#especially new creators i want to support bc starting out is scary

[chryblossomjjk]

think im going to steal from here2bbtstrash and do a set day for reading and reviewing other content creators. my reading list is so long n i feel v guilty lol. part of having a healthy ecosystem on this platform is content creators supporting other content creators, especially since we share the same audience and the crossover from supporting eachother is huge. want to do my part in making everyone feel good about their work and giving them recognition because you all deserve it.

[bazz-a]

Hi, I am a new fanfic writer and I really love your work especially because you are one of the few writers that can take the Naruto world to a modern setting and do it well. I would love to know your do's a don'ts for fic writing. Like what turns you away from a fic immediately and tips about process, would be super helpful! Thank you and I look forward to reading more of your works!

hey!!!! first of all thank you so much for your kind words, I’m smiling like an idiot! I was really nervous about starting off my fanfiction career with a modern AU because I know the majority of the fandom doesn’t like that, so it’s good to know I’m doing a good job with it and still managing to be faithful to the characters!!!

ohhh god ok! so, I’m really new to the world of fanfiction too! I only started reading for real about one year ago, and I only started writing (fanfiction) in last July. I’ve been writing for eleven years ago, though, although I only shared it with a very select group of friends who also wrote and we kinda created stories with OCs, you know? and that’s soooo different from fanfiction in a sense that I never received ANY feedback for my writing from my friends since we only just did it to have fun and never published it anywhere, and I was freaking OUT when I decided to write this story. I didn’t know if my writing style was good enough for fanfiction (now I know there is absolutely no such thing, we all write differently and that’s the beauty of it), I didn’t know if I would be able to ignore negative comments, and many other things that were giving me a lot of anxiety. but I’m really really glad I decided to go through with it and I’m really happy you’re doing it too!!!! putting your writing out there is really scary but it’s really rewarding too!

ok now when it comes to tips! I think the biggest dos and don’ts I can give you are also huge cliches, but with these few months since I’ve started sharing my work I started realising how real and important they are: first of all, you write for YOURSELF above EVERYTHING else! it’s always ok to put stuff your readers wanna see and all (and they always appreciate it), but please never ever ever refrain from writing about stuff you love in fear of what people are gonna say/think about it! that’s the most important part of it, I think, doing it for your own pleasure and your own tastes above all else. that’s when our best work comes out and the passion you put into writing always shows, you know? also, something that I’ve learned since I’ve started this project and I’m still trying to deal with is: you’re always your biggest critic. and at the same time that that’s good, it is also bad. the amount of times I’ve tried to convince myself I’m doing a shit job and that I suck at this are way higher than they should be, and honestly if it weren’t for my friends who are also on this whole thing with me I’m pretty sure I would’ve dropped running out of reasons. so yeah, always listen to yourself and your desires, write what YOU want to write, but don’t listen to yourself if your subconscious starts trying to talk you out of it. I don’t know if you have friends that you include in this fandom part of your life but it’s always good to count on people for support! if not, you can count on me to hype you up! for real, I’m always here and I’d love to help with whatever I can

when it comes to tips about writing, I’m afraid that’s all I can give you! write the story the way you know you would enjoy it if you read it, your passion will always be appreciated!

when it comes to what turns me away from a fic... well there’s not much, honestly. when it comes to grammar and stuff I’m super tolerant and understanding because I’m not a native English speaker and I know the struggle (once I received a review saying I should use Grammarly bc some of my prepositions were wrong and honestly that made me so so so bad, you know?). I do know that whenever I open a fic that has no paragraph breaks it freaks me out a little bit (it’s only happened twice but I was SHOOK ahahah), but I’m pretty sure that’s all for me. 

when it comes to plot, sometimes I don’t finish a fic if it crosses a line for me. in my case it usually happens in very specific situations such as one specific fic that started dealing with non con, which I am not comfortable with, so it made me close the tab and never open it again. still, I would never say a word about it to the author because that’s the thing about fanfiction, writers have the right to write about whatever they want, and readers have the right to read about whatever they want. I hate it when someone feels the need to inform the writer that they stopped reading bc of “reasons”, bc I feel like that truly has the potential to unmotivate the creator and that’s never, ever good.

also, it really sucks to see the stats of my fic and know that the amount of people who stop reading in the first chapter is REALLY big, but at the same time it’s ok that what I wrote it’s not their cup of tea. it’s just impossible to make everyone happy, I guess, and that’s a hard pill to swallow.

now tips about process!!!!! oof now you’ve got me.... I’m terrible at processes in general. honestly. I’m terribly disorganised in every single aspect of my life, and I’ve always been that way, but somehow that’s the way I function (under complete and absolute chaos). if you’re a person who likes to stick to deadlines and feel more motivated that way, then feel free to set them on yourself! I’d also like to add that no matter what process you choose, whether organised or not, with deadlines or not, please please please be kind to yourself! I’m telling you this because I am NOT kind to myself and I know how shitty that is and I don’t want you going through the same thing! writer’s block happens, burnout happens, and sometimes you just don’t wanna write and that’s perfectly ok!

I’m SO sorry for how huge this turned out to be! I got really carried away. I hope I was able to help you at least a little, and I’d love to read your work when you publish it!!! please share it with me, ok? also, remember that I’m always here if you want support <3

[my-chemical-friendzone]

Ask Jane’s Creator (Part III)

I have two questions: How did Jane and Jester meet, and when did Jane first come to the castle?

-From Tara

Jane was born at the castle. Her mother and father were already in service to the Royal family. And so Jane first met Jester when he arrived with his family of traveling players to perform for the King. You can find that part of Jester’s history on the profile pages. 

Will Jane ever get sent on an "urgent" mission for the king where she actually leaves the castle and travels to a different kingdom? And if she does, how do they react to Dragon?

-From Jolly, 12

Jane has been on several diplomatic missions. Part of the reason is so that the King can show off the fact that he has a young apprentice with a rather powerful dragon at her disposal. It’s a smart way to send a message when you know that your castle is under-powered with soldiers and guards! 

In the episode "The Tooth Fairy," I noticed some cave paintings on Dragon's cave wall. I saw different animals such as a giraffe, a dolphin, and also a ship. Do these mean anything?

-From Rachael Jane, 15, Celina, Ohio, USA

Some of paintings were done by Dragon before he met Jane, when he first returned to his cave after all his adventures. He tried painting all the different animals and large vessels he’d seen in different countries. He calls them his "musings" and told Jane that he had seen others on cave walls all around the world, and hoped they were also the musings of other dragons from thousands of years ago. But some of the runes and paintings in Dragon’s cave are much older and were there 300 years ago when Dragon was born, though he was too young to remember them. 

When will Jane be strong enough to wear full armor like a breastplate and vambraces and all that great stuff? And will she ever use any other weapon besides a bow and a sword?

-From Rhapsody, 15

Jane has also learned to use staves for single combat and lances for mounted attack. She also has to learn the assault machines such as the trebuchet and the catapult. She can wear her armor now as it is very light and strong, made from the same steel tempered in dragon fire as her sword. 

Do Jane and Pepper wear bras? I was just wondering because they are the right age to wear them. I love Jane and the Dragon!

-From Tara, 12

Bras are quite a recent invention, but women have improvised clothing to give them support from as long ago as 2500 BC. In Jane’s time, they would tie strips of material rather like wide scarves around their chest as an undergarment. 

I know that Jester wants to see his family again. Will he ever leave and try to find them?

-From Dingo, USA

Because Jester's family are travelling players, he gets word from them occasionally from traders and other travelers passing through the Kingdom. He hopes that one day he will be able to show them his own skills in the hope that they will be proud of him, and also to reassure them that the hard decision they made years ago for his betterment was well placed. 

Hello! I was wondering whether you will create any progressive, chronological episodes instead of a different story each time? And I really love the show, I just discovered it last week!

-From Melody, CANADA

We have written some episodes like that. It remains to be seen if they will work within the series format as chronological episodes. Some territories where Jane airs will shuffle the episodes so much that it can be confusing. But I would love to see if we can achieve it! 

I read that Jane wears leggings to annoy her mother, but shouldn't her skirt be longer? During her time, it was considered immodest for anyone, even men, to show their knees (unless they were very young children).

-From L-Michelle, 14, Woodstock, Georgia, USA

Jane refuses to wear dresses so that her mother will take her decision to train as a knight seriously. She wears leather leggings because that was a standard knight garment, just as bike riders wear leathers today for protection from scuffs and scrapes if they fall off their bikes. Jane isn't really wearing a short skirt over the leather leggings though, it's a fabric lining behind the waist armor she wears round her hips so it moves like a pleated skirt. I think Jane wears this so that she can look a bit feminine - a small token to appease her mother! 

Do you illustrate your own books? I love the drawings in your books; they are so colorful and expressive. I love to draw dragons...not the scary and evil kind but those like your lizard-lipped Dragon. How would I go about becoming an illustrator?

-From Rachael Jane 15, Celina, Ohio, USA

I do illustrate my own books. I illustrated the Jane and the Dragon books over twenty years ago now. I like to use coloring pencils and pick out the edges and highlights in brown ink. To become an illustrator, the most important thing is to get lots of practice, especially drawing faces. I found the best time to practice was when my family were watching TV. I could watch them and sketch away as they went from happy, to sad, to frightened all in the space of one program! 

First: Thank you for the wonderful show! I really enjoy it and appreciate all the work you and the people at Weta put into it. Second, I have recently acquired a copy of the illuminated manuscript "Jane and the Dragon" and it has brought up a question. If Jane's armor is special, as you have said in a previous answer, how did Jester get a hold of it?

-From Mara, USA

Yes, indeed, there is a long history behind the armor that Jester gives to Jane. How he came to own it, and the true nature of that armor and its link to Dragon, are all part of the long chain of discoveries that Jane and Dragon make as they uncover the truth about dragons and their own destinies. But I can’t give away those secrets here...sorry! 

I love your show! My mum and I watch it all the time! But I have a question to ask. So, if dragon's fiery breath can melt a dragonblade, how can it be forged in dragonfire? It makes no sense to me!

-From Annelise, 9, Concord, New Hampshire, USA

Any metal has to be heated to the point that it goes soft if it's going to be beaten and worked into the shape of a blade. Metalsmiths heat blades in hot open braziers to soften them to be worked with a hammer and anvil.  A dragonblade needs the extra heat of dragon fire to soften it enough so it can be beaten into shape. But if too much heat is applied, the blade will melt completely, just as other metals will if too much heat is applied. The trick is to get it hot enough to be soft, but not so hot that it melts! 

I've been watching some of the more recent episodes, and Gunther seems to be softening up a bit. Will the poor lad ever go against his father and just stand up for what is right instead of just simply complying to his dad's wishes?

-From Kenzie, 15, USA

You are quite right, he is growing as an independent young man able to stand up to his father, but just a little. Gunther defies his father completely in one episode when Dragon is threatened with expulsion from the kingdom. It's the first time that we see the knight's code of ethics winning out in Gunther's heart over his fear and his sense of duty to his father. 

Does it ever rain in the show or is it always sunny and beautiful?

-From Alissandra, 15, Albany, Oregon, USA

It certainly does rain! Have you seen the episode where Jane falls off her horse during a thunderstorm? The whole castle staff have to take shelter in the Throne Room where Jester tries to keep their spirits up with brilliant jokes. Gunther reckoned it would be less painful back outside in the driving rain. 

Are there any other games Jane and her friends play besides Bandyball and Rock, Parchment, and Sword?

-From Ryan, 13, La Puente, California, USA

Some of the games and sports we play today were popular in Jane's time. Individual sports like archery, wrestling and hammer throwing were designed to develop fighting skills and fitness and were mostly played by boys and men. Team sports like bandyball, which was an early form of hockey, were played by everyone, as was a simple version of soccer called gameball. Cricket started a little after Jane’s time and was called stoolball because two milkmaid stools were used as the wickets. And a form of bowls called skittles was popular as were two early forms of golf called paganica and suigan. 

How far do you plan to take this series? Will you keep on writing new stories about Jane and Dragon until they fulfill their destinies together?

-From Aly, 13, Houston, Texas, USA

Jane and the Dragon is doing very well all around the world with a wonderful and passionate following. If the series remains popular and the TV stations keep on playing it, then we hope to be able to go on making new episodes for a long time to come. I also plan to tell more of those adventures through books so that the everyone can see how both Jane and Dragon's destinies work out! 

[thepermanentrainpress]

THE PERMANENT RAIN PRESS INTERVIEW WITH ESABELLA STRICKLAND

Esabella Strickland is a young achiever. Aside from being a Vancouver-based actress, the artist is an author, scriptwriter, media host, and learning disabilities advocate. Her new novel Then And There, Here And Where (GenZ Publishing) was released earlier this month, the debut of a saga “filled with mystery, magic and knowledge.” 

Congratulations on the release of Then And There, Here And Where! You collaborated on this novel with your father Michael. Tell us about the inspiration behind Orabella, her gift, and adventures.

Well growing up my parents would read to me because I had a hard time reading because of my dyslexia and ADHD. However, when they read to me, I could see the images clearly in my head like a movie. My mom would read Nancy Drew to me, and my dad would tell me scary stories when we went camping together. When I changed schools (a private school for dyslexia, ADHD) my confidence grew because I was socially alienated and bullied at my old school for learning differently. So, I came up with this idea with my dad to create Orabella who also has ADHD, dyslexia and social anxiety but learns to overcome her fears and become a heroine. I also wanted readers to learn about history so there is fiction/non-fiction edu-entertainment so you’re learning while having fun.

What do you hope readers take away from this story?

I want to inspire girls, especially girls who are bullied or socially alienated because they feel different, to find their super power within, ask for help and follow your passion even if it’s music, art, dance, acting... keep doing it no matter how many setbacks you have... follow your dreams! 

Can we assume that Orabella’s story will continue with future novels?

Yes, we are halfway through our second novel, our plan is to write as many books as possible. With each book Orabella is a year older so she grows with you, like a friend. There is mystery, magic and personal growth.

Outside of being an author, you are also a screenwriter. You’re currently the GenZ Script Consultant for Graisland Entertainment. How has this experience been?

It has been really cool, I first reached out to Michael Grais on LinkedIn asking if he wanted to collaborate on a horror movie together, which caught him by surprise considering I am only 15. He sent 2 scripts he finished and asked me what I thought, so I read through each of them and gave him my honest feedback, it was then he gave me the green light to write Death Noise - an Urban Legend Horror. I have gone through so many edits and re-writes but I was prepared because I went through the same thing with our book. Mr. Grais is really cool, he is honest and supportive. I am working on a second urban legend horror for him so we will see. I love storytelling from writing, drawing, painting, and playing music.

You have been growing your skills as a media host, having hosted for EveRIAthing, and at Geektopia and the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon. What has been the most rewarding event for you to be apart of, so far?

Oh by far the Variety Telethon because it is helping kids like me, to improve their lives. Variety BC helped me with tuition so I can stay at my present school, which is for kids with learning challenges. I love sharing their stories. I have gotten a lot of hosting mentoring and training from EveRIAthing, which carried over to me hosting the Variety Telethon for the 3rd year in a row. I love hosting because I love hearing and sharing stories. I also hosted Geektopia to raise money for the Amanda Todd Foundation. I also helped host Meowfest to raise money for the Langley Animal Hospital and the regional Animal Protection Society.

What advice would you share with aspiring hosts and media personalities?

Oh find a mentor or teacher to train you and find a cause that you believe in and approach them to see if you could help promote them. I started by having a YouTube channel and my first interview was with George Takei, which was really cool. So don’t be afraid to try new things.

You are a learning disabilities advocate, as you live with anxiety, ADHD and dyslexia. You are a true figure of empowerment! Why is it important to you to ‘lift as you rise’ and build this awareness?

Yes because I was bullied and socially alienated when I was younger, I do not want anybody to feel this way, so as I succeed I want others to succeed with me. It’s so easy to feel alone and sad no matter what age you are so its important to know that somebody is there for you. So, if you have a goal or a dream then I want to be here to support you with that. Also never be afraid to ask, and if the answer is no, then keep asking until you get a yes. We were turned down by so many literary agents because our book was not the right fit or the right timing, but we did not give up and we kept asking until we found GenZ Publishing.

Tell us about how attending Kenneth Gordon Maplewood has helped you? What other resources have you used over the years?

OMG in so many ways, they teach you based on your learning style; also there are small class sizes with more teachers so you can get the support you need. Also being around kids like me helps as we all have been bullied at previous schools, so we understand each other. I also see a counsellor who helps with my anxiety and gives me tools to work on like meditation, tapping and self care time (without feeling guilty about it).

You’re quite active on social media! You’ve received support from a lot of other filmmakers, media personalities, and artists, specifically Bif Naked. What has that support and encouragement meant to you?

This is a huge encouragement because they are doing what I am doing – lifting as you rise. It is also important to find mentors to help build you up too. Those are the ones who struggled to get to the top and know how hard it is; so like Bif Naked, she reaches down and helps you up.

Do you have any upcoming projects you’d like to share?

I am booked for a role on a feature film, which I can’t talk about as of yet, and also Michael Grais and I are close to getting financing on our feature film urban legend horror Death Noise. It is so scary and cool, it’s set in the late 70’s [and is] like Close Encounters of the Third Kind meets Stranger Things.

You love cats! You have Meeko and Daisy Mae at home; tell us about your love for them.

Oh Meeko just passed away he was 16 years old, and he was my best friend, it was really hard letting him go. When you said ‘I love you’ to him, he would wink at you or he would coo like a bird when he knew I was anxious. Meeko would also put his paw on my lap if I was sad or snuggle next to me. Daisy Mae is my 2-year-old Holland Lop. I love her but I also want another cat soon.

Who are a couple of musical artists you are listening to on your playlist?

Hmm I am more into songs than artists so I like Frank Sinatra, 70’s classic rock, AJR, Of Monsters and Men, and SALES.

If you could be any ice cream flavour, which would you be and why?

Oh Neapolitan ice cream because I like a blend of flavours - 3 of my favourite flavours together, oooh and also lime/lemon sorbet!

Follow Esabella’s upcoming projects at https://www.esabellakarena.com/ and Orabella’s adventures at https://www.orabellatheoracle.com/.