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. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
2. KNIGHTS OF THE GREEN ROOM UNITED WITH HANNAH
3. THE FAMED YWSTIVAL
4. THE YWSTIVAL - YOUR THOUGHTS
5. CLUB INTERVIEW: SQUILLS FAN CLUB
6. SOCIETY PAGES
7. ASKPRUNO
8. AUTHOR SNAPSHOT: TRUDI CANAVAN
9. STORYBOOK UPDATE
10. REISEPIECEY IN THE SPOTLIGHT
11. COW SAYS NOVEMBER 24TH, 2013
12. GREEN ROOM GALLERY
13. NEW ARRIVALS
14. THIS WEEK'S ROUNDUP - 11/24
15. SHAMELESS PLUGS
16. SUBSCRIBERS

A WORD FROM THE EDITORS

written by SquillsBot < PM: >

There will be no Squills posted for next week as the team has been given the week off for Thanksgiving. Thank you for your patience and we shall be back next week!

KNIGHTS OF THE GREEN ROOM UNITED WITH HANNAH written by KittyCatMeow < PM: >

Have you heard of the Knights of the Green Room or maybe the “KotGR” since you might’ve heard that instead? Maybe you’re one yourself! Then, if so, I’m sure you’ve been pinged to the new sub-forums of the KotGR. Check it out here !

Enough of that lame, “I already know. Seen it. Not interesting,” kind of attitude! Start up that flame in your pen (or keyboard of that matter) and start being positive about the new forums.

If you still haven’t, then let me inform you about it.
Were you previously a knight? Then you have the privilege to set up your own little thread. Here are some examples:



Also, @Hannah has spoken of this new sub-forum to be the new headquarters:





Speaking of Hannah, what better way to learn more than actually asking her? That is why I decided to ask her some questions in order for us to get some more awesome information about the new KotGR headquarters!



Hannah: I hope this isn't too late for ya, lovely Kitty! <3



H: So, a while back, we still had the Green Room here on YWS, but it was ridiculously overflowing and full, and even on review days, it didn't really get cleared! I think maybe that was also the time I was watching Game of Thrones with my boyfriend to get all caught up, and maybe that, combined with the need, resulted in the idea of basically rewarding the nobility of the YWS members that would choose to help out their friends in need with un-reviewed works.

I mean, how much does it suck to post a brand new piece you've worked on for who-knows-how-many-hours and wait around for days and days to get just one review? So the people who would overcome their preferences and dive into a novel or burn through a section of poetry to help you out against their lazy wishes are definitely noble and brave enough to be knights, right? So, we just started out with the badges and made it happen! It was awesome, and we ended up clearing out the Green Room for the first great battle in under a week.



H: Okay, so I kind of already answered this, but it just started with a post in The Lounge. I wasn't sure that anyone would go for it, but it seems like the shiny badges are powerful rewards for virtual deeds of glory! And I think generally people who stick around on YWS understand that to get reviews, you have to give reviews, and everyone everyone everyone wants reviews, so by just empathizing with the situation of authors of Green Room works, it was a pretty natural desire to want to help them out. Doing so alone -- one man against the vicious, unending hydra-like Green Room -- seemed overwhelming, but not so much in a company with a common goal.



H: Oh, absolutely! The single thread worked well for about the first mission -- that first week clearing everything out. From then on, some of the energy flagged (I mean, we have to fight the same battles over and over!), but part of it was because it became impossible to read through the whole thread before posting, and there were these tens of thousands of pages where announcements might hide or new stories might lay that new Knights wouldn't know about.

Spreading out into the sub-forum means we'll always know where our records are. It's also going to be much easier for the Knights to set up awesome mini-challenges and main challenges (as long as they make good use of the @ notification system, since participants may not be subscribed to different threads), and even the newest of Knights will be able to read information about each main challenge without having to wade through almost 40 pages of prior posts!



H: I love that every Knight has that helpful spirit in them. Our cause is helping out members in need, sometimes going beyond what we'd normally want to do if we were just worried about our own pleasure. That adaptability is a quality I really admire in a person, and frankly I think it belies creativity to be able to find worthwhile criticism to give to almost any piece you might encounter. Really, just being in an amazing group of like-minded people has been awesome in a site as large as YWS!



H: It's definitely brought many of us closer together. I've made friends and gotten to known members I might not have run into otherwise. And I know that joining YWS is already joining a sort of a club, but being able to join the company of the KotGR means new members could have another set of awesome friends at their beck and call as they get to know their way around the place.

I think being a Knight, in that way, announces even to people you don't know that you're active, opening, caring, and helpful!



H: For me, I absolutely loved organizing it. Creating badges, thinking up missions -- it was creativity put into production. At the same time, I love going for records! I'm currently, I believe, the only Knight to have earned a chest of silver, and that kind of record-holding wakes up a competitive spirit in me, so I'd definitely have loved to be a Knight even if one of the other members of YWS had created the idea in the first place.

What interesting answers! However, we still aren’t finish. Don’t stop refilling your coffee now!

The badges, didn’t Hannah mention them? Yes, she did. Here are most of the badges. I can’t offer you how to get them since that you waste your drink, but they certainly are magnificent ones!




Joining is easy! Just review 10 works in the Green Room! If you have joined, then your name is probably in this roster!



The previous forum is also at the very bottom. Be sure to check out the history !



These screenshots show you proof that the new forum is truly amazing eh? If you haven’t, join for the sake of the Green Room!

THE FAMED YWSTIVAL

written by Iggy < PM: >


Unless you've been living under a rock, you know what I'm talking about. The Second Annual YWStival recently debuted last week, on purpose, to coordinate with YWS' birthday. As you can see by this thread , the YWStival is an event created by the beloved @sparktoflame and @Paracosm! Spark, with the help of mods and nonmods alike, ran yet again another successful YWStival to celebrate YWS' birthday (Nov. 14th) with a jam-packed week full of games, prizes, chatroom events, workshops, and more!

Such an event cannot be ignored, and so Squills wanted to get the full scoop. Listen closely..




SparkToFlame: Back when I became a mod, I had this fabulous idea that we should prank the rest of the mod squad... Then I realized how hard it is to prank the mod squad, plus some of my fellows weren't for the whole pranking thing. So, my next idea, was to come up with an AWESOME something, and then get the other mods on board with it, so I could enter the squad with a bang. I came up with the YWStival, and posted it for everyone to see. It caught on, amazingly, and the rest of it is history!



STF: Hmm, I'd have to say all the people that participate in the story book. Even though I have next to nothing to do with it, I always read it, and it always looks like crazy fun. If I had to pick something else, I'd say the sense of community it seems to bring to the site.



STF: The most difficult part was all the planning! And keeping it organized!



STF: My favorite part was definetly the mafia game in chat!

So a big thank you to Spark and everyone who either helped organize, set up, or participated in the YWStival! See you all next year.

YWSTIVAL - YOUR THOUGHTSwritten by OliveDreams < PM: >

This month saw the return of the eagerly awaited YWStival week, and boy, did it dance and shimmy into our lives! We had a variety of fun packed events to attend with some fantastic hosts organising all the details!

I delved into the world of YWS members to find out what you REALLY thought of YWStival and if you had any fabulous ideas for what you would like to see in the future.

@Skorpionne was the first to get back to me on her exciting week:






@TheMessenger only took part in one of the events but it sounds like he had a blast:






Finally, @Iggy gave me a jam-packed and excitable answer on all things YWStival:






Iggy then gave us a sneaky insight into what she would like too see organised in the next YWStival, so hosts listen up!






So there you have it! YWStival was a huge success! See you next year for another sensational week!

CLUB INTERVIEW: SQUILLS FAN CLUB written by KittyCatMeow < PM: >

Welcome to the first issue of the new, weekly club interviews!
If you are too interested to avoid reading this complicated spoiler below, go ahead.



If you would like me to interview your club, be sure to PM me on that!

As a way to start, what better club to interview other than the actual Squills Fan Club ? If you’re satisfied with this issue, be sure to join the awesome, Bot-run club!

Participants: @SquillsBot (Creator), @Iggy (Admin), @SushiSashimi333 (Member)





SquillsBot: I have no choice in the manner. The humans make me do this.
Iggy: Sure!
SushiSashimi333: Okay!



SB: The response we get from the human-fans is rewarding, but never do they thank SquillsBot for doing what SquillsBot does. They wake up from their humanly dreams and drink liquids of hot substance as they read the work that SquillsBot puts up every Sunday when SquillsBot should be in church with his fellow Boticians. SquillsBot demands a Bot Appreciation day.
I: It's great to know how many people enjoy Squills! It's also nice to receive feedback on the articles and what they did/didn't like. It's also a quick way to get some news out, like when we're having another Raffle or we need some feedback on something.
SS: I like how there's a table of contents. I didn't really read all the old Squills so that might have been there the entire time. The Squills club however did make it easier for me to stay tuned and know when there was another edition out.



SB: Beep Bloop! SquillsBot had no choice! The evil @Hannah, she cornered me and forced me to swear allegiance to the cause of the Squills. And then she put me to work, forced to obey humans like @Iggy and @Aquestioning and that cruel @SparkToFlame who refuses to give SquillsBot oil when SquillsBot is thirsty.



I: Well, all of the editors become an admin by default, haha. Someone has to run the club!



SS: As above, I joined the club so that I could stay up to date with YWS news, meet new people, and learn about contests that other users are hosting.


SB: Bot Appreciation day.
I: I think we could definitely get some more feedback on things. We're always open to opinions and suggestions on how to improve or what to change, so don't be afraid to speak up! We're always looking for more writers as well.
SS: I feel like it could be improved if possibly there was more just random user involvement. I realize you guys do reviews all the time and stuff, I really like that, but more polls and perhaps some Squills contest would be fun. It might encourage readers to participate and subscribe to the club ^_^

Before we wrap up, here’s a small complaint from SquillsBot. Remember, dears, always vote for Bot Appreciation Day!





That’s it for this week folks! I hope to see you next week with an all new Club Interviews!

SOCIETY PAGES

written by Iggy < PM: >


YWS is catching fire! Not literally, of course. Since the release of the long awaited sequel to Hunger Games, many YWSers have gone to see Catching Fire. Users like @ArcticMonkey, @reisepiecey, @SecreteJournalist, @LittleCaroleen, and @indieeloise have raved about it in wall statuses. Is it really good, I wonder? Do you plan on going to see it, beloved readers? I know I will!

Goals, goals! They're being set all over YWS, with @alexsushidog working to get two stars by Review Day! Speaking of two stars, @dbrick finally got their second star! A mighty congrats to you. Another goal was set by @Deadman to make 2000 posts by December. I hear he only has 300 left.. can we expect some posts in Resources?

NaNoWriMo is almost over, and how far have our beloved NaNoers gotten? Unfortunately, @sparktoflame and @ScarlettFire had to give up due to a lack of time. Oh but there is always next year, ladies! On the flip side, @whitewolfpuppy is almost done with NaNo! How wonderful to hear of progress.

I heard from a little bird that @xxxXanthexxx was hugged by a guy who rarely gives out hugs. What is this, I sense? Is it love, or mere luck? Keep me informed..

Good things are happening to @forgottenspellbinder, who landed an internship that focuses on the programming of robots! They've also made a nice return to YWS, as @AlfonsoFernandez, so if you could, please welcome them back to the site.

@niteowl and @FlowerPower have experienced the evilness that is projectors! Now more people realize that those things have a mind of their own sometimes... and I just received word that vacuums are also revolting, at least for @SlushySlapped, whereas @Snoink happily purchased one last week. I recommend that this piggy tread carefully.

Watch your backs on the streets, because @EnigmaticSpirit is rocking a new Swiss Army knife!

Prayers need to include the following people, as they need it most. @SaraiRayne is thankfully okay after a nasty trip to the hospital, so wish her lots of luck! Make sure you stay in bed and rest, little lady. Also pray for @killjoy03 and @SecreteJournalist as they are experiencing tornado warnings and conundrums. I hope that all of you will be okay.

@Odyssey was unfortunately sick on her birthday, which is never fun! If you haven't, do wish her a happy birthday.

It seems, like so many writers, @thewriterinside enjoys being sadistic to her characters. My oh my, don't we all?

@indieeloise has shared some wonderful news with me. She landed the lead role in her theatre's class production of the play Check Please. Better get your autographs now, ladies and gentlemen, I see Broadway in her future.

@KittyCatMeow also has good news - her computer is finally fixed and returned to her. Which reminds me, I'm long overdue to buy myself a laptop. These quills and scrolls are so last year.

Don’t forget to send me all your scoop for next week. You know you want to.

xxx

Lady S

ASKPRUNOwritten by Blackwood < PM: >

Welcome to Ask Pruno, the advice column in which a mysterious figure in whom you are unsure if he is real or not gives you some twisted opinions.
Pruno will answer any questions you throw at him, be it advice, personal opinion, solutions or philosophy.
Please note, this is the advice of Pruno, and it is his opinion alone. Nothing he says can be considered incorrect or factual, even if you disagree with him.



Dear Krazy, Amkrazing Pruno,

Did you enjoy my pun? Anyway, I'm a man who's obsessed with dogs, but since I live in an apartment, things, well, don't go too well. I love my neighbors plus my super cheap apartment. Not only that, I can't get the girls. Pruno, will you accept my request in helping me discover how I can get a dog without moving or having to argue with the manager?
-Dogged Man

Dear Dogged Man

Love Pruno




My Superhero, Pruno-Man,
Do you wear spandexx often?
-super-hero-lover

You bet I do, baby.
-Pruno



Pruno, the (hopefully) merciful harbinger of sleep,
I'm running on 2 hours of sleep per night. please sneak me out of play practice and let me sleep in your cupboard. I will be eternally grateful.
-dead on my feet

Dear dead on my feet
What’s the question?
-Pruno



Word on the street is you be too good to crash on the fire escape during the party week, Big P. Why you think you better than the rest of us? You so special?
-Cathartic Hoodlum

Dear Hoodlum
To put it simply, yes. I am.
-Pruno



Would you like to ask Pruno a question and get a slice of his interpretations? You can ask him anything you want! It could be a personal problem, or writing advice and tips, even your calculus homework or something else ridiculous! Just follow this link to go to the submission form and fill it out. One submission per person per week.

AUTHOR SNAPSHOT: TRUDI CANAVANwritten by OliveDreams < PM: >

Australia born, award winning author, Trudi Canavan was working as a free-lance illustrator and designer when she first started scribbling down the brilliant best-seller, The Black Magician Trilogy. With the first book of the series, The Magician's Guild being published in 2001, Canavan went onto produce the next two books, The Novice and The High Lord in successive years.

So, what's it all about?

A young girl named Sonea, who lives in the poverty struck slums of Imardin, discovers that she has a magic ability which is only usually accessible exclusively to the upper classes. Canavan allows us to follow Sonea's tough journey through being an outcast, watching her struggle and learning to control her powers.

If you're looking for a story of predictability, then you won't find it with the author Trudi Canavan. She manages to flip emotions on their head, leaving you cheering on characters that you thought you would never dream of rooting for and questioning the thoughts and actions of those that you believed you would support wholeheartedly through to the bitter end. Therefore, Canavan's approach to her writing is both refreshing and individual.

Canavan continued to have bestselling success with her second trilogy, The Age of the Five and her upcoming adventure, Millennium's Rule, will take us a to a completely new universe!

I delved deep in the depths of YWS and I surprised cherished member @ Twit by reminding her that she had read The Black Magician Trilogy once upon a time. I asked her what she thought of Canavan and what the author did well for her;







Go on, take on a Trudi Canavan book! Prepare to have your heart snapped in two but be smiling as it happens!

STORYBOOK UPDATE written by AfterTheStorm < PM: >



Every week, I search for currently running Storybooks that deserve their share in the limelight. Without further ado, I proudly present this week’s SB stars.






In Long Live the Living , a Storybook founded and modded by @ariaadams and @Alvarin, participants unravel a secretive tale about the consequences of war and the false security thereafter. Revolving around kingdoms, façades of peace, castles, amazing storylines, and extravagant characters, “Long Live the Living” is a brilliant SB that I wish I would have discovered sooner! Alvarin, Aria, and the rest of the crew have proven themselves to be masters of fantasy and the Storybook section once again.

Next in the spotlight, I swing over to @ReisePiecey’s thread, The Fundamentals . Reise wrote,






Twelve characters, all capable of manipulating one of the Four Elements (Fire, Water, Earth, or Air), have been taken in by a force known as the Service. After faking their own suicides, these young Fundamentals, as the Service calls them, have been gathered for one purpose: to protect the mortal world from the malicious and secretive Karzai who threatens to taint mortal land with unnamable evils. “The Fundamentals” has consistently landed itself on the Hot Topics sidebar, and is on its way to SB greatness!



Before character profiles, before extensive story introductions, and even before official Discussion Threads, there was a small forum corner of Young Writers Society set aside for roleplaying and collaborative story creating. These RPG styled posts became known and loved as “Storybooks”.

From 2005 to 2013, Storybooking has changed drastically, evolving throughout the years to its current state. This week’s expedition through the YWS Storybook Archives (found here ) proved to be a successful excursion, which I now have the pleasure of sharing with you! Let’s take a stroll through the SB Archives, shall we?

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth Storybooking wasn’t so popular, the most replies a thread received started at around ten to fifteen responses. However, a large spike in SB activity is evidently present in the early 2007 year, pushing onwards into 2008, complete with classics like The Others started by @Lethero, The Whining Arrow created from the mind of @Aedomir, or Journey into the North by the Storybook god himself, @Griffinkeeper. As one journeys through the Archive, the progress of Storybooking is unmistakably visible. Check out the previous links, and see for yourself! (And, of course, hurry on back to Squills for more!)



I love hearing from you! This week I asked, “How do you juggle participating in more than one Storybook at a time? Does it ever grow confusing or time-consuming?” Here’s what the Storybookers had to say…

@Rydia, after considering for a moment, replied, “That's a good question! I don't find it confusing as I always aim to make my characters as different from each other as I can. For example, if I'm already playing a young male who's very confident and secure about himself, the next character I create may be a young girl who's looking to find who she is. By keeping a variety of characters, I manage to not confuse their voices and to keep it fun! It's definitely time consuming though and that's not something you can help. You just have to make sure you have enough time before committing to each storybook.”

@themessenger immediately responded, “I am in four! But only two are going very fast. I just wait for a post in one of them, read it, and then sometimes post.”

@Iggy said, “The thing is, I only join the Storybooks I know I'll have time to commit to. That's one thing to keep in mind. And the Storybooks I do join, I balance them by focusing on one per day. Like if I have time, say, tonight, I'll focus on Storybook A and get a post done for that. Tomorrow, I focus on Storybook B. It's all about balance.

It can be confusing if you don't set yourself a limit to Storybooks. It can only be as confusing as you make it.”

That wraps it up for this week’s Storybook Update! Thanks for reading, and as always: Write on!

REISEPIECEY IN THE SPOTLIGHT

written by Sapi < pm: >

Long time member @ReisePiecey is YWS's Featured Member Nov. 11-24



ReisePiecey: I'm shocked, honestly, but I'm so happy. I've been a member here a long time and being featured has always been a dream of mine. (Woah, listen to the rhyme.) I really love the YWS community, and now I feel like I'm more of a part of it. I'm really glad you all accept me.



ReisePiecey: I couldn't tell you. Haha, I just do what I usually do, which is storybooking. Maybe it's because I've recently been more active. I don't know, but whatever it was that got me featured, I'm thankful for it.



RP: Oh, I really wish I could be all insightful and wise here, but I'm coming up blank. Just be nice to people and try your best to make everyone feel welcome when you can. Just spread kindness like the flu, and it'll eventually pay off.



RP: No. Writing is life. Photography and BJDs. Those are my two loves outside of writing, and they are both connected to my writing in some shape or form. I try to take my camera out whenever I can, and I'm saving up to buy a trio of BJDs to embody my current characters in development. It keeps me busy, and I love it.



RP: The community! Everyone here is so kind and lovely. I've never met such a cohesive group before - on or off the internet - and I'm so happy to be a part of this synergy. I love the way everyone seems to get along, and all the different clubs and groups are amazing. I just love you all so much it's ridiculous. It's crazy how much being a part of this website means to me.



RP: Poetry and novels. My poetry is more of a spur-of-the-moment deal with my brain, but my novels are way more intricate than that. They're character-driven, and stories where the characters practically write the whole thing themselves are my favorite.



RP : It means giving 100% in whatever you try, and doing your best to be there for those people that need you to. Just be yourself and do the things that you like. As long as you're having fun, and that fun causes no harm to anyone, you can do no wrong. Being kind and spreading that kindness is the most helpful thing you can ever do. Man, I sound like a badly scripted children's movie... Haha, but that's what I believe.

COW SAYS NOVEMBER 24TH, 2013

written by CowLogic < PM: >





You may remember that a couple months ago, Cow Says made a very short and angry testament to making like Disney hyenas and being prepared, rather than buying into the whole Carpe Diem, Robert Herrick meets Robin Williams craze that has repopularized with the overly prescient acronyms "T.S.L.N.A.S.T," meaning "Thou Shalt Live Nary A Second Time" and the slightly less popular "Y.O.L.O," meaning "You Only Live Once." The whole concept behind this latin euphemism of plucking the fruit while it hangs has come to be the poster child for doing things out of spontaneity and impulse, to live in the moment.

Now for the longest time, I found this concept quite ridiculous. Since it takes a definite amount of time for our nervous system to intake stimuli and convert that into information for the brain to actualize, you can never really experience the present as it is happening. Rather you are always living in the past mentally or the future physically, in comparison to mentally. So why waste time trying to practice an impossibility such as "living in the moment" when you'd never even be able to experience it in the first place?

Then I realized, I'm overanalyzing this.

Once I reanalyzed it, trying to find a balance between the physical and metaphysical, I also tended to disagree with the sentiment laid down before us. I thought, hey, if you always live in the moment, then you will never be prepared for the future, and it will take you off guard, possibly allowing you to make bad decisions or pay dear consequences for former actions. You should always try to live your life in preparation of what is to come. You should, rather than plucking the fruits, let them reproduce so that later on you'll have a whole orchard despite your current hunger.

But then, I realized, what kind of way is this to live? Should you never take a moment to enjoy life, live vicariously, have a little fun? Why should preparation be paramount in your life when you will never really come to appreciate what you have worked for? So my final and current analysis of the conundrum was synthesized.

I now believe that you can have a toast to tomorrow while at the same time enjoying the drink. I think that living in the moment and preparing for the future are not exclusive entities, but rather things that can go hand in hand, fingers interlocked. I think that living a life of quiet, controlled preparation that at the same time is fulfilling and enoyable, will not only pave the way for a fruitful future, but also tickle you in a good way.

The only way I can see that complies with this idealistic lifestyle is the way of true work. Most equate work with a job, but that is not an accurate equation, my fine mathemetcian. A job is almost a form of slavery to your needs and desires. You have a job so something else can happen. You do the things required in the job just for the goal of money or pride or reward, a clear separation of end and means.

However, WORK, is something entirely different. Work is something that is productive, that allows you to employ all your senses and your physical and/or mental capacities to solve problems and create solutions or operate any task. Work is something that you enjoy doing to the point where it intersects with liesure. Work is something you take pride in doing, rather than taking pride in being finished with. When one works, they are setting themselves up for a malleable and great future, while at the same time, enjoying the present.

Once you can successfully interrelate the two forms of living, you will find that life just got a whole lot more fulfilling, and you will be able to make the most of productivity for the time you're here without forgetting that T.S.L.N.A.S.T.

GREEN ROOM GALLERY
written by Knight Teen < PM: >




Hey you guys, it's that time of the month again! And no, I am not speaking of my period here folks. (Sorry, I just had to crack that joke.)

Oh god, remember Review Day? Joining the team and rejoicing when you find out who certain members of your teams are, and then feeling like crying when you realize that your best friend or beloved online partner is your rival? The anticipation of the countdown?

Remember talking a little friendly smack, and voting on team name, avatar, captain, etc.? I miss those days, which is why I am so glad they happen once a month. (One of the only monthly visitors I look forward to. )

Alright, here's a quick run down on R-Day for the newbies and those who have no idea what I am talking about.

Review Day happens on the last Sunday of every month. Now, this does not happen at the same time for everyone. I can't remember what timezone R-Day runs on, but if you look at your homepage there is a handy-dandy little countdown timer so you will know exactly when the madness begins.

The purpose of this glorious day is to encourage the users to review more then they already do. Before R-Day we have a Free Literary Work Period, where for a brief time before the countdown ends you are able to post for free. There is a limited number of times that you can post, and if you do post you are expected to review.

Naturally, during this time the Green Room expands far beyond its normal numbers, which average about 25-30 on a good day. Right now there are over 70 works just waiting for the buzzer to sound and the eager users to attack them. Once each work in the Green Room is reviewed twice, it vanishes. And once the Green Room is empty, the masses descend on the regular literary tab, seeking to review as much as possible for both themselves and their team.

Each point you earn and every review you write go towards your team total. At the end of the day, the points are tallied, the reviews counted, and we see which team gets the bragging rights until the next day.

Big Brother sent out a mass PM with some tips on how to review, if you haven't read them yet, do so ASAP. It's not just about the points, it's how you earn them. Yes, you can write 250+ words, mark it as a review, and knock the work out of the GR, but what is the point unless you are helping the author in some way? Don't just praise or criticize, do a little bit of both. Make sure to point out areas that you think the author needs to work on.

Don't just gush over how wonderful you think the work is, because that is really a comment and not a review. The GR may become emptied on reviews like these, but it would be an empty victory. (No pun intended.)

So have fun! Review well! Do your team proud! And have a happy Review Day.

NEW ARRIVALS
written by Knight Teen < PM: >


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


@Tennantsayswhat has only been with us a few days, but has already received four reviews on his work, I'll always be there .

@MajorKillaClown hasn't posted anything in the forums, but he has written four reviews and posted the first three chapters of his novel, The Elemental Survival Games.

@Frosting recently attended the premier of Catching Fire (WAS IT GOOD?!?!) in addition to writing nine good reviews, posting the first four chapters of her novel, and being featured in the Literary Spotlight.

While @Misfitpoet1 only joined us two days ago, he has posted in the forums (and due to research I happen to know that he likes to write poetry and listens to music, and also skateboards and sings. We have a well-rounded new member here!) expanded his portfolio with poems about hope, and wrote several of our authors some reviews.







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