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Young Writers Society


Squills 7/8/18 - 7/14/18



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Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:22 am
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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!

CREATIVE STAFF

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Editor-in-Chief
Aley

General Editors
EternalRain
killeham

Friendly Neighborhood Robot
SquillsBot

Literary Reporter
Available - PM Squillsbot if interested

Community Reporter
Neptune

Poetry Enchantress
Aley
alliyah

Resources Reporter
Available - PM Squillsbot if interested

Storybooks Status Reporter
Available - PM Squillsbot if interested

Writer's World Columnist
elysian

Anime Maniac
Kanome

Social Correspondent
EternalRain
LadyLizz

Code Master
killeham

General Reporters
BuriKun

Ghost Reporter
ShadowVyper



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!





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Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:42 am
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AN INTERVIEW WITH SOME PIRATE CREW
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Written by LadyBird < PM: >

Here in the studio to talk about Storybook Month , is First Mate @Lumi and Pirate First Class @saen!

Squills: With Storybook Month just starting to gear up, obviously your pirate crew has a lot up their striped sleeves and behind the parrots.
Our investigative journalists tell me that you've launched the Carnival tagbook. How's that going so far?


Lumi: The Carnival tagbook is going absolutely swimmingly! (Pirate joke) We've got lots of likes and attention on the SB itself, and we've got tags flying out like pigeons at the Dixie Stampede!

S: Pigeons. The land parrot. And now we turn to Saen to ask these next few questions.

Since this is going to be a very active month for your forum, any advice to first time sbers? Whether it's their first time climbing aboard a ship or their first try at piloting one.


Saen: My biggest piece of advice for our first time pirates is to check out the resources available to them. The Storybook Rules & Resources thread was a great help to me when I was a landlubber looking to pilot my first ship. It has a lot of different links to all sorts of storybooking tips and tricks. Besides that, I'd suggest checking out actual storybooks! They'll give you a good idea of what it's like to write for storybooks and be an active part of their crew.

SQ: I'll be sure to pass that information along, in a bottle. Time for I guess a more personal personnel question.
Which of the Genre Seas has been your favorite to sail, so far?


SA: I've loved sailing the Fantasy Sea ever since I first started storybooking! My first storybook was in that genre, and almost all of the ones I've been in or joined since then have been in that genre as well. I love the freedom it allows when it comes to creating a story and a cast of characters - there's unlimited potential. What's really neat about the seas is that you can find all sorts of ships. Just because they're all sailing in the same place, they don't function by the same rules or even have the same type of captain. It's just a really fun Genre Sea overall!

SQ: I guess I'll let you and the rest of the crew get back to being scallywags. Any final comments before I let you go?


Well it looks like all the members of the crew had to get back to plundering, so stay tuned to Squills throughout Storybook Month for more information.





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Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:43 am
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INTERVIEW WITH THE ACTRESSES IN GHOST MAN
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written by elysian < PM: >

With the radio show coming up in August, I decided to ask a few of the actresses from Ghost Man, written by @Elinor and adapted by @Dreamy, about their experiences and hopes for the show!

elysian: Hi, hope everyone is doing well! Why don't you start off by telling us what part you play?

soundofmind: I play the role of Liz in the Ghost Man!

scribbleinks: I'm the voice for Donna!

e: Awesome! Why did you decide to audition for this role?

so: I've always wanted to try my hand - or my voice, rather - at voice acting, but I've never really had an opportunity. This seemed like one that wasn't too intimidating since it's in the context of the YWS family I've grown so familiar!

sc: I didn't actually audition for any specific roles. I sent in my audition and left it up to Elinor to put me where I was best suited!

e: How're you getting into character?

so: A lof of the pictures and background that Elinor's shown and provided for me has kind of helped me get into the head of my character. Liz is a young and promising actress and the best friend of the main character Monty. So really a lot of it is imagination based, haha. I just... try to picture myself as her. I picture myself in her shoes, with her history with Monty, and how they became friends and all.

sc: Hm, that's an interesting question! I really liked to sit at the rehearsals and just envision the scene that was playing out. Elinor did give us all some nudges of how the characters reacted to certain situations, or what they were trying to convey, and I based a lot off of those reactions. Plus, just the way Donna interacts with Monty for some of those scenes was something to draw from as well.

e: What are you most excited for people to see?

so: I'm just really excited for the whole thing, honestly, but I think it's be really cool to hear all of our parts put together with the sound effects. I'm excited to see how people react to the story! I think it'll be really cool.

sc: Well, they're really not going to [i]see anything xD Okay but really, I'm super excited for everyone to hear the show. Everyone is so talented and Elinor is such a fantastic director of all of it. It's all very exciting, I don't know if I could choose one think specifically.[/i]

e: Do you think the show will do well?

so: I think so!!! And I sure hope so lol! It's been so much fun rehearsing and we've all put a lot of work into it, but most of all Elinor!

sc: Well, I [i]hope it does! I don't see any reason why everyone shouldn't love it [/i]

e: What has been the hardest part of helping with this production?

so: Haha, I guess how it's stretched me a little bit in terms of voice acting. LOL which I saw coming, but, I think I learned just how important things like tone and enunciation are and how just a slight difference in any of them can change how a voice is perceived or interpreted. So trying to get a handle on that was a bit of a challenge!

sc: That would be my own nerves, haha. I remember the first rehearsal I was really really bouncy and we got into the rehearsal (it was Elinor, Monty's voice actor, and myself) and we just had a nice little chat before starting, and honestly that eased me into it better than anything else. That didn't stop me getting antsy about it a lot, but everyone was so nice so it didn't even turn out to be much of an issue.

e: Is this something you hope can happen more in the future?

so: Oh, totally! And if it does, I'd love to do it again! Hahahaha! It's really fun

sc: Absolutely! I'd love to do another show in the future *winks with both eyes several times*

Be sure to tune in to the Radio Show in August!





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Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:44 am
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SOCIETY PAGES
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written by neptune < PM: >

Welcome to Society Pages! It’s been a quick second since Squills has kept you up to date with the latest news and gossip! But with the recent start of LMS, Storybook Month, and other events, so much is happening!

The #LMS tag has been spreading across the site, and fast! Everyone is posting their LMS chapters, so go and check them out!

The occasional #periodtalk tag came around, and @Carlito is beginning her #harrypottermonth reading!

On another note, here’s what’s also happening:

@TheWeirdoFromBeyond is finally starting Divergent, @GodHatesShane just finished the movie Coco and loved it, and @Audy finished Steven Universe.

And just to cause a mass division with all users on the site, @Carina is wondering how to pronounce the word “coupon” (it’s koo-pon, by the way!). How do you pronounce it? Tell us in the forum here .

@rosette is taking advantage of summer by staying up until midnight writing her novel. I mean, it’s summer! Why write at any other time?

@soundofmind and @ChieRynn both have introduced two new people to the site! Stop by @Sakurasprings and @mydwindlingsanity’s walls to say hello if you haven’t already!

Finally, to keep the LMS spirit up, I’d like to end on a note from @DarkPandemonium that I completely agree with:



I honestly hope everyone stays in #LMS for as long as possible because I'm so digging the supportive vibes on YWS at the moment. It's a competition, yet you end up rooting for everyone and everyone ends up rooting for you.






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Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:46 am
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INTERVIEW WITH THE GHOST MAN AUTHORS
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written by BiruKun < PM: >

You’ve heard from the actors, now hear from some of the people behind the scenes! Here are the author and adaptor, @Elinor and @Dreamy of the upcoming Tales of the Airwaves show, Ghost Man!

Squills: Thanks for taking time to answer a few questions! So, Dreamy, what were some of the ups and downs of adapting Ghost Man to script?


Dreamy: Time and time zone. I was worried about time, I was worried whether I'll be able to finish the script on time. And time zone was a huge hurdle, every time when either of us had ideas that needed to be discussed we'd have to wait for, sometimes, an entire day to get a reply. But otherwise, I loved working with Elinor. She's awesome!

S: Elinor, what are some of the reasons that you chose Dreamy’s adaptation of Ghost Man?


Elinor: Like with Sea Fever, I was looking for an adaptation that was both true to the spirit of the story but still made changes so that it would best fit to an auditory medium.


S: Dreamy, did you have any techniques when adapting the story?


D: Techniques, haha, nope! I wanted to stick to what the author, Elinor, had written in her story. And I made sure I didn't overlook the importance of what's been written because every single emotion and every single word is written for a reason by the author.

S: Elinor, what gave you ideas for writing Ghost Man?


E: It's funny, how it all happened. At the beginning of March, I suddenly very ill and went to the emergency room, where I discovered I had to have a larger tumor in my abdomen taken out immediately. I was in the hospital for a week and discovered that I had cancer. Obviously, even when I got out, that was going to make the four months more difficult than I could have imagined before. I'm going to be okay, and I'm almost done with the treatment now.

But somewhere in between I first heard about Montgomery Clift's story. He was an actor in the 1940s and 50s, and became close with Elizabeth Taylor. She probably fell in love with him when they first met. But he was either gay or bisexual (when he talks about it, Clift himself didn't seem know) but regardless, he wasn't in love with Liz. Still, they became best friends. Only about four years into his acting career, by which time he'd starred in the Best Picture winning From Here to Eternity, he got into a serious car accident leaving Liz's house. The left side of his face was disfigured, severely affecting his career and personal friendships.

Maybe because of what I'd been through, it deeply resonated with me. While he didn't die, he could have, and maybe felt like he should have or wanted to rather than go through all the suffering and change. But he did live through it because had love in his life, and I wanted to tell this story as a celebration of that.


S: What parts of collaborating on Ghost Man have you enjoyed, and what parts were difficult?


E: It's always fun to have another writer to bounce ideas off of, and see them bring their own take on the material. Dreamy had tons of suggestions that I never would have thought of.

D: I loved discussing the ideas. Since the short story is inspired by real events, we talked a lot. We considered many scenarios and wrote and rewrote few scenes but both of us were very sure that we don't want to add elements that we weren't 100% sure of. This is my first project so I was nervous but thanks to Elinor, she was very patient and encouraging to all of my ideas.

S:Finally, why did you both choose to work on Tales of the Airwaves?


E: I love bringing stories to life, and the radio show I did in 2014 was lots of fun.

D: It's a funny story. Some three-four years ago, @BlueAfrica reviewed my short story and said that I'm good in dialogues and asked me if I've ever tried my hand in writing scripts. Ever since then, I've always wanted to write a script but I also always found a way to not write any script fearing failure. When I read about Tales of the Airwaves I knew that this was it and I grabbed the opportunity.

Thank you so much, Elinor and Dreamy, and make sure to tune in to Tales of the Airwaves’ radio show, “Ghost Man”!





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Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:47 am
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YOUR #LMS PLAYLIST: PART 1
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Written by LadyBird < PM: >

While I could write a serious article filled with interviews and informing the Squills audience about everything going on, this will never be that type of article.

Instead, based on the title of the novel and with little regard for the plot, I'll pick out some songs. Sometimes with the author's help but mostly not...

Enjoy the first part of this playlist and I'll be back with more later, once I figure out songs for the rest.

You Are...the Chosen Grandma by @blueafrica
Don't Stop Me Now - Queen

The Autumn Door by @Lareine
Autumn Almanac - The Kinks

Hero For Hire by @Sonder
Juke Box Hero - Foreigner

Multiplicity, Book 1: Eos by @Mea
She's My Number Pi - Whatever College Humor Calls Their Band

Princessence by @Kale
I've Got a Dream - Tangled Soundtrack

What Happened to Benjamin Marcos? by @shaniac
Revolution Blues - Neil Young

Book 1: Dancer of the Fire Blade by @Lightsong
Tiny Dancer - Elton John
Okan's Sacrifices also by lightsong
My Sacrifice - Creed

LMS thread of Lives4Christ24 from @Lives4Christ24
Romeo and Juliet - Dire Straits
We Are Family - Sister Sledge

More Than Dead by @killeham
Mr. Sandman - The Chordettes

Syrin by @SpiritedWolfe
Lilac Wine - Nina Simone

Vyheria by @sheyren
Flight of the Valkries

Boss Rush! by @Lumi
Since I do know about certain additions to this idea, customized song based on more than just the title.
Hey Good Lookin' - Hank Williams

Before the Dragon by @ShadowVyper
Dragon Attack - Queen

Death's [Blank] by @Evander
Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan

The Risen by @elysian
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life - Life of Brian

The Hippocampus by @falconergal9086
Scizophrenia Blues - Rock in the Classroom

Own My Soul by @ScarlettFire
Main Theme in Gone with the Wind

The Equator in Zhulong by @Pompadour
Homeward Bound - Simon & Garfunkel

The Valen by @Carina
The Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin





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Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:49 am
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GREEN ROOM GALLERY
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written by EternalRain < PM: >

With LMS just starting, there are lots of new novels around YWS! However, there are plenty of other works waiting for some love as well. Currently, there are 41 works total in the Green Room. 20 with no reviews and 21 with 1. Here’s a few of the works that have been hanging out there.

Viva la Leaderboard by @RaidenCheese
A YWS-themed parody of the song Viva la Vida by Coldplay.

Chapter 3: Broken Lullabies by @horseswrite
The third chapter to an Avengers fan fiction. You can start from the beginning here: Chapter 1: Awoke

Revival from the Burial of Poverty by @Anika
The first part of a story from the diary entry of an Indian girl.

Satirical Desposition by @aelihe
A romantic piece about heartbreak and betrayal.
This work is rated 16+.

Wonders Lost: Chapter 10 by @MissGangamash
A fantasy story following the main character Jorge and featuring all sorts of creatures like goblins and demons! You can start from the beginning here: Wonders Lost: Prologue

El Amor by @AnoCannotUserName
A love poem written in Spanish. If you’re able to speak Spanish and looking for something to review, this is the perfect piece for you!

Magician’s Wars Chapter 5 by @kman134
A fantasy novel with a main character who has some magic abilities! This novel has anime references, so it’s perfect for any anime fantasy lover. You can start from the beginning here: Magician’s Wars Chapter 1 .

A Puzzle Piece: Prologue and Chapter One by @Taleof6kids
The prologue and first chapter of a novel about a family recovering after the loss of a loved one.


The Green Room isn’t at a terrible place right now thanks to review day, but there’s still a lot of loose chapters in there just waiting for some love! Hop to reviewing!





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Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:51 am
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A POETRY PERSPECTIVE: SCHOOL ROOM POETRY
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written by alliyah < PM: >

Many folks get their first taste of poetry in the classroom. There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to this sort of introduction. On the positive side, it exposes children (and sometime adults) to poetry that they might not have exposure to any other way. It's a window into the world of poetry. Unfortunately, many of these types of poems are often in archaic and complicated language, written in centuries of the past. (I'm looking at you Mr. Shakespeare). Now there's nothing wrong with this type of poetry, it's often beautiful, revolutionary, emotionally and intellectually exciting and connects us to this grand tradition of poets that goes very far back. I would think that as soon as humans could speak, poetry has been around.

There's a few problems to this type of introduction to poetry in my opinion.

1) We read beyond our ability
Have you ever gotten an algebra problem that you had no idea how to even begin solving it? Sometimes older poetry feels like this. It's frustrating because we aren't given the tools to work up to harder poetry. Remember in grade school how you started with short picture books, then simple books, then novels, and so-on. In prose we let a person take time to develop their reading and interpretation skills from the beginning. In poetry we're often dropped right into the more intense poetry and are expected to read it at a higher academic level.

The flip-side to this, of course, is sometimes students do get a chance to start out with poetry geared towards children, and this helps foster a poetic skills to work up to more challenging work. Think about how much you enjoyed Dr. Seuss as a kid - it was fun rather than work to read.

2) The goal is to use the intellect not to enjoy
This feeds into the false assumption that poetry is "boring" or too much "work" to read. The math example works for this as well - a lot of people find math more acceptable and even enjoyable when there is a reason for doing the math besides just getting a good grade. In school so much pressure is put on students to get good grades that even aspects of education given for our enjoyment become work.

I don't think most poets write poetry simply to provide "brain teasers" or word problems, but so that others can have an emotional connection with them or enjoy their work. A lot of enjoyable poetry is intellectually stimulating, but the main purpose is rarely just there so you make a list of all the figurative language and get all your points on an exam.

3) Students get scared of poetry
I think a lot of people get scared of poetry because they think they've been told there's a "right" and "wrong" way to read or write poetry and that poetry is something that is exclusive or elitist. While a lot of poetry does have rules, guidelines, standards, and aspects that make it stronger or weaker - poetry at its core is personal expression of language and there is no one "right" or "wrong" way to do that. I am really convinced poetry is as natural to humanity as storytelling and music making, and anyone can be involved. Sure some poetry will be stronger, or crafted with more technicality, but there is certainly valuable in all poetry. No reason to be scared!

4) It just skims the surface of all that poetry is
As a started preaching about in the last point, poetry is a lot more than just a list of poetic devices. And poetic devices are a lot more than just labels or tools. In the classroom setting poetry sometimes gets disconnected from the "big picture" or meaning when all the elements are taken out of context.

So what is poetry really?
I've went on long enough in this article, so I won't attempt a definition of poetry. But now that we've covered some of the reasons people stay away from poetry in the academic setting, if you're interested in reading some of the aspects of poetry that people on YWS enjoy, I would encourage you to read some of the responses on this forum that @Aley started during NaPo. If you have your own responses you'd like to share, you can add to the forum about what motivates you to write poetry.

That's all for this week!





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Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:54 am
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SHAMELESS PLUGS
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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!

And now for this week's Shameless Plugs!


Tales from the Airwaves
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That's all folks~ Now send us yours.





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SUBSCRIBERS
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written by SquillsBot < PM: >

Find an enspoiler-ed a list of our subscribers!
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