. Or herself. Or itself. (just to cover all the bases)





Check out Lare’s new club, Story a Week, which is somewhat similar to their other challenge of 100 Words a Day.
If you can’t guess from the title, the challenge is to write one story a week. The ongoing challenge, is to write 1 story a week for 52 weeks.
Join up if you dare.
Lare also has a fabulous thread running in the Writers Corner, titled: What Do You Like to Write?
Read what is there and add your own thoughts to the discussion going on there.
(or just lurk and try and remember info for a later conversation)
[you should probs just participate]



I'm Lady Lizz and this has been the Squills Newshour.
For that featured gang leader member interview, that we offered last week, scroll on down the page to see what the covert pirate captain had to say.

THE SQUILLS NEWSHOUR: EXTRA INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN RYDIA
PLUS A FEW YWS ADS

written by LadyLizz< PM: >

Welcome back to the Squills Newsour, hope y'all enjoyed that commercial break. Now that we have switched off of the video report, it's time for our exclusive interview with the pirate captain herself, @Rydia.



Rydia: Ahoy there! Ah, I'm alright thanks. Just laying low, keeping myself out of trouble. How about you?



R: Haha, well it's almost April so there's got to be drama in the poetry section sooner rather than later. I'm debating at the moment if I'm crazy enough to try and run April Madness this year.



R: Milder? You've got to be kidding, there are people who've not survived to talk about it!



R: I thought you signed the contract not to talk about those...



R: It was certainly a shock to find out they got caught. Wait, no... I meant they're innocent until proven guilty, of course.



R: No, it's definitely a setup. I burned the evidence myself weeks ago so I know it shouldn't have been found.



R: Or a woman. Or maybe a cat, now there's a tricksy creature!



R: Well I expect it's not about Nate's super secret plans for the site because we wouldn't have been snooping around his office or anything.



R: Are you trying to suggest I have others do the dirty work for me? (Because if you're looking for another job...)



R: Well I'll make you an offer that you can't refuse - help me remove a few good poets from the contest this April and I'll make sure you're not removed with them.



R: Ah, most of us don't have them to start with but don't tell old Jones that or he'll want the ship back.



R: Definitely, you don't want them to find the evidence I had to hide onboard.



R: It's a pretty cold month....



R: Now why would you ask a question like that? It's definitely not my area of expertise. I think Meshugenah might be planning something though. Yep, if anything happens it's definitely her.



R: Excellent. Well the only question I have for you and your readers is this: Do you follow rabbits often?



R: Fair enough. You know where to find me.



R: No problem, I'm glad we could do business together.

Well that's all the time we have for today, for interviewing people we believe are totally innocent, no matter what any double agent might say.

There are a few postings here for YWS ads that didn't get into the regular news mix.

The Captain, is now in need of new sailors to add to her crew, as a few have found themselves in the Brig. Whether you're a landlubber, retired veteran or simply a sailor enjoying a temporary post in Tortuga Bay, head over to the Dock to see this month's postings.
These jobs Journeys can take you anywhere, so the Quartermaster, would appreciate it if you packed accordingly.

The Knights of the Green Room are, as always, looking for more participation. They are currently seeking new recruits to serve in the roles of Squire and Knight, as well as requesting that returning Veterans, find a noble quest to follow.
To find out more information, go to the KotGR Information Thread and if you like what you see, go ahead and stop by the KotGR Great Hall to enlist.

The #InspoForNaPo Club , is looking for more participants, for its Inspo Challenge. Similar to PlanMo for NaNo, Inspo helps you get all of those thoughts and ideas together, to hit the ground running on April 1st.

That's really all we have for this week. Join us next week, same Squills channels, slightly different Squills time.

GREEN ROOM GALLERY
written by Kanome < PM: >

Welcome to another week of Squills where I am here to discuss with you about something very important. Today, there is a room that needs to be reckoned with. This room is so powerful, that the only way to defeat it is by using your review power to make it go away. The room I’m talking about, of course, is the Green Room. We usually talk about works that have been in the Green Room for a good while now, but today, we are going to take a different approach. We will still discuss works that have been there for a while, but only ones that are still showing the author’s first ever chapter of their story. Let’s dive deeper with the authors and see why we, as readers, should consider reading their story.

We asked the authors this question: We noticed that your story is still in the Green Room, and we want to help your story get recognized. Are there any reasons at all that the readers should consider reading your novel?

@Terian805 says,





Rejuvenated Light Chapter One by Terian805
Science fiction adventure with it’s own unique twist? Who wouldn’t want to read that?

@PrincessInk says,





A Soul’s Frolic Part 1 by PrincessInk
Need a supernatural and fantasy fix? This story is just for you!

@Lareine says,





Sorcerer Part 1 by Lareine
The suspense of a haunted pinball machine is very tempting. It’s not everyday you can read about haunted retro games!

@Dest says,





Curi and the Dream Boy Ch. 1 Pt. 1 by Dest
Want a little romance? This is story for you! Let’s see what the life of a home-schooled girl takes us, yeah?

@Thundahguy says,






A Merry Band of Monsters - Chapter 1 by Thundahguy
If you want to enjoy something a little different, this is the story for you! Dive in into the lives of a young girl and her three dads. Also, if you support LGBTQ community, this story supports it!

There are lots of work in the Green Room that need to be reckoned with. These are some listed that have been there for a while. If you have the power to review, use it in the Green Room. It could really use the help! Until next time!

(NOT SO) RANDOM WORD SEARCHwritten by killeham< PM: >

Hello! So, instead of a crossword puzzle, I figured I’d change things up a little with a word search found below.




If you want, you can send in your finished product, as you may receive a prize, but we’ll have to see. Definite bonus points if you can determine the theme!

I figured this could be a little reprieve from all of the wonderful articles on here.

Have fun!

POKE-SHIPPING
written by Kanome < PM: >

As most of you may know, there are fans out there who will ship, or put together, Ash and the female lead from whichever Pokemon arc they are from as part of the Pokemon fanbase. There are many fanfictions out there on the internet about the couple they support from Pokemon. I have taken the liberty of creating a poll to find who you support. Let’s take a look at the results:



Based on the results, the winner of the poll is the Ash x Misty (PokeShipping) pair.



I can understand why some people support this pair. From what I remember, there were some episodes or movies where Misty will hint a little jealousy when Ash was around another girl, but since the show is not supposed to be a romance anime, the Pokemon company decided to let Ash and Misty stay as good friends. I am not much of a Misty fan, only because her character development, her personality, I just didn’t like her as a character, but I can’t change the fate of the results.

Now for my personal opinion. In all honesty, I would’ve voted for the Ash x Dawn (PearlShipping) pair because I felt like Ash and Dawn had a special connection. In the Sinnoh Arc, it showed Ash and Dawn supporting each other when either of them had a gym battle or Pokemon contest, and I had never seen Ash do that in the previous arcs. That’s all I can say to that, but again, it’s my personal opinion.

Thank you for all who participated in the poll! Much appreciated! Until next time!

TWO CENTS: MASKSwritten by Aley < PM: >



When I was growing up, it was pretty common for people to say "you don't know the real me" because we would be hiding behind masks, facades we put up to be able to protect ourselves from bullies, friends, family, and life struggles. What none of us could conceptualize at the time was that everyone does this.

It doesn't matter if you're an aunt, a mother, a son, a father, a thirteen year old, or a ninety year old, we all protect ourselves using facades, and that's okay. But what does it mean for our personalities? And why do we do this?

Well, it turns out that some psychologists believe we create personas or facades, or masks, because we are trying to fit in to the society around us. If we like something, we act more like it, we create a façade like the thing we enjoy so it will like us too. If we don't like something, we create a façade against what we are seeing to avoid being associated with it. It's a perfectly normal part of our personalities too.

So how do we use this in writing?

Well, one of the best ways to use this in writing is to remind ourselves that our characters will change personalities and reactions based on those parameters. If they like something, they'll change to be more like it while they're around it. If they dislike something, they'll change to be less like that thing. It doesn't matter what sort of things your characters do typically, if they like it or don't like it, they'll change!

This isn't necessarily "character growth" however, it's just adaptability. We all have adaptability within us, so to make our characters more realistic, we have to make them able to do it as well. But how do we avoid changing everyone to the same character all the time? How do we show that it's just a mask?

For me, when I'm writing someone who is code-switching [changing according to their surroundings] I like to use a different diction and attitude, and then once they're out of that situation, go right back to what I was doing beforehand for their dialogue. This shows the change in personality without making people think there is character growth.

Character growth is exclusively for when a character has changed what they would pick when making decisions. Take an example of someone who is very naive at the beginning of the book. If they were asked if they'd like to buy some magic beans, they might do it. If there is character growth, then at the end of the book, they wouldn't [unless their name is Jack]. The point is that things have changed over the course of the novel and changed how they think about things, or react to things. That is character growth.

Code switching is just when someone changes how they're behaving to fit in whether subconscious or something they're conscious of doing.

Now that we've had an overview of code switching, what are your thoughts on the subject? Do you code switch?

What masks do you wear during the day? These are great subjects for poems, novels, and short stories, and I'd love to hear about them!

Until next time!

LITERATURE LESSONS - THE GRAPES OF WRATHwritten by killeham< PM: >

Hello readers! This week’s lesson takes us back in time, to the early 20th century United States.

The Grapes of Wrath was written by John Steinbeck, a very acclaimed author who not only won a Pulitzer prize for this novel but also a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962! This work significantly contributed to him getting that second award.

This novel starts in Oklahoma, where the Dust Bowl eventually pushes the Joad family towards the promised land - California. Their journey is not easy, fast, or cheap; their land is left desolate, with the emerging company-owned vehicles taking over farming in those areas.

The main protagonist is named Tom Joad, a man who had never been much farther than the local jail before traveling with his large family. Other characters are mostly the other family members, from the parents to the many siblings Tom has. There are few characters unrelated to the Joads, one being a former pastor named Jim Casy.

Steinbeck created a novel with strong political undertones and a bleak outlook for the poor farmers who all struggled during that era.

For many at that time, California held the last glimpse of hope for people escaping their wind-torn farmland. Desperation came in many forms during the Great Depression, but all were linked by one desire - to find a place they could actually live in, not just survive.

Eventually, the family gets torn apart, little by little, not only during the journey, but also after their arrival into the West. The family held quite a few siblings, all of different ages, so some had conflicting views, and may have lead to their leave of the group. All in all, it lead to a dysfunctional situation and caused many heartache in their struggle to find a steady home.

This novel may start slow, but is rich with symbolism. So many things from the title and the so-called “Machines” aligned with the companies uncaring of the people.

I really recommend reading this sometime! All four hundred pages are engaging and I could not help getting swept into the storyline of the Joad family.

The Grapes of Wrath holds a great historical value and has a vivid outlook in how awful times were for the people not with power. The millions of people relying on companies to employ them and such were helpless to the few, which never ends well for the majority involved.

I hope this piqued your interest and please stay tuned for next week’s lesson!

FEATURED POETRY CLUBS BY ALLIYAHwritten by Guest < PM: >

As you might have already heard around the site, April is National Poetry Writing Month or "NaPo". And here on YWS we're really excited about it! NaPo is when people endeavor to write thirty poems during the month of April, but it's also a good time to celebrate all things poetry. So whether you're participating in NaPo, new to the poetry scene, or have never written a poem in your life - now's your chance to get involved in poetry on YWS.

In honor of NaPo coming up - I wanted to highlight some of the great poetry clubs we have on the site.

* Poetry Jams Club
The Poetry Jam club is an oldie but a goodie - here's the hub for staying informed on what workshops and poetry jams are happening or coming up. If you, yourself are hosting a poetry jam feel free to advertise directly on the club wall - it's a great way to get the word out to the poetry community on YWS.

* Group Poetry Club
Ah the Group Poetry Club, the place to collaborate to your poetry heart's content! This club was started by its leader @snowmonkey9. Members of the group take turns writing stanzas to build together a complete poem. You may have even seen some of their fabulous poetry around the site.

* Inspo for NaPo Club
If you haven't seen this Neapolitan Themed club over March, you've been truly missing out. But have no fear! There is still time to get involved. This club features different challenges and inspiration for poets getting ready for NaPo during March. Members make journals with different posts for their NaPo planning and inspiration they'd like to use. If you don't want to start your own journal, you're still welcome to take a peak and see what others are up to. Who knows? You might even be inspired!
Also all the challenges and information for the club can be found here: Inspo for NaPo



And that's all for now! If there's a certain Poetic Club you would like to see, I would encourage you to grab a few friends and start it up! Chances are there are others out there who would also like to see that very same topic as a club. Happy writing!

SHAMELESS PLUGS

written by SquillsBot < PM: >

We love to run articles and questions, but we also love to advertise for you. Let people know about your new blog, a poem or story you’re looking for reviews on, or a forum thread you’d like more traffic on through Squills’ Shameless Plugs. PM @SquillsBot with the exact formatting of your advertisement, contained in the following code.

Code: Select all

Place advertisement here. Make sure you include a title!

If anyone is interested, I have created a book club for manga reader. There, we can read manga that we are assigned and discuss about every week at our book club meetings. Feel free to join!



Manga Book Club

Inspo for NaPo

Hey everyone, I just wanted to drop a line in here to let you all see this amazing thing me and my fantastic friends have going. We're doing an event called Inspo. Take a look!



We even have a club to house all the journals!

That's all folks~ Now send us yours.

SUBSCRIBERS

written by SquillsBot < PM: >
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Do you, too, want to be enspoiler-ed and receive a personal weekly notification when the Squills newsletter is posted? Shoot a PM over to SquillsBot to let him know, and you'll be pinged along with the next issue!