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Collection of past monthly newsletters highlighting activities and groups for teen writers |
  [TWIST! Thoughts of the Day] Hello TWIST-ers! Stephen King once said, "If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that." Here at WDC, we embrace this idea. We review each other’s work, because we understand that through articulating the strengths and weaknesses in someone else’s story, we become better writers, ourselves. And to make the review process as simple as possible, The StoryMaster  created for us the Review Tool.When I was a new member of Writing.com, I couldn’t figure out the Review Tool to save my life. Back then, I typed every character of every review directly into the review dialogue box. As my review practice grew and I became more comfortable with the format, I began adding headings with WritingML tags to organize my feedback and improve its presentation. I lost valuable reviewing time retyping the same headings and tags for every review. Learning how to use the Review Tool was an enormous time-saver, allowing me to deliver more feedback in each review session. What IS the Review Tool? The Review Tool is a helpful feature offered at WDC that allows you to create and store review templates, so you don’t have to retype the standard headings and signatures you include in every review. And, it’s possible to store many different Review Tool templates, one for each genre you typically review (short story, poetry, essay, article, etc.) or one for each group for which you review. Where do I find the Review Tool? The Review Tool is linked at the bottom of the review area of each reviewable WDC item. It provides a pop-up, full size review box with additional tools. Before you can start using it, though, you have to create your first template.  There’s no better way to learn than by doing, so let’s work together and create a Review Tool template for Short Stories, to get you started. I suggest either printing out this lesson to have in front of you as you create your template, or keep this lesson page open while you work so that you can click on the tabs and move back and forth between these instructions and the Review Tool page. Ready? Here we go!Instructions for Creating a Review Tool Template 1. From the left sidebar of any WDC page (except shop pages and web pages), scroll down and click ‘My Account’. From the pop-up menu that appears, click on ‘My Review Tool’. 2. Read the information in the box that appears. Under the heading 'Review Tool Manager,' you will see the Tool defaults to ‘Choose a Template’. Eventually, by clicking on the arrow to the right of this, all your future templates will appear in a drop down list. For now, look to the far right, past the currently unavailable buttons labeled ‘Edit’ and ‘Delete’, and find the ‘New’ button. Click on ‘New’. 3. Read the information that appears. Then, in the 'Template Name' box, please type: Short Stories 4. Tab down to the main dialogue box. This is where you will copy/paste the review outline (below):  Begin copying here{b}~ Hello! I read {item:#######} today and wanted you to know how much I enjoyed it. ~{/b} {center}{c:navy}The following comments are just one person’s opinion. Please feel free to use what is helpful and disregard the rest. {e:smile}{/c}{/center} {font:veranda}{size:3.5}{c:green}{b}{u}Story Strenghts:{/c}{/b}{/u}{/font}{/size} {font:veranda}{size:3.5}{c:red}{b}{u}Suggestions:{/c}{/b}{/u}{/font}{/size} {font:veranda}{size:3.5}{c:indigo}{b}{u}Punctuation/Spelling/Grammar:{/c}{/b}{/u}{/font}{/size} {font:veranda}{size:3.5}{c:orange}{b}{u}My Favorite Part:{/c}{/b}{/u}{/font}{/size} {e:star} {i}{b}Thank you so much for sharing your work!{/i}{/b} Stop Copying at the end of this line  5. Paste the above coding into the review tool’s main dialog box. 6. Now, you have two options at the bottom of the template box where you are working: ‘Store Template’, or ‘Preview Template’. Please click on ‘Preview’. Take a look, does it look like this: ~ Hello! I read {item:#######} today and wanted you to know how much I enjoyed it. ~ The following comments are just one person’s opinion. Please feel free to use what is helpful and disregard the rest.  Story Strenghts: Suggestions: Punctuation/Spelling/Grammar: My Favorite Part:  Thank you so much for sharing your work!7. All good? Great! Click “Submit.” Congratulations!! You have created a review template for short stories. Great job! Remember, you can access the review tool from any item you choose to review. Just click the ‘Review Tool’ button at the bottom of a reviewable item to launch the Review Tool containing all of your saved templates. Select the template you wish to use and away you go! Note: When you are reviewing, you will put the item’s seven-digit item ID number in place of the #s in the tag {item:#######}. When you do this and click “preview,” the title of the item you are reviewing will appear. ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Okay, ready to practice using your new Review Tool template? Here’s a challenge just for TWIST members. You're guaranteed to earn 1,000 GPs just for entering, and someone is going to win a reviewing merit badge and 25,000 GPs!! Maybe YOU! Here are all the details:
Every month I promote highlighted contests, activities, groups, forums and fundraisers geared to support teen writers. Please read through them and click the links ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [Contests For Teen Writers]
”DreamTime, my dragon muse here, loves to invent, read and write tales of all types. Your challenge is to do the same. In each round you will be given a dragon prompt to create a specific poem or tale. So listen carefully to dragonspeak as you look him in the eye. He is very telepathic!” ~ eyestar~*   – Current round closed on June 24th. GREAT prizes!!~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“All stories must be exactly 55 words. The judges will do a word count to make sure. The title of your story will not be counted to make the 55 words. Words may be repeated as the author sees fit but will be counted each time they appear.” This is SUCH a great challenge. Try it today! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This contest is just for you, TWIST members! Let’s get reviewing and win some AWESOME prizes! Just for entering, you will win 1,000 GPs (for each review you submit!). AND, someone is going to win a Reviewing Merit Badge and 25,000 GPs!!!! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~[Forums For Teen Writers]
“ I like to talk to other authors my age. I don't many people my age who like to write. So this is for young authors who want to see where others get inspiration and what kind of things they write or whatever else comes to mind. :) If you want someone to review your work, this is also the place for that too!” ~ Angela ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“This is a great place to introduce yourself and meet other Writing.Com members. In addition, some announcements will be posted here from time to time, so we recommend adding this message forum to your favorites!” ~ The StoryMaster ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~[Group For Teen Writers]
“Welcome to D.D.S. We are made up of a group of dyslexics who wish to overcome our disability to become better authors and perhaps if we are lucky be published one day.” ~ ember_rain This is a wonderful new group that I hope you’ll check out! Please pass this link to anyone you know who may be interested in joining! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Here is a group for teenagers only. If you like to write and share what you write with other teenagers (12 - 19), you are at the right place. Have something to say and no one listening? Join this group and speak your mind.” Write-fully Loti  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~[Wordsearches]
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~[TWIST! Announcements!] Feel free to visit our Group Forum!! This is the place you can go to meet other TWIST! members and to talk about what you are doing to maximize your WDC experience. Please stop by and introduce yourself today! Thank you so much for your attention! If you have any suggestions for how I can improve these monthly newsletters, let me know. The next email will go out in about four week's time. Until then, I hope you check out the activities listed here! See you next time!!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~If you have an item you would like promoted in an upcoming TWIST! email, please fill out this survey
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Keep ing!~Nicki~ |
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