#and always overshoots her own estimates

[susiecarter]

WFZine Q&A! (Part 3)

More @wfzine​ behind the scenes! /o\ :D @gothamguts was kind enough to toss this question in specifically to give me room to flail about this, because o m f g, I CANNOT OVEREMPHASIZE how bad I am at editing stories in order to make them shorter instead of longer, and how ludicrously difficult it was for me to trim my draft down to size. Like, in a good way, I absolutely love how it turned out! BUT MAN. ;-; On a good day, I can hammer out somewhere north of 1k per hour—cutting words, on the other hand, I apparently do at a rate of about 20 per hour, and that’s a generous estimate. :’D Anyway, yeah, more of me wailing under the cut!

Q: What was challenging about writing your zine piece? (optional: and how did you overcome it?)

The big challenge for me was definitely having a maximum wordcount! I was so grateful to have been invited to participate, I couldn't believe it, and then the maximum wordcount came up and I was SWEATING, like, oh, god, countdown until the invitation is RESCINDED and I am KICKED OUT INTO THE STREET—

Anyway, yeah, I'm really bad at estimating how long a draft is going to be before I've written it, and that's because it's always longer than I'm expecting. ALWAYS. So I should actually be counting my lucky stars that my first draft came in as close to the max as it did! But it was still 600–700 words too long. :'D So I had to go over it ... god, I don't even know how many times, it must've been at least 20, looking for more words I could cut or something I could rephrase, and cutting, cutting, cutting, and then scrolling back up to the top and checking the wordcount, and learning I'd removed, you know, 18 words. ;-;

It was definitely a really valuable exercise—going forward, I'm planning to try to remove 100–200 words from every draft I write before I post, because I have an adjective problem and also an adverb problem, and having that target to hit, really thinking about which words were the most important ones in each sentence, was great! But after I'd cut like 500, and I STILL NEEDED TO TAKE MORE WORDS OUT ... ;-;!!! It was so hard, it was like MURDER. I'm thrilled with the final version, and I think the story I wrote is stronger in a lot of ways than it would've been if I hadn't trimmed it down! But it was still so ridiculously hard for me, omg. :'D

[fayewonglibrary]

Faye File (1998)

* SOME REVISIONS TO SPELLING/GRAMMAR/WORDING*

This article analyzes Faye Wong as a “product”.

The 1980′s belonged to Anita Mui. She had a mysterious background, ever-changing images, well-versed musicality, abundance of rumors, Best Female Actress......at that time, it was all about Anita.

The late 1980′s to early 1990′s, the main leader was Sandy Lam. She had a unique image, sophisticated charm, mature feeling, low profile, ability to sing fast and slow songs well, special manners......at that time, it was really about Sandy.

From the mid 1990′s onward, Faye Wong who displayed no particular direction, has the aura of a star, a fierce look, randomly shouting and jumping, married and had a daughter, Heavenly Queen of Asia........this kind of 'Faye' is currently hot in the market.

It cannot be denied that in the Hong Kong entertainment industry, there has always been a bias toward males over females. However, it also cannot be denied that Hong Kong female singers are of a higher caliber than the males. Among the vast green [field], there are spots of red. Anita Mui can be on the same level as the guys and even more outstanding than them. Sandy Lam, firstly due to her in-born character, is always doing her best all while smiling as she watches the storm. And the only one singer who can rise to the top and be adored by millions is only Faye Wong. When Faye just gives a simple smile to the reporter's camera, it will become headline news. The goddess buries the heavenly kings.

If Faye Wong is a brand name product.

First stage: Wong Jing Man Era --- Product Introduction

In the late 1980′s, Chan Siu Bo, a musician with many years of experience in this field, found Faye who was from China and had come to Hong Kong recently. Relying on her good image and beautiful voice, she signed a contract and became a singer under Cinepoly Records. In order to let Faye be recognized and accepted by the Hong Kong people,her name was changed to "Wong Jing Man", and she was also called Shirley [in English]. She became one of our new local female singers. Her debut album was released in 1989.

At that time, Shirley Kwan was already moving towards the dance-genre and with a wild type of character, she sang the song 'Lovers Under the Starry Sky'. Sandy Lam also changed her style. In 'City Rhythm’, she created a wave that rushed through the entire city.  “Wong Jing Man" was definitely not a bad album and was a steady debut. Songs like ‘However That Day' and 'If Destined' are still played to this day in late night programs.

During this time, though the record company had not really successfully made "Wong Jing Man” accepted by the Hong Kong people, but at least it let quite a number of music lovers become familiar with this brand "Wong Jing Man". At least in the area of product awareness, the record company and the singer made it!

After winning a newcomer's award, "Wong Jing Man" can be said to be a stepping stone and things got better and better. Songs like ‘Everything', 'Still Waiting’, 'Because of Him", etc. all made people recognize her high pitch R&B vocal style that was powerful. The producer also started to discover her vocal range ---- her high and low pitch had some versatility. However, as for her expressions to show the feelings of the songs, she still had some difficulties capturing it. Seniors in this field gave their opinions naturally. They said: current singers totally lack feelings and the singing is only like practicing reaching sky high notes. We now know that the era of "Wong Jing Man" songs were not Faye Wong's favorites. It’s no wonder that her level of dedication was definitely lower back then.

The clever Faye was not willing to linger in only the idols and popularity sector. She decided to break through herself. Thus in 1992, she decided to go to America to upgrade herself for half a year. There was no big news on it.  During her absence, only one or two compilations were released to recap her songs, but the response turned out to be very good.

Second Stage: Came back from America to Hong Kong, Change back to Real Name --- Product Relaunch

After returning to Hong Kong, the media naturally used descriptions like "total makeover / transformation" to describe Faye Wong. It was 1992. Anita Mui at that time had not retired yet but her new ideas and concepts were getting less popular. Sally Yeh who was always full of feelings, after “blessings”, it was goodbye, good luck, and take care. Sandy Lam's market estimation was wrong. She overestimated the Hong Kong fans. Her "Wild Flower" album moved too fast, fans started to change.....

In the end, “Fragile Woman" very easily raised Faye Wong up to the level of first-line singers and she became very very popular. "Fragile Woman" was broadcast on radio stations for over half a year. Then when "No Regrets" was released, in barely 2 days without being plugged on the stations yet, it was already very familiar with everyone in the streets already! "Lau Fei Fei" also overturned the mainstream style, thus making "Faye Wong" power even more obvious. “Cold War" was also a type of alternative music that was introduced by her. At this time "Faye Wong" was like electricity. No matter big or small shops, they also began to play The Cranberries, Cocteau Twins, Tori Amos, Bjork, etc. thus really proving the "Faye Wong" influence. (Until today, The Cranberries album "No Need to Argue" is still very popular in these areas.)

Image is always Faye Wong’s most successful area. It is also a very important reason why she can stand out among the others. Don’t know if it is because she's been abroad so that brought out her confidence. After Faye Wong returned to Hong Kong, she seemed like she began to realize her own uniqueness. She wore black fishnet stockings and a very short leather skirt for her "Coming Home" album. At an awards ceremony, she wore a transparent dress. She became our Hong Kong fashion trend-setter. 

Image is only one factor, music is still the main subject. After a few popular albums, Faye Wong met Dou Wei and from then on, Faye Wong found herself in music.  "Wong Jing Man" disappeared from the music industry. The only Shirley that remained had the surname 'Kwan'. The one with the surname 'Wong' is called FAYE. After she released "Please Myself", it was critically acclaimed as a commercial and artistic success. In the local music industry, it is very obvious --- the best male and female singer is not always the most popular male and female singer. But Faye Wong was able to conquer the whole Asian market with Mandarin hit songs such as "Chess", "Sky", and "I'm Willing".

Faye Wong finally successfully positioned herself. There were lots of female singers, old and new. All were naturally tough competition. Counterfeit products suddenly appeared in the market, all tried to learn from "Faye".

What Faye did before, if another person tried to do it again, it would definitely be labeled as "Copying Faye'. Result: Copying Faye most likely will receive negative comments. 

But Faye also learned from others talents but only she could achieve it. Why are all the other female singers being bashed so badly, but Faye can be spared of this? The main reason I believe is at that time Faye was the first. Besides she very quickly became the leader. Looking at her from the outside and inside, Faye might not seem to be walking very fast, but other people cannot catch up to her.

Third Stage: From Cinepoly to EMI --- Product Sustained

Want to make music lovers continue to support the brand "Faye Wong"? Besides needing to continue to rely on good songs to treat the fans, various factors are needed to attract and maintain supporters.

In order to make her position different from typical singers, Faye Wong’s strategy foregoes the usual methods that singers have used: frequent public appearances, promotions, talking nicely to the media, etc. She does things her own way and her style of handling things is done with a fearless  attitude and she dares to clash with the media. Although in the beginning, some (from the record company) were worried about this. But this method in the end resulted in a miraculous effect! Not only was the media amazed, the general public also think that Faye Wong is really someone with her own character. She successfully created her character and was built up in the market.

This point for a product is very very important because if a product does not have a character that is recognized, when competitors appear, that product will be easily forgotten by its target customers. Thus competitiveness will decrease. This can be used to explain why many female singers have failed.

After changing her record company, Faye announced that she will give up Cantonese songs as her main hits, as she wants to be more involved in her own creations and forsake the past type of music style.

Present day "Faye Wong" has really achieved that. In the market, she can be seen as the most outstanding.

Fourth Stage: Present day, overshoot her direct competitors --- Direct Competition

For the past one or two years, Faye Wong is still in the leading position in the local music market. Even if other brands sell well, the amount is still a distance away from Faye Wong. That was until A-Mei appeared.

With A-Mei’s appearance, she can be called Faye’s first true competitor in the past few years. Because in many areas, both are quite similar products. Both are using Mandarin songs as their main hits. Their singing styles can be said to both have their own outstanding points. Normally people tend to like 'new things', so losing fans is unavoidable. Even so, if she wants to replace Faye Wong’s market leader position, A-Mei still has a long way to go. Regarding Faye's latest release "Sing & Play", no matter in the commercial or artistic side, all have a very high standard.  We believe A-Mei still needs to work harder.

..........................

Faye Wong’s success can be attributed to the fact that she has never purposely sought results.  From the beginning to now, she never fought for awards or movie roles. Because she is the type to let things happen naturally, that made her become big today. From Wong Jing Man to Faye Wong, it has already been 10 years. In these 10 years, Faye has found a path and made her dreams come true.

The Hong Kong music industry needs Faye Wong because she definitely clearly knows what she is doing. No matter if it’s right or wrong, it is her own choice.

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

SOURCE: AMOEBA ISSUE NO. 58 // TRANSLATED BY: UNKNOWN - PLEASE CONTACT ME 

[leopah]

NAF: Afterword

Since the epilogue of my fic gets posted today, it’s finally time to post the afterword I wrote when I first finished it.

At the time I write this, May 3rd, 2017, I have just completed NAF! I know you guys won’t see the final chapter until early August, but I have to write out my gratitude while I’m still overflowing with emotions.

So, top of my list, huge thank you to my beta Madi, who was cool enough to read over my chapters before I posted and hang out with me on Discord. Even though you were too busy to help me out during the final arc, I couldn’t have done this without you, seriously. You’ve taught me a lot about adverbs and other things, and I’ll do my best to keep those in mind as I move forward.

Next off, thanks to the Skype squad, aka the hell chat, all 25+ of you in your chaotic glory. You guys stuck with me through the whole thing from the initial planning all through my work on it, and being able to talk with you guys and throw random lines at you out of context really did help when I was having a hard time. I doubt I ever would have had the courage to even start this thing without you guys, either. Your support means the world.

On that note, thank you to Scarf and Gio especially, for your words of encouragement when I lost my confidence (which happened a lot), as well as for jumping in as my betas when Madi was unable to. I really don’t think I would have been able to finish this huge project without your support. I’ve never finished a long-form story before, and I honestly wasn’t sure if I’d make it until I did. I love you both, and by the time you read this, the three of us should have met at Anime Expo if all goes well on our respective ends. <3 (Update: we did and it was wonderful)

Thank you to all my readers! When I started I wasn’t sure if anyone would read this, but every comment and kudos I got made me smile. Whether you were here from the beginning or just read recently, I value you all so much.

Will I write another Noragami fic? Mm, it’s hard to say. I have some ideas in the works, but we’ll see they come to fruition in a meaningful way. Also, I spent a good 8-9 months married to my story while I wrote it, meaning I worked on nothing besides it and the drabbles. I really want to work on original stuff as a priority, but we’ll see how it goes. I’ll leave you guys with an optimistic “Maybe!” (which is probably a yes since I’m trash).

And of course I still have the drabbles to work on at this time. Remember, if you want more material pertaining to this fic, check those out! They’re a light version of what you see in the main story, and it’s basically where I shoved all the fluffy/shippy stuff so it didn’t mess with the main flow of the story. I know I love my cliffhangers.

I first got the idea for this in August 2016. It seems like it was just yesterday, but what happened was I woke up one day while on vacation and thought, what if Yato severed Hiyori’s cord during the hospital arc and made her his shinki? Before I knew it, most of the first chapter had fallen into place and I knew I had to write this thing. I turned over the idea in my head for a few more weeks with planning, concept sketching, jotting things down on my phone while I was away from my computer, and wondering if I was ready to be committed. I started actually writing in early September, and worked on it pretty regularly until now, in May. I took a month-long break after writing each arc, but those were unplanned and just how my schedule with school and everything ended up working out.

When I first started planning the story arcs, I thought this fic would end up pretty long (IF I finished it, was the nagging thought at the back of my mind). I thought around 50k would be the total word count, in the beginning. But once the story arcs started taking their own shape, my outlines for my chapters got more complex, and the chapters themselves grew longer, my new estimate was about 75k, and I still thought that was overshooting. I ended up going about to 80k with 27 chapters and an epilogue, plus the drabbles, which finished at 25k, so ending up with 100k, a 400-page novel equivalent on my first serious attempt at writing? Not bad, if I do say so myself. Especially considering I didn’t write creatively for six whole years before this. I will always credit this fic as the sole reason my writer’s block (which I thought was insurmountable) got crushed for good.

The writing was really rough around the edges at first, seeing as I was out of practice and out of my depth. That being said, I hope you guys can see the writing changing and improving through the chapters as much as I can. I’m such a perfectionist with myself that even the tiniest mistake makes me lose my footing, but I really tried to make each chapter the best it could be for all of you with all my constant editing and nitpicking.

Ahah I’m so emotional right now. I just can’t believe it’s really finished. I never feel like the work is done because of the sheer amount of time I spent editing every single chapter until they satisfied my needs, up until the final week, but the story itself is done and it feels kind of surreal. Especially since I was always working so far ahead of what was being posted, now that the two have caught up it still doesn’t feel real.

But that rambling aside, thank you guys for making this journey with me. Again, thank you. You haven’t seen the last of me, I guarantee it.

[admiral70]

Morrocan Argan oil, coconut oil, activated charcoal: The beauty industry isn’t a stranger to buzzy products that promise natural solutions to everyday skin and wellness issues. It should be no surprise that CBD is the next not-so-secret ingredient to garner interest. 

Indeed, CBD has begun to stake a claim in the world of beauty and skin care. The hemp extract’s reputation is growing as a natural and gentle possibility with potential application for a wide range of skin conditions. People with acne, eczema, psoriasis and rosacea are giving it a try, as are those with dryness and others looking to prevent signs of aging.

As interest grows, retail behemoths such as Sephora and Neiman Marcus are granting shelf real estate for CBD and hemp seed oil-infused products. Entrepreneurial supermodels are even rushing to develop their own products.

Wall Street analysts predict enough growth that CBD beauty products now represent a standalone category rather than a subcategory of the natural beauty market. But word-of-mouth and early stage research is just that, and those who have been studying the natural benefits of CBD advise users to take caution as they would with any new beauty product.

Natural Solutions

A 2017 article published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that pharmaceuticals containing cannabinoids might be powerful weapons in the treatment of eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis. In one cited study, eight of 21 patients who applied a cream containing endogenous cannabinoids twice a day for three weeks found that it “completely eliminated” severe itching on their bodies.

“CBD is thought to be beneficial for beauty and skin care because of its anti-inflammatory qualities,” says Dr. Jeanette Jacknin, a board-certified dermatologist and author of Smart Medicine for Your Skin. “Cannabinoid receptors have been discovered in keratinocytes, or skin cells, and other parts of the skin, such as the sebaceous glands, hair follicles, small nerves and immune cells. CBD works on them as part of the skin’s endocannabinoid system.”

In other words, CBD may ultimately be proven to support health and beauty on multiple levels throughout the body. And by simultaneously delivering aid to your skin and enhancing your mood, according to some users, CBD has the potential to redefine what it means to look good and feel good. If confidence is sexy, then a beauty product that may also aid anxiety could be effective on multiple levels.

Of course, it’s always smart to be cautious and realistic when considering a new skin care product or adding it to your daily routine. Dr. Robert Dellavalle, a professor of dermatology and public health at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and co-author of the 2017 study, says CBD products for skin care are quickly entering the mainstream, but he fears that some people are viewing heavily hyped CBD products as almost a panacea for all skin diseases. 

“We’re getting to the point now where there’s so much enthusiasm that it might be a little bit of an overshoot in terms of what people are expecting,” says Dellavalle, who also works as a consultant for Altus Labs, which focuses on researching the relationship between the endocanna- binoid system and skin conditions. But, he adds, “I think there’s a lot of promise.”

Beautiful Possibilities

Although rigorous research regarding CBD’s role in the treatment of skin diseases is still largely forthcoming, CBD has also sparked excitement in cosmetic applications. Wall Street analysts estimate that cannabidiol-infused beauty products will represent 15 percent—or $25 billion in revenue—of the $167 billion skin care market. 

Similar to the reported results with various skin irritations and diseases, CBD has proposed benefits for those with acne scars, signs of aging and otherwise uneven or blemished complexions. Because of the omega-3 fatty acids found in hemp, from which CBD can be derived, Jacknin says, “users often find that their skin is beautifully moisturized and radiant” when using cannabidiol-infused skin care products.

Dr. Tsippora Shainhouse, a board-certified dermatologist, adds that the properties of CBD can help prevent or reverse the signs of skin damage—such as premature aging or uneven skin tone—caused when stress, air pollution and UV rays break down cells and collagen.

For those with sensitive skin, CBD could be an alternative to traditional topical ingredients, Shainhouse says, such as alpha hydroxy acids (such as glycolic acid) and beta hydroxy acids (salicylic acid), which exfoliate dull skin layers, and topical retinoids, which can both exfoliate the skin and encourage creation of new skin cells.

“Those acids and retinoids can irritate our skin and can take time to tolerate,” Shainhouse says. “CBD causes no irritation and lacks a ramp-up time for tolerance.”

Among the beauty brands expanding into alternative ingredients is Evio Beauty Group, which is working with one of its investors, Aurora Cannabis, to roll out several CBD- and hemp-based products. Founder and CEO Brandi Leifso is optimistic.

“We’re noticing a rise in feel-good wellness that reduces anxiety and stress, and that makes you feel good,” Leifso says. “CBD has the ability to gently and effectively calm anxiety. It’s safe and well-tolerated by most people who are looking for an alternative.”

Proceed With Caution

When Rosemary Donahue, a digital wellness editor for Allure, replaced her regular skin care products with CBD-infused products for a month, she noticed less frequent breakouts and an overall more even skin tone. But anecdotal reports rarely tell the whole story.

“It’s just going to be up to the consumer to make smart decisions about the companies they want to support and the products they feel are intelligent buys,” Donahue says. “Personally, I look for products that are sourced as ethically as possible, and I want a product that has CBD in it for a reason, rather than just as an added gimmick.”

She and other experts foresee a healthy horizon for CBD beauty and skin care products as more people try them. With research in its beginning stages, for many, the effectiveness of CBD for their needs rests largely on trial-and-error.

Although the FDA has stepped up its scrutiny of CBD products, experts urge consumers to exercise caution with their purchases. Some retailers have been found inflating claims about their CBD products or even promoting CBD products that actually contain no cannabidiol at all.

“Be mindful of where you procure your products,” says Katie Sandler, a holistic wellness retreat organizer based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “With CBD flooding the market these days, you want to look for a trustworthy product. As always, do your research and ask for certificates of analysis to confirm a product’s bona fides.”

The industry is just getting started and there are kinks to be worked out by the FDA. Still, Jacknin remains hopeful for the staying power of CBD for the beauty world. 

“The future is wide open for the use of CBD beauty and skin care products here in the U.S. and internationally,” she says. “As more countries legalize CBD, I think we will see other exciting cannabinoids being used in beauty and skin care in new and different ways in the near future.”

This article originally appeared in the May/June 2019 issue of CBD Snapshot. Never miss a story; subscribe today!

The post CBD and the Future of Skin Care appeared first on CBD Snapshot.

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