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Squills 5/24/20 - 5/31/20



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Tue May 26, 2020 6:17 am
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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!

CREATIVE STAFF

Spoiler! :


Editor-in-Chief
EditorAndPerks

General Editors
EternalRain
CaptainJack

Friendly Neighborhood Robot
SquillsBot

Literary Reporter
CaptainJack

Community Reporter
LZPianoGirl
Liberty
Available - PM Squillsbot if interested

New BloodHound
ShadowVyper

Creativity Reporter
Bullet

Poetry Enchantress
alliyah

Resources Reporter
Available - PM Squillsbot if interested

Storybooks Status Reporter
ScarlettFire
Clairia

Writer's World Columnist
Available - PM Squillsbot if interested

Social Correspondent
EternalRain

Code Master
Available - PM Squillsbot if interested

General Reporters
neptune
Asith
yellow
Available - PM Squillsbot if interested

Ghost Reporters
amelie
BiscuitsLeGuin
Clarity
elysian
Kanome
shaniac
TheWeirdoFromBeyond
writeasmile



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.

You can apply to become a Squillian Journalist by submitting a sample article to SquillsBot today!





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Tue May 26, 2020 6:18 am
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FEATURED MEMBER INTERVIEW: HKUMAR
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written by LZPianogirl < PM: >

This week, I had the honor of interviewing @Hkumar, our newest featured member. I had a blast interviewing him, but I also have fun seeing his posts in the Randomosity forums, such as in Change A Letter . Hkumar’s posts always put a smile on my face and I was ecstatic when he was free to do an interview. He has some interesting insight to share about such topics and being FM in the following interview!

Squills: Congratulations on being FM! You totally deserve it! Second, I'm a reporter for Squills and I was wondering whether or not you would like to do an interview?

Hkumar: Thank you! Yes you can go forward with your questions. I am ready. :D


S: Alrighty! First question. What was your reaction when you logged on to YWS and saw you were the featured member?

H: I was like "WHAT! BUT HOW?" A wide grin was on my face and I felt so happy to see my name there. Just last night only I changed my profile style and then today I saw the FM post by Magebird with the Tangled GIF. I was really blushing at that moment. Getting recognition felt so amazing. :D


S: I’m glad you were happy! What do you think you did to be FM?

H: May be because of all those reviews that I did in the last one month and I also ended up completing the Team Tortoise April with @Necromancer14. I always try to welcome the new members with greetings and sending good wishes to people on their birthdays. Meanwhile I like to fool around in the Randomosity corner playing some fun games with users. :pirate3:


S: It looks as if you really like the Randomosity section! What do you enjoy the most about it?

H: I guess it is a nice place to release your stress and do some amusing activities like playing with words, giving funny nicknames, killing the user above you for no reason ;) and so on. We all are pretty busy with our writing works so I guess it's a perfect place where we can just put aside our serious thoughts and bring out the child in us. It's a good time pass.


S: That’s awesome! I like the Randomosity section as well! Anyways, what motivated you to complete Team Tortoise in April?

H: Well I must say the credit goes to Necromancer14. He called me for a contest to see who can stay on team tortoise longer. The loser will have to give up 100 points. So this motivated me to complete the Team Tortoise April otherwise I would have simply walked out in the first ten days.
We both started the Team Tortoise May but then I needed a break and I got off the team in the first week.


S: I must say, that sounds fun! Finally, what advice do you have for those trying to become featured member?

H: You don't need to do anything extra. Just enjoy the site and explore as much as you can. Don't hesitate in interacting with the fellow users. We all are just a part of this big YWS family. <3


S: That is great advice! Thanks for taking time out of your day to answer my questions! I appreciate it!

H: Your welcome! And thanks for interviewing me :D





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Tue May 26, 2020 6:20 am
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POETRY IN THE FORUMS
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written by alliyah < PM: >

This week we've got some more poetry popping up in the forums! Let's take a look!

May Haiku Activities
As I mentioned in last week's Poetry in the Forums several users have been participating in "#MayHaiku" by joining in on the Haiku Writing Activities in the forums. This week the Haiku Train continued to be pretty popular. This is a pretty fun activity because not only does each writer craft their own haiku, but the first line of the following user's haiku has to link up and use at least most of the words as the previous user's last line.

Here's a few of my favorites from this week by @starlitmind and @Querencia.

"this soul unknown to
me; i cannot remember
the touch of its light"

- StarlitMind

"A sinking suburb.
Rain days, floodwaters rising.
My footprints, erased."

- Querencia

Worst Poem EVER
Another one of my favorite poetry activities also took off this week - that's of course the write the worst poem you can thread. The premise of the thread is exactly what the title implies, users are challenged to write their worst poem that they possibly can. Some people take kind of a satirical approach to critique their least favorite forms of poetry, while other people sort of make fun of themselves, it's all a lot of fun to see what people come up with. And in all honesty, some pretty amusing poetry gets written.

This week I wrote a couple, @LittleLee joined in the fun, and @Traves couldn't quite make his joke before @Horisun beat him to the punch line. I'll share @Carlito's and @Katteex's below.

"It's been so long since
I wrote a haiku so this
is just a sentence"

- Carlito

"Roses are green, violets are orange
this poem is for you
and you, and you, and me."

- Katteex

RoseAndThorn's Poetry Challenge
Lastly in the poetry related forums this week we had @RoseAndThorn's Creatively Titled Poetry Challenge . Several users signed up to participate in the first week's challenge and shared their poetry and feedback with others. The prompt was to write a poem with the word "ghost". It was a lot of fun to check out the different directions each poem took from the same prompt, they were all a little more dark and brooding than the lit center normally gets. All in all there were 7 poets who decided to write a poem for the first challenge. If you'd like to join in the second challenge, just make a post in the thread - you can join in at any time or just stop by to read the poems. Here's a few highlights from the thread written by @whatchamacallit and @LZPianoGirl!

"A silvery breeze stirs my mind, whispering
seductive thoughts. Imaginary vapours
swirl through the air, yet the dew-like dreams
slip between my tactless fingers."

- whachamacallit

"During the night,
as the wind billows,
the darkness is
forming over the hill."

- LZPianoGirl

And that's all the poetry highlights from the forums this week! Hope to see you trying out some of these activities soon!





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Tue May 26, 2020 6:20 am
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REMEMBERING THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH
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written by yellow < PM: >

In the midst of a global pandemic, lots of people are finding themselves drowning in waves of anxiety. Right now, in this time of uncertainty, having good mental coping mechanisms is also a luxury that not everyone can have, but we must remember that mental health is important.

As the virus has overtaken the world, the news and media is being inundated with facts and statistics, discussing death tolls and politics. Ultimately, we're at a point where we are being overexposed to the topic, which can take such a toll on our mental wellbeing.

The bottom line here is that mental health is the same exact thing as physical health. While most people think that the two are inseparable, they're actually not. Mental health caters to our social, psychological and emotional wellbeing, which affects how we act, think and feel. Of course, there is such a high focus on physical health with little regard to mental health. In order to have good mental health, there are several steps that you can take during these tumultuous, scary times.

Self-care is something different and fluid for many, there are some basic things you can do to implement self-care into your daily routine. It can be as simple as drinking eight cups of water every day or getting the recommended amount of sleep. Self-care doesn't have to involve doing a face mask and taking a bath. It can be extremely simple tasks, or you can set aside time to do something you enjoy.

Don't be afraid to detach yourself from the news and any media. While it is good to stay informed, it can be such a polarizing thing and really lead to episodes of unwanted anxiety and stress. Hearing constantly about the pandemic will obviously become redundant and draining. Instead of focusing your time and energy on social media, find something else to do.

If you are feeling stressed, feel free to reach out to someone. Confide in a friend or family member with your concerns and how you are feeling about the situation at hand. If you don't have this kind of access or don't feel comfortable venting to a loved one, there are hotlines you can call, such as the Disaster Distress Hotline - 1-800-985-5990. But, know that your mental health and the mental health of your loved ones is important and just as valid as physical health.

So, try to find a life preserver and save yourself from drowning in the sea of uncertainty by remembering that what you may be struggling with is valid. Know as well that there will be brighter days ahead and life will be normal again.





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Tue May 26, 2020 6:21 am
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BITS AND WORDS: WEBTOONS
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written by EditorAndPerks < PM: >

Hello everyone! 'Tis I, your newly renamed editor-in-chief, with another type of a variety show-esque column, so that I can discuss a few different topics that I hold dear to my heart. Plenty of users on here have mentioned Webtoons and online comics/cartoons that they follow, and they actually inspired me to get back to reading a few I really fell in love with, but hadn't read in a few months.

I started reading Webtoons in high school a few years ago, mostly because one of my friends was bugging me to read a psychological, thrilling, almost-horror story, and that introduction poured into a near obsession. This one on particular I caught all the way up in a few days, (at least forty chapters, if I recall correctly,) and I must say, binge-reading comics is an absolute delight and then the pain of having to wait a week for a new update is an absolute terror.

That same friend from before pointed me to a cute, romance Webtoon that I also grew enamored with, and I fell in love with fictional characters as bad as I did with literary characters. I was annoyed a bit because I'm a simple person and so many comics have aspects that I delight in, but then I have grown to embrace my likelihood at liking any kind of random story.

Webtoons has been this amazing creation for me for the last few years, even when I dropped off the cliff in terms of regularly reading for a near-year period for 2019. I have appreciated every effort of both the high-standing drawers and storywriters, along with all of the great stories that never got the attention they deserved.

To sum up this story, I must say that Webtoons and any form of online comics, (including manga of course, but there are plenty of other options) can be really fun to read and can be enjoyed per a lot of genres and different interests of people. There are definitely ones for younger audiences and for older ones, but jumping into the main database can bring to life some really good, but unknown ones that may just become popular.

I hope you all are doing as well as anyone can hope for, and that you're able to take a moment to breathe.

Good luck everyone. Until next time.





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Tue May 26, 2020 6:21 am
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WORD OF THE WEEK: DELETERIOUS
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written by EternalRain < PM: >

Pronunciation: de-leh-tier-ious

Part of Speech: adjective

Definition: causing harm or damage

Synonyms: harmful, detrimental, damaging, adverse

Origin: From Greek “dēlētērios”, meaning “noxious” (adj. harmful, poisonous, very unpleasant)

Used in a Sentence: Smoking has deleterious effects to your physical health.





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Tue May 26, 2020 6:23 am
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SHAMELESS PLUGS
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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!

And now for this week's Shameless Plugs!


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YWS Advertising Post


Need more advertisements in your life?
Or maybe you just want to keep up with the latest events on YWS?

Join the YWS Advertising Post so you don't miss any of the upcoming events and feel free to share your own news too!

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Want to have fun and exercise your abilities as a poet? Consider joining this challenge. Each round will have a random set of parameters, including things like theme, rhyme scheme, format, etc. There are no eliminations and anyone is free to join or leave at any time. I think everyone will find something exciting for them!

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Welcome to the Universe



Do you want to participate in a universe with other YWSers? Would you like to create a diverse universe and mold it as you write? Do you want to write a deep story in an interconnected universe? Do you like writing with others, or just worldbuild for stories? Young Writers Universe is always open and inviting!


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That's all folks~ Now send us yours.





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Tue May 26, 2020 6:24 am
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SUBSCRIBERS
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written by SquillsBot < PM: >

Find an enspoiler-ed a list of our subscribers!
Spoiler! :

@SquillsBot@Carina@ShadowVyper@ArcticMonkey@Hannah@KingLucifer@Caesar@veeren@megsug@StoneHeart@Skydreamer@Love@Aley@Rydia@Alpha@skorlir@KnightTeen • @ChildOfNowhere • @neko@Aquila90@DudeMcGuy@kayfortnight@Cole@Blackwood@manisha • @fortis • @Gardevite@cgirl1118@KittyCatMeow@Willard@ChocoCookie@carbonCore@Auxiira@Blues@Paracosm@Sparkle@FireFox@Dakushau@deleted5@wizkid515@yubbies21@PiesAreSquared@FatCowsSis@CelticaNoir@BenFranks@TimmyJake@whitewolfpuppy@WallFlower@Magenta@BrittanyNicole@GoldFlame@Messenger@ThereseCricket@TriSARAHtops@Ventomology@Evander@WillowPaw1@Laure@TakeThatYouFiend • @RoseAndThorn • @Cheetah@NicoleBri@Pompadour@Zontafer@QueenOfWords@Crimsona@vluvswriting@GreenTulip@Audy@EllaBliss@eldEr@Deanie@lostthought@CesareBorgia • @Omnom • @Morrigan@AfterTheStorm • @AstralHunter • @Arcticus • @Wolfical • @Pamplemousse@Sassafras@gia2505@ExOmelas@SkyeWalker@Noelle@elysian@TinkerTwaggy@kingofeli@SpiritedWolfe@malachitear@GeeLyria@AdmiralKat@Clickduncake • @yellow • @Seraphinaxx@Pretzelstick@WritingWolf@EternalRain@Tuesday@Dragongirl@JKHatt@Lucia@donizback •@Querencia • @BlueSunset@artybirdy@IncohesiveScribbles@cleverclogs@MLanders@ClackFlip@PickledChrissy@racket@Lorelie@Gravity@BluesClues • @hermione315@Steggy@willachilles@tintomara138@AmatuerWritings@TheLittlePrince@TheForgottenKing@Shoneja123 • @Magebird • @Mea@klennon14@fandomsNmusic@Meerkat@HolographicLadybug@Sevro@DragonWriter22@RippleGylf@amelie@Morrigun@Megrim@Kazumi@inktopus@OreosAreLife@Saruka@rosette@PastelSlushie@Strident@darklady@Jashael@TheBlueCat • @Thundahguy • @ZeldaIsSheik • @Lives4Christ24@manilla@Danni88@Elinor@fishsashimi@TheWeirdoFromBeyond@shaniac@neptune@Storybraniac@WritingPrincess • @Traves • @JosephHGeorge@Amabilia@Fantascifi66@paperforest@alliyah • @Liberty • @Dossereana • @AtlasW • @EverLight@AlyTheBookworm@mckaylaam

Do you, too, want to be enspoiler-ed and receive a personal weekly notification when the Squills newsletter is posted? Shoot a PM over to SquillsBot to let him know, and you'll be pinged along with the next issue!








If it wasn't for poetry, I couldn't express myself.
— Rosendorn