swc megathread ➷ march 2024

justoneyesterday

3/31/2024
4th weekly
FYI: i hope i offend anyone with this piece. if anyone is uncomfortable pls tell me

part 1: outline
wc: 285 (without the unnecessary parts)

part 1
this is mainly about speckledpaw overcoming her fears (assumptions, ignorance, loneliness, depression, guilt, etc) and meeting new people who will help her truly live. the overarching plot, however, will be the war between the harmonics and the radicals. her mother will be plotting behind her back, her friends are not who they seem to be, and in the end, all her fears come true in the worst way.

what's not to love?

anyway, i want the vermillion butterflies speckledpaw always wears to be a big part of the plot. you'll see them everywhere in the story, even though if it's only briefly mentioned. they symbolize hope, and the amount dwindles down when the first sparks of war begin. scattered throughout the story, i want them to light the way to the right path, the one that'll lead to success. and i want the reader to watch painstakingly as she makes all the wrong choices.

checkpoint
this shows slices of life for everyone during the war. it'll explore the themes of love, separation, idk just angst. idk man i just wanna write something sad. this isn't professional i just want to make everyone sad. bubblefrond goes full evangelion mode (if youve ever watched nge you know this is a HORRIBLE thing), speckledclaw is one of the top fighters in the military, flamewing is in hiding (planning revolution. severely depressed and in mental turmoil. life has not given him a good hand), cratersong has disappeared, gamble is REDACTED, violetstone and viper are REDACTED, and ashbone is… ashbone is… REDACTED!! the war is in its prime right now, the gods have all died (i will not elaborate on this), and everyone has been separated for a couple of years.

part 2
will do another later day. toodaloo~

part 2: exposition
wc: 193

this is a love story. a cruel, twisted love story, but a love story nonetheless.

it begins with their ancestors.

from the stars came a prophecy, weaving a tale of wonders and glory. setting forth, a band of cats came to discover the ruins of the modern world. science, math, art, technology.

it took years, decades, centuries for them to figure out everything. but by then, the world was already broken. the balance of life was shattered forever. there was no turning back.

buildings rose, laws were created, grand operas and legendary plays were rediscovered– culture was brought back brick by boring brick. art, paintings, radio, poems, literature. the cities ran with the blood of the young, and the sun set on a new dawn… everyone knows nothing good lasts forever.

carnage, rage, horror, war. kindness, beauty, hope, faith. it all meshes into one big wildfire of hate and love, burning everything in its path to ashes. when given total freedom in the world, who would abide by the rules? the discovery of liberty was a curse as well as a blessing.

and so our story begins at the start of the end.

part 3: story stew
wc:

1: flashback
wc: 184

it's midnight, again.

ashbone lays in his cubby's bed staring outside the window– counting the stars. again and again, he traces them with his eyes. and again and again, the stars connect to show the outline of bubblefrond. maybe it's a sign from the gods. maybe he's just delusional. either way, he can't get the day out of his head.

he closes his eyes and sighs.

maybe it's a gift i couldn't recognize
just trying to feel alive
and all the guilt and pain i feel dies
this time i know i'll survive

you're breathtaking and beautiful and bedazzled–
i'll do anything for one more chance to be with you
i know now how it feels to be alive
this time i know i'll survive

down the street and through the avenue
cross the boulevard, “i'll race you!”
i'd go anywhere with you– miles and miles traveled
anyone would be enamored too

maybe it's a gift i couldn't recognize
but this time i know i'll survive

opening his eyes, he stumbles out of his bed. ashbone picks up his supplies and starts to write…

2: epistolary
wc: 350
(the grammar is intentional bc ashbone hasnt been taught to write properly)

november 10th

i do not know.

i do not know anymore. it's all too blurred for me to understand.

i could never be like you, golden and glowing and all too perfect for me. it is just… it is just i thought you were mine. i thought that maybe you would always be mine. god's forgive me, that is too selfish for somebody like me. i know it is wrong i know it is bad i know i know i know please i just… i just want someone to care for me. is that too much to ask for? well, i have been taught it is bad to snatch the angel's out of the skies. it is a sin to take what that does not belong to you. but we are not angels. are we? i know i must not be. she might be. i do not know. she is more angel than me, but in the end are we not all mortal?

i am no good at things like this. i never have been. i am such a wreck. why am i like this. i am going to go back to training. at least talonspot does not ponder the big question's of the world. it will take my mind off such opulent things. i do not like being raw with my emotions. god's, forgive me for my sins today. i only mean to say what i feel.

i look up to you, the one that shines brighter than them all, the evening star, polaris, angel? there are no words on this measly mortal earth i could describe you with. you look to me with your smile, and the night turns into brilliant day. and then you turn away again, and im left alone. why cant i talk? why cant i be as talented as you? why must i hide away till you arrive, why must i be the second choice? you are my everything but i doubt you think of me as highly as i do you. gods, gods, gods im just a worthless killing machine, and you, youre–

3: symbol
wc: 220

the paper is ripped. he can't write anymore. his feelings slam to an abrupt stop, crashing back into his body before they can be let out.

he slams his notebook closed. his head reels. it's so confusing. he doesn't know what he's doing. what was he thinking?

the quill ashbone holds drops out of his paw, staining the cover of his pristine notebook. a fleeting thought wonders if talonspot would forgive him, but his mind shuts it down immediately. not because he thinks it's not possible, but because there's an inferno swarming his body– swirling its tendrils into every pore. it's sickly, red and crimson and every color under the sun. he can feel it in his chest, beating like a pseudo heart. it's hot and flaming and growing bigger and bigger and consuming him whole and–

he stumbles while getting up, slamming into the floor. stars spin behind his eyes. dirt. dirt, dirt, dirt!

he hasn't been careful enough lately. ever since he met his… acquaintances, his guard has been down. ashbone can't remember a time where his emotions were so riled up.

he feels something dripping from his face. it's sticking to his fur– a familiar feeling. blood.

dear gods above, talonspot would murder him if he got blood on anything she owned. he rises, albeit wobbling.

4: new conflict arises
wc: 101

he's bleeding. he's really bleeding, because he fell. not because of a fight, not because of a mission, but because he fell.

ashbone thinks he hasn't been humiliated worse in his life.

snap out of it.

i can't.

it'll be another day without food.

i don't care.

they're going to taunt you.

they always have.

your reputation will sink lower than talonspot's love for you.

i don't want her approval.

you won't be able to go out again.

he sucks his breath in. he needs a towel, a cloth, something, anything–

the blood drips from his face and stains the carpet.

5: open ending
wc: 155

ashbone has never cried in his life. he didn't cry at the auction, he didn't cry when he was carted away to the arena to be a gladiator, he didn't cry as he was beat down into the dust over and over again, he didn't cry when he was the last cat standing, he didn't cry when everyone who had ever been kind to him died, he didn't cry when talonspot sent him to the city. he doesn't cry– it's like visiting neverland, thinking that talonspot cared, wishing that in the end he would not be alone; it was impossible.

he can't hide it. talonspot knows anything and everything that happens on her property.

he won't be leaving again.

the vermillion butterfly tucked behind his ear fluttered to the ground. a single teardrop falls from his eye and stains the wings.

he stands up and collapses onto his bed, the butterfly crunching underneath his paws.

part 4

critique by nova

the time will pass anyway
cecilia - she/her - thrillerftw
PORTER ROBINSON NEW SINGLE OUT NOW AAAA

xXFierroOrFalafelXx

hi fi weekly 4
part 1 This weekly is slightly inspired by my google translate daily but I ended up changing most of it.

On a burning summer morning, the iron king traveled far away to the shrine of his ancestors to bring their bones back to his new home. and he found a baby boy in the shrine. The iron king named him Alezeo and decided to raise him in the palace.

Alezeo turns seventeen and asks the iron king if he can become a monk. Monks have powers that are not bound to this world, and Alezeo knows that it’s not his calling to just become a simple warrior. The iron king is reluctant but finally allows him to move to the monastery and become a monk.

Life as a monk is not at all what Alezeo expected and he struggles to learn any of their skills or channel any of the right energy. He reads the scrolls daily, and he can quote some word for word, but he cannot unbind himself from the world and this frustrates him.

One of the monks eventually tells Alezeo where he was found even though Alezeo was never supposed to know because the iron king actually hated his homeland and had only brought Alezeo home because he was in his family’s shrine and he thought this was a sign. Alezeo pretends not to be bothered by this but a few nights later he sneaks out with some provisions to travel to the country where he was found.

Alezeo tries to find his biological family but instead he finds a witch who after getting to know him a little asks him to become her apprentice. Alezeo knows his adoptive father’s hatred of witches but this is where he came from, maybe his calling was to become a witch.

Alezeo is welcomed into their coven and does well in witchcraft.

One day he receives a vision that the iron king has begun hunting all witches. Alezeo is torn but he knows his former father must be stopped.

But to do that he will have to learn to enter the realm where the monks draw their energy from, because the monks may be the only ones who can stop him, unfortunately, he doesn’t know what monks support witchcraft. But it’s the only way to make the divine formula that may save the witches.

The story will end when Alezeo is finally able to enter the realm and then there will be room for a sequel

part 2
Alezeo’s fingers found a hold on the stone wall of the monastery and he began to climb up, his muscles straining a little so he wouldn’t fall as he went higher and higher. The young prince hauled himself onto a lower roof over the monastery’s kitchens and positioned himself near a window looking into the main temple of the monastery. The biggest downside to this was not the painful climb to access this window or the fact that the fall would kill him, but the fact that he couldn’t even hear what the monks were saying inside. Right now though all of them were gathered in several rings around the abbot who seemed to be chanting something and then all of them knelt down and their eyes began to glow white in unison. Alezeo felt his heart skip a beat when he saw that and he pressed himself closer to the window. He had to learn how they did it. He had to learn the way they ascended beyond the earthly plain. He stayed until the ceremony was close to ending and then climbed down and headed back to the palace to beg his father to let him become a monk.

part 3

“Your majesty, you know you don’t have to go,” said the iron king’s advisor. The iron king didn’t say a word and put his mask on. He put his hands up so that servants could put his gloves and gauntlets on him, and stared at his advisor’s face in the mirror. “Fear is a trait I lost when I became the iron king.”
“But sir you were banished from your homeland-”
The iron king turned around to look directly at his advisor, but he still kept his mask on. “Tell me, Lord Ditawa, do we let the laws of those heathens dictate us?”
“Are you going to conquer them then?”
The iron king shook his head. “You would know by now if I was going to attack, wouldn’t you?”
“You’ve been secretive about the reasons ever since you told us about this plan. The people are worried. Already it is strange enough to have a foreigner on the throne.”
The king gripped Lord Ditawa’s arm roughly, enjoying watching him squirm. “Do not call me a foreigner, do not connect me with the land that birthed me. I was appointed heir by your former iron king and I am your iron king now, your heart is mine, your sword is mine, your life is mine. Do you understand?” The advisor nodded and the iron king let go of him. “Tell the servants to ready the horses. I wish to depart.”
They rode into the west toward the land where the iron king had freed himself from and journeyed for four days. On the fourth night when they were making camp he heard some of the monks with them gasp. Sighing he turned to look at them. “What is it?”
One of the monks pointed out a white dove on a tree branch above.
“What about it?” he asked in annoyance.
“My lord, the dove is the guide of souls.”
“So is one of us going to die?” The iron king asked, feeling a bit uneasy, and hoping it wouldn’t be him. He tried to remember his lessons from the monks, but they’d been so long ago.
The monk shook his head. “The pure white dove guides the soul out of a living body high into the seventh heaven.”
“You must be mistaken, from my lessons–” the king began but was interrupted by a second monk. Brother Hazu who had taught the iron king.
“Your lessons were correct, the seventh heaven possesses a power that would drive most mad, but it seems that this dove has appeared as a guide for someone here.”
“I don’t care about a seventh heaven, can this dove help me lead our kingdom?”
“Well your majesty-” the king waved the monk off. “Forgive me, but I think discussions of this dove are best left up to you and your fellow monks. For now I would like to get the bones of my ancestors as quickly as possible.” But he paused then and said. “The dove is for me, is it not?”
The monks glanced at each other, unsure what to say. Finally one said, “we do not know for whom the dove has appeared, but only that she has.”
The Iron king watched the dove flying away. “Alright. Then we follow her.”
“Sir, just a moment ago you said you didn’t care,” said Lord Teziin.
“If a white dove has appeared to the iron king in the decaying lands, then I think it must be a sign,” the iron king snapped. In truth though, he had realized that if this dove had appeared, then it had to be for him. No matter what the monks said, nobody else here could be worthy of entering the seventh heaven.
The dove flew with them for a while, but then disappeared in the clouds. “Your majesty, we should go back to finding the bones of your family.”
“There’s no need. They’re right here.” The Iron King knelt down in the ruined shrine in front of a small pile of skulls. “The witches killed them when I was a child,” the Iron king said, touching one of the skulls reverently. “The reason I was hated is the reason your people love me, the reason I had to flee this land. I have waited years to bring my family home.”
He began to gather the skulls up and sent some of his men out to gather supplies so they could camp there for the night, because as much as he hated this place they were far too tired to journey on.
He was sharpening a dagger, when one of his soldiers came over carrying a bundle. “Your majesty?” he said.
The iron king looked up from his work and saw that the bundle was a baby. He gestured for the baby to be brought over and lifted it out of the cloth, seeing that it was a boy. The child wailed and fussed in the chilly night air and the iron king got ready to plunge his dagger in, but then the boy looked at him with large brown eyes and the king lifted off his mask so the boy could look at him too. The boy reached for his face and the iron king set his dagger down. “I have found him in the holy land where my family lays to rest and so he will be my family too.” he cut his hand and smeared some of his blood on the boy’s head. Then he passed him to the nearest monk. The monks were surprised but quickly began the religious ceremony for the newborn. At the end the boy ended up back in his new father’s arms. “Welcome to your salvation, Prince Alezeo.”
Hey, psst, hey you, yeah you, no I’m talking to the invisible spirit just to your left… Of course I’m talking to you! I can’t talk to invisible spirits just yet. Okay, I need you to listen. You’ve always felt different, haven’t you? Like there’s some cage and if you could just free yourself and let your spirit become what it was meant to be, swimming in the divine soup of the universe, everything would be alright? Haha okay, maybe not that exactly, but you can do things people don’t seem to understand. Okay, I know I have you there. Listen to me very carefully. I’m going to do my best to explain why we are all in danger, and how you can help me.
Alezeo’s booted feet were loud on the stone floor as he ran across the palace to his father’s war chamber. “Father,” he panted, then corrected himself, “your majesty.”
His father, the iron king, glared at him. “Alezeo, I’m in the middle of a meeting. What could possibly be so important?”
“Right sorry,” Alezeo said sheepishly.
It was hard to see his father’s eyes with the mask on but he knew he was glaring at him. “No. You interrupted me so now you have to tell me what is so important.”
“Well…I know I’m your heir but you’re about to get married and your new wife can probably give you a much better heir. Look, the point is, I need to become a monk.”
“Really Alezeo? You’re seventeen and yet you still sound like a child.”
“Does that mean I can’t be a monk?”
“If I have another child, and if I claim that child as my heir, then you may write a letter to the abbot and request to become an acolyte.” The king sighed, a heavy metallic sound. “Do not speak directly to the abbot or he will not give you a chance at all as you are a blubbering idiot. But perhaps some time in the monastery as an acolyte at the very least will give you a better perspective on life. I was an acolyte myself after all.” Alezeo hugged his father and ran to the tower and then climbed up all of the spiraling stairs to where some of the astronomers were gathered. The prince waved at them, then positioned himself near the moon in the window, and closed his eyes. He’d heard that many people destined to become monks had a connection with the moon, and though he’d definitely felt some soft sparks, he wanted to see if he could actually learn the secrets and the language of the moon. Small chortles and giggles drew him out of his thoughts and he saw the astronomers pointing at something outside the window. He turned and saw a white dove, furiously pecking at the window as if it wanted to get inside.
A few months later, the iron king got married and it was soon revealed that the queen was pregnant. Which meant Alezeo could become a monk.

Dearly Esteemed Abbot of the sun and moon, you may know me as prince Alezeo the eldest son of the iron king. When I was twelve years old I was riding my horse when I fell off and landed in the grass which was soaked in dew and moonlight. I should have been hurt but I heard an ethereal singing, no that’s not quite right I felt it inside of my chest and for a brief moment I imagined myself on the moon and then I was the moon. Events like these have happened ever since, and I always thought that I was destined to become the iron king after my father. But I think I heard the moon and the stars speak to me the night before I turned seventeen. They told me to become the light that guides, and I believe to do that I must become a monk. I will work hard and I will learn all of your wisdom. Please, I humbly beg of you, let me don the robes, turn my back on the simplicity of earthly life and join the monastery.
-Prince Alezeo

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/979951956/#comments-394961586 critique

Okay! Editing!

They rode into the west toward the land where the iron king had freed himself from and journeyed for four days. On the fourth night when they were making camp he heard some of the monks with them gasp. Sighing he turned to look at them. “What is it?”
One of the monks pointed out a white dove on a tree branch above.
“What about it?” he asked in annoyance.
“My lord, the dove is the guide of souls,” one of the younger monks told him, as if he didn’t remember the basic lessons from his time in the monastery.
Another monk stepped in. “Actually the white dove specifically guides the soul of a living body high into the seventh heaven.”
The king shook his head. “No, you must be wrong, nobody can enter the seventh heaven. My lessons–” The Iron King began but was interrupted by Hazu who had taught him.
“Your lessons were correct, anyone who tries to enter the seventh heaven will find their mind shattered, unless the white dove guides them. One specific white dove though. We cannot be certain it is this one but in case it is we must respect it.”
The iron king studied the dove. “Imagine…our kingdom having the secrets of the seventh heaven.” He turned to Hazu. “Is the dove here for me?”
“I don’t know,” the elderly monk admitted.
The iron king sighed in annoyance. “Of course you don’t. Well…we will follow it and see if it leads us anywhere useful. Or does somebody wish to object?” Reading the tone in his voice quite clearly no one argued and they followed the dove for two hours until it landed again on top of a baby surrounded by skulls. Closer inspection revealed the baby boy was in fact alive and sleeping peacefully.
The iron king gasped softly as he looked around. “Well…here we are.The bones of my ancestors.” He picked the baby up and prodded it gently with the hilt of his dagger. “Any idea why I would find a baby here?” He eyed the small creature up and down.
“It would not be wise to kill him,” Hazu said.
“I would…but unfortunately he was found among the bones of my ancestors, with the white dove.” The king sighed and cradled the baby awkwardly. “A child like this does not belong to the decaying lands.”
“What will you do with him?” asked Lady Fifthsword.
“I will raise him. A child like this belongs in the royal family.” he chuckled softly at the baby who blinked curiously at him with large brown eyes. “Welcome to your salvation prince Alezeo.”

Last edited by xXFierroOrFalafelXx (April 1, 2024 23:23:15)

justoneyesterday

3/31/2024
critique for nova

She would never have guessed she would be leading a secret rebellion.

i love this!! the sudden shift in tone is awesome

“Charlotte, are you done?”

it's not mentioned who says this. is it nadina, jupiter, sophie, or somebody else? it would be nice if you could clairfy!

“Terrible, I know,” said Nadine. But she also knew she didn’t even know the worst of the consequences. Her mind wouldn’t let her venture into the what ifs. “ But what about the kids up there who don’t know about the words? Are we just going to…let them live without books?”

i like how u give some insight on what's she thinking as she talks. nadine reveals more abt the plot of your story. it's a good way to worldbuild

overall, i dont have much to critique. your writing is amazing >

and also im on a time crunch (3 MINUTES?! AAA)

the time will pass anyway
cecilia - she/her - thrillerftw
PORTER ROBINSON NEW SINGLE OUT NOW AAAA

booklover883322

To the leadership team: Thanks SO much to everybody who worked to make SWC happen! Y’all are so dedicated, and I’m so glad that I was among your ranks this session. You all deserve the world. Your kindness, friendly competition, and dedication are so admirable! I’m so proud of you guys for coming up with such vibrant, lovely, and imaginative stories for your cabins. This session’s leadership team did such an amazing job and I could not be more proud of every single one of y’all! Thank you for stepping up with such zeal and energy, it’s so inspiring!

To our tyrannical hosts: Thank you guys for all you’ve done this session! The longer I’m a part of SWC, the more I appreciate what you guys do for the entire year! You are so amazing and I can hardly express just how awed I am by your abilities. Much love to you guys!

To alllll the campers: I am so happy that you participated in this session of SWC! No matter how many words you wrote, I’m so proud of you for participating in something so amazing. Y’all are awesome!

To the Beautiful Fan-Fi Cabin: I’m so glad that I was one of your co’s this session! I’m so proud of you guys, you all did so well with writing! I wish y’all the best, you guys deserve the world!

To Soki: You did a great job leading our cabin! I’m really proud of how you did! You worked through all the things that happened to you over the month and I’m so happy to have had you as my leader. I hope we’ll keep in touch outside of SWC!

To Vi: I’ve always seen you around during different sessions and I hope that we’ll be able to talk more often. I loved co-leading with you! And yeah, I’d also love to get to know you better sometime! Much love <33

To Nini: I’m so glad that I got to co-lead with you! I didn't get to chat with you ENOUGH, you seem so cool! I hope we can keep in touch outside of SWC!

To Miner: *keyboard smash* I am SO glad that we got into the swing of chatting more this session! I absolutely ADORE chatting with you! I’m so proud of what you were able to accomplish this session! I hope we’ll be in the same cabin (maybe with Chris-?) next session! I love being your friend and I’m so glad we were able to share this experience together! Much love! <333

Hey! I'm Bookie! Co-Leading Fan-Fi, March 2024!

1lMaM

critiqueeee for phoenix

Hello! This is a great story - I really like how the first part very clearly shows the king's role and personality; things like ‘he enjoyed watching him squirm’ and his certainty that the dove is for him are really great. I also liked the dialogue and how it shows the characters' relationships. I also love the part in the middle, from ‘hey, psst, hey you…’ (although I found it a bit confusing. Who is speaking, who are they speaking to, when is this? Is it some kind of author's note?)
I thought you could work on showing emotion in your characters. You can tell the character is feeling something by what they're doing, but how are they feeling? It feels a bit distant with only the things the characters are doing. This is great with the iron king - he doesn't really feel anything, and when he does, it's slight. But with Alezeo, there needs to be some kind of connection. How does he feel when he is allowed to be a monk? Does his heart skip a beat? Is there suddenly energy in him? Show the reader his emotions.
As well as this, the reader only knows Alezeo's… powers? at the very end, in the letter. This might be intentional, but the only other thing I get are the soft moon sparks. (And the message in the middle. If you made this clearer, it would potentially solve this.) I barely even know he's much different from everyone else until the end - the monks' power could perhaps be shown earlier? Alezeo's difference - at all, not just the specifics - almost seems like a plot twist in the letter.
In the part where Alezeo is shown to the iron king, he shows an odd amount of emotion - at least to me. One moment, he doesn't care about an important symbol unless it's for himself, the next he takes a child as his own just because of the place he found him? I think you could do with explaining the value of his ancestors and land more.
Other than that, I think your story was great! This was a broad overview, so I hope you can find the places I thought needed work. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Thank you!

Last edited by 1lMaM (April 1, 2024 05:09:50)

minergold48

Thank you notes || 784 words

To all of SWC:
Every session is better than the last thanks to this awesome community that I’m so grateful to be a part of <3 Reading your stories, watching the frying pan thing come to life, working with all of you to defeat Balrogurtle, I had so much fun and I want to thank you all for being the funny, wholesome, friendly community I’ve come to know and love!

To the tyrants:
Thank you for bringing yet another session of SWC to life, and keeping it running no matter what we wound up throwing at you <3 Also, the Balrogurtle thing was certainly an adventure and I think that it’s so awesome that you were able to pull something like that off! I hope you all get a well-deserved break ^w^

To the Daily Team, QUAILS, MBC, Writing Comp panel, and all of the other kind of secret behind the scenes people:
Y’all keep SWC running, and I thank you for that! I can only imagine the work that goes into running all of that stuff, and I can only imagine the discussions you are having behind the curtain about how much time to give people for extensions XD I’m so excited to see everything that you’re creating as we finish this session out, and I’m grateful for all of your hard work <3

To the cabin leaders/cos:
Every session I continue to be impressed by the sheer variety of what you come up with, and I loved visiting your cabins! You also had such epic matching profile pictures they were awesome I respect y’all’s art and Canva skills- thank you for making this session so unique!

To Thriller:
You guys were EPIC I LOVED THIS CABIN SO MUCH- I’m reflecting on everything we went through together, making our way to the top of the leaderboard (which- wow- I’ve never done that before-), and wow there’s so much! Ayla and Violet, thank you for doing those class roleplays with me, and Clev, you were a joy to share a cabin with (Griller ftw >:3)! Artemis and Wild, I will always respect you for single-handedly beating those middle-of-the-night wars, you definitely saved us a couple points XD I had a blast this session and I hope to hang out with you all again in the future!

To CJ:
Honestly I’ve always respected you, considering how your cabins are like always on the top of the leaderboard and you manage to find your way into my cabins for all those lovely wars- and being in one of your cabins for the first time was fantastic! I adored the cabin theme and storyline, as a roleplayer and bug fanatic, and you’re super friendly and supportive and I appreciate that <3 Also my pfp was absolutely worth the wait and I’ll be sporting it for a while hehe :3

To Rockie:
ROCKIEEE we meet again haha (I still am forever indebted to you for you pulling me into my first co-leader position a few sessions ago :3) Thank you for being a lovely butterfly leader and just being your epic, friendly self! I hope to see you around next session <3

To Poppy:
Oh my gosh Poppy I had so much fun with you this session- thank you for being there when I was freaking out about Balrogurtle and helping me out with finishing that story! And I had so much fun chatting with you afterwards and getting to know you, that was fantastic! Feel free to say hi whenever, and I’d love to Hadestown fan with you or practice Spanish if you’d like!

DD

To Bookie:
I know we’ve known each other for a long time but wow I really got to know you this session and I’m so, so grateful for that <333 You’re such a lovely, supportive person and oh my gosh I really needed you in my life- getting to roleplay with you was epic, thank you so much for giving me that opportunity! Please chat with me whenever you’d like, I’m so glad to have you as a friend

You all are epic, seriously- every single one of you who bothered to reply to a comment of mine, or write a side story for my sanity, or try to figure out the Gurtle story word count, or give me motivation mangos, or passive aggressively try to move into my hobbit hole (Squidy I did not forget about that smh-), I appreciate you so much, and you brought a little warmth into my sad heart :’)

…If I had time I would write more personal thank yous but it’s almost midnight qwq I’m going to miss you all so much! Please come and say hi! Please!!! I swear I don’t bite!!! But otherwise see y’all in July!

(I’m in Thriller sobbinf but I still love Illu-Fi <3)

AmazaEevee

Thank You Notes and Session Reflections
(and technically Daily #31)
3/31/2024
1439 words

(Before the thank you notes, a bit of a reflection heh <3)
I had a blast this session. Leading for the first time, being back on the leader team after two years, reintegrating myself into the community, and spending time with all of you <3
I learned a lot. I learned what I did well and what I can improve on when I (potentially) lead again. I learned what’s important to me when it comes to SWC and life and prioritizing well between the two. I learned a lot more about you guys and that journey is what matters most.
I did almost every single daily (shush, I only missed a no point daily) and all the weeklies. I bet I reached my word goal (still got to count all of these extra words up) but if not, I got pretty close. I actually entered the writing comp and no matter the outcome, I’m proud of my entry.
I met so many lovely people along the way, who guided, laughed, teased, and bantered with me. The spirit of the SWC community is the reason why I love coming back to this goofy online camp and why I love being a leader so much. The essence of the community is so pure and every single one of you is so special and talented.

I’ll go by groups and then list specific folks in alphabetical order!!

Hosts, you guys are crazy talented. Coming up with new and creative ideas to keep things fresh and throw in new surprises here and there. Balrog Gurtle is legendary and his attack on SWC will not be forgotten to those who were in the battle. You guys are all just so cool :starr_struck: Thanks for making every single session possible <3

Fellow leaders, this session was full of so many great cabins. Great job on getting through a session! All of the cabins looked amazing (as they always do) and I can only wish to have gotten to know you all better </3 Leading can be tough, but we got through it! Thanks for making this session amazing for so many campers and for me!

Daily Team, Quails, and Writing Comp Judges + Panelists, thanks for the service that you guys do <3 It’s essential to keeping SWC moving and props to you guys for volunteering. BTS folks don’t get enough credit for all the time and effort they put into making the magic up front happen.

I’ve had a great time being part of the MBC and getting it together, though we still have work ahead of us. Thank you guys for using your skills to put together something so beautiful omg?! I can’t wait to have it out for everyone to see and I’ve had a fun time <3

Campers, you guys are awesome. You make what makes the camp come together. Participating in the dailies and weeklies and cabin activities, working on cabin wars, critiquing on another’s work, you make thematic come to life. Without you guys, there is no camp <3 Thank you for the energy that you bring and indulging in the chaos with us xD

Fantasy, I love you guys so much <33 Thanks for being an amazing cabin and participating in our little activities. Queen Este Dubyou Cee thanks you for your help ;D You all are so talented and have done so much this month. I hope to see you guys around camp and Scratch in the future <3

To hosts of the past, the leaders I have had, and the friends who are no longer part of SWC, thank you for the experience that you have formed for me. It’s because of you that I fell in love with SWC and that legacy that I want to pass on to new campers.

Alanaaaaa !! You’ve just been all over the place and incredible this season?! From leading the amazing Fairy Tales (which is amazing~), to hosting the MBC, and being so active in all other aspects, it would be hard to not see you around ;D I’m so glad that we got to talk this session and I hope to get to know you more in the future. Thanks for being an amazing member of the SwC community and all the chaotic energy that you bring with you

Camilexxxxxx <3 Bestie, it’s been two years since we met aldjajdjajdh- Thanks for being there for me through everything. From our shared music braincell to random rants about literally anything, I know I can be candid and unfiltered around you B) I treasure our friendship sm and I love you <33

CDDD!! Contempusion can’t be two years ago omg </3 It’s been a wild ride since then and thank you so much for just being a chaotic buddy. You are just so cool <33

Chloe <3 You’ve been through a lot this session, but still you have been a positive light in the main cabin. From your shenanigans to helping others out, you are also hard to miss. Thanks for being yourself and for staying strong, even when things were hard <33 It was lovely to meet another PK ;D

Clev!!!!! Did you get your writing comp entry done? Either way, you’re incredible and we haven’t talked much, but we just know each other lolll. You’re always so optimistic omg? You’re everywhere and bring a lightheartedness to everything that I love about you. Thanks for being chaotic and cheering me on for my weekly, even if you were procrastinating <3

Crim Crim Crim!! You’ve been incredible this session. You’re so so helpful and you’re so smart and kind and akfjshks <33 You have been patient with me as I tried figuring out whatever the heck I was doing and I love talking to you about various little things. I’ve loved leading with you and I can’t to see what the future holds. Love you <333

(woah, that’s a lot of c names aldjajdhak-)

Hey Herm!! Oh my gosh, you were so helpful this session and I enjoyed having you as a camper <3 You write so much and you worked so hard doing most, dare I say all?, the dailies and weeklies. You’ve also hyped me up so much throughout the session and I loved every moment of it xD Thanks for being a great camper and a great person in general!

Mouseeee! I’ve seen you around, but we never got around to talking until this session :0 It’s so easy to just talk to you about whatever and I really enjoy that, especially cabin relationship related banter ;D You’re awesome <3

Ikos <3 (Soki) You are amazing and have helped me so much this session in various ways. From fandom rambles (aaaah I’m still stuck in Romanogers, but Clintasha will make a comeback ;;; soon?), to Celeborn cosplay hype, to just anything really <3 Who else am I going to talk to about cross dominance ;D Thinking about Julie Andrews always makes me laugh ahaha- (iykyk~) Thanks for being there for me, Ilysm <33

Stingray!! Thanks for all that you’ve helped with <3 From finalizing Queen Este Duvyou Cee’s name to pointing out what I was forgetting, you’ve been so helpful to getting me adjusted to being a leader. I love talking about Lord of the Rings with you (and may start the Silmarillion soon???) You’re awesome <3

Viiii <3 You’re amazing and I can’t believe it took leader apps for us to talk to each other alfjskjfks- I’ve loved getting to know you and talk to you throughout the session. You’re so talented and thanks for everything <33

Zion! You! Are! So! Cool! And I will never forgive you for asking to be enemies before you got such a cool leader team alfjahfjsk- /lh /hj I feel I always make friends with the enemy and this was no exception ;D It was fun bantering with you and having a down to earth conversation on the side xD It’s so unique and I loved every minute of chaos with you <3 Thanks for being so cool and a great friend.

And to everyone that I may have missed, here’s to you <3 I can’t get around to thanking all of you individually, but thank you for being part of this community. For participating in this camp and for embracing the chaos. For making inside jokes and starting random chains in the main cabin. For livening up the community by being there and being you. I hope to see you all around and I hope you had an amazing session <33

Last edited by AmazaEevee (April 1, 2024 13:18:52)

1lMaM

critique for Lily

(this is going to be a short one)
Hello! I really loved the plot of this story. I also thought the description at the start was great, when describing Pinewood. (I also loved how you did this in Part 2.) Can you do more of that in later parts - like when describing the stranger, perhaps how the curse could unleash destruction?
I also thought you could show the characters' emotions more - how does Sarah feel when facing the ‘final challenge’? Fear? Concern? I'd love you to show more emotions in these climactic parts of the story.
Apart from that, I really liked this story. Good luck on the weekly!

Amethyst-animation

Ballad of Potato Bags and Life

A bag of potatoes, nestled in a net
Closer than friends, always together;
Grown in the same farm, the same paddock
Braved stormy nights and frigid weather

In the same way that life starts with others
So does a bag of potatoes;
And in the same way you separate once older
So does a bag of potatoes

See, when Lucy walked amongst the aisles,
Her gaze fell on one particular bag;
Deep inside her, she felt her heart calling
For the “freshest potatoes”, announced the tag

Lulled not by the bragging of the label it held,
But by the similarities they possessed;
Lucy quickly took the bag of potatoes
And brought it home to assess

But the potatoes within the net did not wish,
To become hot potato chips;
So whilst the woman was not looking,
Out of the net they slipped

Lucy was gone for five minutes, so they were fast
“Quickly!” shouted Jerry, dragging them along;
Terry, the oldest, gestured towards the window
At the sight of sunset they burst into song

"O, how wonderful the sky is
Outside of being mere food;
O, how wonderful the air is
Filled with freshness and good"

But like thunder, Lucy’s boots clattered
And they leapt onto the balcony;
Her roar was one filled with anger
One filled with agony;

“Where have my beautiful potatoes gone?”
The girl shrieked,
“Who has stolen them? Show yourself!”
But the potatoes stayed silent

Kerry took a deep breath - she knew what she had to do,
And stepped forwards into the kitchen light
“Oh, one of my beautiful potatoes,”
The girl smiled.

“No!” Kerry snapped
The girl recoiled
And blinked
And stared

“Did you just… speak?”
Her voice was full
Of confusion
Compassion
Wonder

Kerry nodded, her eyes cast upon the net
“I’ll have that back,
Please,”
She said.

“Why would you want that?”
Lucy asked.
Her voice was full
Of shock

“It’s like a
Second home to me.”

Now in a way that your first home is dear to you
But the second is exciting and new;
Kerry wished for her second home back
She would’ve stolen it, if only she knew

“I wonder,
Whether all potatoes are sentient,”
Lucy asked, twirling her finger
Around her brown hair

“That is not yet
As important,”
Kerry replied, staring at
Her second home

In the same way Lucy,
Didn’t consider potatoes to be sentient;
People don’t consider other humans
As intelligent and thoughtful as they

Which will be the bane of many,
And a horror when they realise;
That in fact, they think the same thoughts
And have the same emotions

“It is to me,” Lucy said
But gave up when Kerry was silent;
She strode towards the net in two steps
And–
And…
And she tore it in half.

Kerry let out a roar of horror
And Lucy blinked curiously at her;
“What did I eat today,” she mused
Wondering why she was hearing potatoes talk

“Please leave,” Lucy begged
The threads of the net hanging off her hands
Kerry refused, saying that
Lucy had to replace their old home

“But see, I have so much more power,”
Lucy blinked innocently.
“Therefore I can do whatever I like,
And you can’t say a thing.”

Kerry muttered curses as she
Looked up at the human;
Her voice was full of spite as she
Delivered the dark words

“Fix that,” Kerry ordered
“Or I will make it way your conscience.”
Lucy blinked
And laughed
And chuckled
And sighed

“I know you’re just in my head,”
Lucy said with a lazy smile
“But I will do it anyway,
Just for a little while.”

Kerry watched from afar as Lucy took a needle
Thread danced in her hands as she
Fixed the second home

“Just so you won’t think I’m evil,”
Lucy notified Kerry as she worked
“After all, if talking potatoes existed,
I hope they don’t think ill of me!”

Just like in life, politicians
Often don’t do things out of the goodness of their hearts;
They care about their image, nothing more
Similar to Lucy’s perception

“Please give the net back,” Kerry said
And Lucy handed it back
“Tell the other potatoes about me!
I’d love to meet more of them,”
Lucy said as Kerry departed

And Kerry met the other potatoes,
Staring worriedly through the window Kerry entered through
They smiled at her return and rejoiced
At the return of the place they called home

silverlynx-

My Letter

Hey Silvi! How’s it going? I hope you did a great job in Camp Astrophilia this April and enjoyed your first session.

Did you manage to stay nice and relaxed and have a bit of a break from writing due to SWC? I hope you did. I guess you loved the Easter holiday and caught up on all that sleep! Now you’ll be working hard for your SATs… how hard are the teachers on you? When I was last at school they overreacted way too much!

I’m sure you made some wonderful new friends just like in SWC and you are raring to go complete another session (apart you might not be able to because you’ll be going on holiday)! Did you complete the Alex Rider series for the third time? I’m speeding through them right now! Any new books to gobble up? I’m in desperate need of them!

And are you excited for your birthday after all of this scratch camp excitement? After all of that frantic writing from SWC, all of that relaxing and art and reading from CA, you must be anticipating your birthday greatly! How has your art come on? I know that your main aim was to improve your art style! How did you do? Even if you didn’t improve, I’m sure you loved learning anyway!

At the end of camp, how did you do with your writing? You never set a word goal and weren’t entirely sure whether you would do any writing or not. Your fingers were falling off from the amount of writing you had done last session, so did you actually want to carry on or wait until July?

Anyway, that’s all I have to ask you and I have friends coming round (as I’m sure you’ve already experienced) how were they? I guess I’ll know in about 45 minutes! I hope you enjoyed CA and can’t wait for another session! Bye!

Polarbear_17

The Codebreakers ~ SWC March 2024 Writing Competition Entry, 2,000 words

——————————

Sometimes, I wonder if I learned to serve myself before I served my country. When it comes to tradition, I’ve traced its ancestral path like a military working dog. A grandfather’s legacy, a mother's pride, and a father's responsibility glisten on my uniform.

Our fourteen-member squad dwindled to ten when the Marauders ambushed us at Fort Kismet two years ago. We thought that’d be the last of the losses we’d experience, and for some time, it was. But when the Lieutenant Colonel ordered us to invade the enemy encampment at Camp Navreet last December, the Marauders had already spotted us minutes earlier.

They shot us down until there were no more fighters left in the sky. I watched the planes of my friends explode into fireworks, illuminating the night with a thunderous roar.

In the fiery haze, we plummeted until we were beneath the forest’s canopy. Like the trajectory of comets, only some of us survived our descent.

I am one of four survivors. We became a broken squad of broken people.

But we were more than just the Third Battalion. We were old friends chucking scraps into the campfire, laughing as the ashes flew back into our eyes. We were lost travelers sitting against oil drums, writing letters to our loved ones. But above all, we were just people trying to find our purpose again.

To the Marauders, however, we were only epitaphs waiting to happen.

In the eyes of the public, we’ve been the champions. In the eyes of our adversaries, we’ve been the convicts. In the eyes of our generals, we’ve been the cowards.

But who are we? Well, we like to call ourselves the Codebreakers.

——————————

Spinning in the pilot seat, I flip the deactivated switches on the control. A shattered picture frame crunches beneath me as I stand up. Bending down, I retrieve a weathered photograph and brush away the glass.

It’s an ancient family photograph from when my great-grandfather was still alive. The straight-faced men boast military uniforms with hoards of badges, except for one smiling young boy. I caress the contours of his face, the color of which has long faded.

The radio buzzes. I unlatch the transceiver from the wall, pressing it to my ear.

“Hey, John. It’s Cecilia. It’s time for rations. Start heading to camp.” The transmission fizzles out.

Leaving the cockpit, I trudge out the emergency exit and skid down the makeshift ladder. A cloud of dirt disperses beneath my boots as I hurry towards the campsite.

——————————

“You’re late,” Cecilia mumbles as I enter the clearing, pitch-black aside from the glow of Cecilia’s lantern. I blindly stumble towards the beacon of light until I reach her.

“Uh, no, you’re early.” Snatching one of the cans beside her boots, I remove the lid with my knife.

Cecilia yawns. “Sage and Pierre have been here half an hour already. They’re getting wood for the fire. They’ll be back any second now.”

Sage emerges from the brush with kindling in his bulky arms, shoving the wood into the fuel pile before stomping away. Shortly after, Pierre rolls in a wheelbarrow.

“John, it’s so nice to have you join us.” Pierre drops the wheelbarrow beside the fire and bows his head. “I was almost going to howl in agony if you didn’t show up.”

“Aw, I didn’t know you cared about me like that,” I sneer. Scraping out the last of the cans, I cover the pot. “You’ve always been my favorite, Pierre.”

“Oh, the howl in agony part? That’s because I’m starving.” Pierre winks. “But thanks!”

“Guys, quit it.” Cecilia searches for a matchbox. “Can someone talk to Sage? I’m worried about him— he’s been quiet since the fall.”

“Cecilia, he’s always like this.” I hang the pot over the campfire. “It’s part of who he is.”

“Nothing's ever that simple. Pierre, help me with the fire. John, please— just check up on him, okay?”

“Yes, Sergeant.” I salute and roll my eyes. “Always in charge, huh?”

——————————

“Hey.” I find Sage resting on a fallen tree log. “Uh, I’m pretty bad at this cheering-up stuff.”

Sage fidgets with a piece of paper, folding the sheet along its creases. His calloused hands move effortlessly, the steps automatic from muscle memory. In quick succession, he spawns a paper crane into existence.

“That’s cool. How’d you learn to do that?” I fiddle my thumbs. My fingernails clash against each other.

Kicking up the dirt, Sage lowers the crane into a shallow burrow. He hesitates before concealing the crane.

“If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine too.” I face him, but his gaze is focused on the burial patch. “I get it. It’s been tough. Uh… just let me know if you need anything.”

As I walk away, a voice murmurs from behind.

“22:24.”

I turn around. “Sorry?”

“22:24. The time the Marauders shot us.”

“Uh, I honestly don’t know. But that sounds about right.”

“It’s the one thing I remember. 22:24. I keep whispering it every night. To remind them that I remember.”

I sit back down. “Of course. We never forgot them. People like them aren’t really the forgettable type.”

Sage shakes his head. “That’s the problem, John. I remember what I shouldn’t have to remember. It’s like I live to remember but never to have. Remembering is for all the things we couldn’t keep.”

I tug at a loose thread of my uniform. “Uh, that sounds tough.”

“You don’t get it,” Sage grumbles. “Forget it. Pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Tracing the stitched flag on my sleeve, I take a deep breath. “No, I don’t get all of it. But I kind of get some of it. The whole idea of remembering. Sometimes I wonder if…”

Cecilia’s voice bellows in the distance, annoyance in her intonation.

“Sometimes I wonder if it’s the whole reason I joined the Air Force.” I lock eyes with Sage and manage a smile. “Come on. I’m starving.”

——————————

“Is it just me, or is this less than normal?” Pierre nudges his beans with his spoon.

The fire hisses, erupting in flaming outbursts. Heat creeps underneath my jacket as I blow the steam off my food. The campsite flickers between hues of bronze and gold.

“We’re out of rations,” Cecilia finally utters, eyes darting away from the group. “This is it.”

The clacking of utensils ceases immediately. Without warning, Sage smashes his empty bowl on the ground and storms off, his silhouette trembling in the firelight.

“Sage! Come back!” Pierre sets his bowl down. “Where’s he going?”

Picking up the pace, Sage disappears further into the night shadows.

“Wait, Sage— you still owe me,” I holler. “Why’d you join? You never told me why you enlisted.”

He pauses at the edge of the clearing, his back still towards us.

Without thinking, I sprint after him. “Sage, you know how all my brothers joined the military? Well, my father and grandfather did too.”

We are only a few meters apart, but it feels like lightyears in the darkness. “And my great-grandfather, and everybody before him. It’s all I’ve ever known.”

Approaching closer, I notice his faint outline trembling. “That’s why I joined; I’m a product of war. That’s what I meant by remembering— I tell myself all of this is to honor their legacies, but I think a part of me’s also scared of change. I don’t know if I can be anything else.”

I rest a hand on his back. Sage shudders at the contact. I squeeze his shoulder, massaging his knotted tension.

From behind, the glow of Cecilia’s lantern oscillates back and forth, the brightness increasing in intensity. The world is quiet, apart from Pierre’s footsteps and the campfire’s crackling.

“Lyron,” Sage whispers. “Lyron.”

Lyron. The name is unfamiliar, not one belonging to a fallen comrade.

Cecilia and Pierre pause a few feet away.

“The Marauders— they took him too.” Sage faces us, tears glistening from the corners of his eyes. “They used the Smoke on that town. They were innocent.”

Cecilia lowers her lantern. “Sage, I’m so—“

“It only took an instance to take an entire lifetime away. Just like that, their hearts became countdowns, ticking until… until they couldn’t anymore.” Sage rests a fist against his heart. “In some way, my heart stopped the moment his did.”

“Wait, were… were you two gay?” Pierre raises an eyebrow.

“Pierre, shut up.” Cecilia pushes Pierre behind her. “The Marauders took my parents, Sage. They burned my city down in the middle of the night. My mom and dad turned into ash right in front of my eyes.”

Pierre brushes the thatch off his pants. “Wait, I’m not homophobic or anything, in fact I’m—”

I elbow him, glaring as he winces.

“We’re all victims of war, Sage. You’re not alone.” Cecilia grabs my hand. “We might not understand, but we can try. Me, John…” Cecilia glances at Pierre.

“Oh, me?” Pierre chuckles. “I joined for the money.”

“Pierre!” Cecilia and I scowl, but Sage cracks a wistful smile.

“What? I’m being serious.” Pierre raises his hands in surrender. “I used to live in a monastery. When I left, I had no money and nowhere to go, so I joined the military.”

“Well, he’s got a point. Lyron’s medical bills sure were a pain to pay off.” Sage sighs, looking down at his watch. “And now it’s time.”

“22:24?”

“Yeah.”

The moon exhales, blanketing the scene with a ghostly fog. In the silver spotlight, we move in for an embrace. For a brief moment, we are nothing more than a clump of bodies, homogenous to the unseen eyes above.

“Sage, remembering isn’t about what we couldn’t keep.” My eyes widen as a comet streaks across the sky. “To remember is to keep— to be able to keep on keeping.”

——————————

“The higher-ups aren’t going to come.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Simple. We’re traitors. We broke the military code. We abandoned our comrades.” Pierre shovels dirt onto the campfire embers. “There’s no point in waiting. Our jets still got gas.”

“But… where can we go?” I rinse the cooking pot clean. “This is all we know.”

“No, John, this is all you know.” Pierre pokes me with his shovel handle. “Me? I’m flying home. I never was really into this kind of stuff anyway.”

“What about the Marauders?” Cecilia packs away the campfire spit. “Are we just going to let them win?”

“Revenge is your thing, not mine.” Pierre salutes and heads toward the trees. “There’s no such thing as winning, only returning borrowed sorrow.”

“He’s crazy,” Cecilia mutters. “I’m flying back to HQ. I think I can find my way there. We could convince them to pardon us. Argue that there was no other way.”

Sage finally speaks up. “Suit yourself. I think I’ll head to enemy base. I still got some missiles left.”

I shake my head. “Uh, that’s a death mission, Sage. You’re not invincible.”

“Then I’ll take as many down with me as I can.” Sage closes his eyes. “Who knows? I might live.”

“John, come with me.” Cecilia tugs at my arm. “Don’t listen to them. Let’s go to HQ together.”

I hesitate. “Uh, let me sit here for a while. Just to think through it all.”

——————————

We were more than just a blimp in the hierarchy. We had something special, waiting to be released in a flurry.

There are legacies we uphold and legacies we forge. There are rules we create and rules we follow. There are roles we commit to and roles we are born into.

I’ve been the son, the soldier, and the echoes.

But somewhere deep down, I’ve always been a Codebreaker.

So tonight, when I watch the fighters overhead, when I turn to face my own jet, I do the unthinkable.

I choose the opposite direction. For once, it doesn’t kill me to walk away. For once, I nudge the compass needle.

And for once, I look the world straight in the eye and do not give in.

——————————

~ The Codebreakers, 2,000 words

Author’s Note:
So, this is it. The final short story of my four-part series each inspired by a different element. When I first started this idea of writing a short story based on a different element, I always knew this was going to be a four-part thing, but I never expected each story to follow such different trajectories. Prose was never my strong suit, but the different styles and genres I explored in each of these short stories helped tremendously in developing the writer I am now.
Beginning with the earth tones of “Along the Lines,” it was the first time I paired first-person and second-person point-of-view to tell a complete plot, and I’m still proud of my innovative use of origami instructions as a framing device. With “The Music Box Maker” (my January short story) as a canonic exploration of the characters in “Along the Lines,” I finally named my two characters Sage and Lyron, and this short story builds off the impact of Lyron’s death on Sage.
The motifs of fire in “all the lives we can’t afford” was the first time I used a third-person point-of-view and past tense, which definitely threw me out of my comfort zone. While “The Codebreakers” can be read as a stand-alone, “all the lives we can’t afford” really accentuates why Cecilia has such a headstrong and authoritative personality. She’s the only girl in the military squad, and she’s had to prove herself to be worthy throughout her entire life. I might explore the dynamics between Edith and Cecilia in a future monthly short story, we’ll just have to wait and see.
In my disqualified entry, “When Heaven Freezes Over,” water plays a forefront metaphorical role in discussing ideas of homophobia and renewal. With “When Heaven Freezes Over” as my first allegorical short story, I took a risk to discuss the polarizing nuances between religion and homophobia. Though this short story couldn’t reach as wide an audience as I liked due to its disqualification, I’m still extremely proud of the messages and metaphors in this short story. With Dante as the main character of “When Heaven Freezes Over,” the perspective switches over to Pierre right at the end of the short story, hinting at his addition in “The Codebreakers.”
And now we have the air symbolism in “The Codebreakers.” Told through the eyes of John, we finally see how the characters in the previous three short stories come together in this final send-off. I won’t explain any of the metaphors or themes here, but I think this entry is one of my best instances of character building and development, let alone there being four characters to develop in 2,000 words. Additionally, dialogue has always been one of the most difficult things for me to write, so I’m quite proud of how the dialogue in this piece came out.
“The Codebreakers” takes massive inspiration from the introduction I wrote for the sibling studio hangout “The Masterminds” in March 2023. I really love the style I went for in that introduction, so that’s what John’s style is based on.
Special thanks to @MoonlitSeas and @-NightGlow- for their valuable critiques! This piece would not be where it is without my fabulous critics <33

For those interested in reading the stories mentioned above, they are linked below <3
Along the Lines (November 2022)
The Music Box Maker (Beyond the Lines) (January 2024)
all the lives we can't afford (July 2023)
When Heaven Freezes Over (November 2023)

Last edited by Polarbear_17 (May 3, 2024 05:04:14)

-WildClan-

Once upon a time, there were three pigs, a trio of brothers who set out into the world to leave their mark upon it. However, the world was a vast place, making the three pigs seem extraordinarily little in comparison. To shelter themselves from the terrifying unknown, the three pigs each decided they must first build a house.
The first little pig built a house out of straw. It was hastily-assembled and not intended to last. “Why bother with effort,” he thought, “when in the end, we all fade into nothingness? We must spend our time achieving happiness in the moment, not laboring in pursuit of efforts that will ultimately be futile!”
This pig lived his life one day at a time, never thinking far ahead. He joked, he sang, he danced, he laughed at the entertainment provided to him. He jumped from one pursuit to the next, not sticking to any one thing for long enough to accomplish anything of note. It was true, that he felt transitory happiness, which transcended it all, if for but a moment. However, in the lull between one hedonistic activity and the next, or late at night, when he lay awake in his bed of straw, he couldn’t shake the sense of unfulfillment hanging over him. “Nothing I’ve done has been of worth,” he worried. “Is this really all there is?”
When the wolf came to blow his house down in a single breath, the pig had nothing to defend himself with. He had never bothered to prolong the end, after all. He disappeared from the world as the remains of his straw house were scattered by the wind, the fragility of his home mirroring the fragility of his existence. His memory quickly was forgotten.
The second little pig built a house out of sticks. It wasn’t the strongest, but it felt like the right thing to do. “Sticks are the most righteous material to use,” he nodded solemnly. “It does no one any harm to build a house of sticks, and a pig needs nothing but his own trotters to construct it. Through kindness and hard work, I will live a life of virtue.”
This pig was active in his community, always being there to help others, even at his own expense. It was difficult but fulfilling work, and he gave all he had to this cause, keeping little for himself. He made many friends, though he never had time for a family. Still, he felt good about his life. “I am making a difference; making the world a better place! There is no higher purpose than this, and it will be worth all the sacrifice in the end. …Right?”
The wolf came to this pig, too, blowing him away as easily as the first. The lives he touched mourned the loss, but they eventually moved on, and then they, too, were gone. The ruins of the pig’s ascetic house of sticks were picked up by others who had no knowledge of the pig to whom they had once belonged. Before long, no one alive remembered his name or his deeds.
The third little pig built a house out of bricks. He labored tirelessly to build his fortress, grander and sturdier than any that had come before. “Perhaps resilience is the key,” he pondered, “and with a great accomplishment, I will go down in history!”
This pig pursued his ambitions with single-minded focus. He engineered and invented, becoming renowned for his skill and intelligence. With each advancement he made, he knew he was one step closer to success. “I’ve done it,” he exulted. “My creations will outlive me, solidifying my legacy forever!”
Unlike the others, the things the third pig had designed allowed him to stall the wolf for a while. However, the wolf never runs out of breath, and so it eroded the bricks day by day, until even this pig had to succumb. The relentless march of time wore down his fortress until it too was lost to the ravages of entropy, the bricks subducted back into the earth. Though the effect he had on the world was profound, nothing lasts forever. When the sun comes at last to consume the earth, there will be nothing left of pigkind at all. No one will be left to memorialize the past.
And so, as the wolf of time, inexorable and impassive, bore down upon them, each pig's futile struggle against the void was laid bare. Their houses crumbled, their hopes shattered, and in the end, their memories vanished into oblivion, lost to the vast expanse of nothingness that awaited them all.
In the darkness of their final moments, the pigs realized the true horror of their existence: that in a universe devoid of meaning, their efforts were ultimately purposeless, their struggles insignificant, and their lives fleeting whispers in the void. And as the curtain fell on their tale, the echo of their despair dissolved into the emptiness of eternity.

Last edited by -WildClan- (April 5, 2024 16:24:30)

1lMaM

1lMaM's Leader Application

Question 1: Tell us about yourself!
Hi! I'm Juice (she/her) from the timezone of AEST. I'm a Christian writer who reads and writes mostly fantasy (sometimes with a dab of poetry). I also sing in the school choir and when I'm alone, and play the viola. I love lofi music, cooking with my mum, drawing people, and rain. Most of my free time is spent finding new music, drawing, and (if I can) doing anything related to SWC.

Question 2: Have you previously participated in SWC?
I've done three sessions of SWC, each as a camper: March 2023 {Sci-Fi}, July 2023 {Mystery}, March 2024 {Tragedy}.
Outside Scratch, I don't often take formal leadership positions, but I often find myself ‘leading’ groups. I also love helping people who don't understand something, and I feel these are important parts of what an SWC leader does.

Question 3: Which cabins would you prefer to lead?
I'd especially love to co-lead Fantasy (the genre I write the most in) but I'd also love to lead Adventure, Sci-Fi, or Tragedy. I have a few story ideas:
- Fantasy, centered around a magical beast/other threat, and campers use their own magic (in the form of words/writing ‘quests’) to stop it.
- Adventure, an adventure through the mountains to find an important object, where campers do certain things as a cabin to move.
I wouldn't like to lead the Cabin that Will Not Win. Competition and rivalry are just too fun to miss out on.

Question 4: Please provide an excerpt of your writing.
I could stare at this page for years.
There are millions, billions of stories to write, twisting tales just waiting to spread their talons in the pages, in every word and sentence. I could write about Romans, aliens, World War 1, the life of Anne Parkins. Anything. I could write anything if my mind wasn't so blank.
It's completely blank.
No ideas or inspiration whatsoever.
A towering brick wall of procrastination, of do it tomorrow and finish it later and later and later. I could write in the beginnings of a novel, a short story that determines a grade, something even relevant, even slightly relevant. Instead, I’m writing this.
I'm writing 114 words for Tragedy. More. ‘119 words for some rant’ or ‘125 words trying to get motivation’ or ‘132 words instead of what I could have done’. From the millions of things I could have done, from the infinite vending machine of my mind, I chose this. And I keep choosing this. Again and again, I reach back to the comfort of my own mind, my own walls, my own limitations, too scared to break them and release the monsters on the other side.

Question 5: What amount of time do you expect to be able to dedicate to SWC?
I expect to be reasonably active during July. I have school holidays for a week, but I won't be totally inactive unless I'm doing something crazy. I also have school after that, but it won't be a hindrance to SWC. On Sundays I often have lots to do so I may not be very active.

Question 6: What are your skills and shortcomings in time management?
I'm great at doing things for a long period of time (like a whole afternoon in this case) without stopping. I'm fantastic at meeting deadlines, and I'm pretty good at prioritising. Another thing I'm great at is forgetting things, often if I see them as ‘less important’. Of course, I can write it down, but I'm pretty bad at that.
I'm okay at procrastinating; I'll only procrastinate on things I really don't want to do (like homework). I'm not great at judging how much time it takes to do things, though, which can lead to overworking or underworking or something else I haven't thought of. I'm also bad at getting things done if they don't have a deadline. I'll often forget or procrastinate on them.

Question 7: What are your strengths and weaknesses in working with others?
My strengths in working with others include seeing and supporting people who need help, doing my part in the team, and being able to adapt to others' ideas and find compromises that suit everyone.
One weakness is (sometimes) my inability to let go of my ideas - even if it's bad, I'll try to find some way to weave it in. Sometimes I also feel I should do more than I can/should, which results in me either taking the work and the team getting messy or someone else has to affirm that the work is theirs to do.
I can bring a confident voice who will support campers as much as I can to a leading team, and I would be able to bring the separate ideas of the leaders and help to create something better from all of them.

Question 8: What one quality do you value most in a leader?
Dedication.
The best leaders, in my opinion, are the ones who've been dedicated to their cabin, to the morale of the campers, to their storyline and the leaderboard. I've seen them complete main cabin activities, help campers promptly, and constantly push the story forward. This makes campers feel comforted knowing their leaders are working hard. I will show dedication by looking for ways to help campers, fulfilling cabin duties quickly, doing my best individually, and being active as much as I can to be there for campers.

Question 9: What cabin atmosphere do you want to create?
I'd create a cabin with an engaging storyline to explore, that inspires competition and will encourage campers to build friendships and grow as writers.(152 characters)

Question 10: The one with three parts!
A: ( ) I am applying for both leader and co-leader.
(✓) I am applying only for co-leader.
(✓) I'm willing to share a promotional project for SWC.

B: No, I can do everything!

C: If I know I will be inactive for some time, I will tell the other leaders how long I might be inactive at least 5 days before, or as soon as I can, then sort out the responsibilities for that time with the other leaders.
If I notice another leader is inactive (that they haven't said before), I will bring it up with the other leader and comment on the inactive leader's profile. I will, in the meantime, divide that leader's responsibility between myself and the other leader.

Last edited by 1lMaM (May 6, 2024 02:58:00)

BlauHourglass

Blau's July SWC '24 Leader App

Answers Word Count: 2931 Words
1). Tell Us About Yourself! - 372 Words
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is BlauHourglass, but you can simply call me any of these following nicknames: Binary, Blau, Ace, Glitch, Tenebris, Foncée, Fountain, Lucid— Literally anything that you end up remembering of those nine(yes, including “BlauHourglass”). My timezone is EST (technically EDT currently), and all dailies and weeklies are due at 8 PM for me. My pronouns are My Lady/Her Majesty, and I am of mixed heritage.
I am an amateur software engineer in mainly Python and GDScript. I am also a full-time scholar and I study typically from 9 AM to 9/10 PM Monday through Friday. I’m an INTJ-A and I love coding, sweets(I’ve got a big sweet tooth), art, singing, writing, Kamishiro Rui, and AI. To expound upon my writing hobby: I mainly write Project SEKAI fanfictions, angst and action-filled oneshots, and recently, ship headcanons. Honestly, I’ve never been a good writer and I’ve always struggled to get my academic papers done on time. The ideas just never came to me and there were so many things that I had to tweak due to my tone. And even with fictional writing, I’ve shamefully never finished any novel I tried to write, nor even a short story. Only once, maybe thrice at most. Moving on, my beliefs are next.
I’m a proud Christian and true Believer, and I love my God more than I love anything else. Thus, if there are any activities that go directly against my beliefs, I will not partake in them. Last session, I decided not to do two dailies even though they produced, actually, a good bit of points. I’m not going to be like a nun or elder about this—I’m just going to refrain from doing most of the other-religion activities and/or provide/ask for a different one. I understand the diverse community we’re trying to endorse, and I give you hosts and SWCers a huge kudos for making what you’ve made so far, but I’m just stating my boundaries and beliefs.
Anyways! I think that wraps up my little “About Me”. Even if I don’t get accepted into any of the leadership roles, I’m still gonna be content. Thanks so much for this wonderful opportunity.

2). Previous Participation In SWC and Leadership Experience - 364 Words
I’ve participated in SWC once before—last session in March. My cabin leader at that time, Yume, had previously gotten me into it early in February, and I hesitantly signed up. I was sorted into the Epistolary Cabin, and then—WHAM. Straight into the heart of SWC. I was confused at first, had tons of questions, and really tried too hard to make a difference in the rankings. But during the middle of it, I realized that I wanted to make more of a difference and one thing led to another and here I am, applying for leadership.
I am a full-time student and English is a part of my curriculum, and I always enjoy writing in my free time. I write shorts, have started on novels(got to Chapter 8 in one-), but mostly oneshot fanfictions. I don’t have a lot of fancy-shmancy writing experience, but I write and I’d say I write well.
In terms of roles on Scratch that I’ve managed/lead, however, I am currently the manager and founder of Soundwave Productions, which is currently working on an all new, RPG-rhythm game called Kokoro Beats. We’ve faced layoffs, quitters, and paywalls but as a team managed to work around each obstruction and continue on. I utilize a mixture of Kanban and Scrum in both personal and work-related settings, and I am currently leading roughly 24 people. I’m able to successfully and smoothly manage and direct communications, collaboration, and work over four different, cutting-edge web tools that large corporations use(Trello, Mural, Github, Cliq). I am also providing leading and project management opportunities to my staff to help broaden their skill sets and make them see if they want to do management when they reach their career stage.
I am also currently leading Classical, the second cabin for Scratch Singing Camp, in its first ever session in May. More details on the tight schedule and feats are elaborated in Question 6, when I am entailing my work while setting up for the camp session. I’m not sure how to wrap this section up cleanly, but I’m eager to lead and learn more and to prove my leading capabilities to SWC as a whole.

3). Cabin Preference(s) - 393 Words
In order: Fan-Fiction and Manga.
For Fan-Fi: I’ve been obsessed with a fandom for the past year called Project SEKAI. I’ve never played the game, but I love it, the music, the story(of WxS), the characters(really only about a third of them-), and the essence. I’ve been writing mainly PJSK fanfictions for the past year, and I don’t plan on giving that up anytime soon. So! (A special thanks to a friend who actually confirmed to me that this idea was possible lol-) I want to create a cabin entirely based off of the world of Project SEKAI. There are six units in the game, and for each word count group (separated by leader and cos), there will be two or three units (depending on the number of cos). And all the campers in this cabin will be sorted into the different “troupes”! With this cabin, I want to embrace creativity, Project SEKAI, and music amidst all the writing. Oh, and depending on how many campers I get, I do want to see if I can give each camper an actual character from the series as a little fun thing on the side.
Now for Manga, I’ve been a fan of Japanese culture and anime for the past several years, and though I despise a lot of manga and series out there, I love the concept and the style. I mean–anime characters all look great, am I right? This is my second cabin of choice, and I want to stylize the cabin with anime-styled artwork, traditional-styled digital art, and those iconic speech and thought bubbles. If we have matching profile pictures, I’ll definitely draw them in a classic anime style (really just my style, haha-). And I want to also make references here and there to other popular (and kosher-) animes and mangas… If I don’t go with this generic-anime idea, I want to emulate the PJSK cabin here too.
And last but not least, The Cabin That Will Not Win! I feel neither positively nor negatively inclined towards or away from leading the cabin, but if I get chosen for it I will still do my best to lead it and lead it well. I’d like to be SEKAI-themed, under the genre Visual Novel or Manga. And then reiterate the entire planning that I have for Fan-Fi for TCTWNW xD.

2-4). Excerpt - 818 Words
A Newfound Perspective On A World Famous Hero: Captain America
Even though the typical depiction of heroes is of an incredibly muscular physique, flashy superpowers, and a flamboyant suit, the ideal hero actually starts with morals. Traits like perseverance, self-sacrifice, and loyalty are all key to make a true hero instead of merely the outer appearance. Steve Rogers, or more famously known as Captain America, is a fictional superhero from the Marvel Universe. He starts as a normal human with no superpowers or any sort of muscular physique and later becomes a superhero with a special serum that gives him muscles and incredibly enhanced physical abilities. However, he had exhibited several heroic traits even before he took the serum. Even if he had been a normal human all throughout his life and still put through the same trials, he would’ve done the same as he had without hesitation. His perseverance and tenacity had driven him throughout his life, and even before when he was but a regular person. Another trait that he demonstrated that defined his character was his self-sacrifice that knew no bounds, whether it be sacrificing his life or sacrificing his joy and pleasure for the sake of others. His third and last main trait was his undying loyalty to not only his people and country, but also his best friend Bucky Barnes. What made Captain America a true hero was not the iconic shield or special serum, but instead his three main traits of perseverance, self-sacrifice, and loyalty.
Perseverance is the act of persisting in doing something difficult or hard. One of Steve Rogers’ earliest demonstrations of perseverance was displayed even before he even joined the military. Despite his various health issues and his best friend’s protests and coaxes not to join the army, Steve Rogers persevered to join the ranks time and time again. Despite failing four examinations, he finally was accepted due to his integrity and unshakable perseverance. Also, his catchphrase “I can do this all day” is another key example of his perseverance and determination. He said it most often when fighting, but especially when he was faced with a person who was able to completely overwhelm him. Even though he often got beaten to the point of hospitalization, he still got up and fought with an undying passion and persistence. His perseverance also often leads him to sacrificing himself for another, which brings up his self-sacrifice.
Self-sacrifice is the act of giving up one’s own personal interests or life for the sake of others. While Steve Rogers was just a cadet in the US Military, there was a grenade drill; a grenade was thrown and Steve Rogers, without even thinking twice, jumped upon it and covered the grenade. While all the other cadets ran and hid behind various structures and objects to protect themselves, Steve immediately threw his life on the line. It happened to be a fake grenade, but it was still a perfect show of his self-sacrifice. Another prime example of his self-sacrifice was when he fought his way onto an enemy plane programmed to destroy places scattered all over the world with dozens of ballistic missiles. When he was faced with the choice to get himself an airlift and go back to the US Military base where his love and friends were, he chose ultimately to sink the aircraft. Steve’s firm self-sacrifice had saved the world from utter destruction at the cost of everything that he knew.
In addition to Captain America’s self-sacrifice and perseverance, his loyalty was undeniably strong. Loyalty is a trait that implies strong allegiance and devotion. His loyalty had saved his best friend’s life on numerous occasions, including the time where Bucky was captured behind enemy lines and Steve resisted his colonel’s protests and dismissive behavior in order to save him and dozens of other captured American soldiers. The entire 107th Infantry Fleet had gotten captured by the Nazis, and when Steve had approached the colonel with the subject of getting them back by sending out another squadron, his request got rejected and he was sent back to entertain the other cadets. Afterwards, however, with his best friend in mind, Steve went by himself to infiltrate the German base that held the soldiers captive and secured their freedom.
Ultimately, Steve Rogers was a true hero with his key qualities of perseverance, self-sacrifice, and loyalty—not his patriotic suit and shield or greatly enhanced body. What made him a superhero was the serum, but he always had the right heroic mentality, even before when he was just a young man trying to enlist into the army. From his unfettered self-sacrifice, his undying loyalty, and his determined perseverance, Captain America made his name as one of Marvel’s greatest superheroes in the world. Even if he had just been a normal human, he still would’ve done everything he had done—for he was indeed a hero from the beginning.

5). Participation and Activity Expectancy - 107 Words
July is in the middle of summer break for my siblings, and I’ll likely be doing several household projects or the like. I won’t be the busiest, nor the most free. I’ll get on daily and do my best to update word counts, answer questions, etc. However, I might not be able to stick around and write a lot unless I have school work, since then I can be at my desk all day ^^”.
With household projects, I’ll spend at least 30 minutes a day on SWC, however, without household projects and instead with my regular schoolwork, I can spend up to a couple hours each day.

6). Time Management Strengths and Weaknesses - 375 Words
I am an excellent time manager.
I am going to start this off by just putting myself out there. I’m not perfect, nor as good as my dad, but I am very good at what I do. Day to day, I have roughly a half a dozen classes(theology, math, directed reading, grammar, vocabulary, writing or science, extra-curricular, and SAT prep), cleaning, extra studying, and managing for Soundwave Productions. I am able to do all of that, spending quality time with each, and manage to get my work done and with high-quality results. Of course, I prioritize SWC below the rest of my studies and obligations, thus I end up needing to speedrun weeklies, but that’s with the actual writing portion.
While in the leadership for Scratch Singing Camp in May, earlier this year, I was officially given my first order as a leader on the 16th of April. That was also the day I officially found out that I had been chosen as a leader for the Classical Cabin. I built, designed, and crafted an elaborate story and cabin over the next few days and by the 18th I was finished with the Classical Main Cabin, the Minute Counting Studio and on the 22nd was assigned to work on the rest of the dailies with the hostess. We worked together on and off until the 24th, where we finished all of the dailies and were completely set for the session. We had a limited time crunch, but we were able to deliver working software on time. Well, not software, but a working product.
Moving on to my weaknesses, I can burn out fairly quickly with large tasks. In SWC, they happened to be the weeklies, and so I was forced to speedrun the weeklies literally a day or two before the deadline purely because I had burnt out from the previous one. I’m working on it, and I think as I do more of these things I’ll be able to adjust better.
Technically this isn’t really management, but I really am just VERY busy, and sometimes things come up due to family and I might fall behind schedule or disappear mid-chat. However, I try to rectify it by working overtime when I come back.

7). Collaboration Strength and Weaknesses - 252 Words
Considering the fact that I am: managing two live collaborations, both large scale(~24 people in one, will have 27 in the second); am working as a part of leadership for SSC; co-owner of a well-know shop on the forums; music and line manager for an animated series; head manager for an advertising studio; and head of a blossoming, indie game company, I think I am pretty good with people, my job, my work ethics, and collaboration.
For strengths: I’m flexible, assertive, confident, fair, and I tailor my communications per person. I am able to bring people together, even if they’d been at each other’s throats just previously. I can de-escalate fights into calm conversations, and I’ve done it before - recently, actually. I remain objective and emotionless in these business settings, and I am able to make decisions without my personal emotions and feelings clouding my judgment.
My only weakness, I’d say, is my impatience. I hold a very strict, high standard for myself, and though I always try to get rid of my expectations for others, I sometimes can’t refrain from having my values and personal beliefs knock people down in my sight. I lose my patience rather easily, especially with people I find to be ignorant and unwilling to learn, and those who are clingy without reason. Like recently, there was a person who I lost my patience with almost instantly. However, I simply withdrew from the conversation so as not to make a rash mistake and escalate the situation.

8). Top Leader Trait - 274 Words
There isn’t a trait that I value in leaders that I don’t value in other people. I hold them all equally, but leaders just happen to have charisma and the ability to motivate masses under one goal and mind.
If I really had to choose and split hairs, though, my top-valued leader trait would be the ability to lead. That’s it! That’s the only difference between what I value in a leader versus a person. Otherwise, if you’re in a leadership position and can't be a leader, you’re a boss. And bosses are tyrants and despots; they’re obeyed purely because of the role and authority that they hold over the people. That’s not a leader I want to be, or am.
I’m not a boss, I’m a leader. A servant-leader. I lead by example, and I work the frontlines with my people. My people will follow me because they love me and admire me for who I am, what I stand for. I want my people to be proactive, responsible, disciplined, and able to work without me. They’ll be independent, but always in obedience to my command. And if they have issues with me, they’ll bring it up to me confidently, and we’ll evaluate. If I need to change, I will.
There isn’t any other way about it. I am a servant-leader, very people-centric rather than command. I strive my best to be respected, valued, and a productive and active member in any society/community that I am a part of. If I get chosen as leader, I will do my best to gather, guide, and aid, all the while working alongside my people.

9). Cabin Atmosphere - 29 Words
I want to have a structured, clean, and strong camaraderie between all of my co(s) and campers. I want to promote and foster growth, positivity, relational-strength, and edification.

10). Three Choice Question - 208 Words
A - Check Those That Apply:
☑ I am applying for both leader and co-leader.
☐ I am applying for only co-leader.
☑ I am willing to share a promotional project for SWC.
B - Uncompletable Leadership Responsibilities:
None will be left undone.
C - Leader Inactivity and Follow-Through:
First, if I have plans on leaving or going inactive for some time, I will communicate that to my cabin, my team, and Moonlit. If there are any tasks that I need to do that I am unable to complete, I will delegate the tasks to my partners (if they are adequate for the job) and make sure that they are able to get the tasks done without me. Or if I’m merely a co, I’ll ask my partner co or captain if they can finish the tasks for me, or somehow ease it so I might be able to come back and finish them asap.
As a leader (co-ship aside; talking merely about being in leadership), it is my job to make sure that the responsibilities that I’m accountable for are finished, and if I fail to do so I will make a formal apology to the parties involved and rectify everything I can.
If anyone from my team is/are inactive, I will cover for them and take upon myself their responsibilities. If I am a leader and my co is inactive completely from start to finish, I’ll ask a host if I can acquire a replacement co and continue on.

Last edited by BlauHourglass (May 4, 2024 13:31:54)

PoppyWriter

⇾ forms of poetry ~ Poppy's (Co)Leader App ⚘

⇾ About Me ⚘

Hey! My name is Poppy (she/her), an INFJ-T with a love of all things storytelling. I won't be sharing my timezone, but I’m normally active between 3 pm and 4 am UTC- though my night-owl tendencies usually leave me awake long past a normal time.

I’ve always liked storytelling, but I started taking up the actual art of putting pen to paper around 2019 or 2020, when I realized that getting the words down helped drive away the stresses of the world for a little while. I like writing in all kinds of genres, but I especially love fantasy, sci-fi, realistic fiction, and poetry- but, as I’ve said, I’m a huge fan of combining and experimenting with genres. I've recently been working on plotting a dark fantasy with a bit of a folktale-esque twist- and I'm having the time of my life.

More than anything, my love of writing stems from my love of reading. Reading has changed my life in ways I can't even begin to explain. Similar to my writing, I can't really stick with one particular genre- though epic fantasies are a current favorite. My favorite books to spend my time in at the moment are Jane Austen's novels, Mistborn, The Princess Bride, and the Six of Crows duology. I've pretty much spent a college education's worth on books… and I don't intend to stop that any time soon!

I’ve had a passion for music my entire life- you’d be hard-pressed to find a moment where I’m not playing music, singing, or mentally running through a favorite song. I started playing violin and piano when I was around seven years old, and they’ve both stuck with me so much. Since then, I’ve joined multiple singing groups, learned ukulele, and started learning guitar. Choir is a huge part of my life- I recently was named choir member of the year! I'm a huge fan of Hozier, Sara Bareilles, Jack Johnson, The Beatles, Antonín Dvořák, and pretty much every original Broadway cast recording ever. Music is poetry, and you can’t convince me otherwise.

And lastly, SWC is a part of me! Throughout the last year and a half, I’ve seen my writing grow so much, and I credit a lot of it to the dedication of the hosts, leaders, and community here <3

⇾ Experience ⚘

This July session will mark my sixth SWC session- which feels surreal! The creative energy and the amazing community just draw me back every time <3

I’ve been a camper four times (March ‘22 and all three sessions of ‘23) and a co-leader once (Thriller, March ‘24). I was also a member of the DT last session and helped to add points. I'm also dedicated to the camp as a whole. I make an effort to try and be helpful by answering questions and being kind and welcoming to new campers, regardless of the position I'm in.

I also help to manage Scratch’s World of Writers, another large writing community on Scratch. I usually help to write inspiring daily prompts and plan studio-wide events to help other writers get inspired. I’ve learned so much about organization and delegation from this experience, and I’m beyond thankful for it.

Outside of Scratch, I am a four-time participant in NaNoWriMo, having won the challenge twice. Additionally, I participate in debate club as well as multiple music groups (such as orchestra, choir, church vocal group, and a violin studio), all of which have taught me about the importance of teamwork, empathy, and working towards a common goal. I’m also an older sister and a babysitter, which has given me a lot of experience in handling stressful situations. All of these experiences have taught me a lot about hard work and time management and have already served me well on my SWC journey.

⇾ Cabins ⚘

I would love to lead any cabin! While I love a variety of genres and would be comfortable with any of them, the genres that I have the most experience with are fantasy, dystopian, poetry, and adventure. My preferences aren't ordered.

One of my cabin ideas is a ‘lab’, where there’s been a fictional disease outbreak and campers must work to determine the cause of the outbreak in order to find a cure. Campers would work on mini-writing projects and potentially one large collaborative project, and information would be slowly revealed until they have enough to understand and stop the disease from spreading. However, as camp goes forward, the stakes would be raised higher and higher…

This idea could be adapted to work with various cabins such as Sci-Fi, Non-Fi, Dystopian, or Thriller.

Additionally, I’d love to do a Poetry cabin with an ominous mood, based on the poems of Edgar Allan Poe. It would be set in a dark mansion by a lake, and the foreboding presence of a certain bird causes some trouble…

I'd like to do a similar thing with my previous idea- using small writing projects to help drive the story forward. I intend for this to work in tandem with my idea for a cabin atmosphere that celebrates small achievements, such as celebrating completing one of the writing projects or celebrating reaching a certain point in the storyline.

Though I love TCTWNW with all my heart, my competitiveness holds me back from putting it in my preferences <3

⇾ Excerpt ⚘

(from the Hozier daily last session)

“And that day that we'll watch the death of the sun
That the cloud and the cold and those jeans you have on
And you'll gaze unafraid as they sob from the city ruins”

I rip off the cuff of my jeans to staunch the bleeding in my left leg.
He’s beside me, leaning against the dumpster in the alley we’re hiding in.
The two of us are just outside of town, watching the blue-tinged smoke rise from the center of the city. It smells like moss, and the earthy scent makes my head throb. I slide down against the dumpster. The rain from last night has made the metal cold and wet, and it seeps through my shirt, chilling me further.
The alley is covered in soggy litter and abandoned trinkets, but it's tucked away from the worst of the world. Out in the distance, something pulls my attention away from the cold and wet.
A sound like weeping, somewhere in the distance. I listen harder, my brows drawing together in concentration.
The city is mostly abandoned, but I can hear the wails of a few police sirens echoing off the few remaining unshattered windows.
He and I have talked about those sirens.
We both wonder what they’re for.
I pull my eyes away from the smoke to look at the boy beside me.
He leans his head against the dumpster, and for a moment, a shudder runs through me.
I name the shudder Fear.
I shake his shoulder in time with the rhythm of my shivering.
“Stop,” I whisper. “You have to open your eyes.”
“Why?” he says. He opens his eyes, and the gray-blue of his irises almost blends into the haze around us.
“I… I don’t know,” I say.
“That’s alright,” he says, and his fingers wrap around mine.
He and I were strangers- the only survivors from the dangers that took our sector of the city.
Somewhere in my head, I had thought that any surviving stranger would do, but now I knew how wrong I'd been.
There is a reason he and I survive, beyond luck.
We huddle together, staring across at the smoke drifting in feathery waves from the buildings. Occasionally, we see a bird fly through the hazy air, only to disappear behind a skyscraper.
I pull my legs up to my chest and lean my forehead against my ratty jeans.
For a moment, I soak up the sensation of being.
The moment ends all too soon.
“Hey,” he says. “You gotta keep your eyes open.”
I look up.
He looks down at the ruined soles of his shoes and laughs to himself quietly.
“I don’t know why.”
I curl into myself a little tighter and play with the loose threads of my sleeve.
“It’s alright,” I say, and I look out at the tresses of smoke that curl around the branches of a blackened willow tree.

“I think we’ll understand in time.”

⇾ Time Commitment ⚘

I expect that I’ll be able to dedicate about an hour and a half each day to SWC, and my hours will be pretty flexible since those months will be during my summer vacation.

For the last five days of May, I’ll be at a summer camp and I would only be able to dedicate around half an hour to an hour to SWC each day. I may also have vacation plans in June for around a week, but those haven’t been set in stone quite yet, though I’ll be sure to update the hosts or my leader if needed. Additionally, I’ll be at an in-person writing camp for a few days in July (8th-13th), but I should be able to dedicate an hour a day to SWC. These generally won't cause really bad bouts of inactivity- I'll still have time almost every day to fulfill usual (co)leading duties, while still having time for sleep and self-care.

⇾ Time Management ⚘

When it comes to time management, I’m very good at organizing my tasks so that I’m not working up until the very end of the deadline. As much as I joke about procrastinating, it’s become a much smaller issue for me than it used to be. By using a variety of productivity tools and through the power of rewarding myself, procrastination has become an occasional annoyance rather than a huge issue it was for me many years ago. I avoid leaving things to the last minute so that it’s not rushed. I'm a big believer in the power of to-do lists and sticking to schedules. Being organized is the not-so-secret method to my madness.

I'm also very dedicated. When I find something that I genuinely care about, I want to give it the focus that it deserves. I've developed a love for writing and for this camp, so I've got the drive to give it time and attention. One of the things that I quickly learned from co-leading last session is that organization and being on time is a vital component of SWC running smoothly. I'm motivated to finish tasks on time so that I give my best to everyone- hosts, leaders, and campers alike.

However, this dedication has its downsides. Because I strive to give my best to the things I care about, I can get caught up in details. I tend to be a very nitpicky person, and my perfectionism often gets in the way of getting things done. I can tell myself that I’m done with something, but then I spend even more time making tiny, almost unrecognizable changes. This constant focus on trying to make everything flawless can throw me off-track and lead me to spend a lot of time on things that require that much attention. It ends up wasting a lot of time and generally inconveniences everyone. However, I have worked to get better at this by setting strict deadlines for myself, and my organization and ability to avoid procrastination means that I have more time to fuss about details before I finish.

⇾ Collaboration ⚘

I think that my worst weakness in working with others is that I don’t like being demanding and forceful. I think I tend to want to not put work on other people’s shoulders. While that kind of mindset has its place, it can be tricky in leadership positions because I don’t like to push people, even when it’s for the sake of a deadline or other important things. I've worked a lot to become better at this, especially through my experiences in debate club and through the amount of critique that I've offered for writing, both for people in SWC as well as many of my friends irl. I've found that building respect and trust for one another on a leadership team is a big help in these situations. When a group of leaders has respect for each other, it's easier for them to be honest with one another without another member of the team getting insulted. I've learned that being honest is often the kinder, better choice.

My other flaw is that I tend to say things like “whatever you think is best” or “either way works for me” when people ask for my opinion. Oftentimes I do have opinions on certain things, and I'm not afraid to share those, but when it comes to smaller details, I'm indecisive. Some people enjoy having the freedom to choose on their own without input, but others find it stifling. I've worked on this in really small, simple ways. The most helpful way that I've found is just communicating with others and asking if they want a strong, sincere opinion.

As for my strengths, I’m good at general leadership and collaboration. I know how to take initiative, delegate tasks, and come up with creative solutions with issues. I'm always full of a multitude of ideas, and being able to see them come to life is exhilerating. Though I’m about as introverted as they come, I love working alongside people to create good things. I like gathering ideas and then working (whether that be as a contributor or the one organizing it all) to make a product of everyone’s thoughts and input. It’s one of the features that I love most about this camp- there are a lot of opportunities to work together and share ideas.

Additionally, I’m very organized and I try to break large tasks into smaller ones to avoid stressing myself and others out; it’s a time-tested method that helps with getting the big things done. I've always got a plan B and a plan C, which is especially helpful when something goes wrong. I'm good at thinking on my feet and working patiently and calmly to sort out issues. I’m also very focused and deadline-conscious, which is a good help to the group as a whole.

Alongside my organization and teamwork skills, I hope to be a force of encouragement, both in my leadership group and my cabin. I make it a goal of mine to be the kindest, best person I can be, especially online where there's often a lot of hatred. I want to help lift others up in this camp, whether that be through giving encouragement to campers in my cabin or through trying to be helpful and patient with those in my leadership team. I live by a song I learned in church a long time ago- “kindness begins with me”.

⇾ One Trait ⚘

One trait that I admire in great leaders is dedication. It takes a lot of effort to lead a group and to organize the thoughts of a team into one complete product.
Hard work is something that I have a very strong belief in, and I hope to embody this by putting my best effort into this cabin, while also taking care of myself (and, of course, reminding others in the cabin to do so as well - self-care always comes first!). In my family, we have a sweet and simple motto- “say yes!”. To be more specific, “say yes” means accepting challenges in the name of positive things. This is a key part of dedication. Being truly dedicated to something means committing to something, difficulties and all. It means promising to persist. Dedicating yourself to helping others and giving them the best you have isn't just a good attribute to have in leadership positions, it's also a good attribute for everyday life.
I want to embody this trait by giving my best to those around me in this camp. I want to design and run a cabin with an amount of care and enthusiasm so that it can be the best it can be for the campers. I also want to be a kind and dedicated leader- willing to help out campers who may be confused or struggling.

⇾ Atmosphere ⚘

I want to create an atmosphere that focuses on celebrating small achievements and becoming a stronger writer, with a sense of competition and fun as well.
(154 characters)

⇾ Checks + More ⚘

( ✓ ) I am applying for leader and co
( X ) I am only applying for co
( ✓ ) I would be willing to share an SWC promo

I am willing to and capable of completing all required tasks listed in the FAQ.

Should a fellow co/leader go inactive, I would check with them and discuss what caused their inactivity and what can be done as a leadership team to make up for it and prevent it from reoccurring. If they don't respond for a while, I will contact one of the hosts and inform them of the situation. Should they not return at all, I would work to reorganize the tasks needed for each person and, if necessary, find a replacement to keep the leadership team moving forward. I'd also be willing to put in extra work in another person's time of inactivity so that work continues as normal and necessary tasks don't pile up.

Should I have to suddenly go inactive, I would make an effort to at least be on for another day or so to help make that transition smooth. I would inform the hosts and everyone on my leadership team about the cause of my inactivity and offer a sincere apology. I'd work to try and complete any strictly necessary obligations before leaving and ensure that the rest of the team is well-equipped to handle any issues that may arise while they're finding their footing after losing a team member.

word counts

⇾ answers w/o excerpt: 2465 ⚘
⇾ excerpt: 491 ⚘
⇾ answers w/ excerpt: 2958 ⚘

⇾ A hundred thousand thank-you's to Sienna, Em, Summer, Mouse, and Rockie for their incredible critique <3 ⚘

Last edited by PoppyWriter (May 15, 2024 02:06:20)

⚘ It is a truth universally acknowledged that a girl who has a lot of books and too little bookshelf space must be in want of… more books. ⚘

ChueyTheCat

I couldn't think of a title silly enough {} Chuey's SWC Application July 2024
hehe i make big letters

teeny tiny note: none of the “file loading” things are supposed to look very accurate lol so if you find yourself going “wait, that's not what my computer would really say!”, well, i'd like to know where you found this talking computer of yours…

Table of Contents
1. Introduction (in which I tell you everything you never wanted to know)
i. about me
ii. past participation
iii. preferences
iv. writing example
2. Leadership (in which I pretend to be serious)
i. dedication
ii. time management
iv. no i in team
v. value
vi. atmosphere
vii. final questions
3. Conclusion (in which I do nothing)
i. there is no conclusion

1. Introduction

i. about me
(loading file, please wait…)
(…)
(file 04003 loaded)
Name: Chuey REDACTED
Age: REDACTED
Gender: REDACTED, she/her
Personality traits:
(+) cheerful, optimistic, curious
(+/-) extraverted, imaginative, impulsive
(-) short-tempered, impatient, nosy
Hobbies: reading, writing, art, coding, baking
Likes: Chocolate, coffee, dessert, macaroni, annoying her friends, the smell of old books, breathing
Dislikes: The color orange, green beans, burnt bacon, vanilla pudding, being annoyed by her siblings
Favorite color: Purple
Favorite scent: Mint and lavender
Favorite animal: Cats
Other identities: REDACTED and REDACTED
Timezone: CST
Religion: Christianity
School: Home B)
Martial arts belt: Purple, one stripe
Silliness level: 1000/10

ii. past participation
the door swings open and someone tumbles out, dusty, smoky, covered in scrapes and bruises. every breath is a harsh reminder, every blink enough to send tears waterfalling down crusted cheeks.
she has failed, with nothing to show for her efforts but a handful of sand.
she tosses it aside and, with the last of her strength, crawls back inside.
the door slams shut with a final-sounding boom.
but it's not the end. not yet
(loading file, please wait…)
(…)
(file REDACTED FOR SECURITY loaded)
Name: Chuey
Cabins: Dystopian, Realistic Fiction, Fanfiction
Sessions: July 2022, November 2023, March 2024
Roles: Camper, camper, bridge troll
+++
Experience:
Chuey has been writing for a decade, although it's only in the past four or five years that her stories have become somewhat legible. She has entered and lost several writing competitions–but she's also placed in a few, so she hasn't given up yet. She has a terrible, terrible habit of writing in second person, torturing her characters, and making fun of people (including herself). Her characters are best known for being extremely silly.
Although she's been described as a natural leader by friends and family, Chuey feels that more thanks is due to her younger siblings, who were born for the sole purpose of being ordered around. (They have a different opinion on the matter.) Despite their best effort to overthrow her authority, Chuey has managed to avoid anarchy for the most part. Chuey was also recently instituted as an assistant teacher at her martial arts class–lucky her, she gets to try and make a bunch of five-year-olds hit each other in the face without anyone getting in trouble or sustaining permanent damage.
(remainder of file redacted for unknown reasons)

iii. preferences
she clutches the dagger, willing it to glow, but it stays stubbornly ordinary, and the monster's head is turning. heart pounding, she turns and runs, saltwater waves rolling down her face again.
why didn't it work.
she needed it to, please.
maybe something else, something different would.
she ducks into the door again.
(loading file, please wait…)
(…)
(file REDACTED FOR SECURITY loaded)
{ cabins chuey would love to colead, in order }
1. Pick-the-Plot
2. Fairy Tales
3. Illustrated Fiction
4. Fantasy
5. Folklore
6. Short Story
7. Science Fiction
8. Steampunk
9. Action/adventure (Chuey has tied them in her preferences out of respect for the missing 9th place in March ‘24 /j)
10. Lyric
11. Mystery
12. Mythology
13. Poetry
14. Script
15. Romance
16. Dystopian
17. Historical Fiction
18. Nonfiction

{ cabins chuey would rather not colead, also in order }
1. Tragedy
2. Fanfiction (she was just in this cabin lol)
3. Realistic Fiction (she was also in this cabin rather recently)
4. Horror
Chuey has no hard feelings towards any of these cabins, she would just prefer not to colead them–either because she’s unfamiliar with the genre and would have difficulty helping with the storyline and theme, or because she was recently in it.

{ the cabin that will not win (there is no order *insane cackling*) }
Chuey forgot to include it on her list of preferences (oops, silly Chuey…) but she would be perfectly fine coleading TCTWNW and thinks it sounds like a fun opportunity.

iv. writing example
the fires are everywhere, crackling and popping under an ashen sky. she can't put them out on her own, she's not strong enough. crumpling to her knees, she surveys the inevitable destruction.
but it isn't inevitable, after all. help flocks to her, willing hands lift the burdens she's too weary to, many fingers fight the blaze.
that was a long time ago.
there's no one on her side now.
(file loading, please wait…)
(file corrupt. open anyway?)
(processing request…)

Tea for Two
To an outsider, the two women would have appeared to be merely taking afternoon tea in a pleasant sitting room. It was only someone who inspected them closer that would notice how tightly the eggshell teacups were clenched, and how tense the silence between them.
The woman with dark hair spoke first.
“Up to old games, Any?” she asked, sniffing her tea. “Let’s see, that’s amaranth, hellebore, a dash of dark magic…my, my, someone’s in a bad mood today!”
The woman with blond curls snarled. “My name is Anastasia, and you are the one who invited yourself to tea. I can serve you whatever I choose.”
Her companion smirked and sipped her tea. “It wouldn’t bother me even if I were foolish enough to drink unknowingly. A pinch of witch hazel every day keeps the witches away, as they say.”
Anastasia’s teacup shattered with the force of her grip, and the woman with black hair clucked her tongue. “My, my, how very violent of you, Any,” she remarked calmly, taking another sip. “Then again, you always were.”
“I hate you,” Anastasia spat, her blue eyes glowing balefully.
The other woman laughed. “I well believe it! The trouble is, darling, you’re just as much to blame.” She tapped her fingers on the table absentmindedly, setting her fragile cup down on its saucer. “You see, Any dear, it all comes from dabbling. And dearest, dearest daughter, dabbling is a very dangerous thing to do.”
Anastasia stood up so abruptly that the creamer overturned and spilled its contents over the once-pristine tablecloth. “Don’t call me that!” she shouted, shaking with rage. “You can’t. You have no right to.”
“No right?” the woman with black hair asked, arching an eyebrow. “No right? I gave you life, sweetheart. You’re bound to me.”
Anastasia turned and left the room, trailing fury and heartbreak behind her with every step.
And her mother threw back her head and laughed, fearing that the tears would spill over if she didn't.

(end of files)

2. Leadership
(receiving recording…)
(recording received. play?)
(beginning recording…)
“*harsh breathing*”
“I…only have a few…minutes, so let's-”
“*screeches in the background*”
"My name is Chuey, and I'm running out of time…

i. dedication
Currently, I have no plans in July that would affect my capability to participate. I expect to be able to dedicate at least an hour or so every day to SWC, including writing dailies, doing in-cabin activities, and other SWC-related things.
I've been fairly good about keeping up with SWC thus far–last session, my third, I finally managed to get a perfect streak of dailies and weeklies. However, I think there's still some room for improvement, as I'm not that great with keeping up with Word Wars or Crititititqueiare.
(My spelling could also use some work…/j)

ii. time management
This is, admittedly, one of the areas I should probably work on more. I have DEFINITELY done my fair share of speedrunning–but then, who hasn't?
Generally, when it comes to time management during SWC, I set myself daily tasks (do the daily, speedrun the weekly, save my cabin from Alana the Terror /jj /welovealana), and while I may procrastinate on those during the day, in the end, I don't let them become overdue. Eventually, the ticking clock sets me in motion, which is one of the upsides to SWC's deadlines–they force me to get writing!

iv. no i in team
When it comes to working with others, I like to think that I do a fairly good job of it. I know how to cooperate and bounce ideas around, although I get a bit impatient at times with people like my siblings. Never fear–all SWCers (in fact, everyone) is safe from the Sibling-Cooperation-Wrath. I can work with all kinds of people, and it's much easier for me to reign in my temper online. Strange, I know! But typing out responses give me a chance to think and cool down before reacting, and decide whether I really want to push that send button.
As for assets I'd bring to a leading team, I'm great at coming up with varieties of ideas and suggestions, and…
And this is a big one….
I……
Have a calculator on my computer SO I CAN ADD WORD COUNTS QUICKLY AND ACCURATELY *mind-blown*
y'all this is such a fantastic skill and I did absolutely nothing to cultivate it.
Moving on (I'll try to be more serious from here on…but no guarantees).
Another thing I could bring to the team is the skill of communication. I'm a people person, 100%, and I can connect to a wide variety of people. I'm not afraid to step up and say hi, answer a question or concern, or simply chat. I believe that having someone on a leading team who can reach out to newcomers or shyer campers is a valuable asset, and I'm willing to take on that role should a leader pick me for their team.

v. value
The quality I value most in someone in a leadership role is respect. Respect for those above them, respect for those below them, and a willingness to swallow their pride and step into someone else's shoes for a bit. A leader who is humble and polite will get far farther and be much better liked than someone who leads with pride and insensitivity.
As a coleader, I'd try to embody this trait by, well, being respectful. I try hard to do this anyway, but it's especially important in a leadership role, when more people are watching your actions. I want to be known as someone fun, lighthearted, a bit silly–but also someone who does what needs to be done and treats everyone equally and with grace.

vi. atmosphere
Bouncy, fun, and relaxed, with a focus on helping campers reach personal goals.

vii. final questions
a.
() I am applying for both leader and coleader
(x) I am applying only for coleader
(x) I'm willing to share a promotional project for SWC
b.
no! I believe that I'm capable of completing all of the duties.
as a side note, I don't have access to canva so I wouldn't be able to help with any slides there, although I have several obscure alt accounts and old projects that I could upload art, code, and other things into.
c.
If I went inactive and had no time to warn my cabin, I'd make sure that my fellow leaders knew what duties I was performing before the session started, and that they would be able to take them over should I be unable to. If a fellow leader went inactive, I would help the cabin to run smoothly by taking on some of their duties, or, in the case of being the only coleader, all of them.

3. Conclusion

i. there is no conclusion
however, there is a missing section

have fun trying to find it bahahaha
the end.

chuey won the battle against the monster and ate mangoes the end for real.

Last edited by ChueyTheCat (May 7, 2024 15:15:44)

just your friendly local neighborhood chaotic nerd author/artist christian keefe-loving coffee-drinking procrastinator

theawesomemarbler

Marbles's SWC July 2024 Co-Leader App

Project: unshared

About Me

Hey there! I'm Marbles. I'm just an average 16 years old teenage boy that's an INFJ living in the MYT timezone. My pronouns are he/him and my hobbies include gaming, writing, and also animating. I adore animation a lot. But the type of animations that stick out to me are indie animations. My favorites include The Amazing Digital Circus, Murder Drones, Hazbin Hotel and Lackadaisy (the one you are looking at right now!) I love the characters in each show with their excellent personalities and in-depth feelings. They help inspire me to write better stories and also become a better animator with my characters.

I also am in love with Japanese culture. I love anime so much. The art styles of each anime is so good it makes me jealous of my own abilities to draw ;-; (and the characters are so good-looking too I can't-) I'm also in love with J-pop songs. My favorite artist is the duo YOASOBI with their hit songs Idol and Racing Into the Night. And as you probably guessed it, my dream country to be in is Japan. I've been prepping myself to travel there for the past 2 years! For example, doing Duolingo everyday for a year already! Because of that I can understand Japanese. Besides Japanese, I can also read English, Chinese, Indonesian (very bad at it) and German. (not so much) I am very dedicated to study languages because I'm practically the studious kid in class. I like to write notes for exams, analyze how to be better at certain things and also read most of the time. I guess reading really helped me in the aspects of writing and language. So kids don't play video games and read more for good results >:(

Okay I was joking for that last part. Despite being a nerd, I love playing video games. It's my favorite pastime. Playing video games help me relax my mind and focus on something else besides stressing out on the leader apps- Oh wait I guess I overshot… Yeah that's my problem… I can get too engrossed in video games, but it helps me refresh my ideas for fanfic and writing prompts. Games that I enjoy include Touhou, Poppy Playtime, Undertale, Deltarune, DDLC and OMORI. Unfortunately, the games I play also affects my study time. It's my final year of high school and my study habits are getting slacked. (see more in time management) I believe it's the video games but personal reasons may also be a factor, but I rather not disclose

I also have other things that I enjoy besides the ones listed above. For example, I love to code. I use programs like Scratch, JavaScript and Python but mainly Scratch because it's simple. I also love drinking coffee because the aroma clears my mind of writer's block. The taste of coffee is so strong too and I love it. I'm a cat person but I like dogs too. Cats are cuter and you can't prove me wrong otherwise >:)

Participation

This coming session will be my 6th. I've participated SWC 5 times so far and only have been a camper. The list of my camp experiences are listed below:

July 2021 - Adventure
March 2022 - Horror
March 2023 - Dystopian
November 2023 - Mystery
March 2024 - Fairy Tales

Currently, I have multiple writing experiences in and off Scratch. Even though I hadn't won any prizes from the writing comp, my friends had really enjoyed the stories I wrote to them during my free time. I also plan to join an international writing competition by the end of this month, but I still hadn't know the results. Regardless, I did win a writing competition in my school last year and also on an online website, which both stories received many positive feedback. As of right now, I don't have any leadership experiences, but I had acknowledged all skills and tips required for being a good leader from analyzing the methods of other leaders in SWC and irl friends. (I'm the studious kid remember?)

Genres

With a new session, I'm delighted to explore new options especially since in the previous session I joined a cabin with a different vibe and I still enjoy the experience! So this time I would co-lead any cabin, having no distaste towards any genre. But my preferred options are Fantasy, Real-Fi and Sci-Fi, not arranged in any particular order. And I also would rather not lead TCTWNW because I prefer to co-lead a cabin where we have a competitive spirit to achieve something and also to have a goal to focus on throughout the session. (see cabin atmosphere for more)

Excerpt

Excerpt is provided here

Time dedication

I'm willing to commit an hour or two to SWC daily. There will be no activities in July that will disturb me throughout the session. However, during the second and third week of June I'll have my mid-year exams which will take up most of my time in June. This may affect planning, but I believe I can still contribute. I can't be studying 24/7 the whole month right? Still, in my final year of high school, I may not be able to be as active in planning compared to helping out in the session. But I believe I can make some time off to help. (see time management for how I sort out my plans)

Time management

Advantages
I'm a very flexible person. I am good at organizing schedules even at the very last minute for desperate measures. Something comes out that contradicts my plan? No problem! I can just find another slot to do it another day! It seems like a common skill for someone to do, but personally it never gets messy whenever I plan something. I also come out with (very brief) timetables to help me with my time. Usually I sort out the things that are hard to easiest so I will be able to go smoothly from then on. Hopefully that's a good example on how I work with things

Shortcomings
Sadly I am easily distracted, like what I did while working on this. Every time I want to do something, a friend will ask me if I want to play with them and in the end I'll end up losing track of my time and ending up not finishing my work. Another disadvantage of my time is procrastination. I'm actually a very lazy person. I don't like to work myself off, as you can see in my hobbies they are mainly more laid-back activities. So when I see myself doing this I'll go Oh dear this is too hard for me. Uh no I'll just do it another time… And that always happens to me especially when it comes to drawing. (not designing thank God) I'll try to find ways to reduce procrastination but as for now these are my current problems.

Collaboration

Advantages
I am very good with ideas. Usually I don't really have a lack of ideas and can come out with many plans just fine. (Unless I have a brain lag but that rarely happens) I am also very reachable. If you need to contact me, I'll not take very long to respond! With these advantages the time taken for decision making won't last very long! I'm also the type of person to create a backup plan for a backup plan. I always try to find errors in ways and try to fix them to ensure maximum efficiency. I'm also very flexible with the ideas of others. If someone suggests an idea that I didn't come out with, I would choose to accept rather than conflict with them even more. But I am not perfect in groups, as you'll see soon.

Shortcomings
Unfortunately, again, it's my final year of high school and I have to study for my major exams, which means I'll be busy on some days where I couldn't really respond to certain situations. Especially now with my parents limiting my screen time on my phone and laptop, it makes it complicated whenever I want to use my devices for Scratch. But I believe what's my biggest issue with working with others is overthinking. As said earlier, it's good to have emergency plans, but I always feel like I'm missing something or something is slightly off. In other words, I have the tendency to overthink. Whenever a task is complete, I keep feeling I left something out. This sense of insecurity and anxiousness may waste some time, but I believe I will be able to adapt to the situations handed to me.

One quality

One quality I value in a leader is their dedication. When a leader is dedicated to do something, they are able to do their work well instead of procrastinating so things will go on smoothly from then. I also believe that being motivated by your goals can also set an example to other leaders or campers in the session to do the same. In summary, I believe being dedicated helps to make things run more smoothly and also inspire others to be motivational as well.

For me to be able to do this, I can check around each camper's profiles frequently and ask if their progress is coming to the way they wanted it. I can also provide motivational quotes to the leaders in the main cabin and also my own cabin. I'll also sort out some of my time to do SWC so things will not be missed out and I am able to do my part in the leadership team. Finally, I'll sort out easy tasks for the campers to help them understand about the cabin system or tasks easily.

Cabin atmosphere

A place where campers come together to solve problems with effective teamwork and also to motivate each other to complete tasks to ensure the cabin's victory (26 words, 157 characters)

Checklists

A: I am applying only for co-leader
B: nope! I am fine with all responsibilities listed
C: When I notice a fellow (co)leader is inactive for the past week, I'll ask if they are still contributing to SWC. If they are not, I'll inform the host and the cabin's leaders about the inactivity which will then be sorted out between them. If I cannot make out time to contribute to SWC as a co-leader anymore, I will first inform the other leaders in my cabin that I will unfortunately step down. Then I'll go through the list of co-leader apps that my campers have sent but were originally rejected. If none of my campers deemed to be suitable, I will check applications of other Scratchers that are currently NOT participating in SWC. Once I've chosen the suitable person, I will notify the hosts and the others leaders of the session I will be stepping down but the person I chose will be taking my place instead. After telling the new co-leader on what to do, I will officially step down from my position.

1811 words excluding the excerpt

Last edited by theawesomemarbler (May 16, 2024 14:39:20)

The name is Marbles, I love animating and coding, even though it's complicated.

play sound [coding is life] until done

cherrywvne

˗ˏˋ cherrywvne's application´ˎ˗

(july xxiv)

- ౨ৎ -

Question 1: Tell us about yourself!

Hey there! I'm Gabbie, a Filipino-American teenager who chases sunsets, constantly yaps about her hyperfixations, and aspires to be a family lawyer (once I get through freshman year of high school and the years of education to follow). I've been on Scratch since 2019.

I am inquisitive, creative, and passionate with a wide range of interests. I'll talk about them all at any given chance as long as you have time and are willing to listen! My interests include (but are not limited to) art, music, the handful of fandoms I find myself in, theater (had the pleasure of performing for Lin Manuel Miranda once), fashion, worldbuilding, and writing (of course). I also enjoy playing basketball and volleyball, scrapbooking, binge-watching canceled Netflix shows, playing Roblox, and going to the gym.

Currently, you can find me lost in the lore of a DC comic, blasting my tunes on some Bluetooth device, browsing through the rows of a vinyl store, or suffering under the amount of pressure finals have cursed upon me. Luckily, I find myself escaping the burdens of school through the previously mentioned canceled Netflix shows (Julie and the Phantoms, Anne With an E, and more) or the new Percy Jackson television series, which I am completely and wholly in love with. I am neurodivergent—diagnosed with OCD and dyslexia—so you know it hit when Percy insisted, “There is something wrong with my brain, but something may be really broken now.”

Along with my obsession with television shows, I also love music! My current favorite artists are RC Avenue, Dominic Fike, and ABBA. I can never not mention David Bowie, either, so that's awesome. Two of my most prized possessions are my Ziggy Stardust vinyl and my Mott the Hoople All the Young Dudes vinyl (yes, I am a Marauders fan). As for books, I love The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It's my everything.

I use she/her pronouns and live in Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5). It's very nice to meet you! Oh, and I was previously Sein on the account Spire-! Super happy to be back. <3

Question 2: Have you previously participated in SWC?

This session will officially* be my seventh session!

Previous Sessions:
July 2021: Myth (camper)
November 2021: Horror (camper)
March 2022: Poetry (camper)
July 2022: Poetry (co-leader)
November 2022: Sci-Fi (leader)
March 2023: Horror (co-leader)

*NOTE: In July 2023 I stepped away from my co-leading position in Mystery due to personal reasons. </3

I also have lots of experience leading outside of SWC.

I led Chemistry for Scratch Science Camp in July 2022. I was the 5th-grade class representative; leader of the Eco Club (2023); co-editor of the Newspaper Club (2022); head editor, PR officer, and leader of the Newspaper Club (2023); delegate of the Law Club (2023); leader of the Yearbook Club (2023); delegate of Freshman Student council (2024); and am also an ENVISION alumnus.

Question 3: Which cabins would you prefer to lead?

I recommend the genres of flash fiction and regency romance. As for possible comebacks, I’d like to see adventure, horror, mythology, or mystery. They’d have some fun themes and possibilities.

Though I’m fine with leading any cabin, I do have a preference for horror and adventure. I’ve had the pre-existing idea of Dungeons and Dragons adventure for a while now, but with the graphic design element of this session being IKEA, I feel that horror cabin with a SCP-3008 inspired theme just makes sense, you know?

SCP-3008 | Horror SWC July 2024. The store is now closed, PLEASE EXIT THE BUILDING. You’ve found yourself trapped in infinite IKEA with loads of furniture, few resources, and… creepy IKEA workers. With your fellow campers and your three survival guides, gather supplies, create bases, and survive Infinite IKEA.

I dunno, but I love the idea of that. Maybe for TCTWNW. And yes, I’d be happy to co-lead TCTWNW!

Question 4: Please provide an excerpt of your writing.

“Go on. Go back to your castle and your rich mommy and daddy. The streets aren’t a place for a kid like you.” Jason’s voice, despite his attempts at hiding his disdain, was both cold and full of distaste. How could a privileged kid—a noble, no less—be out and about instead of staying in the comfort of their luxurious home? To him, it was almost an absurd idea. It made him almost offended. He didn’t have much himself.

In response, Hailey frowned, observing the boy who had saved her life from a group of thugs. He was at least sixteen years old, around her age, and had dark hair. He also had the most dazzling gunmetal blue eyes she’d ever seen. She almost got lost in them before he scoffed, reprimanding her for being out and about; telling her the streets were no place for a noble like her. He wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Well,” she started, sizing him up. “You’re not exactly an adult yourself.”

She noticed there was a slight bruise forming on his bicep from the moment he jumped in to save her. Her brows contorted in concern at his injury, but she kept silent.

“I’m not the one walking around asking to be mugged,” the boy pointed out grumpily, looking over at Hailey’s short frame. She was a noble. She should be back in her parents’ cushy castle, being waited on hand and foot. A noble, especially a young girl like her, had no reason to roam the dangerous side of town, especially at this late hour. It was almost sundown.

Perhaps he had jumped to assumptions. Maybe she was a runaway, or he could be right and she was an entitled brat, but for some reason, he didn’t exactly believe that.

“So, who are you anyway?” Jason asked with mild curiosity, gunmetal blue eyes trained on her.

“I’m Lady Hailey of the House Kyle, Noble of the kingdom of Steen,” she answered professionally, just as she was raised. Each morning, Hailey would say the same introduction to her lady-in-waiting when asked, up until the morning she turned thirteen.

“And you? What’s your name?” she asked in return, peering at him with the same curious—if not more—gaze. His eyes were captivating, she noted, silently admiring how the light hit them.

Jason gave a sharp, brief nod, seemingly taking note of her surname. Of the House Kyle. Probably some important noble he was expected to bow to and show respect just because of their title, he concluded, holding back the urge to roll his eyes. As if.

At her question, he scoffed. “Jason. Just Jason.”

None of your —- business, he originally thought. He frowned, sizing her up now since he found her own curiosity and inquisitive nature amusing. He wasn’t used to nobles asking such questions or even paying attention to him at all. Hell, he was surprised she even talked to him. Sparing him a glance was even a bit much for a street urchin like himself.

“Well, thank you for saving me, Jason,” she said curtly, a polite smile on her lips. The realization that she could’ve as well have died back there had finally settled, leaving her brain a bit frazzled, the only thought assuring her was the boy who had suddenly rushed in. Her hero.

“I owe you,” she added, blinking her gray eyes as her lashes fluttered innocently. “If there’s anything I can do—”

“Don’t get all sentimental,” Jason grumbled, hiding the tiny bit of pride that settled in his stomach at her words of gratitude. Her polite words made him feel warm inside, bringing her up a couple of levels in Jason’s book.

Question 5: What amount of time do you expect to be able to dedicate to SWC?

This summer, my schedule is finally free! All my vacations are planned for August and whatever I have in July (hangouts, volunteer, etc.) can easily be balanced between my responsibilities towards Scratch Writing Camp. I plan to dedicate most of my time to being active, participating in camp activities, and fulfilling the duties of either a camper or (co)leader, depending on my acceptance.

Question 6: What are your skills and shortcomings in time management?

Skills

Working quickly and proficiently is a skill I picked up after falling into the pit of procrastination. Along with being organized, I like to make lists and reminders of tasks I have to complete to properly manage my time. This allows me to get into the zone, make deadlines just in time, and make up for whatever work I wasn’t able to complete when occupied or distracted by something else.

Prioritizing allows me to allot my time and energy toward what is important at the moment or what requires more attention for later. By properly prioritizing my work, I am more productive, which would be a benefit for tasks I’d need to finish and the people I’d be working with.

Shortcomings

Procrastinating is probably the biggest challenge I try to face. Despite it being a good motivator when a deadline draws near, I have been aiming to improve procrastinating less. A piece of advice I’ve been following has helped me improve tremendously: procrastinating is taking advantage of the time God has given you.

Perfectionism also tends to hold me back at times. With my OCD, I am almost constantly driven to make things the best they can be, and while that can be a good thing, it often leads me to focus on little details and forget the total aspect of what I’m working on. I get carried away with making sure everything is to a tee and it often adds to my distractions.

Question 7: What are your strengths and weaknesses in working with others?

Strengths

Communication is a skill I believe is the most important when collaborating with others. I always try to reach out and convey my ideas clearly when collaborating. Also, I aim to make sure all people’s ideas are included, using communication to find some compromise that pleases everyone when it can.

Creative Input is an asset I use to benefit all my collaborations. Whether it be sharing my creative visions, adding to a list of possibilities, or making my creativity come to life, it’s always the one thing I enjoy most. I am also skilled in the areas of art and graphic design.

Weaknesses

Control Freak, I must admit, is one thing that comes to mind when I think of myself in a group work setting. As mentioned before, I am a perfectionist, so I find myself taking control at times. Still, I make sure to not get too carried away with taking the reigns. I give credit where credit is due and ensure everyone has a part in collaborating.

Overthinking is also one of my major weaknesses in a lot of things, especially collaboration. I find myself thinking more than doing at times, which often serves as a distraction when I’m working. I have been improving overthinking less, though, and am confident this weakness will not hinder my work or its quality.

Question 8: What one quality do you value most in a leader?

I value the leadership quality of adaptability the most. From my experiences as a leader, when something unexpected happens or is thrown at you, it’s important to roll with it, have a plan b, and take responsibility for the next step. If chosen, I will do my utmost to be flexible while also fulfilling the responsibilities that come with being a (co)leader. I will also make sure to apply that same flexibility with campers and make sure that they’re comfortable, able to complete their self-set goals, and more importantly, make sure they’re having fun and enjoying their SWC experience.

Question 9: What cabin atmosphere do you want to create? (132 characters)

A welcoming, laidback, goal-oriented environment open to both new and old campers looking for an immersive and fun cabin experience.

Question 10: Check Boxes.

A. {✓} I am applying for both leader and co-leader.
{ } I am applying only for co-leader.
{✓} I'm willing to share a promotional project for SWC.

B. None.

C. This time around, in the case of inactive leadership, I plan to:
- Notify both campers, (co)leaders, and the team of the leave
- In the case of my leave, fulfill simple duties while/if I can
- In the case of another’s leave, try to cover all bases and spread out my time calculatingly
- If needed, involve myself in finding a replacement leader

(word count: 1,954)

౨ৎ

gabbie | she/her | xiv
2024 © cherrywvne on Scratch.
Do not use, steal, or repost my work.

dance the night away - grentperez

Coco_animator

coco's july'24 leader application
2032 words, not including excerpt

about me

hey there!! i‘m coco, and i go by she/they pronouns <3 i live in India, and so my timezone is IST

let‘s start with my hobbies: i love drawing, singing, listening to music, and even dancing and most of all, i love reading and writing. let‘s be honest over here: i don‘t think i can ever express just how /much/ i like books.

i mean, what exactly can i say about them? they‘re amazing, they express so much in just simple words- they can open your eyes, open your heart, and widen your understanding of the world, in so many perspectives.
my favourite types of books are the ones that emotionally delve deep into me- the books that make me cry, that i wholly understand. i love books like those- examples are ‘the fault in our stars‘, ‘the book thief,‘ and many more. these have widened my perspective and left me there on my desk, tears falling on to my pages. i know, sensitive moment, but who ever knew that literally just words, just words, could make such an impact on a person?? it‘s truly fascinating and wholly beautiful, and i just love it haha <3 aside from that, i love thriller and fantasy books ( and even a range of webcomics! ) those literally leave me ranting to my friends about how annoying the latest cliff-hangers are, and how much i love the plot <3 examples of these are ‘cover story‘, ‘heartstopper‘ and ‘six of crows‘!

music has also impacted my life so much.
i think it‘s actually helped so much towards my life in writing- i love the lyrics of songs, especially tragic ones that make me want to cry. i love to use little pieces of those songs anywhere- in my stories, essays, or even just as little quotes that i stick on my wall or post on scratch.
and yeah, i think that's it! that‘s basically all there is about me. i love books (and writing them! i‘m biased towards poems, however-) i love songs, and i love how words can make such a big impact on a person. thank you <3

experience

this session will be my seventh session, which means i’ve participated in six sessions of swc so far (all as a camper):

non-fi march’22 ( led by maia, stormi, jia & ollie )
hi-fi july’22 ( led by sun, star, & goose, )
dystopian nov’22 ( led by peachi, lisa & dawn )
contemp july’23 ( led by cami & september )
lit-fi nov’23 ( led by fae, elfie & clem )
script march’24 ( led by alia, snowy & pepper )

additionally, i’ve camped in SAC three times, in SRC two times, and was leader in SEC once.

moreover, i have leadership experience in real life: i was vice-prefect, class representative, and leader of my chess team, as well as basketball team. just a few days ago, i won gold in a slam poetry competition, and my short stories have been entered in the school magazine <3 i’ve been selected for two debate competitions and won silver in both of them, as well as been leader for six group projects

these experiences have taught me how to effectively divide work equally and set a due date for all parts, and how to work together as a team <3

cabin preferences

overall, i would generally be fine with leading any cabin! however, i would prefer not to lead non-fi, lit-fi, hi-fi, dystopian, contempt and script as these are cabins i have previously been in <3

one of my cabin ideas describes a shimmering palace on a mysterious land. it contains blue orbs which hold the vast answers of the future. however, one day, a rebel group attacks: and the palace is destroyed. all the prophecies are shattered and are lost to the world.

in this, the campers would work together to uncover the shards of glass to piece together The Great Prophecy, using vague clues ( from me and the other (co)leaders of my cabin! ) here's a general outline of how i hope it'll work: i'll ask the (co)leaders of the other cabins if they want to participate in my cabin's storyline. each (co)leader that volunteers will be assigned one shard of glass -> one verse of the prophecy. the other (co)leaders of my cabin and i will give vague hints about the (co)leaders to the campers! the campers will then approach the (co)leaders and ask them if they have a verse of the great phropecy: if they do, then voila! if no, then simply bad luck, my child <3

in this, the campers will learn how to work as a team

this will encourage collaboration, boost their thinking skills, and overall bring a fun aura to the cabin! it also allows them to get to know more of other campers while working, as well as the (co)leaders, and new relationships will be formed <3

this idea could be adapted to work with ( poetry would be my first choice, the rest are not in order of preference ) poetry, folklore, tragedy and mystery <3

additionally, i think TCTWNW is amazing, but as i have a rather competitive storyline, i would prefer not to lead it! <3

excerpt

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

to be a villain
644 words

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

have you ever known of what it is like to be a villain;
with blood-covered fingers,
lurching stabs of guilt,
and tearstained eyes.
have you ever heard of the torment we have to go through;
fear etched upon our victim’s faces,
with their swollen eyes
crying desperately
help me
help!
while we’re supposed to laugh,
smile,
and act like we’re enjoying ourselves
while in reality
we don’t.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

have you ever heard the sound of blood;
dripping
dripping
dripping
a pool of grotesque red enlarging,
filling my eyes
while we’re forced
to relentlessly use a knife, or a dagger
while watching the pain in their eyes
enlarge until the whispers slowly come out
and turn into rambles,
which slowly turn into screams;
horrible, rasping screams,
calling us out for being antagonists
for being a miscreant
for not working for the good side of the world
help me!
i wish i could.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

have you ever seen the horror of bones snapping;
splintering into two broken halves,
dark red covering your hands,
everywhere you go,
everywhere you tread,
the skulls staring into your soul,
my terrible, evil, vicious soul,
bringing out the weak part of me,
the part that wishes that i could be the hero,
that i would be well-known,
be a person to admire,
be loved,
you’re my idol!
five year olds might say as i walk past,
but when i wake up
i know there’s no chance of it happening

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

have you ever felt their scars on your hands;
as you’re forced to repeatedly
stab
stab
stab
while inside you’re crying,
your self contempt eating up your insides,
growing larger and larger,
punishing yourself,
thinking,
why can’t i ever be the hero?
why won’t i ever matter to someone?
as they pour their hearts out,
tell me their story
tears spilling out of their eyes,
stop!
please, please, stop!
and in the end,
i know why i will never be valued.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

have you ever smelt the aura of powerful poison;
strong and thick, made with the blood and tears
of our dear enemies
while you pour it down their throats
and they choke and flail
trying to spit it out
while miserably, miserably failing
and as the liquid works
they scream in agony
no!
in pain
as their insides fill up with fire
their lungs stop functioning
and the fire in their eyes blows away
and you’re left holding a
cold,
lifeless body
wishing
wishing that you could just
…stop.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

have you ever tasted the flavour of blood;
when you hesitate even for a
hour
minute
second
to kill-
to blow out the candle of life
-in a being
and your leader punishes you
cruelly
as the hope and sense in your mind shrivels up
and turns to ash,
and you keep on
stabbing
breaking
cutting
pouring
killing
extinguishing their lives,
and with it,
slowly
extinguishing your soul

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

that’s how it feels like to be a villain-
no triumphant moments
no happiness
no joy
just sadness lingering in your heart
wondering
wondering
wondering
what were their lives like before i blew it out?
did they have happy children,
waiting for them to come back?
did they have loving parents,
sincerely doing the best for their child?
did they have caring friends
laughing and smiling with them?
and the dark thoughts whisper
you will never know
but as i hear their whispers of sadness
their cries for help
they encircle around
and form a thought in my head
a cloud with a silver lining
of hope
maybe, maybe one day
i’ll look at them
tears shining through their eyes
dark red blood covering their hands
and maybe one day
i’ll finally decide
to make a change
to inspire hope
i’ll look towards them, and-
-i’ll try.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

time commitment

from May 15th to 27th, i will be a bit busy as my final exams will be going on, but as i have prepared before-hand and finished (most) of my studies previously, i can dedicate at most half an hour everyday <3 i can not do /much/, however, i will be able to respond fast and make quick decisions, as i will be online ^^

after May 27th, i will be very free! my school will be close to over by then ( with only annual day practice ) i’ll be able to spend how much time there is needed <3 this goes for june and july as well, as i have no plans and will be able to dedicate my time to SWC <3 i will also be /very/ online on cabin wars haha ( i always make sure i’m free on saturdays! )

time management

time management is actually one skill i have under my control: after being a scriptwriter and director for my class assembly in 2023, and its topic being time management, i have learnt a lot of tips and hacks for it!

i’ve learnt how to prioritize a few tasks before the others, focus and get good results, how to assign tasks to a particular time and have a good amount of time for breaks, and how to utilize the use of timers to break down my work into regular intervals. a few methods i learnt that are really useful are the pomodoro technique, the time blocking method, and the pickle jar theory. if you have problems with time management, try these out: they’re extremely useful! i’ve utilized them over the past few months, and i can really see the effects.

one thing i don’t like doing is multi-tasking. i prefer concentrating on one task on my to-do list at a time, so that i have full focus and my thoughts don’t get jumbled.

one fault that was prominent in me a few months ago was that i always used to put tasks off until the next day: i kept on delaying it until i was forced to rush it the day before the deadline. however, i realised this and started working on improving it!

a fault that i still have is the fact that i lose track of time when i take breaks. i set a timer for five minutes: but when it goes off, my audio is either on mute or i’m not in the room. i simply forget about it and continue to take a long break XD.

however, as you can see (as i'm writing it over here and recognising it bahaha-), i have realised this and am constantly working on improving it! and while i’m not going as far to say i’m a changed person, i can confidently say that i am learning, my progress has definitely increased, and i am in process of improving my skills with time management, haha

strengths and weaknesses

my worst quality in a team would probably be the fact that i tend to overwork a lot of the time: i normally take on more than i can usually do, and this sometimes leads to burnouts or an overload of panic and anxiousness. in real life, this leads to my other team members being completely dependant on me, and as a result, they’ve gotten used to me doing a lot of work <3 because of this, in several group projects last year, i got assigned to a lot of work while everyone else happily did only a little, because they thought i could pull it off <3 it was a terrible time for me and i used to stay up late a lot, but my friends helped me get through it and assisted me in my other weakness: how it’s hard for me to say no.

both of these weaknesses go very well in hand together. they gave me a lot of work, and i couldn’t say no; there were too many expectations on me! the same thing happened with my teachers in 2022, they gave me a lot of assignments that they didn’t give other students because they thought i could pull it off. however, again, my friends helped me get through that time and i learnt how to firmly say no: this is all i can do, i need to prioritize my mental health and sleep, and i will not take on more work.

and now, onto my strengths! i believe i will be a strong asset to the team as i am very good at collaborating with other people and brainstorming. i love working with other people and listening to their ideas, figuring out what’s best and combining our own elements with others! additionally, i am organized and use little lists to break down tasks ( so that they look less scarier, haha! ) and can divide work equally between members of a team.

qualities i value in a leader

as a younger sister, i can understand how infuriating it is when someone simply doesn’t listen to your ideas before making the final decision! i think that people who make impulse conclusions without hearing everybody out, without giving the people a fair chance to speak are a bit faulty in their ways, and should change. therefore, that is a quality i value most in leader: their ability to give others a chance to speak, and simply listen.

i utilize this trait by asking people in my team if they have any contributions, listening to them, pitching forward all our ideas, and together, as a team, deciding which idea to use, what elements from our other ideas we should incorporate with it, and how we can possibly make it better.

cabin atmosphere

i want to create a friendly and warm atmosphere where people are comfortable and relaxed. At their own pace, they can work together towards the cabin storyline while getting to know each other. ( 194 characters )

( the cabin storyline will be slightly competitive, but it will encourage collaboration at it’s own pace. while doing so, they will get to know their leaders and fellow campers while improving their thinking skills! )

checkboxes

☑ i am applying for both co-leader and leader
☐ i am only applying for co-leader
☑ i am willing to share a promotional project for SWC

b) not at all <3 i am confident that i will be able to carry out the responsibilities

c) in the case where i go inactive, i will inform my (co)leaders and the ghosts as soon as possible, and (while thoroughly making sure not to exert myself) finish how much ever work i can. if another person goes inactive, i’ll make sure to evenly distribute their work between my team and i, and if it is serious and this happens during may - early june, i will discuss with my (co)leader(s) and the hosts about getting another co-leader.

Last edited by Coco_animator (Yesterday 06:32:43)

☁︎｡ﾟ⋆ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ☾⋆｡ ☾⋆｡
once upon a time
the planets and
the fates and all
the stars aligned
｡ﾟ⋆ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆ ☾⋆｡ ☾⋆｡☁︎

unercornshine

The house of Allah: Mosques!
Vicky's SWC leader application July '24

Context:
1) About me
2) Experience
3) Cabin preferences and ideas
4) Excerpt
5) Time dedication
6) Time management
7) Working with others
8) Leadership traits
9) Cabin atmosphere
10) Checklist & more

1) About Me
Hey y'all! Wsp! R u having a good day? Anyways, my name's unercornshine (don't judge, i made my name before i knew how to spell unicorn, LOL XD), she/her, muslim, UTC/GMT timezone (or just any UK timezone like…) I'm a multipotentialite, though some of my hobbies include: sports, baking, reading, writing, art, coding/computing, singing and more! I’m trying to develop on all of my hobbies so I can see on which ones I need to drop and which ones I can keep. Due to this, I don’t actually know what I want to be when I’m older, but I’m just following my heart ig!
I'm a big fan of Dork dairies, Harry Potter and Percy Jackson (and all Rick Riordan books). I'm a gryffinclaw and child of Hades. I also love dork daiaries and the underrated children of blood and bone series (you should tots read it if you like sophisticated books on magic). Some of my fave films/movies/series are: fast and furious spy racers, the unlisted, miraculous (cheesy :groan: ), the legend of korra and avatar the last airbender, beyblade (childish :sob: ) and more. Any day you want to come and have a chat on any of those films and books, trust me, I’ll be more than happy to have a rant about it.
Furthermore, I’m also an extrovert and I'm prettey loud :') (u wouldn't be surprised) and I can make friends with prettey much anyone! I believe in the quote that says:
“Be like a snake, be nice to people until they step on u.” ~Taylor Swift. And, no! I’m NOT a Swiftie. One of my friends is a Swiftie and when we used to go to the same school, she took me a bit down Swiftie lane, although I’m not really a fan. In my new school everyone’s obsessed with k-pop, and I was like, clueless in the bliss of the Korean obsessed world. Now my fave k-pop band is skz but I’m not rlly much of a k-pop lover anyways. I don’t even rlly listen to music often, but, I also have a favorite nasheed artist (a nasheed is an Islamic song), and that is Muad (go check him out!).
Also, I forgot to mention, I love learning languages. I’m currently learning/know 8 languages: English, my language (I’m not telling you hehe (I was born in England but my parents aren't English)), french (learning), german (learning), latin (was forced to learn but has stopped learning), Russian (learning -my friend is Russian- ), Japanese (learning), Korean (learning). Anyways, I’m ranting a bit now… Lets get on to the more important questions…
(don’t worry, this is the longest answer)
lmao XD

2) Experience
Last SWC session was my first session and I absolutely LOVED it. I instantly fell in love with the crazy SWC world. I participated as a camper in the script theatron. It was absolutely AMAZING. Thank you EVERYONE who partcicipated in SWC that session as everyone inspired me, from the tyrants to the campers, everyone welcomed me very well. Mangoes to me, as I was very active which meant I participated in lots of activities, including the writing comp, I made new friends and managed to exceed my word goal! Woo Hoo!
Outside of SWC, in terms of writing, I have participated in many writing competitions for school, and have written a non-fiction book, with my creative writing club, and it was published.
In terms of leadership roles, I have been a pr
efect, school council, wellbeing lead and have co-hosted a school talent show along with 2 of my pupils.

3) Cabin Preferences and ideas
In order: Tbh, I rlly RLLY, would LOVE to ether: (co) lead Tragedy, Dystopian, Horror or Mythology. If I unfortunately didn’t get any of those, I would just like, prefer to steer away from Non-Fi, Hi-Fi and Folklore. This is purely because I just don’t see myself fitting in in those cabins, I just rlly don’t give those vibes and I don’t enjoy to write in those genres.
Some ideas I have are:
Tragedy Forgotten Town - I haven’t rlly got any ideas for the story line yet, but the theme is less like the commonly used ‘trust no one’ but more like, everyone has their own tragic tale which others have forgotten, and this town is a rally of those people, also, most have forgotten the town exists.
For Dystopian, Horror and Mythology I thought I could do a sort of The depths of Tartarus’ theme. The story line could vary a bit for each genre: for mythology, you enter tartarus, make friends and foes with some mythical creatures, you manage to escape tartarus. For Dystopian it could focus more on the experience of Tartarus, you’ve lived in tartarus for as long as you remember, everything is terrible, you’ve been starved and not slept for months etc. For Horror it could focus more on the atmosphere, how scary everything is, a river of fire, a pool of blood etc.
I also had a vague idea that if I randomly, for some reason get Romance (I’de rather not though) I would do Romeo and Juliet theme.
* In terms of TCTWNW, I’m ok with leading it, but I have never actually been in TCTWNW so I don’t exactly know how it works tbh, plus; I rather like the competitive side of SWC.

4) Excerpt
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/992491281/

5) Time Dedication
On week days when school is on, between just popping in for 10 mins, to around roughly 1 hour and a half. On a weekend, or holiday day, most of the time flicking in and out for around 5 hours but sometimes drastically less as in just popping in for 30 mins.
In terms of having anything planned, not that I know of, but certainly something will pop up but in that case it wouldn’t be a long period of time as in more than 2-3 days, and everyone would be informed early before.

6) Time Manegment
Skills:
- Improvisation: I’m pretty good at improvising, thinking on the spot, getting things done when there is not enough time left in order finish on time.
- I’m also pretty good at just, well, managing my time ig. I (most of the time) manage to put in all my efforts to get things done on time.
Shortcomings:
- If a lot of pressure is put on me to finish something on time, I may rush it and it won’t end up turning out the way I wanted it to.
- If i think that I’m very behind on the task I’m completing and there is very little time to complete it, I’ll probably just give up.
- If something is very minor/significant in my eyes, I tend to forget about it easily or not be bothered to do it, and that results in late submission (yes, we’re unfortunately talking about hw here… ToT). I don’t this won’t be a problem as I’m very dedicated to SWC.

7) Working with others
Strengths:
I’m generally a quite friendly, funny, extroverted person, and I have no problem with instantaneously making friends with anyone.
I’m good at improvising and I’m also a natural born leader, so I love to get everyones ideas together and make them into one beautiful picture.
I’m always open to feedback, and whenever working with others, I always try to let other peoples voice be heard, for them to have a say.
Weaknesses:
As I said, I’m born a natural leader: I can get a little dominative or annoyed if I’m left out.
We all have good days and bad days, If I’m having a bit of a moody day I tend to get very easily irritable.
If I don’t like and idea I kind of just throw it out, I don’t realize it may hurt someone and that I’m not the one to judge whose ideas is good and bad. If anything happens I would appreciate it if the person would come to me and tell me, I will apologize and take it well, and try to reflect on myself.
*I’m quite creative, funny and positive, always trying to lighten down the pressure on the task and I’m full of ideas and ready to hear yours as well!

8) Leadership qualities
I have 3 traits, as I genuinely couldn’t decide between the 3 of them and I think that you couldn’t be a leader with only one, only 2, rather for the basic foundation of a leader, you must have all 3 traits.
- Kindness:
Always be kind to your subjects everyone. do I rlly need to explain this one
Be a fair ruler leader, be compassionate blah blah blah etc. etc. etc.
- Creativity:
Ability to think on the spot, improvising, being able to answer questions and generally just creating a warm friendly beautiful atmosphere to be in.
- Discipline:
You cant be a good leader with only the above traits, you can’t be too laid back, things need to be done, there is no laziness in being a leader

9) Cabin atmosphere
A fun, exciting place to hang out and goof around but still set on trashing everyone up up for some :ahemm: ‘friendly competition’.

10) Checklist & more
a)
I am applying for both leader and co leader.
I am applying for only co leader.
I am willing to share a promotional project for swc.
b) nope!
c) In the case of inactive leadership by myself I would inform the hosts and the other (co) leaders at least 2 or 3 days before hand, and try to get everything organized before that time. In the case of inactive leadership by my fellow (co) leader I would try and organize everything with he/she/them/other before they leave, and try to commence everything as normal, and divide the person’s responsibilities between me and the other (co) leaders.

Last edited by unercornshine (May 10, 2024 19:20:52)

“Imagination is more important than knowledge, for knowledge is limited, whereas imagination encircles the world”
~Einstein
Hi, I'm Unicornshine, call me Vicky, your multipotentialite here!

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