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. GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK
2. NELSON MANDELA - A GREAT MAN WHO PASSED ON
3. FESTIVE ARTICLES
4. HOW TO GET MOTIVATED TO REVIEW
5. POLLARITY 12/15/13 - FINE ARTS
6. CLUB INTERVIEW: YOUR NOVEL
7. ASKPRUNO
8. STORYBOOK UPDATE
9. A NATURE WALK
10. AUTHOR SNAPSHOT: JOHN GREEN
11. THIS WEEK'S ROUNDUP - 12/15
12. NEW ARRIVALS
13. SHAMELESS PLUGS
14. SUBSCRIBERS

GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK

written by Iggy < PM: >

Something strange happened this past Sunday. Did you notice? Was it a new YWS background? Was it the new chat? Well, that too, but that's not the main event! What happened was the moderating staff got hungry, very hungry! So what did we do?



We took a big can of paint and colored thirteen members! Then those members then were doused in a clear liquid we like to call "the Mod shiny coat", and thus, YWS now has thirteen new Junior moderators. Those members are @Adnamarine, @AfterTheStorm, @ArcticMonkey, @Auxiira, @Cailey, @Clarity, @dragonfphoenix, @fortis, @KnightTeen, @megsug, @OliveDreams, @reisepiecey, and @whitewolfpuppy!

The glorious victors of a vicious gladiator battle, these unlucky thirteen members exited the arena, coated in sweat and green paint, and a smile of triumph upon their faces.

The moderating staff is very pleased to welcome them to the staff, and we hope that they're just as excited as well.

To test that excitement, I popped by with a fun and silly question to ask them all:



Adnamarine: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! *happy dance*

AfterTheStorm: My first reaction went along the lines of "Ohmygoodnessgracious-nuh-uh-is-this-early-April-fools?" then "*gasp* This is fo' reals. Where's the camera?!" and then "O__O". I just kind of stared at Rydia's PM in a shocked state for a few minutes, not fully functional in that time frame. Haha I felt highly honored to be noticed, and even a bit undeserving.

(totes longer than fifteen words but we'll cut her a break. )

ArcticMonkey: I was extremely happy and surprised! I look forward to joining to YWS staff and helping out.

Auxiira: I froze, then freaked out and went around with a huge smile on my face!

Cailey: "Agh!! Yes yes yes!!" Wild shoulder dance and head bobbing back and forth.

Clarity: I ran downstairs, told my parents and ran back upstairs to reply to the message!

dragonfphoenix: "Wait...they want me? Why? But I'm so new! I didn't do anything special...

fortis: This was pretty much my reaction in a nutshell.



(dunno if that will work for you. If it doesn't then, at first I was suspicious of the subject line "Hello," then I started freaking out.)

KnightTeen: Umm...Is this really happening?

megsug: ...Me?

OliveDreams: I really wasn't expecting it! I'm ridiculously excited & eager to start modly business!

ReisePiecey: "What? Seriously? Wait, seriously? I don't do anything... Woah. Thank you! Wow. Awesome! Totally! Woah."

whitewolfpuppy: Extremely surprised and proud to be asked to join.

NELSON MANDELA – A GREAT MAN WHO PASSED ON written by KittyCatMeow < PM: >

Nelson Mandela is a known hero among us YWS users. Though, many haven’t directly paid their respects. What about those who did? Can we know more about Mandela?

To start off, here’s what @567ajt said on his wall:





Mr. Mandela’s methods? If I can recall correctly, the early 1960’s had Mandela on the run, with him only a step away each time from being arrested. What do you call him... a master of disguise? In 1962, he left South Africa to give speeches to other countries of the world to get support for the black independence movement. In fact, he even arranged for black soldiers to be trained for battle in other sympathizing countries.

Although, Mr. Mandela was arrested once he came back to his home for illegally leaving the country and for encouraging a group to go on strike. He was prepared, though, to face any trial (he might as well have been a lawyer) for he had a good ability to speak well like a lawyer *mumbles*.

If it’s too much information, then we should probably move on...

@manisha was a lot more depressed about Mr. Mandela. Here’s what she said or rather declared:





*like* Several others liked this comment, such as @Lava who was quick to like the comment said:





The ending sentence lead to this link .

<3 Mandela. He is certainly one of the greatest men that ever existed on our planet! (I can never take out our wonderful Nathan who created YWS!)

We must remember his face! @DarthKay made a painting way back in 2010 of Mr. Mandela .

@Vandria had created a poem also from back in 2010. It’s called Nelson Mandela: The man made of peace . There is no other title I can use to make this title better.

@thewritersdream posted on her wall:





You will always make me cry. Such fond memories! Nelson Mandela will always be in some part of our lives, and if he’s not, then he shall be in this wonderful girl’s heart.

@DarkSparkle has a signature with a Mandela quote:





There is truth in this one-liner (proof he should be some famous lawyer or some kind of Albert Einstein II) and should he deny his own words, I will throw them back at him.

@OmarEhab also writes in his wall:





He, along with this great encouragement (what do you call this?), includes three quotes. I don’t want to bother you, but be sure to check them out!

With that, I conclude the Nelson Mandela tribute. Pay your respects and forever be grateful he existed. This man, he was the man that made sure things were fair, that even though he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, he knew that the prize was for the people, even though it belonged to him. We should all know that he only left us since he knew that his friends (everyone, even you) were safe.

FESTIVE ARTICLES

written by Blackwood < PM: >



If the Festive Season isn’t already approaching rapidly enough, what is a better way to deck-the-halls of YWS than to spruce up with a dashing Christmas avatar?
Do not feel hesitant to join in on the fun because some members have already started preparing themselves for the celebrations to come.

If you haven’t noticed yet, @Blues has started a thread, Christmas Avatars to Christmasify your existing avatars if you aren’t a person for change. He has already begun delivering these gifts of season including giving @fortis a nice little Christmas hat to sit atop her bacteriophage. To see what else has been done check out his thread.

If you are looking for a fresh new image for Christmas then there are plenty of pre-made chritmas avatar sites floating around the web. Some examples of these include sites such as.
http://christmasforumfare.com/christmas-avatars/
http://www.avatarist.com/avatars/Variou ... Christmas/
http://gifup.com/en/avatars/Christmas

If you are feeling a bit more creative you may like to create your own Avatar. Perhaps that strange decoration that has always been on your Christmas tree for years would make agood photo? Or maybe a quick trip to google images and a dash in photoshop is more your style.
Christmas wallpapers are also good, (not only if you want a wallpaper) to find interesting photos or pictures to derive an avatar from.
http://www.desktopnexus.com/tag/christmas/

When choosing your Avatar you want to choose something that suits you. Are you into cute charismas animals?


Or maybe you are one for a Christmas cartoon or pun?


Maybe you get a warm feeling of old fashioned Christmas art.


Or maybe something more modern?


Or for the Christian friends out there, it could be a time to pick something meaningful to you.



I’m looking forward to see if anyone on the art forums is going to draw their own Christmas avatars. Whatever floats your boat! Be sure to join in for the seasonal fun.

HOW TO GET MOTIVATED TO REVIEW
written by TheMessenger< PM: >




Reviewing. It can be a dreaded word. Reviews take time, patience, and brain power. We all know that reviewing isn't always the top priority on our list when we get on YWS. But I am here to give you some tips on how to get motivated, and to review with a smile.

I talked with a few of our own YWS users and asked what they had to say on the matter.








Dragon brings up some very good points. A lot of which I myself think of when reviewing. Reviewing can be done for the points, or just because it often means that others will review your pieces in return.

Let me give you some tips I use when I review.

1. Review on your time. What I mean by that is: review when you feel like it. Forced reviews can be some of the worst and most stressed reviews you write. If you have promised someone a review, then tell them you may not be able to do it right away and only do it when you feel that you can concentrate and write a well-thought out review.

Rushed reviews can be some of the worst a writer receives. Take your time.

2. Choose things you like to read and review. If you are a no-romance type of person, it's probably not wise to go and read a romance chapter and then review it, especially if you are going say anything negative about the romantic stuff. Now, I'm not saying that you should avoid that genre. I'm not a huge fan of it myself, but I still read romantic stories once in a while. It's good to read things you aren't as comfortable with sometimes, but only write a review if you feel confident you can help the author with their writing skills.

3. Remember why you are writing the review. Whether it be just a normal review, a review that was requested by a friend or random user, or one you do on a hectic Review Day, remember the reason for your reviews. You are reviewing to help the writer. Reviews can be motivated by the gaining of points and colorful stars, but remember to keep your focus on the piece of which you are reviewing. Think through your review, don't hastily read the piece. Some times it's good to re-read the story, chapter, or poem. And always be careful to encourage the reader, even when you offer constructive criticism. A discouraged writer is a bad thing.

But don't just listen to me. I spoke with @KittyCatMeow, and thought she had some very good points.









Kitty has some very good points. If you need a break from reviewing them, then by all means, take it. I joined and did a humongous amount of reviews the first two months. The amount I did however got everyone's attention and I felt like there was too much pressure. @KnightTeen made a few jokes about me and @dragonfphoenix, in Squills, which I didn't really find humorous at first (it's okay, I forgive you ) and in the end I had to take a break. I took a whole week off. during that time I got into the StoryBook land and really have enjoyed being in those ever since. When I came back from my break it was time for the October Review Day. I can't tell you how excited I was to get back to reviewing!

Now, if you've hung with me this far than thank you. I know this post has been a little on the long side. But I hope it will help you in your reviewing. Now, how about a review?

POLLARITY 12/15/13: FINE ARTS

written by Sapi < pm: >

fine art (noun)*: a type of art (such as painting, sculpture, or music) that is done to create beautiful things

Writing is an art. So, I know that all YWSers are artists. I was curious about what other art forms YWSers are insterested in and know about, so I did a few different polls to discover more about fine arts on YWS.

These are the final results of the official poll that ran last week, which I came up with to learn more about what kinds of arts (besides writing, of course) YWSers participate in and like.



Sleeping, of course, is very popular among any young adult audience. I find it interesting that the first four choices stayed at approximately the same ratio of voters throughout the running of the poll. Drawing was always the most popular among YWSers, then music, then dance, and finally, only a few people chose acting. Of course, it's likely that many of those who answered the poll responded only according to their preference of the moment, and they actually participate in more than one of the options given.

Next, I sent out a question to some random members:
Who is your favorite artist of any type and why?
Here are some of the responses that people gave:

@Maximilia:






@BlueAfrica:






@Cole:






And finally, I asked some members to type their immediate reactions to famous paintings: the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, The Scream by Edvard Munch, and Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. Here are some of the responses I got:

Mona Lisa: Painting, Da Vinci Code, Leonardo Da Vinci, Beauty, The Louvre, Masterpiece, Smile

The Scream: Ghost, Emotional, movie, Horror, Haunting, Blue, Wide-eyed

Starry Night: Moon, Romance (2), crystalline beautiful, Doctor Who, TARDIS

@Ossum had a comical reaction to the Mona Lisa:






Understandably, most people associated the Mona Lisa with fame and a masterpiece of Da Vinci. The Scream brought more emotional reactions. Starry Night was associated with romantic or beautiful ideas, OR, of course, Doctor Who! (For those of you that don't know, in one episode of this television show, the Doctor pays a visit to Van Gogh).

Interesting results! Indeed, many YWSers do participate in arts outside of writing, especially visual media. That's it for this week! Vote for future topic of pollarity here.

*Definition from Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

CLUB INTERVIEW: YOUR NOVELwritten by KittyCatMeow < PM: >

Welcome back to another club interview, and this time, we’re interviewing a perhaps humorous club. If you’re feeling serious, brighten up your day with this particular interview!

Remember to send requests! The form is right here ! Not many people are sending their requests in, so I’d like to see them coming!

This week’s club is Your Novel . At a quick glance, I see a club exploded with novelists speaking and pleading for forgiveness to their novels. It’s probably a good way to apologize for all the crimes you’ve done and such like kill your poor characters with a vicious pen. How unfortunate.

This is also interesting for me as it is the 23rd club ever made. You can tell by the number the link claims. “23,” it gloats. 23.

Participants: @Lauren2010 (Creator), @SushiSashimi333 (Active Member), @AlexSushiDog (Member)





Lauren2010: Your Novel basically became a place for people to write notes to their novels, whether to complain or make promises or just chat. At the beginning I used to post statuses through the club where "Your Novel" would write notes back like "Dear author, why aren't you writing?!" but I've been bad at updating for a long time.
SushiSashimi333: Well I guess it's just a way to share what your reading, and I guess also a way to recommend books that you really like.
AlexSushiDog: In my perspective, the club My novel is for a little laugh and to apologize to your novel if you have been mean to them. I myself apologized to my book for killing it repetitively.



L: The good thing about "Your Novel" is that it's really self-sustaining. It doesn't need me to be around for it to be successful, because it's all about member participation. Plus, there was a point in time where it was the most popular club on YWS and that makes it forever a success to me!
S: I would say it's a success because of all the members and the posts. They don't happen too often, but they do occur and I have found some books through that.
A: I don't know I just joined From what I can see though, it has a large amount of wall posts on it!



L: I started it when clubs were first introduced to YWS several years ago and I wanted to try out the new feature. I based the idea off of a twitter account titled "Your Novel" which tweeted out inspiration/threats from your novel to their followers. So it wasn't entirely original, but it worked out alright!



S: Well I'm not on it much, but when I do check it I like to try out the books ^_^ Normally they're good, so I guess you could say I enjoy it.



A: That you can just go on and post your novel idea in a non-direct fun way or anything about it in a kind of letter form!



L: Of course! The fact that it has withstood all this time, and people are still interested in it is lovely and it's always nice to see it pop up in my notifications again.
S: Well I made a friend through the books we read (@Ary) so it's a really nice way to meet those like you other than wall stalking and it's also an easy way to find books ^_^
A: Honestly I would recommend it to anyone!

Before you move on, read this declaration by our peace of delicious, delectable SUSHI!






I don’t write many novels, and thus, I can’t write quality letters. In the end, I can’t do much to this club. However, it’s still a great club to really just join – I’m pretty sure it’ll help you write some short awesome letters!

ASKPRUNOwritten by Blackwood < PM: >

Welcome to Ask Pruno, the advice column in a giant Godzilla rises out of a burning ocean of lava and storms the Eiffel Tower and uses it as a toothpick after he has eaten 50 elephants. 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 Pruno
When feeding animals I have always asked myself when looking at that fancy over the top packaging: "How do you KNOW it's new and improved dog food? " Do you know Pruno? Do you in your wisdom?
-Sam Fisher The Dog Owner


Well Mr. Sam Fisher, there is really an answer to this. The first thing is, how do YOU know when your food is fat-free, new and improved, free of “insert random chemical”, unless it says on the packet. You can’t taste it, you can only read about it. Your question could be applied in the context of babies, or even food that you get given that doesn’t come in a packet. How do you know!?
If you really want to know what your dog is going to think I advise you taste the dog food yourself. That way you can be sure it tastes delicious.
-Pruno.




To Pruno,

I have this teacher. He's been teaching me for three years and I've hated every second of it. We really don't get along, at all, whatsoever. I feel like I'm being picked-on in his class. I've already had countless meetings with this teacher, several meeting with my vice principal, and one meeting with my principal. What should I do now?
-Not-a-teachers-pet


Unfortunately not much more than you have been doing. You have to keep on keep on harassing the principal ect about it. They are not going to do anything unless you bug them to the point they have to. Most importantly get your PARENTS to speak with the principal. That should get some sort of result.
-Pruno




Pruno, The magnificent God of purple,
We are watching and reading parts of "The Odyssey" by Homer in my English class. In the movie, I just can't get over the Cylcops' stupid evil laugh and Odysseus' man boobs. Seriously, those things are B cups AT LEAST! So what kinds of things should I think about to keep a straight face when I'm watching the video clips?
-HATER


Dear hater,
I believe you are having trouble explicitly expressing your sexual desire. It is a common problem among young people such as yourself to be aroused by images of such nature, but denying it is most certainly not the way to go. If you are having that much trouble controlling yourself you should make sure none of your classmates notices your enraptured gaze.
-Pruno


Dear Pruno, The Magnificent Purple One
So we've all read Am I Writer by Birkhoff, it's amazing and it's original. I feel like all of my poetry sounds the same, and I'd like to do something unique with my writing. I don't want to steal other poets ideas, so what are some ways I can put a new and unique spin on my poetry?
-confuzzled

Dear confuzzy
Ideas are perpetually passed around indefinitely among works of fiction, historical events and other ways. Everything has an idea sparked from somewhere and to be creative you have to pick those ideas from various places, just extracts of them, and weave them together. If every single idea was 100% unique writing would be balnd, as experience influences how the writer writes but also, when those things are unable to be experienced first-hand, so does other works of literature. You need to be more confident within yourself.
-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.

STORYBOOK UPDATE written by AfterTheStorm < PM: >



Sit back for another “In the Spotlight” column! This time, I received the opportunity to chat with @CelerityFire21 about her Storybook, In My Mind . She was a most generous interviewee, and her enthusiastic attitude about her SB makes it definitely worth checking out!




CelerityFire: My SB is about seven clones who have all been created by a mad scientist as a replacement for his dead daughter … [T]hey [the clones] try to survive in the world, because they're being hunted by the "Eyes," the world's most deadly assassins who are in no way human.



CF: I got the idea from watching a combination of Aliens, The Host, and Invasion Of The Body Snatchers at three in the morning! Not the best strategy, I admit, but I used bits and pieces of the ideas from the movies and, of course, added my own personal brand of insanity , and Voila, I got In My Mind.



CF: … There are many smaller components in my SB, but it puts a huge amount of emphasis on personality, as all of my main characters have the exact same physical features for the most part. The other component that I hope gets a lot of emphasis on is the Risk Factor, because these girls are being hunted all throughout the SB, so it's really important that the balance of excitement and action are perfected.



CF: No problem, Storm.








@Redfang18’s Storybook, Shadows of the Defender , delves into right vs. wrong, action, justice, and the curious affairs of two opposing clans. So who are these groups?






Though these two heroic groups differ, they will eventually have to put aside their dissimilarities and work together in the end. A greater evil is awakening, and “soon enough the chaos will end and the final battle will bring it all together,” Fang wrote.

She told me through chat, “Well, the idea of this is that someone else is possibly pulling the strings in the lives of both the Shadows and the Defenders. At the current time, both sides of the coin are at each other's throats for personal reasons and some want to seek their own justice over the wrongs that happened in their lives.

This ‘greater evil’ is supposed to be the real source of all their problems, and both the Shadows and Defenders would have to work together in order to defeat [it]. …”



Storybooks! Get your fresh Storybooks here! The start of December provided an onslaught of new SBs, and I’ve gathered a collection just for you!

The Superphysical , began by @TinyJarStoredDreams, is still hot off the press. If you enjoy storylines about superheroes and powers, this is a perfect SB. Join the academy of the Superphysicals!



Next, posted just on the 8th is @TickSeed’s tale of El, a futuristic world of fantasy in Ultra Match She wrote,





In a school of geniuses, genetic partners, Magick, elementals, tribes, action and drama, what could possibly go wrong? Ultra Match is definitely highly promising!








@barefootrunner introduced Indigena on the 7th, setting up a great Storybook heavily revolving around island survival. With strong world descriptions and well planned characters, Indigena looks to be a very exciting, interesting SB.

Have you joined a Storybook recently? If not, definitely check out these fresh ones! (And then hurry on back for some more Squills!)





Squills loves to hear from you! This week’s question was: “What are some of your pet peeves about Storybookers?” Here’s what y’all told us:

@reisepiecey noted, “I hate when people abandon the plot in pursuit of romance.”

@thelostone replied, “Um, when their posts are less than a paragraph and they aren't committed.”


“[N]ot being fully committed to the story,” @Dragon99 said.

And that’s all she wrote for this edition of the Storybook Update. Be sure to keep an eye out (Not literally, of course, because that would hinder your Squills reading capabilities!) for next week’s update. As always: Write on!

A NATURE WALK

written by whitewolfpuppy < PM: >

I will be taking a member through a virtual walk through the forest. Giving them items to describe and later on telling them what exactly those items really mean at the end. I am going to be interviewing @Dragon99 for a nature walk. I will be simply asking Dragon99 to think about a few symbols as they are walking through a forest in their head. The reason I am doing this is to give the person more insight on how they view life. Each symbol represents different things in life that we come across. Instead of asking them directly about each obstacle in life, I made it fun by using items to describe them.




Dragon99: I see green... lots of green, but the forest is empty and silent, and I find more interest in the brown mud beneath my feet.



D: It's small, and it seems to be made of glass, it has a complex figure and a strange insignia on it.



D: It’s an ordinary mug, stained white, overflowing with blood. It looks like a coffee cup. It reads worlds best dad on the front.



D: The bear stands on both legs and roars at me ferociously. I do not run. I do not hide. I sit down and hold my breath. I meet the bears eyes, and hold our gaze for what seems to be an eternity



D: The lake is beautiful. It's a majestic blue against a sun beginning to set. I put my feet in the water and let the wind cool me, let the water caress me, let the sun feast my eyes.



D: It’s large, covered in small pebbles. It stinks of death, and when I try to peer into the cave, I see nothing but darkness.



D: It’s tall, taller than me, It seems to reach beyond the clouds, the stars, the heavens itself, and it stretches bellow as well, bellow the earth, bellow the planets beneath our own, stretching deeper than hell itself. Left and right the blood-red wall seems to go on forever one way and indefinitely another.

Now what do they mean?
Forest- Life
Key- Education
Cup- Love
Bear- How you handle situations
Lake- View of Marriage
Cave- View on Death
Brick Wall- Morals

Reaction
D: I thought it was pretty awesome and it really got me thinking about things.

AUTHOR SNAPSHOT: JOHN GREENwritten by OliveDreams < PM: >

On this weeks, Author Snapshot, I will be delving into the world of the award winning, worldwide loved author, John Green.

Not only is he already a New York Times bestselling author with the amazing, The Fault in Our Stars, but he is continuing to knock us for six by churning out more heartbreaking novels such as for Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines and Paper Towns.

So let’s take a closer look at that bestselling beauty, The Fault in Our Stars, which has been published in more than a dozen languages!

We are introduced to a teenage cancer patient named Hazel, who is forced into a support group by her worried parents. We see her make friends and fall in love with those who understand her everyday life now that she is sick. Read and feel those tears fall as we follow Hazel as she tries to make some of her life’s dreams come true.

I found a YWS fan of John Green in our beloved @Iggy, so I stopped by for her thoughts on why this author was one of her favourites.



Iggy: The Fault in our Stars is the only book I've read by him and it made me cry. >_>



I: He made me cry! His book was that amazing. I can't wait to see the movie. @SparktoFlame got me to read TFiOS and the book was amazing, so amazing that I plan on reading Looking For Alaska when I get a chance to breathe.



I: He's inspired me to be as amazing as he is! Seeing how his books touched so many people is.. I want to do that. I really hope I can write a book as amazing as his books one day.


Thanks Iggy! 


Next week on Author Snapshot will be Brandon Sanderson. Let me know if you’re a fan!

Favourite quote from The Fault In Our Stars by John Green:

THIS WEEK'S ROUNDUP – 12/15
written by: megsug <PM: >

And tonight’s weather report includes snow... and links!


Want to show your Christmas spirit? @Blues has tapped into his giving spirit to offer you just a way to do that. Christmasfied avatars! Just post a link of the picture on the thread, and Blues will handle the rest. He’s already done some great work! I think I like his version of @fortis’ the most:



I must agree with fortis here:





Nothing can be harder to decorate than a bacteriophage. See what magic Blues can pull with your avatar today!


@Adnamarine has introduced us all to an addictive site. What can this site possibly do that can get YWS addict’s distracted from the crack that is our fantastic writing website? It makes snowflakes! I see your doubt. Remember when you used to fold paper up and cut pieces out to make snowflakes? Well... Everything’s better virtual! @Skorpionne agrees. She was sucked into the addiction too apparently with some friends for help:





Make your way to this thread and make a snowflake! We want to see what your masterpiece looks like.


That’s right. Are you ready for the first every YWS Review Games? The reaping has begun, and yes, if enough people enter, there may be a drawing. Three reviews puts your name in once. Each review after that puts your name into the drawing again. When the tributes have been named, there is a training week where you can earn points that will help you later in the games. What do you get if you win? @Paracosm, the creator, will tell us:





The name of the game is reviewing. Literally! This’ll sharpen those skills all of you have. Enter the reaping now!


@Lava introduces a good article about genetics and health screenings. The FDA asked a genetics lab company to stop offering health-related genetics testing. Lava has several questions on the topic:





What exactly is the FDA hoping to achieve with this statement? Would you want to live with the knowledge that you may possibly have a disease hanging over your head? Post your opinion!

NEW ARRIVALS
by Knight Teen < PM: >


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

@joebot has been writing some..rather interesting reviews, and while he has strolled around the forums it seems he has yet to locate the publishing center. 0_0
Maybe with a little encouragement we will see what this user is made of!

@WintryOz seems to be making friends fast, and who could blame her, with that lovely elephant for an avvie. She's given us a short story and a poem to review, and sadly, according to a recent post in the forums she has taken a short hiatus. Let's hope we see her back as soon as possible.

@BethanyMarieWright seems to love writing poetry and short stories about a character named Jasper. She has literally been all over the forums, and seems to love to review.




@cha3739 • @loganrutherford • @onedayiwillmakeit • @PricelessSleeping • @ForeverInsaneee • @ymustwrite • @Kassie • @Indigo27 • @NerdyBirdy • @Mateo009 • @PersonaAlias • @AnotherMoses • @DJDazza • @MaddPoet • @heclgehog • @Ragasree • @TheWyrdSister • @JKReader • @maroonamorous • @kidsdiymedia • @ScottishHop • @outlawsoflove • @Dbrd231 • @juliaedwards • @Genwrit • @ToNoEnd • @joshuahobson • @cottoncandybunny • @daniellewishartm • @ashley1988 • @lesliemuchenje • @Moneypwnzb • @messyandlefthanded • @iPrincessCurious • @AmnaBM • @MonetT • @nutan • @anewperson • @Snowball15963 • @Hannah0015 • @Indy22 • @RayRay666 • @trevor11 • @pradieep • @rm22795 • @writingurl16 • @Gabbie • @CyborgPigeon • @JaceyGorman14 • @gc0410 • @Idrawstickman • @stefun • @LiddoPrincessa • @Tay17 • @NevHarissa • @farahmasud • @lifewithoutoxyg3n • @RPBuk • @SWOPNIL • @AshStyles22 • @Lionblaze25 • @TheSilentWriter • @thomasbirk • @RachelLeeAnn • @queendapples18 • @lookingforjess • @TheVegetarianVampire • @imhero1 • @megankay • @FloralFlower • @Chanel234 • @Valo • @CassandraPhillips • @truewriter01 • @Sciencegeek111 • @FrankT • @miniscissorhands • @MydnytRayn • @StephaWhale • @Mailani • @juansebax • @Milky • @supanatrul80 • @WriterBee •

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!

None for this week! Send 'em in, folks!