Young Writers Society

1. THEY ARE COMING: JUNE’S GREAT TORTOISE RACE
2. INTERVIEW WITH THE TORTOISE VICTORS
3. GREEN ROOM GALLERY
4. FEATURED MEMBER INTERVIEW: RINISHA
5. MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS AND SUBSTITUTION CIPHERS
6. SHAMELESS PLUGS
7. SUBSCRIBERS

THEY ARE COMING: JUNE’S GREAT TORTOISE RACEwritten by Liminality < PM: >

There’s something green in the grass. A munching sound, distant, as though you’re hearing it through water, but it is coming ever closer . . .
It is here. The tortoise.

What is the tortoise?

A tortoise is what we call a citizen of YWS who bravely reviews a work a day, thinning the ranks of the Literary Center one story or poem at a time. They are slow and steady, and they win the race.

Why the tortoise?

Good question. Some say it is because of the badge, usually green and tortoise-themed, and a very cool addition to your trophy cabinet. Some say it is because of the banner. The Great Tortoise Race collects a treasure trove of banners over the years.

Why the tortoise?

Even more than those things, YWSers become the tortoise because it is a good way to build up a reviewing habit. June is an opportunity to challenge yourself and work towards larger goals, such as earning five gold stars by the end of 2023, or passing your friend on the leaderboards.

You could join the list of previous Great Tortoise Race winners which includes such reviewing luminaries as @IcyFlame (completed the race in 2020, 2021, 2022) and @KateHardy (completed the race in 2021, 2022). Kate also happens to be a record holder for Team Tortoise in general, having held the title for 22 consecutive months from August 2020 to June 2022.

Again, why the tortoise?

Because of the effect reviewing consistently has on YWS as a whole, in building our community and traversing the wild plains of the Green Room. In 2022, for instance, we brought the Green Room down to just 44 works over the month of June. The Race also brings more activity to the site in the form of smaller contests, challenges and hashtags, such as 2021’s review tips hashtags.

So then, why not the tortoise?

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the next Great Tortoise Race.

INTERVIEW WITH THE TORTOISE VICTORSwritten by alliyah < PM: >

As you may have heard The Great Tortoise Race started June 1st. So to give a little inspiration from some of our Team Tortoise Record holders I thought I'd interview some of the best of the best! Team Tortoise is reviewing every day for a whole month - in YWS history we've had several users stack up multiple months reviewing every day for 3, or 4, or even (in @KateHardy's case) 22 months! Anyways let's hear from some of those Tortoise Record holders!



KateHardy I did not. I really just wanted to see if I could actually do it but then it became a sort of habit and just kind of kept going.

starlitmind: Omg not at all! After the first month of Team Tortoise, I enjoyed writing reviews so much, that the second month came without conscious effort, if the makes sense? But then after the third month, I kept challenging myself to try another month, because why not? xD and along the way, I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be funny if just kept going for a year? But I tried not to take myself too seriously or become too invested - I didn’t want to become disappointed if I didn’t reach my goal. So, I really just took it on a day-to-day basis and enjoyed the journey ^_^

Plume: When I started, no; I originally did it as part of a January review challenge that I ended up placing third in. Then I sort of just... continued into February, and then made this post in March, which sort of set my unofficial goal to continue it for as long as I could!

vampricone6783: No, I didn’t. I didn’t even know that there were teams. I just thought that if I reviewed once a day, it would be enough.



KateHardy: I usually just have a little reminder somewhere that I need to right a review, and its just developed into a little habit to always write at least one a day so when I'm just checking through YWS normally I'm always on the lookout for something to review for the day. Usually all the motivation just comes from being on that leaderboard and I try to make sure I'm always on it.

starlitmind: So I basically use my running tactic xD when I go for a run, I tell myself I’ll stop at the next mailbox. And when I’m at that mailbox, I’m like, well, I might as well run to the next mailbox if I’m already here! And then I end up running more than what I planned - I did the same for writing reviews! I told myself, if I’ve already kept Team Tortoise up for 2 months, I might as well go for another week! And then that turned into another month, and so on :p

Plume: I think a big part of the motivation for me just comes from keeping up with the streak. Once I really got going, it seemed a shame to let all the hard work I'd been putting in go to waste before achieving my goal. I really hate the feeling of being so close to something and then ultimately failing to achieve it, which kept me motivated to keep going. I also got into a lot of longer works with multiple parts, and that made it easy to find pieces to review!

vampricone6783: How do I keep motivation? Well, I tell myself that there are so many good stories to read and that after I have enough coins, one of my stories will join the many stories other users have to tell.



KateHardy: This has varied over time but of late my method has been to browse the green room, often looking for something that's a first chapter or a short story on its own. And I generally just pick whatever title happens to be the most interesting that day. As far as writing its concerned I have it open from pretty much the start of the day just on a tab and I try and write a little bit of it every time I pass through YWS if its a busy day. If its not I'll sit down and try to write it in one sitting which usually takes about half an hour. As for the process on that review I usually read it once to give my first impression, then a couple more times to understand it fully and I do my sort of line by line comments before giving it one final read along with reading my own review to actually leave that conclusion.

starlitmind: I keep my eyes open on the poetry tab, because I just love to review poetry from the amazing, talented YWS poets c: as for writing a review, for poetry, I usually start out with compliments / my fav parts of the piece along with my interpretation. Then, I move on to suggestions or any possible constructive criticism I can give. Then I close with some more compliments / other fav parts of the poem for prose, I like to give my thoughts as I go, so there’s no real order to my review; it’s a mix of compliments and suggestions ^_^

Plume: Well, like I said above, I've been following along with some longer works, which tend to be my first priority when reviewing. I also tend to read older works in the green room, since they've been waiting a while for a review. Then, after I've read the work, I offer big picture feedback before diving into more specific suggestions and commentary.

vampricone6783: Usually I search for stories that might interest me. This could take a few minutes, but after I find something, I write my thoughts down and motivate the user. Because even the smallest amount of encouragement could inspire someone to keep writing and sharing their ideas. And I want people to feel confident about their writing, because it’s unique to them.



KateHardy: I think trying to review a few chapters of an LMS novel might be a good idea this June. There are several to pick from with over thirty parts and following along with a novel makes the job of picking a review quite simple. And most LMS novels are released in 1000 word parts by the nature of the competition so each one is pretty manageable in terms of size.

starlitmind: YOU GOT THIS! I think it’s easiest to take it one day at a time. Instead of looking at the Race as a whole - ahh, 30 reviews is so many!! - just look at it piece by piece - hey, I just need to write one review today, I can do that!! It’s easy to psych yourself out if you look at the big picture, the entire journey, instead of looking at each stepping stone. Also, if you set aside a specific time of day to write your review, instead of doing it at a different time each day, I find the act more easily becomes consistent and a habit ^_^

Plume: I think the best way to do Team Tortoise is to allot time for it during the day and make it consistent. During my long streak, I tended to make my review one of the first things I did in the morning. It's also nice to pick a piece you're in the mood to read, which definitely makes reviewing a breeze.

vampricone6783: Say your thoughts, but encourage the author so that they don’t feel nervous about writing more.



KateHardy: Hmm probably just one last little thing that's helped me and that's to try and set aside on time in a day to write the review during this particular month. Just having maybe an hour that you're always free to try and write a review during works really well because you are much more easily to turn it into a little habit for the month.

starlitmind: YWS is amazing, you’re amazing, and I believe in everyone attempting the Great Tortoise Race this June. Your advice is invaluable, and I hope you get to share some of it during the amazing month of June c: you are incredibly capable. And you don’t have to complete the race to have an impact - just one review is an amazing accomplishment. Also, shoutout to @alliyah for conducting this interview!!

Plume: I'd love to share some encouragement! Team Tortoise is a big undertaking, but it can also be very rewarding; it may seem like a lot at first, but once you incorporate it into your routine, it gets easier. So go on and give it a try!

vampricone6783: When faced with writer’s block-LISTEN TO MUSIC. Music will help set the vibes of your story and get you in the mood. It’s what I do.

A big thank you to KateHardy, @vampricone6783, @starlitmind, & @Plume for your time and terrific answers! If you're motivated to try out the Great Tortoise Race you can read more about it here or read @Liminality's Tortoise article in this issue of Squills - and be sure to check out these and other Tortoise Records at the YWS Big Book of Records .

GREEN ROOM GALLERYwritten by IcyFlame < PM: >

As we enter June and Team Tortoise is in full swing, look no further than some of these Green Room works that will get you one day closer to earning that shiny Tortoise badge! (Remember, Team Tortoise means one review a day, so pace yourself!)

For extra points, you can also review some older works by clicking this link and sorting works by the oldest ones posted.

At the time of writing, there are currently 182 works in the Green Room, so there's plenty to go around. Of those, 72 works have 0 reviews and 93 works have 1 review - and the oldest work has been waiting for a second review since the 14th of February! That's lots of points up for grabs.

For those that don't have loads of time, we've rounded up a couple of under ten-minute reads to get you started:

The Last Spell 12.1 by @SilverNight
Part twelve of this adventure fantasy! If you're looking for chapter one, you can start reading that here .
There's a whole host of chapters of this novel on the site at the moment, so if you're looking for a new book to get stuck into this summer (or whatever the season may be where you are) then this might just be the perfect one for you! There are some fun characters, and this particular chapter promises some heist shenanigans! (Parts two and three of this chapter are also only a ten-minute read each.)

Conquer Rising: Chapter 2.6 by @Snoink
If you've frequented the People's tab at all throughout the last few months, chances are you've seen how Snoink's family raves about her writing Why not join the party?
If you're looking for the start of the novel, you can start reading that here .

A Black Man, a Noble Sight by @auliq
For those poetry reviewers amongst you, this is a quick read telling the story of a man more than just his skin.

For those who have a little bit more time, here are some other works that could use your love:

Bucky Barnes: the hero behind the mask by @Rinisha
An interesting essay for anyone familiar with the Marvel universe. Plus, it uses gif and we all know how much I love a gif.

1772 – Scotchtown Plantation, Virginia. [1]. by @Fishr
Part one of a historical fiction short story. There are three parts to this tale of family and drama but prepare yourself for a tragic ending!

There are plenty more pieces of work in the Green Room waiting for your reviews, so be sure to check them out!

If you're a bit out of practice, feel free to check out this Review Resource: The YWS Critique Sandwich - a helpful format if you're not quite sure how to structure your review!

Reviewing is not only important for those receiving the review, but can be really helpful for you (the reviewer) too! When we review we engage in a process of analysis and evaluation. which can enhance our own critical thinking skills, enabling us to assess strengths and weaknesses objectively. This is very helpful for improving your own work. It's often said that if you want to improve your writing, you should do more reading but taking that even further is to review what you're reading!

Happy Reviewing!

FEATURED MEMBER INTERVIEW: RINISHAwritten by looseleaf < PM: >

This featured member has been seen all over YWS since she joined in January. Within five months, she's published seven short stories, eight chapters of her novel MaryAnna, and several other types of literary works. She's an avid reviewer with seventy-six reviews of all sorts already under her belt. Finally, her enthusiasm for her work is incredibly infectious, and she has definitely motivated me to be more consistent in my writing. Have you guessed who it is yet (or did you look at this article's title)? Well, if you haven't, the YWSer I'm talking about is @Rinisha. I had the pleasure of interviewing her this week, and I think you'll enjoy what she had to say:


Rinisha: At first I didn't realise I was a featured member until all the congratulations started appearing on my wall and I got a notification saying someone mentioned you on a forum. I clicked on it and was taken to the whole explanation of how I became a featured member, I was stunned for a while because I couldn't believe it. But mostly I was very happy that I got the opportunity to become a featured member and it gave me a lot of motivation to do better and improve my writing skills.


R: To be honest, I don't know. I just love writing..


R: I have a feeling it's the Green Room and the Literary Spotlight, because every time I come to YWS I always go to the Green Room to look for something interesting to review, or to help someone continue their story with tons of suggestions. Or if I don't really like something, I always turn to the literary spotlight. I see what brilliant work is out there.


R: "MaryAnna" is a series I decided to write to explore different experiences and characters. I wanted to entertain people and make them think in different ways. I wanted to create a story that everyone would remember, a story that would have a great impact on my readers and that they would cherish with a big smile on their face.

MaryAnna is the name of a young fourteen-year-old girl who is not afraid to fight for what she believes is right and will go to any lengths to do so. Together with her brother, his best friend and his sister Lara, she tries to make the best of her life, but then there is Gloria Stone, who tries to make her life miserable at school. She has a loving mother and a father who never seems to be satisfied.

A mysterious character called Daniel, who seems to know about MaryAnna, enters the story. But he and his crew have been involved in several murders. The story will leave you wondering who he is and what his secret agenda is.


R: My favourite review so far is the one on the Rehenowa story written by @KaiaJersaga. I really love this story and the way Kaia unfolds the story chapter by chapter is amazing. So I really take my time to review the chapters when they're released. I also enjoy reviewing Purple stones written by @LuminescentAnt. It is a very beautiful story and I love the pacing and I also like to give a lot of suggestions because the story contains one of my favourite themes, magic.


R: Be yourself, I would say. Always be yourself and only yourself. Please don't rush yourself, write when you have time, when you feel comfortable and when you're in the mood, never write because you're thinking about what your readers will think if you don't.

Write because your heart wants you to!

If you want to congratulate Rinisha on being a Featured Member, you can do so on her wall and in her featured member thread ! You can also read the first part of MaryAnna here ..

MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS AND SUBSTITUTION CIPHERSwritten by Spearmint < PM: >

Context



Mary, Queen of Scots was quite a controversial character in European history. She was born in Scotland in 1542, grew up in France, and became queen consort there. When her husband (the Dauphin of France) died, she returned to Scotland and ruled there, marrying once again to her half-cousin Lord Darnley.
Her second husband died later in an explosion at his estate. Mary was suspected of being involved, and she ended up marrying another suspect: James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell. There was an uprising against the two of them, and following a forced abdication, Mary fled to England. (And yes, her third husband also met with an unfortunate end, becoming insane and dying in 1578.)
In England, Mary's first cousin, Queen Elizabeth I, saw her as a threat to the throne. Mary spent the last nearly nineteen years of her life in captivity. She was implicated in a plot to assassinate Elizabeth and beheaded in 1587.
Various biographies of Mary have portrayed her as a cunning criminal, while others have painted her as a victim in a series of tragedies. But I personally am interested in her because of the famous substitution cipher she used.

What is a substitution cipher?
A substitution cipher is a cipher in which each letter of the alphabet is replaced with a different letter or character. One famous example is the Caesar cipher, in which each letter is shifted three places. So, 'a' becomes 'd', 'b' becomes 'e', and 'z' wraps around to 'c'. I cover the Caesar cipher in more depth in this Squills article.
But substitution ciphers don't need to follow patterns like shifting by three places. Letters can be replaced with completely random letters, or even symbols and non-alphabetic characters! If you've read the Artemis Fowl books, you may be familiar with Gnommish. In this example, each letter is replaced with a little drawing.



Mary, Queen of Scots went beyond replacing each letter. She replaced whole words at a time and had multiple substitutions for some letters to make the code more difficult to crack. Unfortunately, it still wasn't secure enough...
Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth's spymaster, was able to get hold of some of her messages. Eventually, his team deciphered her messages and found incriminating evidence, leading to her execution.



Recent developments
In early 2023, a trio of amateur cryptologists discovered 57 of Mary's encrypted letters at the National Library of France, 50 of which had never been deciphered before. The letters had been miscategorized as Italian papers, but as the codebreakers worked to decipher them, they quickly found clues that led them to conclude that they were letters written by Mary. For example, it soon became clear that the letters had been written in French, and they mentioned Walsingham, who was well-known to have spied on Mary during her captivity.
The cryptologists used linguistics and computerized codebreaking to decipher the letters over a period of a year. The letters contain mostly Mary's attempts to secure freedom for herself and financial benefits for her supporters, as well as her thoughts on international affairs.
There is a lot more to be gleaned from these documents, and it's commonly believed that some of Mary's letters are still undiscovered.

If you would like to try enciphering/deciphering using one version of Mary's code, check out dcode's online tool!

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary,_Queen_of_Scots
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mary-queen-of-Scotland
• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/codebreakers-discoverand-decipherlong-lost-letters-by-mary-queen-of-scots-180981613/
• https://www.npr.org/2023/02/10/1155701113/mary-queen-of-scots-ciphers-prison-letters
• https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-64568222
• https://www.englandcast.com/2018/05/mary-queen-of-scots-cipher/

SHAMELESS PLUGS

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This Summer, we are searching for the rare Golden Goose! The only way to find the Goose and unlock the prizes is to Clear the Green Room. If we successfully find the Goose we'll unlock a Social Week Celebration and will be able to post literary works for free for 3 days!

In order to join the Summer Challenge you can read more here . All starting June 1.

You can join a Search Team, earn prizes for logging five green room reviews or even ten green room reviews, or go for the special ambitious challenge of writing a review every day this summer! There are prizes at every level of participation, so be sure to check out the informational thread! There's also a Summer Tagbook you can join for more fun!

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