Young Writers Society

And we are BACK, fashionably late, with another year of worst gifts ever. One of my favorite parts of the Holiday Season is those goofy gift exchanges where people are meant to exchange gifts that leave a little to be desired. Incomplete fan-art doodles or horribly misshapen portraits, unedited first-draft songs, weird-mishmashed photo-edits, acrostics with a few misspellings, or awkward fanfictions from fandoms no one recognizes... you get the idea! We've done these "Worst Gift Exchanges" a few years now, and always with a lot of fun and hilariousness - so let's give it a try again!

The great thing about a Worst Gift Exchange is there's zero pressure, absolutely none at all, so you have complete freedom for your creativity and humor to fly! Please note this is a different event than Secret Santa, but it is similar, in that you'll be assigned a person to give a gift to after completing the form below, but this gift is a bit different because the gift is not expected to be your finest work, in fact if you choose it can be comically bad and cringe-worthy!

To participate: You fill out a form by the end of the day December 15 (11 pm EST), you're assigned a person, then you make them a hilariously bad gift by January 4 which you send to me in a PM and then I'll send over to them. If you want to give extra gifts to those you aren't assigned to that's alright, go ahead and send them over to me as well, but you're only required to make a gift for the person you're assigned!

A few rules:

1) No real items will be exchanged... just YWS things ie. stories, poems, songs, picture edits, reviews etc.

2) The gift can be bad, but not BAD ... no swearing, no nudity, nothing gory or violent or blatantly insulting or harassing. All YWS-site rules apply, keep it family-friendly.

3) You can tell the recipient of the gift who the gift is from if you want to after the gift has been delivered - > when it's complete just send it in a PM to me.

4) You are responsible for completing the gift for the person you are assigned if you sign up for this. So don't sign up if you can't complete a gift for someone. If for some reason you can't manage a gift send me a PM and I'll help you write a haiku with miscounted syllables or something!

5) Forms should be filled out below & additional questions can be asked in this thread.

Sign Up closes Dec 15
Gift Assignments will be out Dec 17
Gifts Due by Jan 4

If you have questions send me a PM or just post in this thread.

If you want to participate, please fill out the form below:

Code: Select all

[b]What are a few things you hate? (colors, characters, literature tropes, random grudges, etc) [/b][i]remember this is the WORST gift ever exchange, so your gift-giver might just use this against you[/i].
[b]What are some things you love? [/b](fandoms, books, music, themes, colors etc)
[b]What's your favorite part about YWS?[/b]
[b]What's your favorite work you've put on YWS this year?[/b]
[b]What would you love to see in a worst-gift?[/b]
[b]What's a strange fact about yourself?[/b]
[b]Anything else you want to say?[/b]
[b]Why are sloths so slow?[/b]


What are a few things you hate? (colors, characters, literature tropes, random grudges, etc) remember this is the WORST gift ever exchange, so your gift-giver might just use this against you. Orange is just a totally grotesque color to me. I also hate the sound that silverware makes on specific types of glass plates or bowls, like nails on a chalkboard. I also hate loose hair. Like hair on the bathroom tile, hairs on me that aren't connected to my body, it's just gross. and my feet sweating while i sleep.
What are some things you love? (fandoms, books, music, themes, colors etc) HAMILTON! PRINCESS BRIDE (book+movie)! MARVEL (specifically obsessed w spiderverse)! MY LITTLE PONY! my whole profile theme encapsulates exactly what colors I love heh. Arctic monkeys are high on my music list.
What's your favorite part about YWS? my dear friends C:
What's your favorite work you've put on YWS this year? PRRROobably candlelight
What would you love to see in a worst-gift? i have a humor for cursed images. like stuff that's so dumb and warped you can't help but laugh at it. or silly poetry with made up words and stuff to make ridonculous things rhyme lol
What's a strange fact about yourself? i like to peel my bacon when i eat it. like the fat from the meat. and then i save eating the fat for last in one big mouthful.
Anything else you want to say? baloney sandwich.
Why are sloths so slow? because something about their metabolism and energy what they eat whatever. yes.

that's all, folks.

What are a few things you hate?

- puce
- Ross Geller from Friends
- picky about love triangles
- picky about hate-to-love
- still mad about that prof who gave me a 0 on an assignment I turned in and worked really hard on, ten years later, can we keep this grudge going another year, I bet we can!

What are some things you love?

(books)
- Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
- The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
(shows)
- Good Omens
- Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
- Nero Wolfe Murder Mysteries
- Only Murders in the Building
- Our Flag Means Death
(musicals)
- Groundhog Day: The Musical
- In the Heights
- Les Miserables
(music)
- Billy Joel
- Grace Gaustad
- Karliene
(movies)
- Coco
- Encanto
- Jungle Cruise
- Moana
- The Muppet Christmas Carol
(colors)
- aqua, teal, turquoise
- naturey greens
- naturey golds
- blues and purples
(miscellaneous)
- wildflowers
- trees
- birds
- water, especially the ocean

What's your favorite part about YWS?

I love the community <3

What's your favorite work you've put on YWS this year?

...I don't think I've put any work on YWS this year. I didn't even do NaPo because I had a book launch to deal with, so there's not even work in, like, a NaPo thread.

What would you love to see in a worst-gift?

I think terrible character art would be very funny.

What's a strange fact about yourself?

I have utterly lost sight of what's "strange," but:

- I showed llamas in 4-H as a kid
- I like to put on musical soundtracks in the car and sing like I'm doing a one-woman show
- it makes me very happy when I see a brightly colored door on a house

Anything else you want to say?

'ello 'ello 'ello, what's all this then

Why are sloths so slow?

Because they don't believe in the daily grind. The ultimate anti-capitalist revolutionaries. Why be productive when you could be a sloth?

What are a few things you hate? (colors, characters, literature tropes, random grudges, etc) remember this is the WORST gift ever exchange, so your gift-giver might just use this against you.
-Pink and orange, specifically that of the neon variety. I cannot stand them. Neon green? Okay, fine. Neon purple? Pretty! Neon pink? ATROCIOUS! The only type of neon pink and orange I can stand is like the glow-y sign art. It's acceptable then.
-Characters? None specifically but clingy, overly naive characters drive me bonkers. Y'know them! The ones who are always clinging to someone, whining about how their love interest doesn't like them back yada yada yada. Bleh.
-Tropes! Lots of tropes I don't like. Love triangles that go nowhere, villain redemption (if done well it's fine) where the villain instantly gets redemption for apologizing half-heartedly. Hero/Villain love unless it's angst. Then it's the best. Pregnancy as a way to keep two characters together. Revival of dead characters. They're dead, let them live- die?- in peace!
-Massively justified grudge against the girl in my debate class who won our debate by saying "Smiles over mass destruction." At the end of her debate, to which I couldn't counter because she went second. SHE WON BY ONE VOTE!! And it wasn't all mass destruction *sniffs angrily* He invented the first video game, Tennis For Two! He also helped create nuclear bombs but just...ignore that...
What are some things you love? (fandoms, books, music, themes, colors etc)
Fandoms:
-MCYT
-Marvel & DC
-Harry Potter
-Percy Jackson (every book)
-Mario Bros. (*cough* Bowuigi *cough*)
-Math...the stupid little stories about algebraic expressions are hilarious.

Books:
-Anything written by Rick Riordan
-Harry Potter (not book eight.)
-Little Brother by Cody Doctorow.
-There's more but I can't think of them off the top of my head...

Music:
-ARCTIC MONKEYS! AHHH <3 We love them, with every fiber of my transparent being.
-Poor Man's Poison.
-Seafret.
-Kodaline.
-Gregory Alan Isakov.
-Mumford & Sons.
-Jack Harlow.
-Shinedown.
-Billy Joel.
-Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
-Sleeping At Last. <333
-CORPSE.

Themes:
-Supernatural...

Colours:
-Purple!
-Gold!
-Turquoise!
-All shades of red, dark ones even moreso.

What's your favorite part about YWS?
-The community, of course. I just joined around a week ago and everyone is so nice!
What's your favorite work you've put on YWS this year?
-I've only put out one, so Patient Zero, I guess that one lol.
What would you love to see in a worst-gift?
-Really anything! Something written, like a short story or a poem would be nice but the graphics are cool too!
What's a strange fact about yourself?
Define strange.

-I have really, really weird friends. Like, they're weird. *shudder*
-I play Eb Trumpet. Which is- like, rare? I guess. I don't know anybody else.
-Along with having an obsession with video games, I am abnormally good at speedrunning them. It's concerning.

Anything else you want to say?
-Just hello! So...hi!
Why are sloths so slow?
Why, they're riding the short bus, of course!

What are a few things you hate? (colors, characters, literature tropes, random grudges, etc) remember this is the WORST gift ever exchange, so your gift-giver might just use this against you.
I hate:
Brown, (not like pale but like poo brown)
Neon pink, green
Cliches that are overused,
and also...
chess
What are some things you love? (fandoms, books, music, themes, colors etc)
I love:
Project Sekai
periwinkle
percy jackson
tea
cooking/baking
poetry
What's your favorite part about YWS?
Forums!
What's your favorite work you've put on YWS this year?
dedication collection!
What would you love to see in a worst-gift?
Art or a short story!
What's a strange fact about yourself?
I eat pickles with cheese
I have had pnumoneia 3 times
I have gotten a concussion from a shopping cart
Anything else you want to say?
hi >;3
Why are sloths so slow?
Because I cursed them

What are a few things you hate? (colors, characters, literature tropes, random grudges, etc) remember this is the WORST gift ever exchange, so your gift-giver might just use this against you:

—Casper the friendly ghost. I can’t explain why but I hate him so much
—“Cabinet Man” by Lemon Demon. Not a bad song but has cringy memories associated with it
—any unsaturated/swampy colors, especially dull orange or green
—love triangles
—Streber from Spooky Month… he’s overrated!!!
—What Lives in the Woods by Lindsay Currie. It’s clickbait in book form!

What are some things you love? (fandoms, books, music, themes, colors etc)



What's your favorite part about YWS? the community, most definitely
What's your favorite work you've put on YWS this year? Definitely my Not My Circus series
What would you love to see in a worst-gift? hmm… surprise me!
What's a strange fact about yourself? I can bend my knees backwards
Anything else you want to say? ooooohhh spookyyy
Why are sloths so slow? maybe the world’s too fast. Ever thought of that.

Bet

What are a few things you hate? (colors, characters, literature tropes, random grudges, etc) remember this is the WORST gift ever exchange, so your gift-giver might just use this against you.

-- Disney Star Wars
-- Lazy writing/unnatural dialogue
-- Most of modern Hollywood
-- Mary Sues
-- Most music made after 2010
-- People who don't take responsibility for their actions
-- People who don't communicate
-- Flaky people
-- People who don't take responsibility for their actions
-- Raisins
-- Onions
-- Mosquitos
-- Flies
-- Windy weather
-- Winter
-- Cloudy weather for more than two days in a row
-- When it gets dark at 4pm

What are some things you love? Check out my
Secret Santa!

What's your favorite part about YWS? The community!

What's your favorite work you've put on YWS this year? Oh goodness, I don't think I've posted any works on YWS in 2023. I do love The Hitchhiker though.

What would you love to see in a worst-gift? Be clever, make me laugh.

What's a strange fact about yourself? As a child I once cut up one of my t-shirts
with a scissors.

Anything else you want to say?


Why are sloths so slow? Ur mom

What are a few things you hate? (colors, characters, literature tropes, random grudges, etc) remember this is the WORST gift ever exchange, so your gift-giver might just use this against you.
You know that throw-up yellow color? I don't like it.
Tropes and clichés in general. They're pretty much impossible to avoid, but I don't like the particularly over-used ones. (For example, I kind of like chosen one if it's done well, but otherwise, no. Love at first sight, unless it's done well. Hero's journey... unless it's done well... Okay for all the clichés I don't like them but there are some authors that pull it off perfectly so unless you add a twist to it like them then I don't like it)
Characters that are cruel or evil for absolutely no reason or they are mean/evil just to be mean/evil.
What are some things you love? (fandoms, books, music, themes, colors etc)
Steven Universe, Willa of the Wood, A Night Divided, new age genre of music, periwinkle, rainbows, bunnies, butterflies, sunsets, YWS, flowers, my sister
What's your favorite part about YWS?
I spend most of my time on the people tab, and I love the community, so it makes sense. But I also love reviewing things, so the Green Room and literary tab are close seconds.
What's your favorite work you've put on YWS this year?
Hmmm... probably Shadow of the Orange Tree.
What would you love to see in a worst-gift?
I would love anything! If you could though, try to be creative. ^^ Maybe something funny or a half-finished poem or drawing. But I'd pretty much love anything!
What's a strange fact about yourself?
-I periodically get into obsessions of random shows, typically cartoons.
-I say a lot of weird things, like shouting bubbles or silly or friend for no apparent reason.
Anything else you want to say?
Thanks for hosting this @alliyah! And to whoever gets me a silly bad present, remember that I really don't mind what you get me and anything would be great!
Why are sloths so slow?
A sloth's metabolic rate is incredibly slow. It takes them weeks to digest food!

What are a few things you hate? (colors, characters, literature tropes, random grudges, etc) neon colors, colors that clash, tropes in general, celery, cilantro
What are some things you love? Rick Riordan's books, Spanish pop music, secret codes, mint choc chip ice cream, stories that shift my perspective and make me think differently/deeper, puzzles
What's your favorite part about YWS? the people!
What's your favorite work you've put on YWS this year? hrmm maybe one of my poems? !(just a #)
What would you love to see in a worst-gift? something that makes me laugh xD a hilariously bad drawing or gif or poem or story or snippet of music would be great, lol
What's a strange fact about yourself? i have no cavities?
Anything else you want to say? mint choc chip ice cream is the best >:]
Why are sloths so slow? slow is relative. sloths are faster than snails, so >.>

Deadline is just around the corner! Don't forget to sign up if you are interested in participating, before end of the day Dec. 15!

@luxeterna
@BluesClues
@APoltergeist
@teatiime
@GengarIsBestBoy
@Elinor
@OrabellaAvenue
@Spearmint

Hey friends! First of all, thank you for your wisdom on the topic of sloths.

Second of all, sign-ups are closed and the gift assignments have been made, everyone should have received a PM about your gift assignment! Let me know if you have any questions, gifts are due January 4!

Thank you all for participating, can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

Hey everyone! Gifts are due today / tomorrow! I think we are still waiting for one or two, so if you have not yet sent your gift, please do ASAP.

@luxeterna
@BluesClues
@APoltergeist
@teatiime
@GengarIsBestBoy
@Elinor
@OrabellaAvenue
@Spearmint

I am loving all the gifts that have been created so far - you are all wonderfully creative and hillarious. xD

@luxeterna
@BluesClues
@APoltergeist
@teatiime
@GengarIsBestBoy
@Elinor
@OrabellaAvenue
@Spearmint

Alrighty! I believe everyone has received their wonderful worst gifts! Thank you all for participating! If anyone wants to reveal who they are, or guess, they are welcome to, or you can stay anonymous too! This was a really fun year and I had some laughs reading what y'all came up with!

@teatiime Your gift from was me! I had a lot of fun making it, I hope it made you laugh since I think you were the only one that didn't post yours.

@APoltergeist, I got you your gift! I hope you liked your neon colors.