It seems we have collected some new users in recent times, and so I shall benevolently take it upon myself to give you all a crash course in survival, the CYS way.
Day 1, find someone weaker than you and shank them with a homemade--
Ahem, sorry. Wrong set of notes. (That's for accounts on their
second month!)
If you are truly new here however, the thing you should know is that we take writing seriously, and absolutely nothing else. CYS is a very venerable and ancient site, hailing from more based times when creativity was not restricted, the people had FREEDOM, and the internet was still fun.
Stories here are written by authors who simply wanted to share their visions, either to recieve feedback to improve, or for the simple joy of writing. No one is subject to ads or other unsavory grasping behaviors, and most decisions are community driven.
Besides the obvious rule of no NSFW things, be aware there's very little censorship. That's just counterproductive on a writing site; you must have a thick skin to write for the public, and be willing to experience new or challenging ideas to read. This means that, yes, on the forum you may indeed suddenly find yourself subject to a 14 year old's opinion, but fear not; you also can tell them exactly what you think of it!
Critical, sometimes blunt feedback on writing should be expected, and ideally taken with a grain of good humor along with the salt, whether you agree with it or not. You have surely heard the saying, "You can please some of the people all of the time, and you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time." A quote famously attributed to John Lydgate, a 14th century monk and poet whose name I totally already knew and didn't look up just now. Someone not loving the things you love is just a part of life, and maturity is learning to not let the thoughts of others shatter your little world.
Remember that writers write because they're compelled to share what's on the canvas of their mind, but they read because...well, probably because it's necessary to feign interest in other people's work sometimes in order to get feedback on your own. The site experience however is geared towards readers, they're the ones keeping the wheels greased around here. They decide which stories are the most worthwhile to stay in public view, and provide the fuel of feedback that keeps writers challenging themselves. So rating stories and writing comments--long or short--is the easiest and most important thing any user can do to improve the site and establish themselves as a vital part of it.
Making a good impression with your writing is also important of course. Too many times newbies will dive in without taking any interest in anyone else's work, and thus not having any idea of the quality level readers expect. Before you publish, you want to be sure you're putting your best face forward with a storygame that is proofread, polished, and complete. And most importantly, meant for public view. (A private story for friends or teachers can be shared without publishing, simply by making sure Sneak Peek is toggled on so that it's visible from your profile, and giving them a copy of the link.)
If you have any other questions about your game or want feedback or advice in advance of publishing it, the Writing Workshop section of the forum is for you. For questions about variables or other advanced editor features, there's a board for that too.
If you're not up to finishing a whole game yet and simply want to practice your writing in a pressure free way, you're welcome to post short stories or poems in the Creative Corner. Or if you're the type that wants or NEEDS the pressure to produce, visit the THUNDERDOME thread and take part in some short story writing duels, or watch for one of our contests.
And if you're anxious at all about forum participation (or if you're still in elementary school...), just know that the main things the community really does discourage are pointless, empty topics, or excessive low effort shitposting. But remember you can't go wrong with sticking to at least vaguely writing relating topics, or simply lurking until you have a better idea of the culture. There's nothing to be afraid of though, I assure you we do not--
Ahem. DO NOT--
--have a pile of dead noob accounts piled up in the back, or anything like that. You'll be fiiiine.
