I know that if I want to write something and submit it, I need 300 points. I'm slightly confused on this for books. Do you need 300 points to submit the entire book, or do you need 300 points to submit each chapter?
It's each chapter, and the recommended posting length is about 1,500 to 2,000 words. That's because you'll get reviews and it gets really long to review over that amount of words at one time. So, yes, you do have to spend 300 points every time you upload a new chapter.
If you want to upload whole books, do so here, but do be warned it can take a long, long time to get reviews in that forum.
The reason we have it cost points to post work is YWS is focused on improving writing. One of the best ways to improve is to review, and reviewing is the way you get points (150 points absolute max, if you review in the Green Room. 100 points if you review a work with 2 reviews already). Writing reviews where you reflect on what you liked and didn't like about the piece means you get to pick up on what you like and don't like with writing, therefore your own writing gets better. That's because you start to notice yourself doing what you don't like and try to correct it.
Good reviews focus on what you liked, didn't, and why. The why is the important bit because that's where the author finds out what they're doing right or wrong. If you loved the characters because of their dialogue, say so. If you didn't like how much description the author put in because it made the story really slow, mention it.
Then you're not only helping the author, you're refining your own taste. And your writing will improve in leaps and bounds.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo
Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
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