daily team dinosaurs | swc march '24

id: 736511

category: Collaboration

posts: 95

MoonlitSeas MoonlitSeas loading
Hey everyone! Welcome to the November ‘23 SWC Daily Team – if you have not been invited to this forum, through the current leader forum or otherwise, I must respectfully ask you to leave. SWC is run on an honor system – we trust that you will act accordingly. To those who remain, welcome! We’re very excited to have you here, and we look forward to working with you this session <3

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Writers’ Introduction

The daily team will be running as it did last session – in short, Luna (luna-lovegood-lol), Alia (–tranquility), and myself (Moonlit - moonlitseas) will have the responsibility of coordinating a group of writers alongside our executive, Starr (stariqe). As writers, you all will have the opportunity to write dailies, weekly pieces, and potentially contribute to a collaborative project weekly. If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of, please fill out this form below!

Username | Nickname | Pronouns | What would you be interested in writing? | How much can you write? | Other skillsets (art, graphic design, coding, etc. – keep it concise!)

(To clarify – all co/leaders are welcome to join! We’d just like to get a sense of what you would be most interested in contributing to the team.)

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Backup Writers System:

We’ll also have backup writers this session! If for some reason the original writer of a daily/weekly part isn’t able to complete their writing before the deadline, a backup writer will write their part instead.

We’ll be assigning these as we go – in general, those who complete their original parts will be assigned backup parts.

Our Team <3

- stariqe | starr | they/she | executive
- moonlitseas | moonlit | she/her | coordinator
- luna-lovegood-lol | luna| she/her | coordinator
- –tranquility | alia | she/her | coordinator

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Schedule

Jan 17 - daily part assignments
Jan 31 - weekly 1-3 part assignments
Jan 3 - daily parts due, backup parts assigned tomorrow
Jan 10 - weekly 1-3 parts due, backup parts assigned tomorrow
Jan 10 - backup daily parts due, backup parts assigned tomorrow
Jan 17 - all parts due, coordinators write remaining dailies and backup weekly parts assigned tomorrow
Jan 24 - final backup weekly parts due


Current To-Do

Not applicable, at the moment <3

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Credits

- Thank you to everyone who has helped to make SWC what it is today! Official SWC records can be found here - https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/post/6568199
- Thank you to Starr for the current daily team system, as well as for being our executive!
- Aaand thank you my amazing fellow coordinators, Alia and Luna <3
- Forum post written by Moonlit (inspiration taken from the MBC’s former main post)
thebibliophile7 | reese | she/her | dailies and/or weekly parts, and i don't mind a workshop either <3 | probably two or three dailies/weekly parts | i think i'm relatively decent at graphic design <3
forestpanther | CD | they/them | I'd love to help with longer daily/bidaily ideas / weeklies ect, or possible workshops if it's something i'm confident in (poetry!!) | probably 4-6 dailies and 2-3 weeklies ect | i have access to a very good art platform and do art and design. i have a background in programming if needed )

thank you! this is gonna be epic ;D
ButterPopcorn8| Luka | She/Her | Dailies, a workshop if possible and Weekly parts| I can do a few daily/weekly parts (~5 Dailies, 1-2 weekly parts) | some graphic design, art and a bit of coding ^^
@Septembersong | September | she/her | dailies and/or weekly parts!! | 2-3 dailies and just one weekly part | i am an amateur graphic designer but willing to help in any way <3
cb2jkl cb2jkl loading
@cb2jkl | cj | he/they | i'd be interested in writing dailies and weekly parts | i can do probably do around 4 daily parts and 3 weekly parts | art and a bit of graphic design |
PoppyWriter PoppyWriter loading
PoppyWriter | Poppy | she/her | I'd be most interested in doing daily and weekly parts or potentially a workshop, though I'm also willing to do pretty much anything <33 | Maybe ~4 dailies and 1-3 weekly parts | a little bit of graphic design
starr-light starr-light loading
starr-light | river | she/her | daily and weekly parts | two or three dailies and two weekly parts | graphic design and art
rocksalmon800 | rockie | she/her | dailies and weekly parts! | 2-3 dailies and two weekly parts | I think I’m alright at graphic design!
-NightGlow- -NightGlow- loading
-NightGlow- | Alana | she/her | dailies and weeklies | 5 dailies and 3 weekly parts | graphic design and coding
@snuggles0426 | Sienna | she/her | dailies and weeklies | 5ish dailies, 2-3 weekly parts | graphic design + coding are my biggest strong suits <3
essayist essayist loading
essayist | finley | she/her | a workshop, dailies and weeklies | four dailies and three weekly parts | graphic design and coding
xx_hermione_xx / willow / she/her / dailies, weeklies / 4-5 dailies and 3 weekly parts / graphic design, coding, and art <33
Rey_venclaw Rey_venclaw loading
rey_venclaw / soki / she/they / basically anything, especially a workshop. i’d love to write a workshop / about 6-7 parts (daily and/or weekly) / art, effective research. graphic design
yumetopia yumetopia loading
yumetopia | yume | she/her | dailies and weekly parts | 3-5 dailies and 1-2 weekly parts <3 | graphic design ^^ and perhaps minimal coding-? it's enough to make interactive leader apps but nothing /too/ complicated hehe

yumetopia wrote:

this is definitely not the right place to ask this but i had the sudden thought that it would be interesting if the pi daily was worth 314 points or something
or maybe 300 and an extra 140 because of the fact that point values are usually pretty rounded (if you get what i mean) <3

this is just a suggestion and a random thought that occurred to me lol, i'll submit the backup daily i promise
I second this.

-BookDragon- wrote:

yumetopia wrote:

this is definitely not the right place to ask this but i had the sudden thought that it would be interesting if the pi daily was worth 314 points or something
or maybe 300 and an extra 140 because of the fact that point values are usually pretty rounded (if you get what i mean) <3

this is just a suggestion and a random thought that occurred to me lol, i'll submit the backup daily i promise
I second this.
I third this.
daily 16: write about life from another swcer’s perspective (492 characters)

one of the best things about SWC is its ability to connect young writers across different countries and cultures, which is absolutely incredible in today’s daily, we’ll be embracing our community’s uniqueness by writing about life from another swcer’s perspective! what would their average day look like? what hobbies, interests and activities do they engage in? answer these questions and more in at least X words to claim x points for your cabin, plus an additional x for sharing proof!
I am so sorry, I just realised I didn't follow this discussion and completely missed all the messages sent on here. Would it be too late for me to write my daily?
-NightGlow- -NightGlow- loading

Amethyst-animation wrote:

I am so sorry, I just realised I didn't follow this discussion and completely missed all the messages sent on here. Would it be too late for me to write my daily?
Hi Amethyst! Unfortunately the daily you were assigned (March 16) was just submitted by its backup writer, so it would be too late to write it now ^^
Though don't get your hopes down – there's always the chance of getting to write a weekly part
Thanks for letting me know, Alana!
daily 21: world poetry day
492 characters
Happy World Poetry Day! There are many types of poetry, from haikus to odes, but they all have one thing in common: most poems are written about something the author is passionate about. Whether it's ballet or world peace, poems can be about anything that you enjoy. For today's daily, it's your turn to write a poem about one of your passions! Be creative with poem style, wording, and topic. You can earn x points for x words, along with an extra x for sharing. Good luck, (tortured) poets!
yumetopia yumetopia loading
backup daily #2

music is the universal language that connects people from all around the world. different genres and every unique song can give off a different feeling, and we invite you to experience that by listening to a piece of music- and although it’s up to you, maybe take your chances at something you’ve never heard before? afterwards, write a piece- it could be anything from a poem to a short story, based off the mood you feel from it in x words to earn x points for your cabin. have fun!

pi daily pi points pi daily pi pointsss please daily team we all want it hehe <3
backup backups!

these are due by february 24th at 11:59 pm utc - all guidelines from starr's post still apply

(10) -NightGlow-: critiquitaire daily
(30) starr-light: character gets the superpower that they least wanted

(and as for pi day points - we have heard you ;D)
-NightGlow- -NightGlow- loading
Yay! Pi Day points
March 10th Daily (500 characters)
Have you recently finished a piece of writing? Well then you're in luck - it's Critiquitaire time! Although the spelling tends to mess most of us up from time to time, the Critiquitaire is pretty similar to our well-known SWC tradition, Word Wars! It's a place for you to receive feedback on your writing, whether that be for a novel, daily, or weekly - the piece of writing you decide to submit it up to you! Head on over here (scratch.mit.edu/projects/alanalink/) for more info. Let the fun begin!
hello everyone! weekly assignments are here ;D

weekly parts and workshops are due on february 25th at 11:59 utc - if you're unable to finish your part by then, one of us will reassign your part to another dt member <3 the activity records has many examples you can use to help with tone and length

without further ado…

weekly one - legends
this weekly is structured so that campers choose an activity from each section, so for each write a description of all four activities
intro: –tranquility
myth - 1. crossover fic between pantheons 2. retelling epic poems in prose 3. retellings (genderbent, pov change, modern times) 4. genre swapping - place a myth in a different genre's world/setting: snuggles0426
historical fiction - 1. original characters in historical times 2. historical figures in modern times 3. what if: change one thing about a historical event 4. if these walls could talk: the events one place has seen: kindhrts-
fairy tales - 1. retelling (genderbent, pov change, modern times) 2. place yourself in a fairy tale 3. meeting of multiple fairy tale characters 4. use popular fairy tale motifs in another story: -NightGlow-
folklore - 1. oral retelling: show characters passing down a story 2. regional differences: write about different versions of the same story 3. write a story with a moral 4. magical realism (talking animals, little bits of magic, etc : iinspirqtion
closing: cj

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weekly two - swclassics
intro: Amethyst-Animation
alba flowers (writers note - feel free to put your own spin on the activity!): Rey_venclaw
constellations (writers note - same as alba flowers!): TheBibliophile7
aesthetic set from the aesthetic of one of the previous sections: yumetopia
swc fanfic using a motif from the flowers or the meaning of a constellation: -BookDragon-
closing: ForestPanther

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weekly three - mystery
intro: Stariqe
plotting - list out and give short descriptions five major plot points of your story: starr-light
list/describe x number of clues and red herrings: Flowerelf371
witness interview (partner activity), stage an interview where one person's the interviewer and one's the witness to the crim: essayist
write a longer mystery scene using plot points/clues and red herrings/evidence from the witness interview: rocksalmon800
closing: SeptemberSong

workshops
overview of first weekly four genres and their differences: -BookDragon-
plotting a mystery: PoppyWriter
red herrings/clues: essayist

if you're interested in writing a weekly example, contact us on one of our profiles by february 22nd at 11:59 utc! as always, reach out with any questions <3
For the first weekly, are they supposed to take an existing piece of writing and turn it into a legend (or a myth in my case)? Sorry if this is kind of obvious but I was trying to get some clarification ^^'

snuggles0426 wrote:

For the first weekly, are they supposed to take an existing piece of writing and turn it into a legend (or a myth in my case)? Sorry if this is kind of obvious but I was trying to get some clarification ^^'
it depends on the section - so for example like the myth part, in the pantheons crossover section, they would take two existing myths/characters from different pantheons, or in the epic poems they'd be retelling it, but for the say hifi or folklore sections it'd be mostly original!
Weekly 1, Folklore Part

1. oral retelling: show characters passing down a story

First off, in the folklore section of this weekly, one option you can choose to do is to show characters passing down a story. I’m sure you’ve read fantasy stories where all the main characters sit by a fire and one of them starts to tell a tale that has been in their family for generations. Sometimes this story is about a mystical power, a great foe, or a band of heroes, but they all share one thing in common. The mystical allure each of the stories has.

If you choose to go down this path, write at least xxx words depicting characters in your writing telling their own story that has been passed down somehow. It’s up to you to figure out the details, whether it’s only one family that knows this story or a whole village, what the story is about, and much more.

2. regional differences: write about different versions of the same story

True folktales do not have one author. As they get passed down, each storyteller adds a bit of their magic to the story, thus as time passes, there will be many different versions of the same story. An example of this is the story of Cinderella. You may not have known this, but the tale of Cinderella has many faces, such as Cinder Edna, the Rough-Face Girl, Adelita, Yeh-Shen, and the Golden Sandal. Each of these tales has different and unique parts, but they are all traced back to the same original one.

For this prompt, follow the path of many different storytellers and write x different versions of the same story that you decide to create. Each version must have xxx words, and have fun making your folktale!

3. write a story with a moral

All folktales have one basic idea in common. They all somehow tell us a lesson, may it be to be honest all the time, or to take it slow and steady and not worry about what other people think of you. Sound familiar? If you choose this option, write a story with at least xxx words and any moral of your liking. After writing, maybe compare your story to other well-known fables and see how similar they are!

4. magical realism (talking animals, little bits of magic, etc :

Folktales are often known to have little bits of magic scattered inside them. Talking animals are common in them, and so are magical items or prophecies. If you choose to do this too, write at least xxx words implementing magical realism into your own story. Good luck, and I can’t wait to see what you do with your ideas!
Weekly 1, Myth Part
this is so random but the whole idea of this weekly reminds me of the wise words of ms. frizzle: “it's time to take chances, make mistakes, and GET MESSY!” XD
1. crossover
Some of the most interesting stories can be made from already existing mythology (think Percy Jackson ;D ). From gods and goddesses to tricksters and schemers, there are so many different elements you can pull from. Find a couple (or more!) pantheons that interest you the most, and write a story of at least xxx words that incorporates them all together. Maybe there's a power struggle between them, they're joining forces, or they've just discovered each others' existence. The choice is yours, so don't be afraid to play with it!

2. epic poem in prose
An epic poem is a long story told in a poem about heroes and their impressive feats. You've probably heard of quite a few without even knowing it. Some of the most widely known ones are the Iliad, the Odyssey, Paradise Lost, and Metamorphoses. For this option, read part (or all if you're feeling it) of an epic poem, and rewrite it in prose. You might have to reimagine it and add more details to accommodate your own writing style, so go where the story takes you! Write at least xxx words of your new (and possibly improved) epic.

3. retelling
Original myths are great, but there are many different ways to look at them that bring in a novel perspective. Take an old myth and make it something completely new and interesting. Pick your favorite myth and consider what you could change to put a new spin on it. You could change the point of view, genders, setting, time period, or anything really! Choose as many elements as you want to play with, and write your original and fantastical retelling with at least xxx words. You'll be amazed at what you come up with!

4. genre swap
Genre is arguably the most integral part of any story. It's what builds the atmosphere, and shifting it can create a whole new plot. A story wouldn't be quite the same without it's signature style, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. Take one of your favorite myths and rewrite it in a completely different world or genre. What would happen if you put the Greek gods (or any mythical characters) in 1850? How about 2024? What if they were solving a noir-style mystery? Write at least xxx words, and have fun tapping into your inner Hermes (the divine trickster) as you explore the endless possibilities!
essayist essayist loading
weekly three - part four
greetings, wanderer - and welcome to the fourth part of this weekly! find yourself a partner, and together embark upon an interview. one of you can claim the role of a witness to a crime, whereas the other can wield the power of an interviewer. go ahead and ask the most ridiculous questions, and answer with the most unexpected responses! once you’ve completed your interview, it’s time to jot down your conversation. to move onto the next part of this weekly, write x words for this activity. have fun with this - after all, every witness carries a small piece of the truth ;D
reminder that weekly parts and workshops are due in less than two days <3
PoppyWriter PoppyWriter loading
Finished!! Any advice is more than welcome <33

⯎ Workshop ~ Plotting a Mystery ⯎

Intro

One of the greatest powers an author can possess is the ability to pull readers in and keep them in a state of anticipation for pages and pages. The reader lays awake at night- either reading their book under the covers with a flashlight or staring at the ceiling, wondering what could possibly happen next.
Mysteries lend themselves really well to this- their whole purpose is to keep the audience on their toes. However, sometimes the genres that are the most fun to read are the hardest to write, and mystery is no exception. It can take a lot of thought-out planning, but once you get into it, it’s only fun, games, and riddles ahead.


Pt.1 ~ The 'Why’

Many of you may be looking at your screen, thinking something like- “Why should I care about plotting a mystery? I can write plenty well without outlining anything!”

It may be true that you're really great at writing without an outline- and that's amazing! However, mystery can be a tricky genre because it's incredibly complex, with many layers that can be hard to juggle if you don't have a road map to work with ahead of time. An important part of writing mysteries is knowing where to drop hints and clues, all while pacing the story to stay suspenseful without giving away the mystery too quickly. Having an outline- even a basic one- will help you feel more in control of your story and will help you grow more comfortable with the genre as a whole.


Pt.2 ~ Road Trips and the Initial Wrongdoing

To put a mystery story in perspective, think of going on a road trip- getting from point A to point B.
When you’re on a road trip, along the way, you’ll likely see signs of where you’re headed- whether that’s a changing landscape or a sign that something like “Exit to the Misty Mountains- 7 miles”.

Think of it like this- the plot of your story (the characters/the reader slowly coming to make sense of the mystery) is the road that they're travelling along. Along this road, they’ll encounter those “road signs” that show hints of where they’re headed- clues, flashbacks, etc. The further the story goes, the closer they’ll get to their destination- or in other words, having a full understanding of what happened. The mystery itself and the central story of discovering it may come together later (the main character is threatened by the criminal, the culprit commits another crime, etc.), but the majority of your story will likely be focused on trying to make sense of something that's already happened. In short, it’s a story that slowly reveals another story beneath it.

You'll probably want to start by figuring out what that mystery is- the big revelation that the character will discover towards “the end”. Think like a detective. What was it? Who did it? What was their motive? How would they try to hide what they did? Where will signs of their wrongdoing peek through?

Got an idea? Even a little one? Congrats! You've just created the first parts of your mystery. Keep building on this as long as you can, understanding everything about the heinous act until you know it like the back of your hand.

Next up, it’s got to be solved.


Pt.3 ~ Solving the Mystery

First, you want to think about how long you want your story to be. If you’re just working on this mystery for a daily or weekly, you likely don’t have the room to throw around endless clues and red herrings.
You can divide it into little chapters, episodes, or (especially if it’s a shorter story), you can divide it into the well-loved plotline- exposition / inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution. This type of planning works especially well with writing mysteries because it gives you a sense of where to build more tension by adding more clues.
For the sake of your average-sized SWC daily/weekly, we’ll be looking at that type of outline!

⇾ Exposition / Inciting Incident ~ Like any other story, this is where you’d introduce the main characters, the setting, and the general tone of your story. Additionally, this is also where you’ll want to introduce the mystery itself- the big question that looms over the whole story. Maybe the main character finds something new that points them to an old mystery (such as someone in modern-day solving something that happened years and years ago), or something entirely new happens that throws the main character into the thick of the story.

⇾ Rising Action ~ This is where the speed of the story picks up and the riddles and puzzles start piling up, ready to be picked apart by the main character (and the readers!). Here, the main character learns more about the mystery via clues. This can be evidence from the crime scene, a tip-off from another character, or really anything that has to do with the mystery. The rising action should take up the majority of the story, as the main character discovers clues that lead them closer to the truth. However, all good rising action has to involve some setbacks. Typically in mysteries, these manifest themselves as red herrings, loss of important clues, or another issue arriving. All that matters is that it’s building up to…

⇾ The Climax ~ It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Here is where it really all comes together. In this part, something happens that leads the main character/detective to answer the classic question- whodunit? Or, more generally, what happened? What’s the big answer? A lot of things can lead to this big moment, whether it’s an important clue that comes to light, a plot twist, or the main character having a stroke of genius. All in all, just think of those big “lightbulb moments”. Your goal here is to leave your reader open-mouthed in shock.

⇾ Falling Action ~ Even once everything is solved, the work isn’t quite over. Oftentimes, a few things have to happen before everything is considered to be fully wrapped up. Maybe the culprit puts up a fight, or an accomplice to the crime appears, or the culprit pulls out one last trick. It’s all up to you how this goes. The only thing that matters is letting the reader worry about the safety of the characters for a little longer before putting their mind at ease.

⇾ Resolution ~ Happily ever after! Or… almost. Or not at all? There are countless ways to end any story- all it takes is knowing which way is right for you. You could do a picture-perfect happy ending, where all the questions and clues are nicely tied together and the whole adventure is at rest. You could leave a question hanging over the characters’ heads, that could lead to another mystery (though you’ll likely want to avoid this unless you plan on writing more mysteries). You could also torture your characters further by leaving them in agony. Maybe the villain won! Maybe an important character d!ed! Anything can happen- the only thing that matters is that the main mystery has been solved and there aren’t any loose plot holes anywhere.


Pt.5 ~ Last Notes

Congrats! You’ve now got an idea of how to set up a mystery, whether it be only 300 words or a full novel. Plotting mysteries can be hard - really really hard- but it’s one of the aspects of mysteries that make them so compelling. Their layered plots keep the reader (and often, the author) trying to think three, ten, or twelve hundred steps ahead.

Note that your plot outline might not be perfect at first. You might start writing and you realize that you have too many clues planned for one part, or that you’ve accidentally created a plot hole. It’s no big deal- you can always go back and edit until you’ve got something you’re proud of. Writing takes time. Solving mysteries takes time. All that matters is getting the words down and letting your creativity run wild.


Useful Resources
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-a-gripping-mystery-novel
https://self-publishingschool.com/how-to-plot-a-mystery-story/
starr-light starr-light loading
backup backup for the 30th–it's a little late but i hope that's okay!

imagine your character getting the superpower they've always wanted to have…now throw that thought out the window. today, you'll be writing about a character getting their least favorite superpower in x words, for xx points. feel free to share for an additional xx points.

weekly part–mystery

to begin your mystery, wander on over to @poppywriter's workshop to learn how to plot one! after you've read and internalised the information, write short, xxx word descriptions of five major plot points of your tale. be as creative as you like, and feel free to include some classic mystery elements as well.
essayist essayist loading
swc workshop - red herrings and clues
hello there, fellow writers! ready to master the art of red herrings and clues? in this workshop, we'll be learning how to craft a thrilling journey for your readers, filled with suspense and the puzzle of unfolding the truth! this will equip you with the tools to weave a gripping story that keeps your readers guessing until the very end. so, buckle up and get ready to unleash your inner detective!

understanding the terms

clues - these refer to the breadcrumbs you scatter throughout the story, leading your readers towards solving a certain mystery. clues provide essential information, guiding the audience towards piecing together the puzzle.

red herrings - on the flip side, red herrings are intentional distractions. they divert attention away from the truth, injecting suspense and unpredictability into the story. a well-crafted red herring keeps readers guessing until the big reveal.

inserting red herrings and clues

setting - don't underestimate the power of your setting! it can be more than just a backdrop – it can actively participate in leading readers astray. seemingly insignificant details can be subtle clues, while deliberately placed elements can act as red herrings. for example, in gone girl by gillian flynn, the missouri landscape serves as a clue, revealing the complexities of the characters' relationships.

evidence - planting evidence isn't just about placing a smoking gun at the scene. It's about strategically introducing elements that shape the investigation, be it:

• subtle clues | footprints, trace materials (hair, fibers, soil), library records, deleted browser history and more!
• altering evidence | tampering with the crime scene, forging documents, or destroying evidence raises questions about who to trust
• misinterpretation | a piece of evidence might be misinterpreted at first, leading the investigation astray until the truth is revealed

characters - characters in a mystery are more than just people in a story; they are players in shaping clues and red herrings. here's how they can reveal information:

• dialogues | everything a character says can serve as a lead towards solving a mystery; and the casual conversation might hold hidden details
• actions | nervous ticks, changes in behavior, or seemingly irrelevant stories can offer subtle clues.
• secret relationships | a character might conceal a past connection to the victim or suspect, adding intrigue about their role in the story
• double identities | a seemingly innocent character might be living a double life, harbouring a dark secret that connects them to the crime

how to use them effectively

plant clues early - give your readers a chance to play detective! scatter subtle hints throughout your story, allowing them to piece together the puzzle as they go.

plausible red herrings - ensure your red herrings are believable and don't contradict established facts or break the story's logic!

don't overdo it - too many red herrings can be frustrating for your readers. use them sparingly, but strategically, to maximize their impact.

serving a purpose - every red herring should have a reason for being there. it should either develop character motivations, showcasing how someone might be trying to shift blame or manipulate events - or illustrate the protagonist's difficulties and false starts they encountered during their investigation.

the concluding payoff - this is where the magic happens! reveal the true purpose of both clues and red herrings. show how the clues led to the truth and how the red herrings were cleverly used to mislead. this ensures a satisfying conclusion for your readers.

perceiving characters - introduce characters with suspicious motives, means, and opportunity, only to reveal their innocence later. conversely, try incorporating innocent characters that eventually unfold their evil motives towards the end. this keeps the reader guessing and adds a layer of suspicion.

unreliable narrator - experiment with a narrator who is biased, unreliable, or even delusional. this forces the reader to question everything they read, creating a challenging and immersing experience.

conclusion
so there you have it! i hope that this workshop improved your understanding upon red herrings and clues, and how you can effectively utilise them while writing. always keep your readers on the edge, captivated by the mysteries that lie ahead!

— finley

resources i used
what is a red herring - twinkl
how to mislead and surprise readers - storygrid
difference between red herrings, evidence and clues - zara altair
ultimate guide to red herrings and clues - the write practise
should your mystery include red herrings? - dabble
non fishy ways to plant red herrings - autocrit

feel free to refer to these to further develop your understanding!
weekly 3 part four (five including the intro)
welcome, detectives, to the final part of this splendiforous weekly! for your fourth activity, you’ll be combining everything you’ve worked on in previous parts into a longer piece. using your plot points, red herrings, clues, and evidence from the witness interview, write a mystery scene of at least xxx words. you can go about this however you’d like: it could be a snippet of a longer work or its own self-contained story. make it gripping, make it exciting, make it page-turning (or in this case, screen-scrolling?), and above all, make it mysterious ;D best of luck, sleuths, and remember to have fun!
yumetopia yumetopia loading
this is probably a bit late to ask this but for the “aesthetic set from the aesthetic of one of the previous sections” is it just the motif of the piece in general or a character? ‘the aesthetic of one of the previous sections“ doesn’t mention that it has to be a character, so the version i have right now is just 'based off the theme or motif you have selected”. is that okay? (please respond <33)

yumetopia wrote:

this is probably a bit late to ask this but for the “aesthetic set from the aesthetic of one of the previous sections” is it just the motif of the piece in general or a character? ‘the aesthetic of one of the previous sections“ doesn’t mention that it has to be a character, so the version i have right now is just 'based off the theme or motif you have selected”. is that okay? (please respond <33)
any of those work - general aesthetic of the piece, a character, or the motifs, whatever you’re thinking <3
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--tranquility wrote:

any of those work - general aesthetic of the piece, a character, or the motifs, whatever you’re thinking <3
thank you <33
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weekly one - closing

Congratulations, you’ve completed the very first weekly of this session! Before submitting, make sure you have completed everything below, with the required word amounts!

1. Myth section (xxx words)

2. Historical Fiction section (xxx words)

3. Fairy Tales section (xxx words)

4. Folklore section (xxx words)

Completing these should result in a total of xxx words written!

This weekly is due on March xxx at 11:59 p.m. UTC and must be submitted in the main cabin by that time to earn points. Make sure you include your cabin name and a link to evidence of your work! Extensions cannot be granted after the deadline has passed! By completing this weekly, you will earn xxx points for your cabin! Good luck!
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weekly one - historical fiction part <3

1. Original characters in historical times.
You’ve probably heard of historical characters in historical times, but have you ever heard of original characters in historical times? Pick a character you’ve written with, whether it’s the character from your first ever story, one from that novel you’ve been procrastinating on, or your favorite character, any will work! How would that character react during the Boston Tea Party? Would they make a good knight in the Medieval times? For this task, write a story with xxx words using an original character in a historical time.

2. Historical figures in modern times.
History has changed a lot over the years, Leonardo Da Vinci probably didn’t use Pinterest for inspiration, nor did Christopher Columbus have Google Maps to guide him. For this part, choose a historical figure, such as a famous Soldier, political figure, or any other character from your favorite history story and then write a xxx long story about how they’d react to being in modern times.

3. What if: Change one thing about a historical event.
You’ve probably heard about the butterfly effect, if we could change one tiny thing in the past, it could drastically change the future. If one tiny thing such as a butterfly flew off before it was supposed to happen, it could cause SWC to not happen. For this activity, change one thing about a historical story, such as maybe Covid-19 was never discovered. Write xxx words about that changed event to complete this activity.

4. If these walls could talk: The events one place has seen.
There have been so many different events in one place, such as your friend’s house has probably seen many other friends and people. How would it be if the walls could talk? What would the walls say if they could talk? Would they mention that fit you had when you were three? Or maybe the time you lost your first tooth? For this activity, write xxx words explaining an event from the place’s perspective.
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weekly 2 part three

we hope you had fun with the previous swclassics <3 now it’s time to use what you’ve written for another old favorite - the aesthetic set! choose one of your pieces from the previous sections and create an aesthetic set that represents the theme or motif that you have selected. your set should contain at least five different images, chosen in reference to your selected piece. of course, the photographs you use do not need to be original, just be sure to give credit if the images aren’t yours! once you’re done, share your aesthetic as a project and submit the link alongside the rest of your weekly. happy designing!
weekly submissions are closed unless you've been granted an extension, backup parts will be out soon!
weekly 2, conclusion

Welcome, everybody, to the end of the second weekly of this session! We hope you'll enjoy these SWC classics- it's always lovely to return to some of our favourite activities across the camp <3 So, without further ado, here's a recap of how to submit your weekly and earn the points for your cabin!

Section one: Alba's flower workshop, with a minimum of XXX words!
Section two: Constellation task, with a minimum of XXX words!
Section three: Aesthetic set from either the flowers or the constellations, with at least five different images!
Section four: A classic SWC fan-fic, using a flower or constellation motif, with a minimum of XXX words!

Completion of this weekly will earn you XXX points for your cabin!

In total, this weekly will require at least XXX words and 5 images in your aesthetic set to be complete. It must be submitted by 11:59 UTC on the X of March in the Main Cabin to earn points. Please ensure to share your amazing work with us, and if you need an extension, request one from the hosts before the deadline.
Thank you- we hope that you have an awesome time with this weekly!

(edit: oh i'm sorry I didn't see that the deadline was up till I refreshed the page rip)
weekly three - part three

now that you have introduced yourself to the world of mystery and have the basics of your story down it is time to dig deeper. if you have ever participated in host speculation you'll know how much twists and tricks add to the fun so now create a list with x clues and/or red herrings that you can incorporate into your story. check out this wonderful workshop that should help you with this task: linktosupercoolworkshop - have fun!
aaa omg i'm so sorry i completely forgot to do my part :sob:
backup weekly parts <3 these are due by march 3rd at 11:59 utc!

weekly two - swclassics
intro: iinspirqtion
alba flowers (writers note - feel free to put your own spin on the activity!): snuggles0426
constellations (writers note - same as alba flowers!): rocksalmon800

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weekly three - mystery
closing: yumetopia
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weekly three closing

congratulations, wanderers- you’ve completed the third weekly of the session! before submitting, please make sure you have completed all of the following in order for your weekly to count for points.

part 1 - plotting using poppy’s workshop, minimum xxx words
part 2 - clues and red herrings using finley’s workshop, minimum xxx words
part 3 - witness interview, minimum xxx words of conversation
part 4 - mystery scene, minimum xxx words

completing this weekly will result in a total of xxx words written! this weekly is due on march xx at 11:59 p.m. utc and must be submitted in the main cabin with evidence of your work and cabin name by then to earn you xxx points for your cabin. in the case of needing an extension, feel free to ask the hosts for an extension before the deadline, as they can’t be granted afterwards! great work, detectives, and farewell- until next time
Weekly Two, Alba Flowers
Welcome to another classic SWC activity: flowers! In the past, Victorians used flowers to tell secret messages. Each flower represented a phrase, word, or idea, and they could be arranged to represent a specific message. Here's a catalog of a bunch of flower meanings compiled by Alba for reference. For example, bluebells (constancy), elder blossoms (compassion), and gillyflower (affection), might represent a deep friendship. Because each flower stands for something, they make great symbols. For this part of the weekly, write a story of at least xxx words, weaving flower symbolism into the plot or theme. Maybe there's a malevolent organization called the Nightshade or your characters are trying to deliver a message. Play around with the mechanics of the symbolism, from names to obstacles to literal flowers. The possibilities are endless, so make like clover and get writing!
weekly examples!

alba flowers - essayist
constellations - superdidi2012
plotting a mystery - xx_hermione_xx
red herrings/clues - poppywriter
partner interview - -nightglow- and -bookdragon-

your examples don't need to be as long or detailed as the actual weekly parts, just enough so campers get a general gist of the activity. please have these in by march 4th at 11:59 utc <3