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. SQUILLS HALLOWEEN REVIEW RAFFLE
2. YOU WRITE WHAT YOU READ
3. PROCRASTINATION STATION
4. FEATURED MEMBER: DREAMWORK
5. DOUBLE THE FAME
6. A MOD MOMENT: SPARKOFDOUBT
7. GREEN ROOM GALLERY
8. STORYBOOKING FOR DUMMIES
9. SOCIETY PAGES
10. COW SAYS OCTOBER 20th, 2013
11. NEW ARRIVALS
12. THIS WEEK'S ROUNDUP – 10\20
13. SHAMELESS PLUGS
14. SUBSCRIBERS

SQUILLS HALLOWEEN REVIEW RAFFLE
written by SparkOfDoubt< PM: >

Announcing the First Ever Squills Review Raffle!

What is the review raffle?
A new feature of Squills, the review raffle offers five reviews from different groups of reviewers that will be awarded to the winner of the raffle.

How do I enter this fabulous raffle?
Simple! You just like this week's Squills! Anyone who likes this week's Squills will automatically be entered into this spooky competition.

Who will these reviews come from?
For this Halloween raffle, the reviews will be offered to the winner by five ghouls and ghosties from the leaderboards, @Deanie, @KnightTeen, @whitewolfpuppy, @TheMessenger and @DreamWork. They have all made wonderful reviewing contributions this month, and we're proud to offer their services to the winner.

How will I know that I won? How is the winner chosen?
The winner is chosen using a random generator off the internet. The winner will be announced in the November 3rd issue of Squills, and will also be sent a PM by yours truly upon winning.

Good luck to all those goblins and witches entering! And, Happy Halloween!

YOU WRITE WHAT YOU READwritten by OliveDreams < PM: >

I am a strong believer in inspiration pouring from the pages of your most beloved books. Laughing, crying and fighting along with your favourite characters gives you ideas of how you want your own characters to have the same effect on others.

Personally, Patrick Ness is the author that evokes ideas the best for me. Ness creates a perfect balance of suspense, heartbreak and humour with truly original ideas, flipping emotions on their head.

His book, The Knife Of Never Letting Go, was the first book to help me get across those heart wrenching moments in my own writing.

A young boy lives in a world that he believes is filled only with men. These men can hear every single thought that another man thinks, something that they call 'Noise'. We get to see the confusion spread across the pages as Todd meets a strangely quiet creature: a girl. Just when he thinks he can't bear to hear another hidden thought again, Todd notices that he can't hear the girl at all. Silence suddenly becomes the most frustrating thing in the world.

As this book is solely based on communication, it showed me what to say in my own writing and, most importantly, what not to say. Sometimes you need to show your reader what your character is feeling by the squeeze of a hand, the nod of a head or a solitary tear sliding down a cheek.

So let's do something productive and really show how your favourite books can help you figure out what kind of writer you really want to be.

Take a line from your favourite book, and use what you like about it to write something of your own.

One of my favourite lines from The Knife of Never Letting Go is:






I noticed the stop-start style of these sentences, and how that built up a movement of emotion in this section. Then, I tried to put that same technique into a small moment from my own writing.






So there you have it! Think about how your reading challenges and inspires you to write. I will be coming to question you all about your own experiences, so be prepared!

Olive <3

PROCRASTINATION STATION
written by SparkOfDoubt< PM: >



As we approach NaNoWriMo, let's talk a little bit about procrastination and how it can totally ruin everything.

Procrastionation? No, not me! I would never procrastinate! Especially something as important as NaNoWriMo!

Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that.


The truth is, writers are the ultimate procrastinators. And as a professional procrastinator myself, I know what it's like to be two days away from starting NaNo and only have half the plot finished, the characters that don't matter outlined, and no chapter outlines whatsoever. Or even worse, I know what if feels like to be two days from finishing NaNo, and be 20,000 words behind. (No, I'm not kidding. I actually did this once. I spent two days writing non-stop, and only finished with 50,060 words ten minutes before the clock struck midnight.)

As I've grown as a writer, however, I've learned more about procrastination, and it's easier to spot and avoid nowadays. So today, I am going to share my advice for avoiding procrastination with you. Step on up to the procrastination station!

The Procrastination Station

For all I know, you could be reading this article and be procrastinating that English homework that was due two weeks ago. If that's you, well.... You obviously need my help, so keep reading.

Procrastination is defined as






by Dictionary.com .

As you read that definition, I can hear your thoughts. "Oh my god, that is so me," right?

Well today we're going to change that.

Here are my Top Ten Tips for Getting Rid of Procrastination, or at least avoiding it.

1.
Finish everything else you have to do, before you start writing
That includes homework, sweeping the floor, reading a book, or anything else that could distract you from turning out a thousand words.

2.
Set yourself a goal, and most importantly, hold yourself accountable to that goal
If that means skipping that Supernatural episode until you've met your goal, so be it.

3.
Offer yourself a prize when you do something right
That Supernatural episode you just skipped? Well guess what, because you just churned out 2,000 words in a day, you can watch two! How great is that?

4.
Turn off everything
That includes cell phones, computers if you write on paper, internet if you don't. Everything. Except music. Music can be important.

5.
Make your procrastination playlist full of pumping tunes that get your brain juice flowing
Whether that is some Bach or One Direction, make a playlist especially for NaNoWriMo.

6.
Use this wonderful little site
The savior of my writing during NaNo is definitely Write Or Die . It's an application that helps to keep you on track by providing punishment when you get distracted. Go check it out and book mark it.

7.
Word War
Chances are, if you hit up someone in the chatbar, or even go in to YWS Chat and ask for a word war, people will take you up on it.
(A word war is when you set a time period such as :00 to :15, and then you write as much as you can in that space of time.)

8.
Eat before you write
It's very important not to be hungry before you start writing. If you are, you're probably just going to spend the time you should be writing dreaming about food.

9.
Try to write in the same space every time
I've found that I'm more likely to be focused if I write in the same place every time. When I switch places all the time, I'm distracted by what is around me.

10.
Know what you're writing before you write it
That's why chapter outlines are my savior during NaNo. I always know exactly what is going to happen before it actually happens, so I don't have to waste time thinking about it.

And, bonus tip!
11.
Do NOT stress yourself out
Writing is fun! Don't stress yourself out over the little stuff. My motto is that tomorrow is always a chance to make a better today. So if you screwed up and didn't write today, you always have a chance to pick it up tomorrow. Unless the today you're talking about is November 30th. Then you're probably screwed.


And there you have it! @SparkOfDoubt's tips on how to kick procrastination in its butt.

Tune in next week to hear what @SparkOfDoubt has to say about NaNo preparations!

FEATURED MEMBER: DREAMWORKwritten by TheMessenger < PM: >


Earlier this week I got to sit down with the featured member, @DreamWork, to see how he felt about being featured.



DreamWork : I really did not expect this. I was expecting others who are more experienced than me! Like you!



DW : I do it because I have a lot of free time, and in fact it is a pleasure. I love this site! I realize what it feels like when you posted your masterpiece here but did not get reviews! I also want them to know I appreciate their works by giving reviews even though it is not much.



DW : I do not have any particular way of reviewing a work. I just read and understand the contents and see their writing style. I will list what impressed within my heart and also what appear to be relatively 'dull' which requires a bit of improvement to accentuate its real strength.



DW : So a writer can be encouraged in various ways either a hard or mild way are both may be effective! I give reviews to show their strength because review certainly meant to enhance the quality of the works instead of to bring down / highlighting (to outrageous) about the flaws of their poems / their stories. I can only be 'honest with reasons " when doing a review.



DW : Just one thing. I took the quote from someone that truly 'flip' my heart.

Nowadays, I only review books I really like. It's cowardly, I know, but I figure it's not my job to make people unhappy. I'll leave that to the professionals.
~Meg Rosoff




After having this conversation, I was encouraged. DreamWork has shown me that is really easy to review, and I think he has a very effective method to it. Happy reviewing all!

DOUBLE THE FAME

written by Iggy < PM: >

Perhaps you've seen this guy around. He joined in 2012 but recently became active this past week, making the home page with not one but two featured poems, "Eyes Lies" and "Hells Waiting Room" . Squills sat down with @Sleeplessend to see what it was like to have double the limelight.



Sleeplessend: It feels pretty awesome. I did not expect to get a literary spotlight let alone 2 of them after not writing for so long. So it's a major confidence boost.



SE: Honest answer is I just did it because I thought that's what you are supposed to do. :p



SE: I have never actually sat and done it but I think I can do it. I do have alot of ideas for short and sweet stories.



SE: Yes. For the past year It's always been in the back of my head that I should start writing again. In my high school years all I used to do is write. I literally had over a dozen comp books full of poetry and short stories. Sadly they were all destroyed when I got in a rear end accident caused by a drunk driver. My trunk was completely compressed and it was impossible to get into it. That was an extremely sad day but the writing bug has finally got me and I want to try to write as much as I can.



SE: Absolutely! I created this profile to get my Cross story out there. Before I had the profile everyone that has read parts of the story I have written loved it. So I decided to get some more input and thoughts by posting it on this awesome website. So far the feedback I have got has been pretty positive. The only thing I could ask for is for more eyes to read it and tell me what they think, It seems my poetry gets more attention haha. So far being active for a only a few days and having 2 of my 3 poems in literary spotlight has been amazing and I am super proud of it. But I definitely plan on being more active on this site and I hope to bring alot of good pieces and material for all of the members to read and hopefully enjoy.

A MOD MOMENT: SPARK OF DOUBT
written by Hannah < PM: >

This week's mod moment is with our very own @SparkofDoubt, and it's going to be sweet! Imagine we're in front of a tiger's cage at the zoo. And the tape starts rolling.



SparkofDoubt: Oh Goodness! My inspiration comes from literally everywhere. Music, books, art... I even got an idea once while making dinner! I think really, it comes from the world around me, so I like to pay attention as much as possible.



SoD: Well, I was putting a roast in the oven and I couldn't help but think about my characters, and how they never seem to eat. I skip right over meals, sleeping and stuff for the bigger things, you know? Which got me thinking that maybe my characters needed a relaxing dinner, just the two of them, after all the stuff they had been going through lately. Of course, it didn't work out that way, a giant happened to stop in and make things very difficult, but that's just the thing, if I hadn't been making dinner and decided they need dinner too, the giant would have never come into play, and the story would be totally different!



SoD: Achilles! After the greek myth and also because he's a weakness, like an Achilles' heel. Not very creative or my best name ever, but it makes sense in the story.



SoD: Hmm, maybe my uncle a little bit in the nose, but otherwise he's one of the most original characters I've ever written, both physically and character wise. (Except for his name ahaha)



SoD: Oh goodness. Considering how clumsy he is, he'd probably order in. Or wait for his mother to arrive to cook for him



SoD: Oh Goodness. My mom thinks my writing is a loooott less serious than it actually is. Last year she decided that it takes a lot of time away from my school work, so she told me I had to cut back or give up YWS. Thus, she thinks I've cut back while I really have just kept quiet about it.



SoD: Probably when she realizes that it's not just a phase. One day, I' going to edit one of my works and show it to her, but I have to figure out when is the right time to do it. Maybe after I graduate hahaha.



SoD: Probably poetry. And essays about the world problems.



SoD: He'd probably think it was boring! As a habit he tries to never read.



SoD: I haven't before, but I think I may. It adds a bit of glamour to it, don't you think? I should bring up my giants more often.



SoD: I have no specific prompt for our readers, (and eavesdropping tigers) but I do have advice! Pay attention to the world around you. Listen and see things everywhere as a potential story. Because everything around you could be turned into a story if you wanted it to be.

And there you have it. From the mouth of the girl standing in front of a tiger. That's no timid description, okay? Could you write a short story inspired by paying attention to this article? If you're up to the challenge, post a link to your completed work in the Squills Fan Club !

GREEN ROOM GALLERY
written by KnightTeen < PM: >


Guess who's been sick all week?

If you guessed anyone other than me, EHHHHH! you're wrong. Possibly. I'm not stupid enough to think that out of the billions of people on the planet, I'm the only one with an illness.

We've had some really weird weather in my neck of the woods recently. I live in the South, and so far we haven't gone below 60-65. That is, until this week. It is currently 54 degrees out, and none of our lows for this week go over 45. Now, for some of you, that's not cold. But for me, it's cold. I'm wearing sweats.

And this wonderful cold weather has decided that it doesn't like me. So for the past few days I've nearly hacked up a lung, sniffed every five minutes to keep myself from looking like a dog, made sure my eye makeup is perfect so people don't notice they are bloodshot from lack of sleep, and finally, been drugged out of my mind on cold medication.

Had enough of my graphic descriptions yet? Good. I'm not disclosing any more information about my poor, sick body.

You know, I am so glad that the YWS site isn't like a building business. I'm picturing it now. Each tab is a different department, with everything in them being sub-departments. The Featured Member is the employee of the week, the leaderboards show who has completed the most work in the past week, month, etc. You get the picture.

But I'm saying that I'm glad it's not like that because I was imagining what Squills would do in this lovely alternate universe. Instead of posting a new edition every week, we are the department that handles the presentations to the workforce. New hires, general news, advice, finances, and whatever else you can compare our articles to. When I get up to give my report on the Green Room no one would be able to understand me. It sucks being sick.

Another thing that I realized this week through my drugged stupor, is that the Green Room is a lot like an illness. Now, I know what you might be thinking. Hasn't she made enough comparisons between the GR and other things already? The answer to that is quite simple. There are never enough comparisons, and I will be dead before I can make them all.

It's like a reoccurring cancer. You can beat it back, treat it with chemo (reviews) and sometimes even put it in remission (empty it) but it keeps on coming back. Which is a good thing, since this cancer can't kill us and we want our writers to be active on the site. And it would be really bad if we got it into permanent remission. But it's frustrating. After weeks worth of treatments you finally get it into remission, only to discover that it came back several hours later. While we love this ongoing challenge, it can be hard.

The tumor I want cut out this week is Lesser Being Chapter 2 by @Niraco.

It is the oldest, ugliest tumor in the pile, which is sadly very large. Where are @dragonfphoenix and @TheMessenger when you need them? They are among some of our most dedicated surgeons.

Anybody with a willing scalpel keyboard who want to take care of this one? It shouldn't be hard. Although I do have to warn you that it has a 16+ rating with a violence warning, so if that kind of tumor is not your style, don't scrub in on that particular surgery.

However, don't fret. There are many other tumors just waiting to be cut out of the Room. We are all surgeons here, and I know that most of us don't even have a medical degree. Most of us aren't even old enough to get a medical degree. Scary thought.

It's an epidemic out there people! Let's get it cured.

STORYBOOKING FOR DUMMIES written by AftertheStorm < PM: >

Are you new to Storybooking, or simply wish to refresh your memories with some basic SB advice? Keep scrolling for five helpful tips that I have put together to help improve your Storybooking skills. Read on!

1. Winners never quit, so don’t be a loser!

Now, someone might ask, “But Storm, how can I avoid becoming a I-Don’t-Have-Any-Self-Esteem-Because-the-Rest-of-YWS-Thinks-I’m-Uncool-and-Everyone-in-the-Storybooking-Forum-Doesn’t-Like-Me type of loser?”

Well, I’ll tell you, nonexistent voice! DON’T EVER QUIT ON A STORYBOOK. Ever. The creator and other participants of a SB expect you to follow through until the Storybook’s end, and they count on you to help continue the plotline. Unless you have a magnificent excuse as to why you have to drop out of a SB (e.g., you meet your untimely death), then do not quit on your fellow YWSers! It is horribly rude when a user quits on a Storybook simply because they “got bored.” If you find yourself growing bored of the plot, do something about it and spice it up instead!

Think of the other SBers as your teammates. You work together to vanquish a common goal: Complete and defeat the story. Once you view Storybooking from this point of view, it makes you feel guilty for letting the team down when you abandon them, doesn’t it? If you still don’t feel guilty, you’re a Grinch just picture their sad little faces when they realize that you left them out to dry. So…

Become a winner, and help guide your teammates to victory!

2. One does not simply walk straight into a Storybook…

One does not simply jump into a SB without a plan of action. Please never join a Storybook with a blank mind and no plan about your character’s advancement through the story. If you do not have a rough idea of how you want to develop and move through the plot, you are going to quickly grow confuzzled and your posts will be all over the place.

Think of it like this: When you are writing the draft of a novel, you don’t begin writing the first chapter without a vague idea of how you want the main character to develop, or how the story’s conclusion is going to take place. Plan ahead!

(Thanks, @ReisePiecey!)

3. “Nobody’s perfect! You live and you learn it!”

(I apologize for that Hannah Montana quote, but it had to be done.)

You are not perfect, so your characters shouldn’t be either. The majority of Storybookers will absolutely not enjoy interacting with your character if you create a Mary Sue or Gary Lou, meaning that she/he is practically perfect in every way. (It gets annoying.) Your characters need to have flaws and make mistakes sometimes, just like everyone in reality does. Be realistic when joining an SB! It seems a simple enough tip to abide by, and yet countless characters tumble into the obnoxious clutch of perfection. Remember: Thou art not a god.

4. The world does not revolve around you.

Take a moment and reflect upon your SB characters. If you truly believe that your characters run the show around the forum, and/or are the most important elements that have ever graced a Storybook, you’re wrong. Maybe it’s time to reevaluate your SB posts. Just face the cold, hard truth: no one likes Storybooking with a user who thinks themselves to be the center of every story.

It simply comes down to courtesy for your fellow SBers. Before you post your next SB Update, try to be considerate and respectful to others by shifting the entirety of your focus from all about you.

5. ”Push it, push it to the limit, limit, aw yeah!”

(Once again, I apologize for this reference. You thought you had escaped High School Musical when you finally got out of Junior High, huh? Well, I just brought HSM back, baby!)

Storybooking, believe it or not, can severely enhance your writing prowess. Since SBs are all created by different authors with different plots, you constantly have to invent original characters and decide how they react in new situations. So, if you repeatedly join a Storybook that involves futuristic, dystopian themes, then your characters seem to fall in a rut. Go outside of your comfort zone, and participate in other genres of Storybooks to push yourself. You’ll be surprised at how much fun you’ll have and how this will improve your skills.


Well, that’s all she wrote for now. I sincerely hope these quick tips helped! Want to know more, or have a question for me? Shoot me a PM; I don’t bite. (Except on Tuesdays.)



“Do you have any short tips for your fellow SBers?” Let’s see what y’all said!

@ReisePiecey replied, “I’d say know your character. I know it sounds weird but it’s true. Stick to the storyline; romance isn’t everything, unless the SB says so; and have a general plan, so you won’t be all over the place.”

@Dragonette answered, “Well, if you’re the creator of a Storybook, I think talking one-on-one with people on this little chat thingie (IM) really helps. You get people to make little baby plot bunnies (subplots) and it gets them excited. So that’s one thing. Keeping your audience interested.”

@TheMessenger responded, “… Read what others write beforehand. If you plan on joining with another SB character, make sure you contact them before and agree to meet up before writing it in the SB. [Avoid] messing up someone else’s plans.”

@Dante said, “… Unpredictability spices things up.”

@Iggy: “Commitment. If you feel like you don’t have enough time to commit to a Storybook, then don’t join, lest you bring everyone down because you can’t deliver a necessary post.”



Once again, thanks for reading! This has been Storm with your weekly Storybooking section. As always: Write on!

SOCIETY PAGES

written by Stella Thomas < PM: >

Oh my days, it’s that time of year again. Happy Tagging Games, everybody, and may the odds be in your favour.

Of course, I could while away my slot this week talking about the fun facts that we’ve all learnt from each other this time around, even just from a fashion point of view (did you know that @Twit’s favourite eyeshadows are brown, or that @Iggy has great boots?) or favourite drinks (@Bloodink says apple juice and cream soda, @SakuraGirl1 says tea -- why do none of you ever say tequila, it would make life so much more interesting), but that’s what the game itself is for.

I’m here to bring you the juicy stuff.

An anonymous tip-off this week came about none other than our favourite mischievous admin, @Rydia. No, she wasn’t playing with usernames or turning things pink. Our sources tell us that Heather has her hands full with -- what’s that? A boy?

And not just any boy! A boy who is happy to watch chick flicks. I’m going to go ahead and dub this one Oliver Wood because he sounds like a keeper.

@SecreteJournalist is much better behaved than the rest of us, using her three hour car ride to finish writing a short story for English class. Both writing and homework? My dear, you make me feel so lazy…

The YWS server, in case you hadn’t heard, has been up for 61 days! The sun was still out during our last downtime. I love when YWS runs like a well-oiled machine: all the more time for gossip. Not to mention that the radio show is up and running again, which is fantastic. It gives us so many more opportunities to make fun of each others’ accents and spread the love. I wonder who will get the most shout-outs this week… I for one hope it’s me -- it helps to have Lady S on your good side after all.

There is a mystery in the forums though… On 12th October our activity dropped dramatically. Some questioned that it was to do with the release of the new Pokémon games, and as well all know there are some avid Pokémon fans among us… but other than them, what was so special about that day? (Well, I can’t speak for anyone else -- this time around -- but I had a ball to attend…)

It’s been a busy week as we all dig in for winter, not to mention YWS’ birthday bash. Parties for nine year olds usually involve rice krispie buns… I hope it’s the case this year.

Send me all your goss for the coming week. Kisses.


xxx

Lady S

COW SAYS OCTOBER 20th, 2013
written by CowLogic < PM: >





If you've ever posted a work on YWS, there is a high probability that it was imbued with a "review" or comment that contains criticism and praise directed at you, in attempts to help you become a better writer. Many of these reviews that accumulate are very sweet and tend not to tread on the snake. They mainly point out a few good things about the piece, then the reviewer takes their leave.

However, some reviews go much further. They go so far as to include criticism! They insult the way you phrased something by saying it "could use some work!" How dare these people! Somebody call the Wah-mbulence, honestly! Well, all sarcasm aside, some reviews can become very critical, to the point where you question whether the reviewer's intention is to help you or to satisfy their daily meanitude quota.

So, to try to inform the world of ways in which to receive this type of oppression and deal with the collateral damage, I asked the polity of YWS. What they had to say was reasonable in all kinds of ways, clashing or not.

First I asked several fine denizens of the site how they approach a critical review. None of them call for a wah-mbulence, it seems, as they all claim to respond with a nondiscriminatory and critical eye. @567ajt told me of how once he overreacted to a very harsh review, but is now accustomed and welcoming to them. "It helped me develop a very thick skin to criticism," AJT says, recalling his experiences. Now he applauds the honesty of those who write very critical (yet respectful) reviews, even if "the poster thinks it is too harsh."

@megsug "[tries] to look at the review with an outsider's eye." She believes that one can be too "overprotective" or fond of their own work, her included, and they need to take that element out of their outlook on reviews if they ever want to actually benefit from them.These people epitomize the reasonable citizenship of the site when it comes to reviews.

They don't get upset about critics, but they do think they can learn from them. They realize, such as Teddy Roosevelt, that critics are merely viewing something from the outside, without being in the actual ring. AJT ponders the effectiveness of reviewing music, relating that lyrics without instruments are a whole different thing than the masterpiece he has envisioned in his mind, and doesn't put that much weight on critics in that field.

However, they know they can learn. While most people, including myself, merely take a mental note of the review, so they can recall it when writing later, Megsug actually edits her works. She sees the criticisms supplied, and uses her judgement and instincts. If she doesn't intrinsically agree with the reviewer, she will take her own judgement over theirs. "

But when I think the reviewer has a point, which is often because I make a lot of mistakes, I'll write a new version, especially if there are fundamental changes, and compare which I like better," she says. AJT realizes that writing is an experimental art form, not dictated by direct science. He doesn't believe "there are necessarily 'rules' in writing" and tends not to act on logistical and pointless criticism.

A large aspect of critical reviews is credibility. You don't want to be taking advice from any Joe Schmoe, right? You should only listen to the time-tested reviewers and members, right? Our interviewees disagree. They believe that it is less about experience and more about honesty, intelligence, and attitude. AJT says "A 'n00b' is capable of out-reviewing a mod," and therefore uses his judgement of the reviewers honesty to determine how much he listens.

Another huge part is respect and quality. If a reviewer sounds like they are being mean in their rhetoric, actually insulting the work and not just criticizing it, it denies credibility. Also, you should look for ad hominem critiques, in which the reviewer seems to have a problem with you, more so than your writing. A reviewer should also have good quality reviews in terms of syntax and a demonstrated knowledge of writing. @Blackwood can use his own discretion to judge credibility in looking at people's reviews. If they have good points and are good writers, he tends to take what they say to heart. However, if they are obviously disrespectful "nincompoops," he tends to disregard their antics.

So, in summation, when reading their reviews, one should not take offense at criticism, but rather judge it's credibility, points, and above all, learn from it.

After all, the customer is always right. (Most of the time).

NEW ARRIVALS
written, with lots of help from @Auxiira, by ShadowVyper < PM: >

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

@GigiHarris has only been on the site a bit less than a week, but has already earned a star for writing so many awesome reviews. She also ate the last cookie! While you're welcoming her, you can ask why she ate the last cookie, and encourage her to post some of her works for us to read.

@SecretHaven is also quite new to the site, but has also been so busy reviewing that she's earned her first star. She's also posted a bit of her fantasy novel, Never Say Gone .

@AdmiralTyler jumped right into the swing of YWS, and has already interacted lots around the forums. You've probably already seen him around, with all of the awesome posts he's made. If not, it's not hard to find him around The Writer's Corner.

@artofthepen15 is also quite new to the site, but has jumped right into helping out her fellow writers by leaving so many lovely reviews that she earned her first star. Why not help her out, by reviewing her lyrics, Lost in your words ?

@lostthought has also stayed busy, writing lots of awesome reviews around the site. Why not return the favor, by reviewing the Prologue to his currently unnamed fantasy novel?

@RyanLion has been on the site for only a few days, but has already gotten his poem featured! Go check out his poem, and see why it's awesome enough to be featured: Bathtub, Chicken, Daddy .

@Daring is starting to get into the spirit of YWS by writing several lovely reviews in the few days that she's been on the site. She's also posted an awesome dramatic poem, Drowning .

@AlexSushiDog has also started reviewing. He's also posted the first bit of his teen fiction novel, The Island. You should go read (and review!) the Prologue .

THIS WEEK'S ROUNDUP – 10\20
written by megsug < PM: >

Fantastic topics! Buy one get three free!


@SushiSashimi333 is holding a contest. If you participate, you get 50 points. Just for writing a story! If you’re interested, post in the thread, and she’ll give you a song which you then have to write a story about. She’ll even let you request a genre. She lists the prizes:





Contests like these are always fun, and there’s no reason not to join! You get 50 points no matter what! The deadline is the 30th of November. Three people have already signed up. Get your song now!


Well... Even if you don’t, we all have to write them, and this is just the place to get some tips if you struggle with essays. @Deanie has some great insight on how to write an effective introduction.





Want tips on another aspect of the beautiful essay? Just post on the club wall! I’m sure you’ll get some great advice!


Old people, some are sweet, some are grouchy, some are just a little crazy. We don’t have to love them. A lot of them you just have to love. @Tenyo shares a story of her grandma:




Do you have a cute grandma, great aunt? Or a funny story about your grouchy grandpa or goofy uncle who might not be all the way there? We want to hear it!


What enhances your writing ability? Or is it convenient, so you only have to leave your computer for a few minutes? My life would be a lot easier if I was like @D4RKR4VEN:





Maybe you’re more similar to mere mortals and eat pizza. Of course coffee for NaNo. Perhaps it’s something different all together. Let us know!

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!

That's right. Squills has a Shameless Plug inside of Squills. It's like Shameless Plug-ception if that joke hasn't gotten too old for even robots to use, yet. We're looking to add new, excellent writers to our staff, so if you've got an idea you're burning to get published, check out our Recruitment Call thread for more information!


Enter fortis's Lyrics Contest! The challenge is to write lyrics to one of the tunes provided. Check it out to learn more!

That's all folks~ Now send us yours.