just hijacked an old blog for the purpose of posting sketches from my sketchbook 💗 here it is -> avasbook if anyone is keen!

FAQ

(will be updated as time goes on)

What is this being written on?

ChoiceScript. I would try Twine, but my other game has a nice steady base on ChoiceScript, and I'd rather not move it over.

Can I make fanfic/art/etc? Can I show you my MC/fanfic/art/etc?

Yes! Please do! I welcome it wholeheartedly!

Do you have a patreon or ko-fi?

No, not as of right now. This will change later.

Is the rating 18+?

Yes. I'd say I believe the minimum age would be 17+, due to sexual content that can be fade to black.

Note: All sex scenes will be fade to black on the public demo. A private demo will be available for patreon or ko-fi donators when we get there which will include the explicit scene option (think ao3) and the "lite" version (think published smut).

How is the story formatted?

It will play out similarly to a dating sim/otome game. There will be 1-2 common starting chapters and then it will branch out into 6 routes for the ROs. All routes will have the same 6 key plot events, but will be different in how they're approached.

How many endings are there?

At least 6?

The endings will scale off of how many main events you succeeded in and the selected RO's relationship towards you. That means if you have a high relationship with your RO but have done poorly with the main events, you can still achieve a good ending.

Are there any poly routes?

Not as of right now. The coding for poly relationships is a bit too complicated for me to do right now. This may change as I get more comfortable with it.

Does MC have to romance someone?

Yes, that's the point of the whole game/story.

What are the characters ethnicities? Are they Chinese?

The world of Nian is heavily inspired by China and the Tang Dynasty, so the characters would be Chinese, but I don't assign real ethnicities onto them.

This isn't historically accurate!

I know. That's why I said it's inspired by China, fantasy period C-Dramas, fantasy period pieces, and romance manhwa/manhua.

How does magic work in this world?

As of right now, I don't have a lore post about magic, so here's a quick breakdown.

Everyone can use magic. Some people have Magic Aptitude, which means they have more ability than most people. Magic is classified into Elemental Type and Class.

Will XYZ be in the story?

Maybe. This is a WIP so it's possible.

How are WLW/MLM/Queer relationships viewed/treated in the story?

They're fine. No one is homophobic.

How are women viewed/treated in the story?

Everything is mostly viewed about the same, as in it's pretty much equal for a majority of people. But a few things have lingered on from tradition (i.e boys inherit over girls, etc).

Help! I can't pronounce the names!

I provide helpful pronunciations for the characters' names on the Side Characters page. There will also be pronunciations listed in the stat page of the game.

How are the names written?

All names are written in the LastName FirstName format.

If I write something like "Consort Huo", it's the equivalent of "Mr Smith". For those who understand, the last names are monosyllabic while the first names are disyllabic.

Does MC have a set name?

MC has a set last name (Nan), but not a first name. You can name your MC whatever you'd like.

I encourage using a disyllabic name, for immersion and the fact that it would be the most "accurate". I provide 3 examples of disyllabic names in the game, but you can ultimately name your MC whatever you want!

Can you help me pick a name?

I certainly can! Just send me a private message (not an ask) with the name of your MC, and I'll find a name similar in meaning or pronunciation. Please be sure to tell me which you want, similar meaning or similar pronunciation.

Does MC have a set personality?

A bit, although it's more traits, as of right now. They will never want the throne, they are a good sibling to their siblings, they enjoy social events, and they are well-educated and a little bit naive from their position.

Does MC have a set appearance?

No. MC's appearance is up to you.

Can MC be trans?

I'm planning on it. There won't be any references made to a transition, though, and it won't affect anything besides the sex scenes. You'll have an option at the first sex scene to set what your MC has.

Will MC become the ruler? Can MC overthrow their father/brother? Can MC hurt *insert person here*?

No. Male MC is 4th in the line of succession and Female MC is 14th in the line of succession. MC loves their family and would do nothing to hurt them. MC will not perpetrate any kind of excessive violence against anyone.

Does MC have magic? Can MC do magic?

As mentioned before, everyone has magic. MC does not have Magic Aptitude, however, so their magic is on a normal level.

Magic System Inspiration Tag

The rules are simple: list the inspiration(s) for your WIP's magic system and, if you want, go into detail.

Tagged by @rosellemoon! Another innovative and interesting game to circulate. Had to really think about this one, and I'm still not sure I have any clear answers. Let's give it a go anyway.

Tagging @lividdreamz @blind-the-winds @vacantgodling @theimperiumchronicles @thatndginger @pluttskutt and leaving an open tag for anyone who might want to share.

Bits of culture/history: This is obvious maybe, but characters often build a practice around their backgrounds, or symbols, actions, and words that have significance to them, incorporating those into whatever methods they use to wield magic. Whether these things have objective power outside that context is besides the point (though that doesn't stop some characters from debating it). It's what it says about the one using it, especially the how and why.

Magic irl?: Some of the magic I write about is flashy, and its effects are evident. Other spells/workings can be extremely subtle, though. So subtle, in fact, that there's doubt whether they did anything at all. Was it just the power of suggestion? Someone seeing connections between unrelated events? Are results the end all be all, or does the true magic happen on other levels? Does it even matter really? These are concepts I like to tinker with sometimes. (The movie A Dark Song captures this pretty well, I think.)

D&D: While "magic" is a difficult concept to pin down, there are some broad categories people (mostly humans) divide it into. This is vaguely inspired by playing Dungeons & Dragons, along with other TTRPGs.

Witchcraft: A wide category that contains any traditions or practices that rely on working through "external" means: objects/materials, incantations, extensive knowledge of plants/animals/minerals/etc., or pacts/relationships with spirits and other non-human entities. Can encompass anyone from the local midwife to an Order of the Golden Dawn-style ritual magician. Despite its versatile applications and pool of practitioners, anything under this header is often seen as "lower". Supposedly because anyone could do it, or, more likely, because it benefits "higher" practitioners to create arbitrary divisions.

Sorcery: Wielded by people who have an innate power, usually over classical elements (earth, air, etc.), thanks to a piece of a dead god being embedded in their souls. More common on Arasind (high fantasy world) than Earth...for now. The cultures and nations of Arasind have various institutions and methods of honing the skills of sorcerers, mostly for military application. Within the Coven, all sorcerers are pressured to become enforcers or bounty hunters. Basically, if you can shoot lightning from your fingers or something, the people in charge desperately want you to do so on their behalf. Or...you simply become a person in charge. This is what's considered "higher" magic by some characters. Don't look too hard at the fact that something largely destructive and wielded by a few individuals born to it is considered superior. Probably means nothing.

Psychic powers: These are pretty rare, though most people will have a flash or two during their lifetime. Many who deal with them on a regular basis would agree they're often more trouble than they're worth. Well, except for psychic vampires and mind worms, who can do a lot more impressive, scary things with their skill sets.

Creature talents: These are magical skills that come naturally to non-humans (e.g. fey glamour, bloodborn hypnosis).

Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis and Patternmaster, The Neverending Story by Ende, as well as Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea: I think about these works a lot. There's no detailed rules to the magic/supernatural elements in them (at least that I know of), but none are needed. Magic or the fantastical isn't there to solve the characters' problems, or tie the plot up with a neat little bow. The fantasy stories I like best aren't escapes. They invite me to look at myself and the world around me in a different way. I can only hope my own writing reflects little glimmers of that feeling here and there.

I still don't know the solution to my conundrum with my story. Eitan wants to be a dragonrider- but how does that differ motivation-wise when they're an adult vs a child? (where it's just bc he wants to fly, and wants the link with a dragon partner). And what do dragonriders DO in their society? What is his job as a dragonrider? Because their society has a tradition of dragonriders and a full complement of them and dragons, and also their society overall is of the belief that only women can be dragonriders. Eitan is nonbinary but that's not why they 'can' become a rider, they find out that there are actually a non-zero number of men and nonbinary people of varying genders as dragonriders, it's just that originally when the treaty between dragons and humans happened, dragons were still thought of as needing girls/young women as a sacrifice? I guess? And then well we can I guess be ok with them becoming dragonriders instead of prey (which actually the dragons mostly weren't eating them anyway even b4 the treaty bc humans don't taste good lol) and then it became a Thing. Both a position deserving of respect, but also simultaneously 'below' anyone but women, etc etc. But I haven't figured out WHAT it is exactly the dragonriders DO. I don't want it to be too militaristic or winged police force. Whatever the dragonriders do is an uncomplicated good thing for their society. This of course doesn't mean individuals aren't assholes anyway, and ppl who act like assholes for reasons, but it's not part of the job? But I was thinking of them as a defense, protective force, maybe emergency services?? But how often are flying emergency services really needed? And if it's defense, what is out there that's a threat to the people and/or the dragons? I don't want to get into that at all, I don't want to have to do action scenes, I just want a story focused on interpersonal stuff and eitan and their life and their dragon, I don't want there tl be like, a sense of a threat on the horizon in the future? Maybe it should but I'm averse to writing it. Because it feels silly if it doesn't come up in the story, like a red herring or a waste or something like that. Like why even mention it if it's not relevant to the story's plot? But also I need the backdrop and the culture and all of that to make sense!! To be 3 dimensional and not as flat...as when I was first writing it. And while I'm inspired by dragonriders of pern and the dragon jousters, and eitan was inspired by my 'nb Tony stark has a female dragon when thats not the usual thing' fanfic, it's not supposed to actually BE any of that, and eitan isn't tony, they are their own character. And their dragon is....less developed but that's still being worked on, too, since previously I only got up to the point of she insists eitan is her human and actually knocks him down as he's walking out of the space where the eggs are hatching. I didn't get past that, bc tbats where the original wip comic ends, but I always planned on that not being the actual end of eitan's story, and it felt so short......

Présentation

Nice to meet you, I am Jokar - but you can call me Charlie too ! I joined Tumblr to post my art and chat about my hyperfixations, do not expect a lot of any other kind of creations at the moment :]

I wrote a little might-be-frequently-edited post to make a clean presentation on this app. Let’s start now~

🌱 Who am I ?

Artist (Procreate/Traditional), writer, VisualNovel coder (Ren’py) and beginner musician (GarageBand/LMMS)

Any pronouns work for me <3

Nature enjoyer, huge fan of rainy days, vegetal caves and misty forests ! Space fascinates me too 🌌

I dedicate my life to bats and deers 🦇🦌

High anxiety level, married with a low social battery and the attention span of a 5 years old. Sorry in advance-

Not a native english speaker, I may make a lot of spelling errors or anything language related, feel free to correct me !

I want this account to be a little bubble isolated from the real world 🫧

(Alas do not be fooled, I love angst and sensitive themes in fiction. I will try to warn such content properly when it comes 🫂)

Current hyperfixation : Genshin Impact (Collei my child 🌱) - Aaand a bit of mahoako/Mahou shoujo ni Akogarete !

🌱 What do I do ?

As already stated, I’m an artist, aaaand I hyperfixate a lot about fictional subject/stories. I love to create content of what makes me happy, and on Tumblr I will mostly post fanart, stories or even create alternate universes of my favorite book/game/etc. One day I maybe will talk about my own creations, but we will see what future is made of !

By the way, I am also a serial character creator, and I deeply cherish all of my original characters. (Well almost all of them, I don’t support the horrible things some of my absolutely-not-kind children do, but eh, I need them for some stories-)

🌱 Where to find me ?

Want to find me on another social media ? There you go, have my simple carrd ! 🌱

🌱 Which are my tags ?

These are my personal tags to find my stuff easily. I made it to organize myself because my memory is short, but feel free to navigate with them too! They’re also tagged under that post~

• Subject :

#jokar art (Jokar makes art, so Jokar will tag it) ⋆ #jokar writes (When I post my (probably angsty) texts) ⋆ #jokar rambles (For whatever batpoop I want to say) ⋆ #jokar news (*Gasps* Important stuff I have to say !) ⋆ #jokar reacts (…I will drown you in whatever subject keep my attention hostage)

• Content :

#jokar character (When one of my imaginary children is in the post) ⋆ #jokar refsheets (I make reference for characters, mine or redesign of canon characters) ⋆ #jokar sketches (I’m the kind of person with a hundred work in progress and never finish them, so take some sketches and wips!) ⋆ #jokar fanart (I do fanart, mostly that on my tumblr) ⋆ #jokar received a request (Someone proposed an idea, I accepted it and drew it <3) ⋆ #jokar art trade (When I post an art trade I made with someone, feel free to ask by the way!) ⋆ #jokar hyperfixates (Eat my hyperfixation, world!) ⋆ #jokar-headcanons (I have fan-ideas, so why not sharing them !) ⋆ #jokar question (Got a question ? I answer !) ⋆ #jokar character question (Same as before, but with one of my character) ⋆ #jokar character talk (Did you ask about random info of my characters ? No, but I enjoy myself very much ehe !)

🌱 End note !

Thank you for reading this ! Take care of you now, do not forget to drink water and breath some fresh air <3

Au rêveoir/Goodbye !!

part 2/6

2nd part of my old Black Sails scraps and doodles from 2016–2021. Not in any particular order.

This time the drawings are short comics that were abandoned for a reason or another, mostly because I lost the interest or felt like there was too much to redraw compared to the satisfaction of finishing something else more interesting. There’s also some talk about rigid mindset and how overthinking can lead to stagnation.

Contains early silverflint moments, specks of dust, rackham's glasses are found, jealous-Billy spying, desk-Flint gets caught, "squint-squint", a quiet moment and its bird dilemma etc.

And please do not steal and repost elsewhere. But if you do get inspired, feel free to make your own interpretations!

Long-ish post under the cut!

“What are you thinking about?”

“Specks of dust.”

“Liar.”

The idea was to show how much they and their relationship had changed. This was around 2016 when the season 3 began and I was still re-learning to draw with a tablet. Another art from the same time period (and idea) is this art: The Dynamic Duet. 

And for some reason I was really stuck up thinking that I’d have to first do the sketch, then the clean line art, then planes underneath, then shadows etc. and I have always struggled with that kind of approach! Mainly because I hate doing clean line work, lol. And I was a fool for trying to start with a white canvas! It’s so much harder to find values and plan things, or at least in my opinion..

“Rackham’s glasses are found”

To celebrate their new pirate alliance, they share the four lenses of Rackham’s sunglasses as they were also found at the time (because I wanted it to resurface and they could be made into jewellery you know...). This was right after the episode where Anne fights and hurts her hands (here wearing protecting mittens from Max even though she’s not trusted at the moment). Uh, this doesn’t spark joy interest me much and it’s quite stiff and would recuire a lot of redrawing faces, so - discarded!  

I somewhat like the idea still (them having something to share, although it’s on Jack’s detriment). I tried to find a stylished comical easier doodlier? way to draw them and draw clean lines etc, but it just wasn’t for me. Also here too, the background is blank and too bright. Later I started to think things as scenes and draw everything at the same time instead of adding the bg later or trying to show everything (and everyone) at the same time.

Here’s also Billy in the same story:

He’s spying on them and since it’s so bright he’s wearing his diy “sunglasses” and being envious to the others. *cough* uhhh...Idk? Also people were shipping Ben Gunn (and cheese) with Billy, so that bled into this too... Charles’ spirit is riding the “big white bird” that was mentioned in Teach’ story and in this case it’s a pelican.

As you can see, I also wasn’t using the brushes that I use nowadays. A hard (or soft) round brushes with no change in opacity just aren’t for me. For example, in traditional art, I struggle with markers and copics, but really enjoy charcoals and watercolours. I prefer ragged edges, layering and thus blending things into each other (and leaving the viewer to fill in the gaps) instead of having stark or definite things. I also struggle with vector drawings, although I have decided to finally start learning to use them...somedayyyy.

Also, I wasn’t paying attention to anatomy, like, at all LMAO. I was just so happy to be able to put something on the canvas.

This is one of my first ink drawings, but I cannot find the original anymore. Again, I like the idea, but not how things look art-wise. And I was so adamant, that I have to get everything right in the traditional drawing and not fix anything later on on photoshop because then it would be cheating. And thus, I was never able to move on or finish this properly the way I liked it (idiot).

BUT! It was a good practise to just draw and test things on paper and gain confidense on drawing things in overall (as I was still getting back into art). To get over the fear of blank paper you know, and try to find my style whatever it would start to form into.

Oh, yeah, Desk Flint.

Desk Flint was a thing for a while (still is, lol). Another drawing from that time is this Slingshot Pirate (2016). And Desk Flint keeps repeating in many later works too. The point is mainly “Flint sitting behind his desk and people interrupt him and I don’t have to draw him fully”

Well, anyway... moving on.

Here’s a plan that has been stuck for years. It’s name is “Squint-squint.” Left is the sketch (with another sketch underneath because the expressions were clearer in the old one). On the right is the continued piece with colour scheme but I cropped the eyes panel and faces out (it was so ugly for some reason) but if I ever continue/finish this, it will be redrawn there in the middle.)

Left. “On that moment their eyes were literally open(ed).”

Right. “After squinting on the shore for days, they had actually forgotten how pretty the other idiot’s eyes were.”

I still like it, quite a lot, but my perfectionist ass only sees too much “boring” things to draw and get right, so it hasn’t been a priority for a long time and other works have kept me occupied and more interested in them.

--------------------

“Quiet Moment.” 2018 (a wordless comic happening after the events of Charles Town)

I’m going to explain after these pictures, but see how big the difference is when you start to look at references and plan things together (the space, “camera” movement, background etc). I also started to colour with coarser brushes:

I drew this around early 2018. A lot of improvement! Still quite a lot of negative space (empty white backgrounds), but it fits this work. A few things tell where we are (the ship’s cabin and the balcony). Changing distances and how things are cropped/framed make things more moving and focused (and less to draw, lol). Colours and brush strokes are softer, more layered and so on.

But guess why it’s still a wip!

I couldn’t decide what bird is flying over there.

Yeap! At first it was an albatross (doesn’t go to Bahamas?). Then a seagull (but which seagull? there’s so many subspecies! Is the ship at sea or at the harbour? what birds are there on the open water/ close to the shore?? oh noo...) So, yeah, wayyyy too much over-thinking.

At some point I ended up with white-tailed-tropic-bird which was a plus! because it sounds like the bosun’s whistle, but at that point I was so tangled and frustrated and still had so much to finish with this that I left it be. Also Flint’s face looks different in every frame so I would’ve had to change some parts, lol. And then I forgot it for a couple of years! And then I had learned to draw a bit differently and again saw too much things to do, so it’s quite hard to take on this again, especially when there are so many other interesting wips waiting...

But I still really like the feeling of it! And the colour scheme. So I might just limit the things I’m allowed to fix and then post it as it own someday. I mean, it’s 90% finished, but the last reach just feels like miles.

And that’s what usually happens with my wips. They reach a certain point and it suddenly becomes really hard to finish or get back into.

But every time I learn things and then use the information in another work! :D

Final note for this post (altough this has been said hundreds of times): use references and look how things go and try to see the structure and form beneath things. And think where it is happening and how the light and surroundings affects the characters and/or spaces. And maybe think what you’re trying to convey with the art, what idea? what emotions? what purpose? or like, what are you trying to learn with the piece? and so on...

Thanks for checking this out, I hope you had fun <3

Fic Writer Interview

Tagged by @allislaughter

Name: My name is A-Chan but other people call me Aya, so either one is fine tbh!

Fandoms: The amount of fandoms I read and am in...even as a lurker is a lot. There are fandoms I used to write for but the ones I’ve written in the last 5 years are: Star Trek (TOS/AOS/ENT and crossovers to other trek series), The Librarians, Leverage, and Yu Yu Hakusho. If you want to count series I have WIPs in but haven’t posted there’s:  Stargate (Mostly SGA but sometimes it’s SGA/SG1 crossovers), Card Captor Sakura, and some Precure. Also wrote some for 1-2 C-Dramas and J-Dramas but I dunno if I’ll ever post them.

Where you post: I post on here, on ff.net, and AO3. Also, I share a LOT on discord. An incredible amount actually (as a few friends will attest to lmao)

Most Popular One-shot: Considering how I post on multiple platforms, my most popular oneshot on ff.net is Savior, a post-The Point of Salvation episode tag fic, which has the most favorites. On AO3, the fic with the most kudos is scars; they will not fade, but its power lessens over time and the one with the most comments is Husband, a fic of fic of the amazing Hieibara series “by way of design”.

Most Popular Multichap:  All Things, though I’m not going to be updating it anytime soon and it’s also my first properly posted Trek fic which means it’s over 4 years old, so a lot has changed since then. There’s just been a lot of stories I haven’t posted that are multi-chapter mostly because in the past (like back in high school) I would start SO many stories and never finished them (I have about... 5? 6? abandoned series that way, maybe more) and I just don’t want to continue doing that same thing again. This story actually was intended as a one-shot that I created more chapters, thinking I would finish and then real life intervened. 

Favorite story you’ve written so far: ...asking me to choose a favorite is just... too hard, especially since there’s so many WIPs I have that I really enjoyed writing.

Fic you were nervous to post: Honestly? Husband, only because the author of the fic is someone I admire and waiting to see their response to my work really was nerve-wracking until it happened and then I kinda screamed and flailed and floated in a ‘is this real???’ moment. 

How do you choose your titles: Honestly, whatever goes. LOL Songs, poetry, quotes, things related to the story somehow that become relevant, or whatever. 

Do you outline: No, not really, because for me an outline is kinda too rigid? I mean I outline when I write nonfiction/academic stuff -- it really needs that structure -- and sometimes I make timelines of things to figure out when things happen in context with each other, but it’s not necessarily like a fully detailed, mapped outline in the traditional sense. I kind of have the road trip approach, where some of the big, basic important things are covered (overall story/arc, what characters, fandom, pairings, kind of setting, etc) and the rest will discover itself? Coz you never know on a trip what could happen, even if you’ve figured out how long your trip is, your mode of transportation, money for food/lodging, where you’re going to sleep, where you’re gonna visit. 

Complete: On A03, 8 works, on ff.net, 18, but a good chunk of those are really old. And I know I have at least 7? oneshots here that I haven’t transferred to either site yet. And 2 things I wrote for Spiced Peaches I also haven’t copied over. XD In general I actually have like... at least 9? Oneshots I’ve finished in the last few years I haven’t posted anywhere except maybe discord so... 

In progress: ...you really don’t want to know. I mean. You do? I have a chronic massive wip problem. I’ve even made a post about it 3 years ago here when it was a measly 325+. I’m sure it’s over 600 now. Yeah. Don’t be like me.

Coming soon/not yet started: That’s the thing: I either work on it, or it just...doesn’t exist. Whether I complete it is a different story lmao.

Prompts?: I like prompts, generally, but I haven’t taken them in awhile mostly because I haven’t been in the right headspace for them. My executive dysfunction has been all over the place -- I’m surprised I’ve managed to actually just do the basics for myself recently.

Upcoming work you’re most excited about: The thing I’ve been working the most on this month is basically this semi-AU where Spock and McCoy have met before being on the Enterprise, and Spock was taking a life drawing class and McCoy was one of three life models for said class. They have a meaningful encounter that changes things for them but they don’t meet again until they serve on the ship. I’m just stoked over Spock as an artist but as one of his various hobbies and McCoy as his (somewhat) muse/model.

TAGGING: Whoever feels like doing this because I’m kinda bad at picking people but some off the top of my head @onlyslightlyobsessed1 and @lenievi but anyone is free to do this!

FAQ

What is a zine?

A zine is short for magazine or fanzine! 

The Kinderzine is a fanzine produced for the game Kindergarten 2 by SmashGames, a non-official non-professional project by some dedicated, talented people in this fandom. 

It will feature art and stories, and other content about the game + a small portion of fun fandom content like AUs, non-canon ships, and OCs. It will not be spoiler-free. 

Overall, it functions mostly as an art book with some stories mixed in.

Will this be free or will I have to buy this zine?

It's completely free! There will be no money earned from this project in any way, and the link will be publicly posted on the intended release date for no cost at all.

What will contributors get out of this?

The satisfaction of doing a fun activity with wonderful people in the fandom! /hj

No but really, you get to take part in creating something really cool that you, me, and all of us can be proud of. You get to have your own finished work when this is all over, along with everyone else's! 

No one will be getting paid in money, as this is a volunteer project and the zine is free. But all contributors will get access to the PDF link earlier than the public, and we all generally get to have fun together! 

And I hear the skills it takes to work on a zine is a good thing to put on your resume /j

Is this zine digital or will there be physical copies?

Only digital. It will be a PDF on Google Drive, available to view and download at anyone's discretion. 

There will be no printing of the Kinderzine, and no shipping of physical copies. There will be no merch (buttons, stickers, keychains, etc) available either; only this zine.

What are the zine specs?

1 full page (and front or back cover): 8.5 x 11 inches 1 half page: 8.5 x 5.5 inches 2 page spread: 17 x 11 inches   2 page connecting cover:  17 x 11 inches + 0.75 inch bleed (a bleed is a border around the image where that area will be cut off from the final (usually printed) product)

300 DPI  |  RGB (not CMYK)  |  Horizontal or vertical  |  you can add a bleed or not, but it's not going to be printed either way

You won't be yelled at or anything if you don't follow the DPI or colour guidelines, but it just makes it easier to put it into the editing software. Full-colour finished artwork is preferred (shading is not mandatory; flat colour is acceptable). 

Will there be NSFW content?

This zine is PG13. Content of sexual nature is absolutely not permitted in any form. 

Following the canon Kindergarten 2 game, there maybe be things like canon-typical blood, death, violence, or dark humour. These things along with anything else others may find to be 'sensitive topics' will be prefaced with appropriate trigger warnings.

How old do I have to be to apply?

As I said, the zine is PG13. Please be 13 years old or older, if you wish to apply. 

If you are almost 13 in a few months or even a few days after the time of the application period, then you are still 12 during the application period and cannot apply. Sorry. If you lie about your age to get in, you will be kicked from the project immediately.

Can I apply for multiple roles?

Absolutely! But please note that the more roles you have, the less work you may have to do on one specific role, as your workload will be distributed across your other roles. 

For example: if you are a mod and contributor, you might only be able to draw/write 1-2 things maximum depending on your mod position. Whereas someone who is only a contributor might be able to draw/write 2-3 things maximum, if they wish to do so.

How many contributors will be accepted?

Currently there isn't a specific amount of slots we need for artists or writers! 

The amount of contributors required to make this zine happen at all, at the minimum is 11 applicants, regardless of artist or writer. But we would be incredibly happy to have more than that join this project. If there are way more applicants than needed, we may either try to find a way to fit you in, or have to unfortunately exclude some people. Only time will tell :’)

What is the schedule?

The current schedule can be found in [this link]! Dates may be changed in the future, and will be announced to contributors.

What if I need to drop out?

That's perfectly okay! Just please be sure to let one of the mods know as soon as possible so we have time to prepare any rearranging/reorganizing of zine content that might occur after your absence.

Can I post my WIPs/sketches/writing/finished pieces even if the zine isn't published yet?

Yeah that's fine! You own your content and are free to do what you want with it if you're that excited about it.

Can my piece include a ship/AU/OC/headcanon?

If it's one of the main mission/character pieces, then no. 

Small headcanons are alright but if they're more obvious and non-canon-based you should talk to me about it first. Canon ships are allowed (Bob x Applegate, Lily x Nugget, Monty x Carla (even if it's kind of unrequited), etc). OCs can be in the background as a cameo, but they can't be the main focus of your work. 

If you're doing an additional piece, then yes absolutely! Keep in mind, however, there will be limited slots for these additional pieces.

Can I submit older work created before the production of this zine?

Yes, as long as it fits the page specs, or you don't mind cropping the art so it fits the page specs to a smaller page size! 

Older fanfics are fine as is, provided it's canon-based unless you're submitting it as an additional work.

Can I draw/write a different character/mission?

Please ask a mod about this. If we can find someone willing to switch with you, you can. 

Don't switch with people more than once, and don't do it without talking to a mod first. If you are going to switch with anyone, you're only allowed to do that before the 2nd check-in date. Anything past that date is not allowed.

What exactly can we draw/write once we're assigned a specific character/mission?

Contributors have the creative freedom to make anything they want within the characters/missions that get assigned. 

If that's too broad and you can't think of anything to draw/write, let one of the mods know and we can give you a more specific prompt.

Will there be extensions if I can't finish by the deadline?

Yes! Just let one of the mods know so we can expect your final work at a later date. 

Your piece will still need to be finished before the graphics team finishes the early-access PDF. It's greatly preferred that you do finish by the deadline to make this easier for them to finish their job, but if you really can't, that option is available. 

If you're unable to finish before the graphics team finishes the final public-ready PDF, your work will, unfortunately, not be included in the zine at that point.

What if I'm a traditional or phone artist and don't know how to keep my art to the page specs?

Traditional artists should be able to either scan their art in high quality, or if taking a picture, take the picture as clear as possible with only/mostly your art within frame; the graphics team will try to take care of sizing. 

Phone artists (or really any digital artists) can have canvas templates that are the correct specs, available to copy or download to draw over that I can personally provide for you (though I don't know yet how well this method will work). 

If there are any more questions or you need more help, please contact a mod.

If your art is too small, you can try using http://waifu2x.udp.jp/ to enlarge it without hurting the quality too bad. 

If it still doesn't fit the aspect ratios, the graphics team can still make it work so don't worry! We really, really prefer that everyone follow the page sizings as much as you can though, unless it's really impossible for you to do so.

Wait, there’s a Discord server? Can I join?

Only if you’re one of the artists or writers who is directly contributing to the zine! Sorry! It’s a private server where those who are directly involved in the zine will be invited. 

If you’ve already sent in an application, you will be invited to the server on, or a few days before, the date that applications close. Which will be March 13th, as of writing this, so please be patient until then. The date that invites will be sent out may change, so keep an eye out for that too.

What if I don't have a Discord and can't join the Discord server?

That's perfectly fine! You don't have to make an account or join the server if you don't want to either. 

As long as you have an e-mail, or a social media account that one of the mods have + the ability for us to private message you, we will keep you updated on anything Kinderzine related! 

The server is really just a way for us all to communicate with each other, mods and contributors alike, and keep in touch with the mods more accessibly. But the important stuff will still be communicated with you, and if you contact a mod somewhere other than Discord, we'll get to your message as soon as possible.

   Please direct any other questions not on the FAQ to either the Discord server’s #zine-questions channel, or this blog’s/my main blog’s ask box or private messages.

     Inbox  |  @kg2hub Inbox

December 2019 Pond LiveChat Recap - Structuring Longer Plots

We had a great time chatting with @jhoomwrites​, today! Thank you so much for joining us and sharing your wisdom and experience!

Our chat was all about structuring longer plots, filler vs plot, and the different types of structures that are out there. (Mostly, we talked about how we don’t always have a structure in mind when we’re writing, and how we deal with it when a story breaks apart the structure we’d so carefully constructed.) A rundown of the chat, as well as general Pond news, is below the cut!

For those who don’t know her, Ashley is an avid writer, not just of fan fiction. She’s popular on Tumblr and AO3 for Destiel stories of all lengths, from little emoji ficlets she bangs out from requests (where followers send her a short string of emojis and she writes a story using them all) up to epic stories. She’s currently working on a hockey fan fiction that was her NaNoWriMo project, but with 120 SPN works on AO3, we’ve got plenty to read while she’s distracted with her hockey boys! (I’ve convinced her to be a member of the Pond, so hopefully we’ll see her around a lot in the future!)

We started off talking about how long our fics can get ( @katehuntington​ won with her Sullivan Series, which is currently at 570k), and whether we’re planners or pansters or a mix. Kate and Ashley are both kind of mixed, while @mrswhozeewhatsis​ has never successfully outlined a story, yet. 

Q: Was My Liege Lord (her longest at around 80k) planned or pansted?

Ashley: It was both. I had planned out some things, but then I got new ideas as I went that I wanted to explore and it padded out the length. I had a whole fic worth of plans, but just the amount of time in their lives I ended up covering necessitated adding things. Kate: I do that too. I stick to the plan, but I add soooooo much stuff along the way.

Q: When you write, and plan out a story, do you use a particular structure?

Ashley: I haven't written out a plan for a fic in some time, but I was really consistent with the style I used for a while. I would do a chart with the main plot points to the left, and then details (excerpt of dialogues, notes about specific scenes, etc) to the right. Here’s an example:

Ashley: It helps me when I get ideas later, I can find parts in the story by looking to the left and then add notes. It's my favorite way to plan out a story, especially if I know it will be multiple chapters and if I might not be starting it any time soon. This is much nicer than the outline for the story I'm working on now, which is just a list of events in chronological order (and another list of "things i could add but i don't know where this goes"). I wrote the outline about a day before I started so I didn't need as much structure.

Q: Having a plan helps, then?

Ashley: I didn't used to plan, but then I started a multi-chapter fic and realized...... I don't have an ending. So, I like to plan that out to make sure I have an actual beginning, middle, and end. Michelle: When I start, I have an idea and an ending. That’s it. All my stories have the same ending, though: And then they kissed and lived happily ever after!

Kate: It does give freedom, not having a detailed outline.

Ashley: That is true, it does make me sad when I get somewhere in the outline and there's something I'd liked, that I'd wanted to include, but it doesn't work anymore and I have to scrap it. Gotta balance sticking to the outline vs adapting to how the tone/characters have developed.

Q: Is your planning method something you learned, or something you developed? And do you use the same structure for all of your stories?

Ashley: Something I developed. I haven't had any real training or instruction in writing. I was struggling with longer fics being unorganized and not coming together at the end, so I needed something for myself. I like making charts, so I figured that was a good way to start! lol It's not something I do as much, anymore. It was a great tool when I started doing it, and I did it for years... but possibly because I've gained more writing experience with longer stories, I don't need to do it anymore. I start a fic with a general idea, I figure out where that idea is going, and start writing. I do more of a mental checklist now. Of course, for original stories, things I hope to one day publish, I will still outline.

Q: Do parts of your structure have names? A quick Google search on how to structure novels brought back about a lot of different methods for structuring a novel, all with different numbers of steps. Each step had a general idea, like rising action, climax, falling action, etc. I guess I mean, what parts of a story do you feel need to be there for it to work? What are the parts of your structure?

Ashley: Having never paid particular attention in my English classes, I would be hard pressed to put names on different parts of my story structure. I view it as beginning (set up, putting things in place), middle (the actual story more or less, all of the action), and ending (wrapping things up, resolution).

Q: When you half wing it and the story is coming along, and then you hit a plot hole, how do you handle that? 

Ashley: Well uh... **points vaguely towards abandoned WIPs** it can be rough. I do have some people I work with in terms of brainstorming. And if I get stuck with a fic I'm committed to, that I'm enjoying writing, then I talk it through with them. Sometimes, those issues are coming up--not because the story wasn't outlined--but more because I've just lost that spark of interest that I had before, and it's time to move on, anyway.

Q: There was a question submitted to the Pond by @kittenofdoomage​ about filler vs. plot.

Ashley: I think that's a real issue I face, filler vs plot. For some stories, I feel like I write a chapter and then can't really see what it adds to the story except maybe giving more characterization. My Liege Lord, I can think of some examples... and sometimes those things are cool, they're fun little ideas to explore and that's the only universe you could do it in, so you do it maybe for your own sake more than the story's. I think there's also a difference between reader and writer perceptions of what's filler. For my current project, there are scenes I wanted to include because I felt they were necessary to the plot, but I got the impression from people I'd polled that they would not be interested in those scenes (basically it's a romance and I was going to include things that were not directly related to the romance aspect and they said if it was more than a few paragraphs or so they didn't care). Michelle: I struggled with that with The Babysitter. Almost half of that fic is flashbacks to when the brothers were growing up and how their relationship with the reader developed. I considered cutting them all, but the fic felt thin. Sometimes, I'd pop a flashback chapter in there just to slow down the action in the present a bit, if you know what I mean. Like, chapter X is the night before the big battle, and chapter Y is the big battle, but it felt rushed to just go from X to Y, so I stuck D in between them. Ashley: Yeah, pacing is important, so the "filler" can help regulate that. It might also depend on if you view stories as about the plot or about the characters. If you view it as plot, then yes, you don't want that non-plot filler. If you view it as characters, then the filler doesn't necessarily move the story, but it adds depth and dimension to the characters and makes you appreciate them more. (I mean... I love the characters so much, I'd watch an episode of them just doing chores around the bunker...no plot, just them.) Kate: I just write what I feel like is right. Plus, I’m a sucker for a slow burn myself, so I’m not scared to let the readers wait.  I like to use fillers as a stairway to the big reveal or moment. What I love even more is to put a lot of foreshadowing in there, so when they read it the second time, they go: oh! Rhi: The thing is that I've found is that filler serves a lot of purposes. As mentioned above it's great for dropping a bit of foreshadowing. It's also great for expanding your background and making your characters more than two dimensional. It also gives your readers a breather. Especially if it's a heavy plot. I often find myself rambling in filler, which is where rereading is key. With longer stories, I have a brief outline of what I want. Sometimes I'll write the major points first, the ending etc then follow up with the filler. On occasion, your filler will end up imploding your plans but that's cool. That's when you either roll with it or take a break and neither of those are bad choices. It depends on the individual.

Q: (In one of the articles linked below) Peter Behrens mentioned a novel idea. He basically said he doesn’t worry about structure until the revision stage. He writes what he wants to, and then when he’s revising, he tweaks the story to fit whatever structure it fits to best.

Ashley: I do like that, and that's something that @unforth-ninawaters​ has mentioned. We're working on shorter stories that would need to be under 7.5k and I said I don't know if I could hit that. She said to write the whole story, even if it's longer, and then have someone edit it with an eye to shorten it, if necessary, and you'll probably end up with a tighter story that way. So, basically, that's how I view writing things, now. I write what I want to write for the story, and if it needs to go, it'll disappear later in the editing process. But what if it does belong? Well, then it's there, already. And yes on slow burns... for fic, it's a staple, and for WIPs, it's part of the lure, the draw in, as a reader--knowing that maybe they will maybe they won't hook up this week.

To close out the chat, we talked about the story structures listed in the following two links:

How to find your novel’s structure - This article discusses the traditional 5-stage plot structure (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution) and the 3-act structure (setup, confrontation, resolution), as well as some other points, like how characterization can affect structure.

Writing Cooperative -  Use a story structure to make writing your novel a lot easier - This article lists several structures, and includes links to read more about each one and their strengths and weaknesses. Different stories might do better under different structures, too. A romance novel wouldn’t necessarily need the 12 steps in The Hero’s Journey.

These links are definitely worth checking out if you have any fears or concerns about your story’s structure!

Next month we’re going to talk about Real People Fiction! We’re still looking for a guest speaker, so if anyone is interested, send a message to @mrswhozeewhatsis​!! Date and time to be announced!

General Pond Updates and Reminders

What we’ve got cooking up next: Not much, at the moment, since everyone is busy, so we’re just trying to keep up with the day-to-day at the moment! Our to do list is still long, though, and will not be neglected forever! Next up is organizing the tagging system on the blog to make it easier for readers to find the stories they’re interesting in and for writers to find the help they’re looking for!

Reminders:

Angel Fish Award nominations are accepted all month long! No need to wait to tell us how much you liked a fellow Fish’s work!  IF YOU HAVE SENT IN A NOMINATION, BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED A PRIVATE MESSAGE CONFIRMING WE RECEIVED IT, WE DIDN’T GET IT. Be sure to use Submit instead of Ask!

Don’t forget to submit your stories to be posted to the blog! When your stories are on the blog, then they are easier to nominate for Angel Fish Awards!

Say hi to November’s New Members! (If we missed someone, let us know!)

Check the Pond CALENDAR to see when Big Fish will be in the Skype chat room/discord general channel and other Pond and SPN events are happening! Know of something that’s not on the calendar, send us an ask or submission with the deets info details!  The calendar offers a lot of features, such as showing you when things are in your own timezone! Since we’re an international group, that’s a definite plus!!

We’re looking for a guest speaker for January to talk about RPF! If you know of an RPF writer that you’d like to hear from, let us know!!

11/11/11 Tag Game

threeThanks for tagging me, @storyteller-shealie and sorry for seeing this so late! My life suddenly turned into a non-stop emergency for the past week or two, so I’ve been kinda MIA (but it’s all better now).

Rules: answer 11 questions, write your own 11, tag 11 people

1. Do you ever notice that the media you consume (books, tv-shows, etc) influences your writing in some ways?

All the time. That’s why I try to match whatever I’m reading/watching to whatever I’m writing. If I’m focused on a high fantasy WIP, I mostly read fantasy books and watch fantasy anime that have similar themes and issues. That’s because if I decided to read/watch a murder mystery instead, I’d likely stop being so focused on that fantasy WIP and want to write a mystery or a thriller of my own instead.

2. What was your favorite part about the last scene or chapter you’ve written?

It wasn’t so much a scene as a random snippet? I’m planning a new WIP, and that’s the stage where I write a lot of flash fiction just to get to know all the characters. Some of this stuff might later make it into the actual WIP, reworked into proper scene, but most remains for my own reference only. I think my favorite part about that last snippet was how I finally managed to get into the villain’s head and find what makes him tick.

3. What was the most difficult part of writing that last scene or chapter?

EVERYTHING. :D Villains are often the hardest characters for me to work with, and this WIP is no exception.

4. Do you write everything in order, or do you find yourself often moving scenes around?

I usually begin writing in order, but after 10K words or so I start jumping back and forth a lot, and then moving stuff back and forth, too.

5. What’s your writing software of choice? Why do you like it?

I absolutely love Focus Writer. It’s distraction-free, it allows you to create your own themes, such as choosing colors and background pictures, and you can easily move scenes around if you give them headings. Writing got so much easier since I discovered it.

6. What’s your favorite writing environment? Do you need to be alone, or maybe you’d rather write in libraries or coffeeshops? Do you prefer silence or music?

In summer, I love writing outside in my backyard or on the balcony. In winter, the weather usually disagrees with that choice, so I stick to my room. I usually have my headphones on, listening to some instrumental music that matches the tone of whatever I’m currently writing, and I have problems maintaining focus when there are other people around, so no coffeeshops for me. :)

7. If someone distracts you in the middle of a writing session, how do you usually react?

I can get really irritable, even though of course I try not to show it. I really don’t like to be distracted, because it’s hard for me to get back on track again after the distraction has passed.

8. Do you like writing sprints?

I’m kind of indifferent to them most of the time. I guess when I’m on a roll, every writing session for me is a writing sprint of sorts: I type as fast as I can until either the scene is done or my hands are tired, I take a break, I type quickly again while I still have a clear image of whatever’s happening in the story. Deliberately setting a timer and telling myself to type fast doesn’t really change anything for me, I guess?

9. Have you ever done NaNoWriMo? Why or why not? What are your thoughts about this type of challenge?

I’ve only participated in Camp, but I’m planning to maybe try NaNoWriMo in November, too. 50K in a month is a pretty big goal for me, but I think there’s a chance it’s doable, so I want to try it once and see what happens.

10. Do you find it easier to write short stories or novels?

Something in the middle, I think. I feel the most comfortable somewhere in the 35K-60K range, depending on the story. 

11. How are your WIPs born? Do you start with characters? With a plot idea? With a worldbuilding thought, like “what if there was a world with sentient dragons who were the source of magic”? Something else?

Definitely the characters. Everything I write is very character-driven, so it always starts with the MC, and then more characters show up, and then they... sort of help me figure out the world and the actual story, I guess. :)

My Questions:

1. Is there a trope you never get tired of?

2. Who is your least favorite character in your WIP? Why?

3. Let’s say I’m planning to visit the setting of your WIP for a weekend. What should I take with me? What are the most important things for me to know beforehand? Which of your characters should I ask to be my guide?

4.Beginning, middle, or end—which is the hardest for you as a writer?

5. Which is more inspiring for you: music or visual art?

6. Do you have any other creative interests and hobbies besides writing?

7. How close is your WIP now to what you were expecting it to be when you just started?

8. What are your plans for when you finish your WIP? Traditional publishing? Indie publishing? Putting it online for others to read for free?

9. Your MC is here. On your doorstep. Planning to spend the day with you. Oh, and they know you’re the author responsible for everything that’s going on in the story right now. Are you expecting it to be a nice conversation, or do you maybe want to run and hide? :D

10. Name a song that could be your villain’s personal anthem.

11. Is there anything you would never, ever write a story about, even if you were offered a large sum of money to do so?

Tagging: @sanguinewritings @celestialbunnistories @bexminx @aslanwrites @blueinkblot @fantasy-shadows @me-between-the-lines @nadiasnarrative @three-seas-writes @aurumni-writes @sundaynightnovels (No pressure! Feel free to ignore!) 

11/11/11 tag

Thanks @pheita​ for tagging me! :)

1. What is your favourite genre to write? Fantasy, because you can put almost all other genres in it but also dragons ;D

2. Who is your favourite OC and why? How can you ask me that?? How the hell should I know? :’D Probably Ava or Kiyera from As Dreams Collide? I have no idea. Maybe Onii or Timbre or Selandri from LDOO! I love all my children so much for so many different reasons?!

3. Who is your least favourite OC and why? .... uhh..... I find all my Ellariel characters really hard to write because they’re so inhuman. It’s especially hard with Mikaen because we get so close to him and his thoughtprocess... so from a hard-to-write point... maybe them. 

From a purely "I despise them” point of view, it’s 1) Rheon, who’s from Feuervogel, my first ever “proper” wip (to be continued when I’m better at writing...). He’s a minor city lord and has sympathetic motivations (saving his people from starvation, ...) but the ways he goes about solving these problems and the way he changes throughout the story are ... not good. :’D Also Kardim from the same wip (but I can’t say anything more about him because it’s all spoilers). He’s pretty horrible. And Luzire from As Dreams Collide. And...

Basically I have a few antagonists that I really don’t like as people :P

4. Do you ever find yourself self-inserting in your writing? I think every character is a tiny piece of me because how else am I supposed to bring them to life? :) Some are just a bit more “me” and others a bit less. :)

5. Are you hoping to publish your work? If so will you submit your work or self-publish? Hm, I haven’t really thought about it yet because the first step is to create a finished story that can be published XD So I’ve decided to tackle that issue when I get there. But right now I think I might go the traditional way because I don’t have enough experience with self-publishing (and don’t really think I’ll be that good at the business side of that). Maybe I’ll change my mind when I actually get there, though :) 

6. What is your favourite book and why? I have faaaar too many favourite AUTHORS, let alone BOOKS xD 

But I did manage to meet Brandon Sanderson yesterday and I’m still reeling with that so I’ll say Oathbringer, book 3 of Stormlight Archive (which is phenomenal) because I cried in public transport at 11PM surrounded by strangers who all stared at me, but I didn’t care at all because I was in SO DEEP and cared so much. He’s the reason why I fell in love with creating amazing worlds and magic systems, and I care about soo many of his characters SO MUCH and just. The plots are amazing, too?? His books are literally everything I want. AND HE’S SO AWESOME IN PERSON TOO???? Still Shooketh. 

Thank you @random-stuff-thrown-into-a-pot​ for bringing it to my attention that he was in Berlin yesterday :’))) <333 (and getting my book signed when I didn’t know if I could make it in time ;W;)

7. Do you set yourself goals in your writing? If so what is your current goal? Hm, I work really well with nanowrimo goals because the NEED to have a pretty statistic is enough to force me into aggressive productivity. That helps especially well during November, a bit less so during April and July. Apart from that I don’t really have word goals because quantity isn’t really a problem for me, more the fact that I have to be happy with what I make because otherwise I’ll just rewrite it from scratch instead of editing XD so the nanowrimo mindset is actually not all that helpful for me, apart from writing the very first draft... up to a certain point. XD

8. Do you like to handwrite your drafts or type them up? My hands will die if I handwrite them so I type actual scenes etc. Also, my hands are far too slow XD. I like plotting on paper, though. Especially when it’s larger than A3 and I have a lot of space to just let my mind wander :)

9. What do you think is the hardest thing about being a writer? Not moving on to the next project when I get a new shiny idea... also not rewriting a chapter again.. and again .... and again.... :’D

And not being discouraged when nobody else seems to care! There are people out there who love exactly what you do. You just have to hang on long enough to find them :) ... even if it’s hard. 

10. Do you plan out your projects or just start writing? First draft is usually me having a series of ideas and knowing the beginning, end, and a few things in between. (That’s also usually the beginning of NaNo). So then I write and discover things and characters along the way, until I get roughly to day 15 of NaNo, when I sit down and make a rough outline. It’s still very general, just story-beats, but then I have a better idea of where I’m going and already know the characters a bit (So I can see if things might work or not) :) So then I write draft 1, which is mostly me telling the story to myself, and tweaking the outline if I have to. Especially near the end, when characters have changed over the course of the story and the plotted ending wouldn’t fit them anymore :)

So I’m somewhere between plotting and pantsing, where I plot the general course of the story but am more of a pantser when it comes to characters :) And also always have enough room to change things around when I have better ideas along the way!

...At least in theory xD. As Dreams Collide (ADC) is the only thing that’s ever come this far (I’m still re-plotting draft 3) and it’s had MAJOR changes (and turned into a trilogy... sigh) so I can’t really say that it’s been all that structured. But most of the process above is how I’ll continue working for Like Dragons Of Old (LDOO), for which it worked really well this far :)

Slowly but surely I’m getting the hang of this, I think!

11. Do you like to stick to one project or have multiple ones at once? I have all in all 8 wips that I all want to finish one day. (with possible spin-offs that like to show up.. sigh) Out of all of these, I started LDOO lsat november, and I’ve been working on ADC on and off since november 2014. 

I only work on one thing at a time but LDOO isn’t quite as much on hold as the others, and it’s also the one I’ll go back to when I’ve gotten ADC to the point where I can let it wait a while :D (So when I’ve written draft 3, I guess)

tagging: @corishadowfang @lynnafred @asttralhell @raiswanson @paper-shield-and-wooden-sword @random-stuff-thrown-into-a-pot @fatal-blow @wilde-writing @kittensartsbooks @romenna @cirianne if you want to <3 

I think I was tagged for this multiple times last month (or before that?!) but I’m really bad at doing all of these so heyyy I did it now! XD

World in a Book

Hu boy. It's been just over a month, but I have finally finished this piece I posted a WIP of forever ago: WIP Wednesday! This started as a sketch during a family reunion since I'm usually the youngest person over ten in the room and barely know any of the people there. And originally I was undecided if I was going to even see it into a fully finished piece, and if I did I was thinking of a traditional piece at the time. I'd had the concept sitting in my notes on my phone for a while and didn't have any better ideas but needed a drawing escape, so I went for it. After I got home I sat on what I had sketched for a little while, then decided to try a full piece with it and went back to finish the sketch. Unbeknownst to me, I had overlooked that the original idea was supposed to be a sun and clouds with a blue sky coming out of the book, which makes the light make more sense, but by the time I conceded to myself to do the lines digitally (still under the impression that I'd be printed it out to color everything) and I tried to do the sun instead, for whatever reason the look just didn't do it for me, so I went back to the world/Earth concept I had already drawn in. Then I realized this whole set up called for some dramatic lighting, which I am currently very chicken at doing traditionally, especially with alcohol markers, as was the plan to use on this. So somewhere between that realization and a shading mock-up, (and also questioning if I wanted to try doing the shading digital and printed out a black and white version to color in, since the alcohol markers are transparent so the shadows would show through them, provided the printer ink didn't decide to run) I was just like, "well I'm going to go through all that trouble, I might as well color it digitally to and I can add textures if I want also." And would you believe what took the longest was not all the straight-ish (I was trying to keep them a little organic and not just use the line tool in Photoshop) lines for the shelves and windows or the foreground of the girl and all the pillows; no no. It was lining and coloring and shading all those freaking books and stuff on the shelves.   This my little Sparkles is exactly why I usually stay away from detailed backgrounds (or source them from elsewhere). And best believe I will probably be steering clear of them for a good while after this. I did try a few different things in an attempt to speed up production though; namely using just black and grays to create the shading (which seemed fair since it's supposed to be dramatic lighting coming mostly from the book and somewhat from the window in an otherwise dark room), minimal colors but using colors that would complement each other in terms of what they're around (like using a lighter skin tone and bright hair against the dark wood; using pastel colors for the clothes on top of the dark-colored pillows, etc. And instead of trying to figure out individual colors for every single book, I mapped out a series of color progression in a color-mock up, which I think turned out right where it needed to between noticeable but subtle in the final; it starts with yellows/greens and a little orange at the top, then greens/blues, blues, blues/purples, purples, and purples/pinks underneath the girl. I tried to keep the groupings simple, but not so close that each book looks basically the same color. I wanted them to be a little bright to tie in with the theme, but not so bright or colored so that they would distract from the main focus. In the same vein, I did use a couple of things to sort of "guide the eye" to where I want it to go, which includes most of the books "pointing" towards the center, rather than away from it. The glass windows were also a bit of an experiment; I've just had this idea of a book nook with stained glass bay windows in my head for...I don't know, a really long time, and so I brought that into this. I'm sure there are mistakes in how realistic their presence is, but I think they turned out well enough for what I wanted. I would've liked more of the colored glass, but I also had a specific vision here, which included the world looking gray and dreary outside, while the inside has the light and color, and I couldn't add too much color that was too opaque to the windows without losing that effect. Same thing with trying to add a glass texture; I had to be careful or I would totally lose part of what I had built up as part of the key concept. It's also supposed to kind of look like there's a bit of breeze coming from the book blowing her hair back and fluttering the pages of the book in her hands; I'm not sure how effective that idea is, or even if it makes sense. This is one of those pieces where I am really happy with how the end result turned out, but I also see/know a lot of things could've been better or done differently. In fact, I sat on the piece for a while after it was technically finished because it felt like it was missing something, but I couldn't figure out what it was. I had finally conceded to myself that instead of continuing to stall, I should just upload it and then I could always come back to it later if I wanted to. So I uploaded it to sta.sh so I could come back and add the description later. On a whim after that, I decided to look at the image on my phone and see if maybe somehow that made something click. Funny story about that... The picture/shading/whatever was way too dark. I just hadn't noticed before since Photoshop has a dark gray color scheme and I'd been working with very little excess background to be a lighter "grounding" color. So I eventually went back in and finally fixed that. Not too much; the idea is for it to be largely dark, just not as dark as it was. I still feel like there's some something that's not quite right, but I really don't want to keep holding this piece back after spending so long on it already, waiting for an idea that may never come. And thus, it goes up. The "world in a book" concept is something that has personal meaning to me, though. I won't go too far into the details, but books have been my ticket to the world and others from the safety and comfort of home for a long time. So I hope if nothing else I've been able to maybe capture and share that feeling here with others that haven't necessarily understood it before.   ____ Artwork (c) me, MysticSparkleWings Some background/texture images found on www.pixabay.com ____ Where to find me & my artwork: My Website | Commission Info + Prices | Ko-Fi | dA Print Shop | RedBubble |   Twitter | Tumblr | Instagram

Witness: Kalashnikorn

Creator name (AO3): Kalashnikorn

Creator name (Tumblr): Main-force-patrol

Link to creator works: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalashnikorn

Creator name (other platform- please specify): @Riccarterfans (twitter)

Q: Why the Mad Max Fandom?

A: My interest in Mad Max started early. I was maybe 12-14 when my mom picked it up on VHS at a garage sale because she had fond memories of the film when it came out (she saw it in theaters, which is rare for her). We’re both fond of cars and dystopian/apocalyptic stuff, so I easily connected with the movie and fell in love with WAY too many of the characters. So there was my weirdo self, in the early 2000s, loving MM1 but not really having a fandom to join. I had fun on my own, drawing stuff, making toys of the characters, writing doofy adolescent fanfic. You know, the works. But I did it in isolation, because I was a LONELY kid. Not just in terms of fandom, there were just never other kids around, or adults (other than my parents) around. Therefore, I spent most of my time online, and lost countless hours lurking on the MadMaxMovies.com forum. But I didn’t feel safe talking to people there, because the only other fans were guys my dad’s age. For years, if I had any kind of fandom-related wish that I’d give an arm to fulfill, it was that other girls and queer folks would embrace the MM series so I could finally share my excitement with people that would “get” me. Fast forward to 2015. Fury Road fulfilled that wish. I knew tumblr was my best chance at getting those friends I’d wanted for so long. It’s better than I’d ever dreamed. Mad Max Fandom, I love you! Special shoutout to @d--t, @crunkmouse, @sillyb0yblue, @sleepymayo, @lethalpr0tector, @legendofstraydog, @partyinvalhalla and @vanessa-geraldine-carlysle! 

Q: What do you think are some defining aspects of your work? Do you have a style? Recurrent themes?

A: I love to write first-person fic that delves into the darker aspects of the human psyche. How do we justify killing others? What impact does a hypermasculine culture have upon a man with depression and anxiety? Is violence really the key to surviving the apocalypse? I also enjoy writing about people seeking control or freedom, and wrestling with that they believe they need to do to achieve that. 

Q: What (if any) music do you listen to for help getting those creative juices flowing?

A: Since I do first person, I like something to get me into the head of the character I’m writing, so I make playlists for certain characters. 99% of the time, anymore, I’m writing as Roop, so on his playlist I’ve got a bunch of stuff quasi-hipster stuff that touches upon themes of isolation, anger, violence, and feelings of helplessness. There’s a bunch of indie rock, some seventies stuff, and A LOT OF PINK FLOYD. Oh, and there’s some Aussie rock in there too, of course. 

Q: What is your biggest challenge as a creator?

A: Finding the time to write! 

Q: Which character do you relate to the most, and how does that affect your approach to that character? Is someone else your favourite to portray? How has your understanding of these characters grown through portraying them?

A: Roop… And Roop.  And my understanding of him has absolutely grown through portraying him. He’s a character that’s in MM1 for like.. Ten minutes? And after the opening chase scene, he hardly has any lines. But Steve Millichamp does an excellent job portraying him with his posture, body language, etc. So I gleaned ideas from his non-verbal performance. Honestly, if you look at the number of times he makes a mopey face, it’s astounding. Other times, he looks at Fifi for guidance, the way a kid looks at a parent or teacher. He doesn’t seem to have any friends at work, partially due to his own personality. I could go on for hours. From all that, I extrapolated that he’s basically caught between childhood and adulthood, and he’s trying to sort out what it means to be a good cop and a good person. Sometimes those things aren’t congruent, and it tears him up because he’s a very type A, hardworking perfectionist. Growing up, he was told that he was gifted, smart, etc., and he feels like an imposter because he fixates on his shortcomings and mistakes. And when trying to live up to this impossibly high standard, he puts a lot of pressure on himself and struggles when he has to surrender or when he fails. There’s a ton more, but those are the highlights. The vast majority my MM/Roop fic stays offline. Pretty much all of it is irrelevant to the rest of the Mad Max universe, so there’s no point in posting it. It’s taken on a life of its own. Of course, some people have let me know that they dislike or disagree with my characterization of Roop. That’s fine. Nobody’s forcing them to read my fic.

Q: Do you ever self-insert, even accidentally?

A: Oh hell yes. And I’m completely shameless about it, because I don’t think the practice should be taboo or frowned upon. We wouldn’t shame an actor who tapped their lived experience to bring authenticity to a role, would we?  I think we should extend the same understanding to writers. Aside from being a great way to understand more about our selves, enjoy an escapist fantasy, or work through trauma, I think self-insertion can be a great way to evoke emotional authenticity in a story.

Q: Do you have any favourite relationships to portray? What interests you about them?

A: I pretty much stick to what I consider my strength, which is genfic. So I mostly stick to portraying platonic interactions, both friendly and unfriendly. I particularly like exploring how Roop interacts with/judges his co-workers. I’m also fond of writing about good moms who love and encourage their kids. Sometimes the mom is the viewpoint character, sometimes it’s the kid. Regardless, I like looking at how parental relationships can shape a person’s worldview.

Q: How does your work for the fandom change how you look at the source material?

A: My work makes me hyper-analyze MM1 and its novelization. I mostly write MM1 fic because I feel like we could have gotten a lot more mileage out of exploring MM1’s world, before society fully broke down and became the more fantastical wasteland we know and love in MM2, MM3, and MMFR. As much as I like the later worldbuilding stuff, I can really appreciate watching a civilization crumble in a grounded, slow-burning manner. 

Q: To break or not to break canon? Why?

A: Depends on what you mean by “break.” I think a lot purists would say that I break canon, so I’ll put it this way: I like to write stories where I add to canon without directly contradicting it. We’re never shown Roop’s home life, for instance. It’s free real estate! I do this because I just want MORE MM1. More Roop, more MFP, more Armalites, all of it. I don’t feel the need to change anything, just add more volume to it. That said, I love it when others break canon! I have a ton of fun reading AUs and alternate scenes. 

Q: Share some headcanons

A: GRAB A SEAT AND PUT YOUR SITTIN’ PANTS ON. Here we go: In addition to recruiting local police officers and other traditional recruiting strategies, the MFP uses conscription to fill out its ranks. Roop is one such draftee. Roop doesn’t spend any time with Charlie outside of work. He really just tries to minimize contact with the guy. If we do all my Roop headcanons, we’ll be here until the Miller completes MM5. Charlie wanted to go seminary school and become a priest, but was drafted. Losing his voice pretty much killed his dream of preaching. Fifi takes an interest in his men, but only so he can better manipulate them into staying/reenlisting. Bubba was a former MFP officer who went rogue once budget cuts and bureaucratic decisions made law enforcement abandon his rural hometown.

Q: Who are some works by other creators inside and outside of the fandom that have influenced your work?Inside the fandom, the old RP crowd and I bounced a lot of ideas off each other, and interacting with their muses helped Roop’s story grow by leaps and bounds (finger guns at @d--t’s OC, Renholder, @vanessa-geraldine-carlysle’s portrayal of Charlie, and @legendofstraydog’s OC, Syrup!) Outside the fandom, my biggest influences are Kurt Vonnegut, J.D. Salinger, Quentin Tarantino, the Coen Brothers, and Sam Esmail.

Q: Have you visited or do you plan to visit Australia, Wasteland Weekend, or other Mad Max place?

A: Not yet, but I'd love to go someday!

Q: Tell us about a current WIP or planned project

A: “Autotomy” is my big current WIP. It’s 7 chapters into its 9 or 10 chapter run (I’ve literally got chapter 8 open in another window as I’m writing this). It follows Roop immediately after MM1 ends. He sees the aftermath of Max’s rampage, and begins to question his own ideals. Then his morals are put to the test when an unexpected guest arrives at his home. The word “autotomy” describes cutting off a part of oneself to escape a greater threat. Think of a lizard that sheds its trapped tail to avoid being eaten. I’m using it in the literal and metaphorical sense. At the end of MM1, we see someone have to make a literal life-or-limb decision. And in this story, Roop has to decide whether or not to cut off the toxic ideology that has guided his actions.

Thank you @main-force-patrol @richardcarterfans some of your tags got lost in reformatting.  You may want to retag your peeps

11 questions tag game

Rules: Answer 11 questions, ask 11 questions, and tag 11 people to answer them  

Thank you @hufflebucky for tagging me, you’re a real babe<3 I’m gonna put a keep reading because y’all know I can’t write short answers,,, 

1. Do you prefer posting fics to Tumblr or AO3–and why?

I prefer tumblr mostly because this is where I’ve always been. Like I’ve been on this hellsite since I was 12 okay? It’s home. Also I feel like it’s easier to communicate with everyone else on here? Idk that might just be me, but that’s how I feel. 

2. Reader inserts, OCs, or strictly canon?

If you haven’t figured it out yet I prefer to write reader inserts. It’s something I’ve been doing since I was a child dreaming about getting into Hogwarts and I just really love the feeling it gives me. I do like to read the occasional canon fic with pairings like stucky, stony or wandanat (because yes), but it’s mostly reader insert.

3. Do you prefer sticking to the canon or writing AUs?

y’all know I’m a slut for AUs. We love living in denial amirite @wintersoldierswhore ;) But seriously most of the time I prefer to both read and write AUs I really really love it.

4. What’s a project you’re dying to start working on?

I’ve already kinda started it, but for @prettyyoungtragedy ‘s 10k challenge I got the prompt firefighter!au with bucky and I’m so excited to start!! I’ve already written the outline and planned it (it’s gonna be a mini-series) plus written a prologue, but I can’t WAIT to start writing the rest of it. I just really love it. 

5. When did you start writing fanfiction?

When I was 12 years old ish? Maybe 11? I don’t really remember, but it’s been awhile. I’ve kind of always been writing fanfiction, but like not the traditional way? When I was like 7 I would write “Christa and Sirius Go On Adventures!!!” and stuff lol it was very cringe but kind of endearing. (I loved Sirius Black so much and I looked at him as a father so I wrote things where he was my adoptive father and saved me lmao) So yeah.

6. Do you write non-fanfiction fiction (haha), too?

I used to do it more before, but I still do it every now and then. Now I don’t write as much it’s more like I let my OCs live in my imagination. But I hope to one day pick up my characters and continue writing seriously. 

7. Which fictional character do you relate to the most and why?

Uhhh man I don’t know. The marvel character I relate to the most is probably Natasha Romanoff because she’s been through so much, but she’s still out here smiling and kicking ass. I also relate to her specifically because she mixes both badass and kind + she kinda strikes me as a teasing mom friend. (I also recently found out I most likely can’t have kids so like we got that in common too.) 

If we’re talking non-marvel I really relate to Charlie Bradbury from Supernatural because of the everything about her. She’s geeky, smart, kinda nervous and loves the Winchesters with all she’s got. Same. 

8. What is your writing ritual? Like, do you have a playlist? Snacks? Coffee?

It depends really. Usually though I listen to one of my three (yeah you heard me) writing playlists and type away at a furious pace. Sometimes I ignore a hot cup of tea I’ve made, but other than that I don’t eat/drink anything because I’m so busy writing.

9. Do you outline or wing it?

For one-shots I usually plan the story out in my mind before I write it (unless it’s one of my 3 AM fics in that case I just write whatever), but for more important fics or series I usually type up an outline. 

10. What do you do to get inspiration?

For me it really helps to just read other fanfiction? It gets my creativity going. Or I scroll through Pinterest and read all these writing ideas and prompts or look at pictures. 

11. What is your favorite line from something you’ve written?

I haven’t posted this fic yet (and idk if I’m going to, but this one’s pretty nice: 

“The moonlight caught in a piece of metal, making it shine almost like a star, like the stars they used to watch together.”

Now, here are my 11 questions:

When do you prefer to write? Morning, afternoon or nighttime?

What’s your favorite AU?

Do you usually write reader inserts, canon characters or OCs?

Do you like to include other pairings in your reader inserts (such as stony, stucky, buckynat etc.)?

Top three favorite songs to write to?

Which one do you like better: fluff, angst or smut? Why?

What fics are you currently reading/planning to read?

How many WIPs do you have?

Do you like to participate in challenges?

What’s your ideal writing drink (coffee, tea, hot chocolate etc.)?

What does a story need to have for you to go “holy fuck I love this”

Tagging 11 people (I know some of you might have already been tagged but I only have so many mutuals okay! plus ily): @bucky-at-bedtime @moonstruckhargrove @wintersoldierswhore @sunshinebuckyy @trashpandabarnes @strawberrybucky @invisibleanonymousmonsters @seabuckys @piscesbarnes @sebspocketsquare @writingsoftheloser

Character Creation Tag (Charlie)

Okay so I wasn’t tagged in this but I saw it on @slytherin-bookworm-guy tumblr and it was so interesting to read (I lowkey want to read your story in one sit Kyle) that I thought maybe you’ll be interested in reading my version too? 

Also being completely honest I am a bit shy and I don’t think endless talks about my wip and ocs would be interesting, so maybe in this way I can talk about it but without being annoying/boring? I don’t know it’s probably all in my head but nevermind.

So let’s get into it!

1) What was the first element of your OC that you remember considering (name, appearance, backstory, etc.?)

Her name and her love for Doctor Who (am I projecting)

2) Did you design them with any other characters/OCs from their universe in mind?

Yes! I designed her with Alice; at first they were supposed to be best friends that later on the story would turn into something more, I even wrote a piece of that story that was completely different from my current wip. But I ended up changing the whole universe and the dynamics between the two of them.

3) How did you choose their name?

It just came to my mind to be honest. I thought it was pretty cool and I immediately  thought about all the ways her soon-to-be-friends-but-not-friends-yet could call her to make fun of her (yes, I know, it’s stupid, but they are so)

4) In developing their backstory, what elements of the world they live in played the most influential parts?

Well, she is a Necromancer coming from one of the most powerful Necromancer family in the world (the Necromancers are the bad guys, mostly, but sometimes it’s hard to draw the line) and she betrayed her family to be with the good guys - she basically helped them destroy her family, they all died in an epic battle that ended bloody and in fire. 

Most of her knowledge about the world she lives in comes from the Necromancers’ version of history, but growing up she becomes able to see the lies in it. The Necromancers’ world is a tough world where you either master your powers or you die, and that has been quite an important part of her backstory. Death has always followed her and it certainly won’t stop now, since the final battle between Necromancers and Elementals is drawing closer and closer.

5) Is there any significance behind their hair colour?

Nope.

6) Is there any significance behind their eye colour?

Nope but there will be, but it’s a huge spoiler and I don’t want to ruin the fun.

7) Is there any significance behind their height?

She’s small, but that’s it.

8) What (if anything) do you relate to within their character/story?

She’s strong but has her fragilities, like most of us have. She will lose friends along the way and gain new ones, which is something that has happened to me many many times. Also, later on in the story, there will be a part based off my experience with depression and mental health issues, so yeah, I would say that.

9) Are they based off of you, in some way?

In some way, yes. Her hair is short like mine, but that’s it physically speaking. For what concerns her inner self, see above (also like I said before she loves Doctor Who hehehehehe)

10) Did you know what the OC’s sexuality would be at the time of their creation?

Yes. I always wanted to create a bisexual character because when I started thinking about Charlie that was what I was identifying with

11) What have you found to be most difficult about creating art for your OC (any form of art: Writing, drawing, edits, etc.)?

First of all, I can’t seem to be able to draw her. Every time I try I end up drawing terrible faces, hair, all of it. I hate it and I don’t know why it is like that.

Second of all, some pieces of writing are... let’s just say challenging. I can’t flirt for shit and that’s a problem cause she’s very open about it and flirts with anybody, so I always write it like Insert flirting here and then move on with the story :D

The action scenes come out pretty easily, and that’s a surprise. I’m kinda proud of it!

12) How far past the canon events that take place in their world have you extended their story, if at all?

I have covered a lot of her life in my mind, canon and beyond. I have written some parts of it too, but they’re in Italian and I’m not in the mood for translating right now cause I’m kinda busy later so I don’t have much time, I’m sorry :(

13) If you had to narrow it down to 2 things that you MUST keep in mind while working with your OC, what would those things be?

She’s kinda cursed so she can’t use her powers (and that’s a thing I have to always keep in mind cause she’s super powerful and I want to do great things with her but at this point of the story I can’t yet). 

Also her past haunts her, she often dreams about her dead brother (I’m sorry bro) and the things she’s been through in the past have shaped her into the person she is right now. 

And she cares a lot about people. Her best friend Linn ends up in a magical coma in the second chapter because of a tragedy that happens (she barely makes it alive but ends up in a coma) and that touches Charlie very deeply. They’re like sisters, wherever there’s one there also is the other, or at least it should be like that. But now it’s not, and that’s killing Charlie from the inside.

Sorry, these are three things. Whoopsie!

14) What is something about your OC that can make you laugh?

Her crush on Mary Reed (a side character); she’s the cutest bean ever and every time they interact I just can’t stop laughing cause they are silly and cute.

15) What is something about your OC can make you cry?

Like I said before, she cares a lot about the people around her, especially a child, Aaron. He had a tragic incident in the past where his parents died so he ends up in the community where Charlie and the others live. Aaron is a shapeshifter and he turns into a kitty (of course it’s a kitty I love kitties) and always snuggles against Charlie when it’s night and he is afraid of the dark. Charlie loves him as if she was his older sister, she always takes care of him and I love her for that. I don’t deserve these characters I’m an evil piece of shit.

16) Is there some element you regret adding to your OC or their story?

Yes. Her parents gave her a dagger when she was born (a family tradition) but I can’t remember where I put it last. It should be somewhere in my notes but I just can’t find it and it frustrates me to no ends. Urghhh.

17) What is the most recent thing you’ve discovered about your OC?

She doesn’t like bergamot in her tea. Am I projecting part 183901883

18) What is your favourite fact about your OC?

Have I mentioned she loves Doctor Who?

Feel free to do this tag game yourself! I’m not gonna tag anybody but feel yourself tagged (if you don’t want to you don’t have to do it of course, it’s just for fun!) It was really inspiring and interesting, it helped me thinking about my character and reminded me of some stuff I forgot about, hehehehe

11/11/11 tag #2

Thank you @gottaenjoythelittlethingzz <3 you are a blessing and I hope your hot drink always stays warm enough to drink!

Rules go like this: 11 answers, 11 questions, 11 writers tagged!

1. Do you prefer to have one story to focus on at a time or do you like to work on multiple pieces at once?

Personally I like to work one at a time with multiple ideas running around in my notes and evernote notebooks. I like thinking about/developing multiple projects, but writing seems to tend towards one at a time!

2. If you could change the title of any of your previous works, what would you change it to and why?

Oh goodness uh, last time I finished anything was when I was ten I think. Maybe 13? But tbh, I usually like my titles bc I spend a long time picking them out. So far my favorite is smoke on the river (death comes quicker) for a fanfic I dropped. I wanna reuse that as a quote or something tbh.

3. About how many words can you type per minute?

Apparently 37 WPM with 94% accuracy, but I know I get faster when immersed.

4. Is there a IRL place in the world that you have yet to write about in a story, but would like to and why? (If not, where in the world do you personally want to visit?)

I really want to one day write something in Chicago. I enjoyed a family vacation there so freakin’ much, I just think it’d be fun. Or, more international, would love to write something set in an Asian metropolis like Tokyo or Seoul, just because I want to learn how to write different kinds of cities.

5. What’s a cool fact about your world? Or about your characters, if there’s no fantasy/sci-fi elements?

For A Cryptic Carol, since that’s my main wip, a cool fact is that paranormal creatures exist, like cryptids. Whether they’re real is a different story.

6. How do you keep yourself accountable for your writing (goals, daily word counts, rewards) if at all?

I’ve tried that but I need to work out a better system. I find it so difficult to write daily, but here’s to hoping I can figure it out in my bullet journal.

7. What was the last book you read? Did it inspire you to write, return to writing after a break, or write something specific when you finished?

Last short story was Symbiosis by Shaelin Bishop, last book was I wanna say The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh in August and before that I was working my way through the Raven Cycle last year about this time. I’m slow to finish books if I finish at all haha. I’m more of a podcast / short story person these days.

8. What’s the last detail you remember adding to any story, character, world you created (list as many as you’d like)?

I remember adding ages to Jackson, Colt, and Robin(yn? haven’t decided) for when they meet. At least, mentally, because I wanted to try and have a baby being taken care of by preteens/kids. Because that’s adorable and hilarious, and provides a nice reason for why the kids warm up to January by proxy of her baby boy.

9. How many notebooks do you currently own and are using? What are they for?

I can’t count since I’m at work (on lunch break) but at least ten sketchbooks, and literally no idea how many notebooks between bullet journals, lined, blank, college rule, etc. Mostly for college classes but a few are for organization & maybe eventual writing.

10. What caused you to take your last break from writing and what brought you back to writing? (If this is too personal, than how long do you consider a “break” for writing?)

I took a major break from the time I was maybe 16 or 17 to this month or so. I had a brief week or two where I wrote fanfic oneshots scattered through 2016, sometimes just a night. I had practically given up on writing for fun, like I had kind of given up on reading for fun. 

But I kept listening to podcasts, like The Adventure Zone and more recently, The Penumbra Podcast. The stories really helped me through hard times, but TPP inspired me so much to try writing fanfic again. I had been doing some fiddling with writing for a petsite too earlier this year, maybe more around July. And it kinda snowballed, with TPP pushing the snowball off the cliff I guess!

So if there’s anything I’ve learned, don’t give up and just keep consuming stories anyway. Who knows what sparks you? Same thing happened with me buckling down to learn how to draw because of youtube artists like Dina Norlund, Kasey Golden, and DrawingWiffWaffles!

11. What are your personal writing goals for 2019?

Finish something. Anything. Hopefully that short story for a fantasy contest themed around family by the deadline, but don’t stress out about that. 

Tagging some fellow writers for my own 11 questions @quarff @lend-your-lungs-to-me @yuyuwrites @push-the-draft @quiescentwriting @decaffeinated1amwriting @roselinproductions @girlnovels @shaelinwrites @cogwrites @scyllaology

1. What’s the last thing you listened to while writing? Or if you prefer silence/white noise, in general!

2. Does your wip have a theme or message? What is it? Ex. family, happy endings aren’t boring, etc

3. What kind of pet animal would you be? What about your MC? Type of dog, cat, bird, etc

4. Do you like word sprints or timed writing like pomodoro? Why or why not?

5. What are the tools you use for writing? Why those?

6. Forget book cover, what’s an album cover that reminds you of your wip? Doesn’t have to have music that matches!

7. What would your MC do in a holiday movie ie saving Christmas, Hallmark, Hanukkah, whatever! 

8. What’s a holiday tradition that your MC enjoys? Hates? Can be any holiday!

9. Would you include illustrations in your wip? Why or why not? Would you ever write something that might have illustrations?

10. What do you prefer: creative/long descriptions or descriptions that are the barest minimum?

11. Do you have a quote you live/write by? Doesn’t have to be exactly about writing!