Clev's SWC Writing Thread (2025)

CleverComment

hi! i'm clev, and i'll just be using this thread for myself to store some of the writing i've been up to this year (super excited!!); thanks for stopping by

march 2025: post 2 - 32
july 2025: post 33 - 66
november 2025: post 67 (SIX SEVENNNN) -

previous writing threads:
november 2022
july 2023
november 2023
march 2024
july 2024
november 2024

my favorite pieces in this thread:
constellation daily (circinus)
bad similes daily (autocorrect)
google translate daily (phoebe)
song lyric daily
title daily (watermelon and fruit flies)
model girlfriend (writing comp entry)

Last edited by CleverComment (Nov. 5, 2025 00:31:35)

CleverComment

daily 3/3 portmanteau: words - noodle & balloon (from chuey!) 360 words
have you ever wanted a noodle? same! have you ever wanted a balloon? me too! but have you ever wanted both at the same time? i think not!
introducing the noooon, a multi-purpose noodle balloon. now, before you gasp in disbelief or think this is some kind of funny joke, let me enlighten you. the noooon is a balloon made of a noodle layer with helium trapped inside of it. the thing is, if you think about it a little, it’s brilliant.
everyone loves watching and playing with balloons, but the thing is, they get a little bit boring after a while. you may feel a little peckish as your mind wanders on what you’ll eat for lunch. with the noooon, this problem will be fixed! hungry? just take a bite out of the noooon! it’s perfect for if you want to combine playing with food. it’s a wonder that people haven’t thought of this yet, but here it is!
the noooon is a beautiful thing. all noodles are 100% made by hand by an old farmer in italy and it is definitely not processed and mass-produced in factories around the world. the noodles are all cooked and ready to eat - no need to cook your noooon. watch as all your friends and family gasp as they see you hold your yellow balloon, because as they look closer, they can actually see that the balloon seems to be made of some kind of macaroni. and when they ask you what it is, you can just say that it’s your noooon!
you may be thinking, what even is the purpose of having a noooon if once you eat the noodles, the balloon will cease to float? well, that’s a great question. our scientists have actually assured us that the surface tension of the noodles as well as its cohesion to the surrounding air particles will ensure that the noooon will continue floating even if there are a few bites taken out of it.
supplies are indeed limited, so make sure you get your money’s worth. you won’t want to miss this spectacular item. get your noooon from your nearest target today.

Last edited by CleverComment (March 7, 2025 00:08:56)

CleverComment

Word War with Sophie (265 words)
I love eating the sun, it is such a great food to eat. Confused? Let me explain and tell you what the sun actually is. It is a type of spicy fish that we eat on our birthdays in my culture. It is from a sunfish, so that is why it is called a s un. Sme people might think that the sun is literally a ball of fire that we eat like plants or on a plate, but the thing is, the sun is the short name of the sunfish. I live on a small tropical island and we have a very unique culture that we like to keep to ourselves and maintain throughout the years. One of them involves focusing a lot on your birthday, after all, it is a day dedicated to celebrating yourself. The sunfish is a great fish in our culture, because old myths tell us of the sunfish founding our island with its kindness. It is a very over looked fish and that is why we decide to honor it and not hunt it; the only time that we eat it is on our birtjhdays, and on our birthdays, it is still eaten with spice because that is also part of our culture. However, it is recently only seen as a spicy dish that we eat on our birthdays, it hasn’t even been focused on with its culture and its mythology. I want to honor the sunfish and make the island remember how important it is to us; after all, it is something more than a food to eat.

CleverComment

Word War with FInley (260 words)
I was very scared when I found out that I was trapped in an elevator with my friend Bob. I started panicking because I am scared of beijing in small spaces and for some reason I had never told anybody; I had known Bob for 3 years and I had not even told him that I had this phobia. So when I told him, he started panicking aas well. We were supposed to be in a hotel and we were going to ride the elevator to the top floor, where our room was. But halfway, the elevator just stopped randomly. We were the only ones in the room and then I was very scared because the reality settled on me that we may be in grave danger. Bob rang the front desk to get help and they called immediately, saying that people would be coming soon. But the thing was, we had already been waiting for almost an hour. The hotel was very tall with 16 stories and we were near the top. There was a little bit of ominous creaking every now and then, which was not soothing my anxiety. And when I finally told Bob I had claustrophobia, he actually admitted and said that he had it too. Then it seemed like the elevator was getting smaller every second I stood in there, so I started having trouble breathing, and I almost started screaming. Bob started screaming too. But then, all of a sudden, the elevator door opened and we were outside. It was closed the howlt ieme.

CleverComment

daily 3/6 constellations: circinus (the compass) - 735 words (the ending is SUPER rushed bc i just want to get it done right now, i'll def expand on this in the future)
Hugo didn’t want to become a map-maker, yet it is what he ended up doing. Since he was young, he wanted his life to mean something more than a job, a relationship, a form of entertainment. He wanted his life to change the world — be written in the stars. Yet decision led to decision, and over the course of a few years, Hugo became a map-maker. Maybe it was what fate decreed for him.

Life settled into a comfortable rhythm. Despite being wary at first, Hugo gradually learned the secrets of map-making. He learned of the stories that could be told with the placement of landmarks; of the journey of cities and forests and rivers and mountains; and of the compass rose at the bottom-right, guiding users to their ending. He felt a natural inclination towards it all. The ink blotches swirling across the yellowed page, the precise measurements between cities, and the mundane feel of it all. But still, something inside of him was unsatisfied, and that was enough.

One day. Hugo was approached by Nicolas, a frequent commissioner for his creations. But something in Nicolas’s eyes revealed that this commission was going to be different.

“Bonjour, Hugo,” Nicolas said, a grin on his face. He was a short, portly man who always had something to say. He might as well have been a schoolboy if you didn’t look at the faint wrinkles on his face.

Hugo smiled politely and returned the greeting. He didn’t know what to expect - Nicolas was about as predictable as the weather.

“So.” Nicolas said, putting his palms on the table where Hugo sat. “I have a proposition for you, and it’s going to be a little different than the usual ones.”

Hugo merely smiled and nodded, waiting for the next words.

“France’s capital — Paris. Have you heard of it?”

“Of course,” Hugo replied. Everybody nearby was talking about Paris recently; people had been moving there lately — more than ever, so naturally, talk spread around.

“I want you to make me a map of it.”

It took a minute for the words to register. Paris — the city? One of, if not the most, populated cities in the world? The capital of France, with its beautiful architecture? “You mean,” Hugo said, “you want me to make a map of Paris?”

Nicolas nodded, grinning with his teeth wide. “You heard me. I met some government officials; they wanted to spread the word of the city around Europe. Specifically, they wanted a map to be made. So I told them of the best map-maker I knew, and that’s you.” Nicolas looked down at Hugo’s drawing desk, a sparkle in his eyes.

“I’ll do it.” The words were out before he could process them, but Hugo instantly knew they were true. He had never done something of this magnitude before — everything in the past was tiny compared to this: minuscule towns, small streams, the occasional hill. The chance to make the map of the largest city in the world was something In his wildest dreams. This was the thing that would satisfy the part of him that yearned for something more: the ability to change the world.

“Excellent,” Nicolas said. He holds his hand out, gold ring glinting, for his signature handshake. His eyes gaze expectantly into Hugo’s.

There’s a brief pause where Hugo thinks of the enormity of the task ahead of him. But then, he thinks of what he’s wanted to do his entire life. Hugo stands up, leans forward, and clasps Nicolas’s hand.

The two shake hands.

“Good luck, Hugo. I’m counting on you,” Nicolas says. And with a stride, he is gone.

Hugo thinks of the life ahead of him, the countless possibilities and choices. This was what he was born to do. He looks down at the paper and ink, and smiles.

~

A few years later, it is done, but after one day, the building catches on fire and the map is destroyed. He put his whole essence into the map, but now that it’s gone, what does he have left? He’s devastated. He prays, saying “If you are listening to me, I want to be remembered. I want to have done something right with my life.” Then, the next day, he is gone. He is now a constellation in the Southern skies. It is Circinus, the compass, forever guiding the people to their true selves

Last edited by CleverComment (March 7, 2025 02:42:46)

CleverComment

Word War with Sandy (303 words)
A dog and a cat were playing at the park one day. I was watching them in wonder because I never thought that dogs and cats could play together – I had always thought that they were enemies and did not like each other. It was a black cat and a white dog, and they were chasing each other around the ponds. I was so happy because they looked like they were having a lot of fun, and when I see other people and animals have fun, I start to have fun too. I was just sitting on a bench and thinking about life and watching the two animals chase each other, and I was feeling so happy. There was no place I would rather be than the park, because at that time, nothing seemed better. The sun was setting in the distance, and the shadows were getting longer. The cat seemed to be a little bit tired as the sun set, and then I realized that it did not have an owner, as there was nobody nearby. The dog also semeed to not have an owner, and I was starting to be sad because I did not know where the two animals would go at night. I began approaching the two animals and the cat seemed to be a little bit scared of me, but after a few minutes it began to relax. Then, in the blink of an eye, I grabbed the cat in one arm and the dog in the other and I began to walk back home. It was a weird sight to see for my neighbors, a person holding a struggling cat and dog and walking in the darkness, but it was okay. I decided that I was going to adopt the animals and give them a happy ending!

Last edited by CleverComment (March 7, 2025 00:15:01)

CleverComment

3/10 1000 words daily! I slept 10 hours so 200 words

Picture - a random picture i took of the sunset (207 words)
It is nearly twilight in the suburban community. The neighbors are all settling into their beds, the garbage cans are all out for the truck to pick up the next day, and the streetlights are on. There’s still a few people walking outside with their dogs, admiring the setting sun and the shadowed silhouettes around them. The sunset has already passed, yet the sun’s rays still strike and illuminate the dark blue of the night. It’s like a battle between the day and the night. The night's dark blue is all over the top of the sky, and the sun has already set. However, the sun’s rays shine and radiate; it’s like an aurora borealis! It’s highlighting an almost blue-gray gradient in the middle where the day and the night meet. To someone walking around, it might just seem like a regular sunset in the suburban community. But not everyone sees the sunsets every day. Who knows what you can miss? It’s all so normal, yet it’s all so beautiful. It’s the small things that matter, like appreciating the sunset. In a normal place, sometimes in the end it’s noticing things like this that make the place stand out and not seem normal. Just like the sunset.

CleverComment

Weekly 1 - Worldbuilding (1778 words)
World: floodlands - broken and abandoned world with strange and abstract building designs, flash floods

Part 1: Language & Culture (358 words)
The people who live in the floodlands live in constant fear of the floods. They come every few days, and when they come, they destroy and submerge the whole city. Therefore, the people live around the floods - it’s an integral part of their society. Some beliefs they have are that the floods are only going to end when a certain prophecy is fulfilled, though many people ridicule that. Those people are called the flood-believers. They are the ones that believe that the floods will end when a chosen hero comes one day. There are also some people called the flood-fearers. Those are the ones that believe that the floods are going to come forever even if the prophecy is fulfilled. They are very pessimistic. There are also some people that worship the flood god. They believe that there is a god that is controlling and punishing the people for disobeying something, and as a result that is the reason for the floods. They want to do all they can to worship and appease the god to stop the floods from coming. Finally, there are some people called the flood-tellers. They claim that they have something called a “sight”, where they know when the floods will come. There are very few of these flood-tellers, as it is widely regarded as a fraud. However, there occasionally is one that comes along every few years that is very accurate, until they magically disappear after a few months….. Overall, all these people in the floodlands contribute to the overall society dynamics. The flood believers and the flood fearers are always opposing each other about the floods, while the flood worshippers are a mix of both. The flood tellers do not really have a say as they are mainly neutral! There have been hate speeches against both sides from different sides, and there have been many arguments too. But overall, regardless of where the people lie in their beliefs, they all know for certain that for the time being, the floods will continue happening. They learn to settle their differences and work together in the end to protect each other from the floods.

Part 2: Geography
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1145106147/

Part 3: Technology (531 words)
The flood gadgets are something that has long been seen as an object that can predict whenever the floods will come. They are very valuable as it is very difficult to obtain and use the materials that the flood gadgets are made of. It is made of a very rare gem in the highest mountains in the distance, as well as flood water, which may seem contrary. They are only used by the flood tellers, as it is very rare and the flood tellers know the secret way to use it. One day, a guy named Savith, who was a flood teller, accidentally dropped his flood gadget on the floor and it broke. “Oh no,” he cried out loud, putting his hands on his head and screaming in frustration. It was the only one he had; if it was broken, that would mean that he would have to either find a new one or repair it. The thing is, if anybody knew that he had lost his flood gadget, then he would be ridiculed forever and might even lose his job. He thought long and hard and decided that he would journey to the mountains to find the gem, called a Flood (pronounced flewd). He did not know how to repair the gadget, but he did know how to make one. So at the cover of night, so nobody could see him, Savith started the long trek towards the distant Flood (pronounced flod) mountains, where he could find the Flood gems. He walked long and hard and it was a very treacherous journey as very few people dared to venture there. He had checked his flood gadget yesterday and it said there would be no floods today so he was safe. He had just walked to the peak when the sun just was starting to rise and began mining down with a pickaxe. He wanted to go down but he was scared there was going to be lava so he started to mine a staircase. He was there for a few hours until he finally found a small Flood gem hidden behind a diamond. He grabbed and inspected the gem – it seemed to be great quality. He started back up and just reached the top of the mountain when he saw a big mountain in the distance. He did not know what that mountain was – he had never seen it before, including at that morning. And when he was walking back down, the mountain seemed to be following him. Or was that his imagination. However, just as he reached the base, he saw that the mountain was larger than ever, and then he had a striking revelation. “That’s not a mountain… that’s a wave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s just like that one movie!!!!” Savith screamed, and he was right. Apparently his flood gadget yesterday had malfunctioned which caused him to predict there was going to be no flood. He decided to scramble back up into his mine just as the wave hit. Fortunately, it was very high up and he was safe with the Flood gem in his hand on Flood mountain with the Floods in the distance. He breathed out – all was ok.

Part 4: Incorporating Into Writing (889 words)
Raven looks at you as they fidget with their dark blue clothes. “So, how are you feeling?” You don’t remember much of what happened that morning; it was all such a whim. The only thing you can remember is the monochromatic blue landscape that’s everywhere. Even the sky is a darker gray color that contrasts the blue mountains and the dark ground everywhere. You look at Raven’s eyes staring expectantly at yours, and you admit the truth. “To be honest, I don’t know. Everything seems the same here.”

There’s a brief silence, and you wonder whether you just said the right thing. But then Raven lets out a small chuckle. “Don’t worry, it’s not just you.” They pat you on your pack, and a few dust particles fall out of their robes. “Come on, let’s go. We can make the town by sunfall.” You breathe out and reluctantly stand up. The rocks in the smooth mountain are grainy, yet there’s something about them that allures you.

Below the mountain the two of you are walking down right now, there’s a large valley, and in another mountain closeby, a few lights are visible. The journey down the mountain is quiet… too quiet. Besides the ragged breathing and the crunching of the pebbles under your feet, there’s nothing. The air is eerily still. “Um, Raven?” You ask tentatively. They look back at you. “What is it?” Once again, you can’t help noticing their piercing yellow eyes. You glance down into the valley. “Are they coming?” You ask. Raven’s eyes contract a little, but they smile. “We’ve already had one earlier this morning, before I found you here. I promise, they only happen once every few days. Don’t worry about it.” Before waiting for an answer, they continue down the pebbled path. Still, you can’t help worrying.

~

A few hours later, you come across a strange structure. It’s like an abstract building, but for some reason, it’s horizontal? Actually, on second thought, it’s not really a building; it’s more like a structure. The sky is darkening, so you can’t really see anything. But it’s very twisted, and there are many hiding crevices despite it being in such an open area – after all, you’re exposed in the low valley. You look around – there’s nothing around here for miles to come. “Come over,” Raven says, extending their hand. You take it, and they lead you into the structure. After a few minutes, they abruptly let go of your hand and start jumping and climbing the structure until they’re at a crevice near the top. “You can do it,” they say expectantly. You suddenly realize that you’re expected to follow them, and you tentatively start walking and climbing the structure.

A few minutes later, you’re there. “Phew,” you say, breathing heavily. Raven smiles. “I love this place,” they say as they rummage through their backpack for some food. “Legend says that decades ago, before the floods came, this monument existed. For some reason, even though the surrounding city was destroyed, this monument wasn’t.” There’s an eerie way in which Raven tells the story, or it could just be the winding structure and the silent air. They hand you a sandwich, and you smile.

~

Night has reached the sky by the time that you reach the village. “Finally, we’re here!” Raven exclaims as the lights come closer. You’re excited – the village is a shelter from the elements, and you feel good about it. “Come on, I know a good spot to rest! My friends are close by,” Raven says. You quickly glance back into the valley and the day trek you walked through, and you look back. “Let’s g-” you start to say, but then a slight rumbling jerks you off balance. “Um, Raven?” You say, looking around in shock. “Did you feel that?” Raven begins to shake their head, but the motion is stopped as another rumbling comes, this time from the earth itself. “Is that… what I think it is?” You say. Your terrors are confirmed by Raven’s horrified expression. Her yellow eyes are full of fright, and suddenly, you realize your worst fear has happened.

The floods are coming.

Within seconds, the clouds in the night sky are darkening, and a booming roar of thunder in the distance rattles the ground. Seconds later, it starts raining in all directions. The droplets pound into the ground. You can’t see anything but water everywhere. There’s screaming all around you, and you start running frantically. You hear a frightened villager say, “the floods usually don’t come with so much water!” Something about this flood is different, and you overhear another voice, a lady, scream. “FLASH FLOOD!!!” She screams. Everyone’s trying to run to higher ground before they drown. You desperately shout for Raven; with all the water, they’ve disappeared. “Raven!! Help!!!” You scream. You hear voices clamoring with yours, any one that could be Raven’s.

Finally, just as quickly as they started, the rain ceases. The clouds disappear into the night, and your vision clears. There’s a foot of rainwater in the village, but it seems everyone’s ok. You look around for Raven, and within a second, you see them. They run towards you and hold their arms in an embrace. Everything is okay, and you breathe out.

Still, there’s no knowing what else could happen.

CleverComment

Critiquitaire with Qui! Their piece: https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/post/8441304/ 488 words
Sorry for the late critique, and thanks for the patience! this was totally my bad, but i'll get into it now

first, off the bat, i'm noticing that some of the sentences have a bunch of parts – breaking them up with punctuation or separating them into different sentences would be great!
ex:

“He brushed his hands against the geometric embroidery on the sleeves and shoved his hands and Kishmet's cloth into his pockets.”

could become

"He brushed his hands against the geometric embroidery on the sleeves, shoving Kishmet's cloth into his pockets."

this makes the sentence a lot shorter and concise, while also keeping the same idea. it can be assumed that his hands are shoved in the pockets, so i just edited it to just shove the cloth!

another example:

“He rummaged through his many pockets, and after a minute, he victoriously pulled out a thin bronze disc.”

you can remove the “he” before victoriously as it is already stated earlier and implied it is him that pulled it out!

adding onto that, sometimes you make the sentences long by adding “and” to connect new ideas. a few ways you could spice things up would be (as i said earlier) to break the “and” apart, but also to use words to show the idea, rather than just stating it! (so basically a fancy way of saying show, not tell lol)

for example,

“They were wearing a lilac blouse with subtle embroidery all over and a faded blue skirt with a golden hem.”

could become

A lilac blouse, full of subtle embroidery, draped around their shoulders. A faded blue skirt completed the outfit, golden hem sparkling.

or something like that to make them seem more real! a few words like “draped” and “sparkling” could add more imagery and make it seem more real instead of static, but honestly, it's just my personal preference.

“During this season?” Usma asked, brows raised, swatting the poster to the side.

i like this a lot!! the raised brows are really cool to indicate teasing and it's pretty funny to see their dynamics. i also love the nicknames some of the characters give each other, it makes them seem more real.

for dialogue, a small nitpick i have is that words that come after dialogue usually aren't capitalized if it's the same sentence. for example, in

…it's always dull in Perkha!” He argued.

the “He” should probably be lower-case, as it is adding onto his dialogue. i'm not super sure if this is right though, as it's what i'm used to and it's probably just personal preference!

additionally, for dialogue, when using verbs to describe them, i'm noticing a lot of variation (ex: explained, chirped, asked, argued, drawled, whined, exclaimed, mused). that's not necessarily a bad thing, but “said” is a perfectly good alternative too! i know that you use it (mainly near the end), but i wouldn't shy away from using it more. sometimes “said” is perfectly fine, and you shouldn't feel pressured to use a bunch of different words (though that's not a bad thing as well!)
for example, in

“Oh, shut up, Kishy. Who cares if it's dull? I mean, it's always dull in Perkha!” He argued.

the “He argued” is pretty redundant, as in the dialogue, it shows him arguing. i'd just cut those last two words, because we know that it's terrik saying that!
however, for

“True,” Usma chirped.

“I didn't even say anything,” Kishmet drawled, her smirk remaining.

i'd say that “chirped” and “drawled” are awesome! they help show how the characters are talking, and honestly i love the word choice.

“No! Harrent brought it from Perkha; he reached yesterday, remember? It's from the war we learnt about,” Terrik explained. Kishmet's eyes widened, curious how Herrent got his hands on the thing. Usma gasped, hands covering her mouth. The war led to the formation of Weshkan, a neighbouring village much larger than Teer. It was primarily inhabited by farmers, if Kishmet wasn't wrong. How was she forgetting the stuff she learnt today? Tresh could never know. He'd never let her hear the end of it.

this is a pretty long paragraph compared to the rest of the story, so i'd say to separate it. additionally, when showing a character's thoughts, i recommend putting them in italics to emphasize them and show that they are thoughts, so it could be like

How was she forgetting the stuff she learnt today? Tresh could never know. He'd never let her hear the end of it.

overall, for sentence structure, i'd say that some of the sentences are pretty long. i'd focus on breaking them apart (w/ punctuation or by separating into different sentences). i'd also say there are some instances where you can show ideas rather than explicitly saying them!
for dialogue, i love it! i'm not the best dialogue person, but the character dynamics between the group are really nice, and i think the dialogue is pretty great!!
i loved reading this story in the end. the world-building is super cool, and i also love the different character dynamics (personally, i don't think i've ever written dialogue between more than two characters xD), i loved reading this!!!

Last edited by CleverComment (March 22, 2025 22:59:48)

CleverComment

3/11 Daily - Twisted Fairytale, I chose Hansel and Gretel, but it's set in a city! 408 words
Hansel and Gretel were just walking back from school. They were having a lot of fun at school; at least at school, they had friends and had fun. At home, nothing was fun. Their parents always argued and there was nothing fun to do at home. For this reason, Hansel and Gretel both looked forward to learning at school. But when they got off the subway stop that was a 10 minute walk from their home, they realized that they got off at the wrong stop. Hansel, who usually was very scared, started panicking immediately. “Oh my gosh, Gretel! We’re lost! How are we going to get home now?” Gretel, who was more level-headed, immediately rushed to comfort Hansel. “It will be okay. We can retrace our steps and go back to the subway.”
But as the two walked back to the subway station, they realized that they didn’t have any money to get another ticket. They dug around in their pockets and backpacks, but there was nothing. Hansel’s face whitened.

“Does that mean… we need to walk back home?” Gretel nodded, but she smiled. “We can do this!” She smiled encouragingly and the two began walking. They lived in a big city and there was a lot to do, but there were also many places to go that the two had both not went to before. “I have an idea!” Gretel said, and she began to pull out a stone from her backpack. I collected a bunch of stones, she said, and she told Hansel about how at recess she was bored so she started to get a bunch of stones in her pocket. Hansel smiled and the two started walking back home. At least, they tried to. There were many landscapes they did not know, but they tried their best to get to somewhere they knew.

Finally, they reached a candy store. It was called “Witch Candy”. Hansel and Gretel had both visited the candy store before. They both instinctively had a bad feeling about the candy store, because at night, it for some reason looked a lot more sinister and scarier. Hansel said that he wanted to go home and Gretel agreed. Their home was only a 5 minute walk from the candy store, so the two quickly hurried home just as the sun was setting and the city was getting darker. Finally, after a few minutes, the two reached home safely. All was ok!

CleverComment

Daily 3/14 - Color Symbolism (389 words)
I stare at the computer screen, looking for something I know is not there. But still, my eyes dart around the monitor, hoping for a magical solution to my problem. This new website has been my passion for many years, and I’m so close to publishing it; only one problem stands in my way: the color of the design.

I had initially settled on the theme to be a black-and-white vintage style, to reflect the old-timeliness of the clothes. The collection specifically selected clothes from the early 2000s, with the monochromatic design contrasting with the variety of colors in the Y2K theme. It was perfect for me, and I loved it a lot. But when I showed Marie, she wrinkled her nose and promptly said “What is this for? Funeral clothing?” and started laughing. I had laughed with her, but now, it’s causing me to rethink the entire design. The black-and-white theme had been so carefully chosen, yet looking back on it, it seems so contrarian.

I grimace and continue scanning the current webpage with its different color palettes. There’s this tropical theme, but it’s too colorful. There’s this forest theme, but it’s too dark. I start scrolling down the page rapidly, eyes darting around in a fruitless attempt of finding the perfect color design. The colors become a blur, my eyesight wanes, and my breathing becomes faster. I can’t find it.

I give up, and walk away from the computer. I’ve been searching online for the past hour, yet there’s always one small detail of each design that bothers me. This website has been my dream, but why do I feel so frustrated now?

Suddenly, I have a vision of one color in my mind. There is nothing else like it, and it’s perfect. It’s cyan.

Yes, the bright neon blue color that’s all in your face. The notorious color that shows a website is badly designed. Yet, in a way, that’s what I want. The early 2000s was a time for hanging out, a time for new trends, a time for exploring the world. That’s what cyan is – a bold color unafraid of showing itself. The color of our childhoods, the color of a bright world.

I smile, and breathe out – it’s beautiful. I click back onto the color website and search one word: cyan.

Last edited by CleverComment (March 16, 2025 14:43:03)

CleverComment

Daily 3/16 - Rule the World for One Day (358 words)
NNoah stares at the city below him. It is all his. He is the one in control, the one in power. He has everything he can and everything he has ever wanted to do. He is the King of New York City, and he is super happy. Unfortunately, the boss only said that he could only rule NYC for one day, which is not a super long time. But the thing is, one day is still 24 hours, which is a long time, so he can do it. Noah first starts by making it so coffee is free for everyone. He loves coffee so much and it is always so expsenvie so him when he wants to get it; it literally drains his pockets. So he decides to fund all the shops in the city and give them revenue so they do go out of business. Next, he decides to give all the animals in the city a place to sleep. They want to have a home, and Noah want to provide them with one. He wants to be a benevolent ruler, so that is what he does. Finally, Noah makes it so housing in the city is a lot cheaper. He knows how hard it can be for people in the city to afford rent, including him and his roommate, so he decides to apply rent control and susidzde money towards landlords so rent won’t decrease the quality of the homes. Finally, he is very happy. The cats and the rats and the hats and the bats and the dogs and everything in the city is finally ok. Everything in the past was so bad. Now, it is all good. He is very happy of the changes he has made to the wonderful city. He wishes that more people had the chance to do this because it is a great thing to do. The city right now isn’t always the best, and by passing all these rules, he made it a better place for everyone to live in. He is super happy and the opportunity and wishes he could retain power forever! Ha ha ha he says.

Last edited by CleverComment (March 16, 2025 14:43:30)

CleverComment

Clev’s Counseling - How to Discover Your Love for Writing

For the average writer, writing may be something you love doing, an activity you look forward to, a hobby you find comfort in. But for others, writing is something you dread, whether it’s not being able to choose the right words or not knowing what to say.

Don’t worry; it’s not just you. Times change, and it’s completely normal to not enjoy something you loved in the past. For all of you out here, here are a few tips on how to discover your love for writing once again.

1. Set Time Aside

People lose hobbies when they can’t dedicate enough time to them. If you’re struggling to enjoy writing, give yourself ten minutes a day to work on it. It doesn’t have to be an hour – only a few minutes will do. Take a break in your busy day to work on a small prompt or chip away at your novel. Believe me, a few minutes can make all the difference.

2. Don’t Force It

You may feel like you have to write something. But the thing is, that’s not the case. Sure, you can do things to write, but if your mind doesn’t feel like it, don’t force it upon yourself. It might sound counterintuitive, but if you’re already writing thousands of words a day, taking a break may be what you need. If you want to love writing, don’t make it a chore.

3. Make Mistakes

We’re humans; we’re designed to be imperfect. Many writers believe everything they create needs to be perfect. However, if you keep looking at your writing with rigid standards and high expectations, it’ll be impossible to satisfy them all the time. Instead, make mistakes with your writing. Ignore typos, write without planning your next words, let your creativity flow. If you look at writing that way, maybe you’ll love it again.

Overall, these are a few tips I’ve found to help myself love writing again. In the end, everyone uses different methods. Find what works for you, but don’t be afraid of trying something new. Writing is something that’s beautiful, and I hope you can discover it again.

CleverComment

Daily 3/18 - Bad Similes (870 words), mine was “she was as helpful as autocorrect: it truly depended on every tiny detail of the moment” from charlie!

Emily was always someone that you loved and hated, depending on the day. There was no in-between. On some days, you might hate her guts and find her annoying. On others, you might be grateful for her words. It truly depended on what the day was like.

My name’s Brian. I’ve known Emily ever since elementary school; we’ve been at the same school up until high school. I wouldn’t call her my friend – we rarely talked, but we still knew each other. “Acquaintance” would be a better word. She had a few friends that she talked to; only girls, though. She never dated anyone before – I’d feel sorry, but who really feels sorry for Emily?

Walking into 4th period Trigonometry on the first day of sophomore year, I notice Emily’s bright pink outfit in the classroom. I grimace – hopefully I won’t have to sit with her. Fortunately, the teacher, Mrs. Angle, lets us pick our own seats, so I walk near the back to sit with some of my friends. I can already see Leo’s curly hair and Elijah’s signature black t-shirt.

“Yo, Brian, what’s up?” Elijah waves from his seat. (Though I can’t really see him because he’s slouched in it.)

I smile back. “How have you guys been?” I say, as I take a seat next to him. Before he can open his mouth, however, Emily butts into the conversation. “Great! I went to Paris for a few weeks,” she says, smiling.

I try not to clench my teeth. It’s always her. The others are already laughing from their seats. “Wait, so like Emily in Paris?” Leo says, tears in his eyes.

It doesn’t seem like she understands the joke, but the good thing is that Mrs. Angle starts talking. The bad thing is, Emily is sitting directly to my left.

“Good morning class,” Mrs. Angle starts. She’s talking in a really animated way, and her floral dress isn’t helping. “I hope you all had a great summer. I’m excited to teach trig to all of you this year. I know a lot of you have trouble with math,” she smiles. (Is it just me, or was she looking straight at me?)

Anyways, she goes on for a while about herself. It’s a bit boring, so I start zoning out and thinking about lunch. Suddenly, I hear “Brian, would you like to share?”, and I jump back to reality.

Everyone’s looking at me, so all I can say is, “What was the question again?”. There are a few laughs, but it’s okay because Mrs. Angle says “I said, what did you do over the summer?”. I sigh in relief – I can do this!

“It was pretty cool. I went to New-found-land to visit my family!” I say, and she smiles. I internally jump up; I wasn’t humiliated! But I thought too soon, because I hear a familiar, nasal voice say “Erm, actually, it’s New-fin-lin, NOT, New-FOUND-LAND”.

OH MY GOSH I CAN NOT DO THIS ANYMORE. Emily had just stood up when she said that. The whole class is looking at us, and I feel my face getting hot. She’s so annoying, can’t she just know? I think.

The rest of the class passes by okay. Hopefully nobody remembers what just happened. But the occasional snickers in my direction tell me otherwise. I try my best to concentrate on the lesson, but I just can’t stop replaying the moment.

New-fin-lin??? Who even says it like that??? I think, trying to get a sense of vindication. But then, out of the blue, my thoughts are interrupted again. “So, Brian, what is the answer to the question?” I snap out of my thoughts.

Mrs. Angle is back at the whiteboard, and it seems like she has a complicated theorem on the board. The whole class is looking at me. WHY IS IT ALWAYS ME??????????? I scream internally.

I can’t even begin to comprehend the board. Why are there letters?? And why are we even doing this on the first day of school?? I literally can’t anymore. Mrs. Angle clears her throat. “So, Brian?”

I need to say something, but I can’t formulate any words. I try to open my mouth, but my throat is dry.

Then, to the left of me, I hear a familiar nasal voice whisper something. “Sixty-seven…. The answer is sixty-seven……”.

Did I hear correctly, or was I hallucinating again? I don’t have a better answer, so I just say it. YOLO! “Um, is it 67?” I say tentatively.

“What did you say?” Mrs. Angle shouts. I cringe.

“Sixty-seven????” I say. I brace for the impact, but after an infinitely long pause, her face breaks into a smile. “Correct, great job!”. Then, she moves on.

I can’t believe what just happened. Emily in Paris had just helped me??? I look back at her, and she’s smiling at me. I can’t believe it.

Suddenly, I am filled with so much gratitude (just like the Grinch when his heart grew three times). “Thank you SO much, Emily,” I whisper to her, and she smiles back.

In the end, Emily is as helpful as autocorrect; it truly depends on the situation and every tiny detail. But still, I’m grateful for her.

Last edited by CleverComment (March 19, 2025 23:54:40)

CleverComment

Daily 3/19 - 3 words! Mine were pomegranate, jewel, and fear (from river!) 373 words
The pomegranate tree stands tall at the edge of the small meadow. The meadow isn’t much – just a small enclosure with lanky grass and a few stones. It’s the pomegranate tree that makes us proud. We eat its sweet fruit every year during harvest season. Some of my earliest memories come from plucking the red fruits from the trees, like glowing jewels. It’s a family tradition – the pomegranates run through our blood.

One night, when I stare out of the kitchen window at our meadow, I notice something. There’s a faint sparkling coming from a distance outside. I look around me; the house has already gone to sleep, and it’s just me left. I light a lantern from inside the house, open the door, and step outside. It’s a moonless night – crickets are chanting their chirps to the black sky, and the tall grass seems to rustle beneath my feet. The air is warm, almost hot, but not quite.

I hold my lantern out and squint. I can still see the pale glow in the distance. Hunched, I make my way across the meadow. As I draw nearer, the glow becomes a faint pink color, and then, a sea of pink lights. I stop, and look around.

I’m right next to the pomegranate tree. What was once fruits on branches are now pink lights on trees. It seems that the fruits are almost glowing. I place my lantern down, and look around me. Everywhere I can see, the pomegranates glow like precious jewels.

Fear grips me. What I’m tampering with is unnatural, it shouldn’t be happening. The pink glows surround me and cast an eerie light in the black sky. What once was something I valued is now something that unnerves me. The pomegranates remain there, glowing in the night.

I walk back home, eyes firmly toward the home. Shadows play in my peripheral vision, and my shaking feet threaten to collapse. Stay focused. Whatever you do, don’t look at the pomegranates.

I make it back home, lantern in hand, mind wandering away from the glowing tree in the distance. I sneak one last glance behind me; the lights are gone – just like the dark swallowed them.

I shiver, and go to bed.

Last edited by CleverComment (March 19, 2025 23:53:50)

CleverComment

3/21 daily, google translate (473 words)
Original Lyrics (Gasoline by HAIM): “You took me back but you shouldn't have. Now it's your fault if I mess around.”
Translated Lyrics: “You answered but didn't look back. You are responsible for the situation.”

Phoebe dials the number into the telephone, circling her finger around the rusted dial. Two. Seven. Six. Seven again. One. Zero. Every number she dials hurts her more, but she knows it has to be done. She reaches the final number – eight – and holds her breath. The phone rings once, a muted noise, and it stops. Silence.

There’s a pause before the phone rings again, slower than the first. Telephone to her ear, Phoebe crosses her fingers, hoping for the ringing to stop but also continue. Before she can think more, the phone stops ringing, and a tinny voice comes out the receiver.

“Hello?”

Phoebe lets her breath out. “Hi. Sam, is that you?”

Silence. Then – “Phoebe?”

The question hangs in the air, unanswered. She can already tell Sam knows the answer, so she stays silent, waiting for his next words.

“Phoebe, I told you not to call me anymore.” He says it like she’s a child, but that’s what she feels like right now.

“I know, I know,” Phoebe says in defeat. “I just wanted an answer.”

“Look, I’ve got to go soon,” he says. “Well, what’s your question?”

She waits. To ask or not? She could finally get closure to her situation, yet he could make it happen all over again. Phoebe was playing with two sides of a risky game, but she gives in.

“Why did you leave?” she asks. She tries to casually ask the question, but her throat closes a little near the end.

The cat’s out of the bag now, and all she can do is wait for it to come back. The voice at the other end goes silent, and there’s a pause. Phoebe tries to stay calm, but she waits in frustrated anticipation.

Finally, he breaks the silence. “Look, I’m sorry. I really am,” he says. “But I had to move on.”

She can’t stand it. “That’s it?”

Phoebe can’t see him, but she knows that he’s nodding right now; she hates it. “Go on, Sam,” she mocks. “I’m sure there’s so much more you can tell me. Go ahead.”

She waits for him to respond. She doesn’t feel regret at her scathing words – in fact, she feels bitter satisfaction.

A sigh comes out the other end of the telephone. “Look, Phoebe,” he begins. But Phoebe doesn’t want to hear any of it.

“Look? Don’t tell me to look when you’re not even here.” Her eyes water with unshed tears.

I can’t do this anymore. Phoebe grabs the telephone out of her ear and slams it shut. Sam’s voice cuts off, and she’s left with the sound of her sobbing.

She wants him back more than anything. But she can’t force herself to say it. He may have answered the phone, but he hasn’t looked back to her since. He is responsible for the situation.

CleverComment

Cabin Wars #2 Words

Hydra Attempt (487 words)
A cat and a hat go to the store together to buy some clothes. It is funny because the hat itself is a piece of clothing, but the cat doesn’t think so because the hat still can talk and move, so in fact it is not really an inanimate object that animals or people can shop for. On the contrary, it is an animate object. The hat can talk and move and run and jog and jump and skip and do a bunch of things together, so it is a really cool thing to hang out with. The cat met the hat a few years ago when it was a kitten. The kitten was very sad and it needed a friend and it did nto have any parents. The hat was there and the cat was super happy because it needed a friend, so the cat started talking with the hat and now they are best friends. The hat is always there when the cat is sad, especially when the cat is being chased by the dog. Sometimes the dog is really mean and the cat needs a lot of help to stop it from feeling sad, so it talks with the hat, and the hat comforts her. Anyways, they were shopping together for new clothes, especially a new short. The shorts were very needed for the cat, as it had accidentally thrown away its old pair of shorts. The shorts they were looking for needed to be very smal as the cat was very small. The hat led the way and the two were walking around the store rapidly in search of the shorts. Finall,y after a few minutes of searching around in the store, the animals found the shorts that they needed. The cat held the shorts in her mouth and the two walked back to the start of the grocery store and began to check out. The cashier was actually very slow and the cat looked and realized that the cashier was actually the dog! The cat started panicking and was very scared that the dog would bully her again, but so far it seems as like the dog did not notice that the cat was there. The cat decided that she would wear the hat in order to disguise her from the dog, and the hat agreed. The dog stared at the cat as he scanned the iterm, but it seemed as if everything was ok. The two got out of the store without any trouble, and the shorts were acquired. The cat was really happy that she got the shorts as she had needed them for a long time. The cat and the hat and the shorts rode the carf on the way home and they had lots of fun, It had been a great day without any problems and finally they could go home and relax and have fun together!

Song Titles (43 words)
I turned around and used my magic powers. I made some balloons appear in the sky. What else can I do? I thought to myself. “Magic!” The kids around me screamed. I was so happy, and I wanted everyone else to be HAPPIER.

Song Titles (47 words)
Since U Been Gone, I have been so sad. In fact, I have been crying every day. Sometimes I wish my mom would come and get me, and say “Rockabye” to me because every day I feel so stressed out at the fact that you are gone.

Hydra Attempt (505 words) SUCCESS!!!!!
The cat and the dog and the hat and the mouse and the rat and the bat were all playing in a playground near the park. The park was a very happy park because there were always animals and other things playing there. I like going to the park because when I am sad, I can just go there and visit all the animals and see them playing together. There is also a pond in the park. In the pond, there are many animals. Once, I saw a small fish and a small duck and a big swan. It was a very nice time. There were so many animals in the pond alone, and I happened to have some bread with me, so I decided that I wanted to feed the animals. I threw some bread to the duck, but it turns out that the duck was a very slow swimmer and the swan beat the duck to the bread and instead was the one that ate the bread. I was very surprised because I did not think the swan would do that. I had always thought of them as very noble creatures, and I guess I was wrong. Anyways, I saw the cat in the park and I decided that I was going to play with the cat. The cat was orange and it looked very lonely, so that was why. Also, orange is my favorite color so that is another reason why I wanted to play with the orange cat. But as soon as I started walking towards it, the cat started to run away. I was very shocked – I did not believe I was that scary. But I guess I was wrong, because when I took another step towards it, it started running off into the distance. That was kinda funny, looking back on that event, because it was literally sprinting. ANyways, I walked back to the pond because the duck still looked very hungry and I had more food left to feed it. I made sure that the swan was very far away by throwing some bread really far away and waiting until it swam over there to get the bread. Then, I took my chance and threw some bread to the duck. The duck swam slowly to the bread, and the swan had actually already ate the other bread and was quickly swimming towards this new one. Thankfully, the duck was closer and reached the bread before the swan could come and steal the bread from it. The duck seemed very happy that it finally got what it want, and the swan also was overall happy that it got some bread pieces even though it did not get a piece this time. Overall, it was a great day, I saw so many animals playing in the park, like the dog and the cat and the rat and the mouse and so much more, and I also gave some bread to the duck. I was very happy and walked back home.

Collab Story (261 words)
Kyle's eyes widened in terror as he looked at a face he hadn't seen in sixteen years. Kev*n had changed. What once was a face full of joy and youth was now an elderly face riddled with wrinkles. “Well, well, well.” Kev*n croaked. “I know all about your plot to steal the mangoes, Kyle. In fact, I know everything you have done these sixteen years since we last met.” Kyle started hyperventilating. He screamed and started running away, but Kev*n started laughing. “Foolish child. There's no-one else on this train except for me. If you want to get the mangoes, you have to get past me.” Kev*n cackled and held onto his walking stick. Kyle looked around in desperation, but it seemed that he was alone. “Fine,” he said. “But not before you get a load of this!” He threw a frying pan from his inventory and threw it towards Kev*n. Before he could jump out of the way, it hit him square in the face, and Kev*n faceplanted. Kyle ran to check on him, but before he could, a heavy object hit his face. Kyle raised his head, looking around in terror, only to realize that the object was a mango! His face lit up as more mangos started appearing all around him. It seemed as if defeating Kev*n had made him drop his loot, or in this case, mangoes. It was raining mangoes! Everything was perfect. Kyle started scooping them in his pockets and started smiling. He had defeated Kev*n and succeeded in his mission. He had did it.

Word Sprint (128 words)
Finally, the end of cabin wars was near. It had been a long day, a long battle, a long struggle. But finally, it was the last 7 minutes of the day. No more wars were impending on the Journalism cabin. There were only 110 words left to write. The end was near. The campers were exhausted – whether it was hydras, character swaps, or simply just writing 4500 words, it had been a long day full of writing. There were ups and downs, but finally, it was over. No more cabin wars. We had survived. The campers rejoiced as the last few words for the last war were written. All was well, and it had been a great day. Finally, it was going to end. Yippee, it is over!!!

Last edited by CleverComment (March 22, 2025 23:56:19)

CleverComment

Original Character Sheet!
Name: Rachel Bergeron
Gender: Female
Education: Current high school senior, applied to Georgetown (dream college) and a few other universities and is currently waiting for decisions
Job: dreams of being a doctor
Emotions: feels happy and fulfilled when hanging out with friends, stresses a lot about schoolwork and tests, sometimes doesn't have time to slow down because she's always busy
Personality type (Myers-Briggs): INTP (Logician)
People in her life (just for context): Destiny - childhood best friend who she hangs out with; she's really active in drama productions!
Favorite place: Libraries
Strengths: finding the best solution to a problem, being organized, cares a lot about things and people
Weaknesses: prioritizes the future over the present, doesn't always prioritize her friends, bad with time perception

Rachel's story is here if you'd like to read it!

Last edited by CleverComment (March 22, 2025 15:56:06)

CleverComment

Character Swap with Lili! (377 words)
Tori steps into the candy store, hands in her pocket. She looks around cautiously – it doesn’t seem like she recognizes anyone here. That’s good. The store is decorated with thousands of candy pieces - lollipops, gumdrops, you name it. It’s all a sickly rainbow color, and Tori winces as she looks around for the peppermints she needs.

Keep your head down. If you can’t see them, they can’t see you. The black-and-white tiles on the ground swarm her vision, but she concentrates on her task. Before she knows it, she’s reached the peppermints. Tori smiles – Maya’s going to love these. But when she reaches for a jar of the candy, someone taps her on the shoulder. “Hey, need any help?”

She turns around – her father is right next to her. Same eyes, same grin. Tori’s breaths become shallow. How did he find me? After all these years? Before she knows it, she collapses on the floor. The world goes dark.

Tori is back in her old home. Her parents are in the other room. Grace is on the ground, playing with some toys. Tori looks around. Everything is the same as it was, before the accident. She holds her hands out – they’re exactly the same. No, please. Not this place again. Anywhere but this place. Please. She starts shaking in her vision and wakes with a start.

She’s back in the candy store. “Ma’am, are you okay?” A crowd has gathered around her. Her dad is shaking her again, but she doesn’t care. She only wants to know how he found her, after all these years, after all the lives she’s lived.

“Ma’am, do you need to go to the hospital?” Her dad says urgently. Please, not the hospital again. She stands up tentatively and looks at her father again. Suddenly, her eyes widen. This isn’t her dad – his hair’s way different, and he’s a lot shorter than he was. Tori looks at him in disbelief. This is just a store employee. It’s okay. Everything is okay.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what happened. I’m okay,” she says quickly. She takes the jar of peppermints, pays for them, and rushes out the store. That was a close call. She breathes out, and heads towards Maya’s home. Everything’s okay.

CleverComment

Word War with Finley (286 words)
I pulled up the floor and my hand felt something that was really cold. I was really scared for a second, because I did not know what would be under our floors that would be cold. Some scary images flashed into my head and I was really scared of all the monsters that could potentially be under our floors. I looked at what my hand was touching and gasped. It was another hand. I was so scared because why was there a hand underneath our floor? It was a really shriveled and small hand, and it looked like it had been there for quite a long time. I gasped and started to cry. This was way too scary for me. I had a lot of nightmares when I was little about hands that would eat me alive and this was just like them. BUt after a while I calmed down and decided to look at it further. It seemed as if the hand was very old and had a lot of cuts on it. Maybe it was a fake hand? But when I looked at it even further, it seemed as if the hand had actual flesh on it so I decided that it was indeed a real hand. I decided to prank my little brother because he was always so annoying. SO i decided to move the hand into his bedroom so when he went there to sleep, he would be really scared. I hid in his closet and waited for a few hours for him to go to bed. Suddenly, he walked it and started screaming when he saw the hand. I jumped out of the closet and started cackling and pointing at him

Last edited by CleverComment (March 22, 2025 22:24:40)

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