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X-posted to
http://community.livejournal.com/edo_meiji/66459.html
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This project is especially for the Shinsengumi fan who believes
he/she can write a really GOOD story with Okita as a vampire but was
too afraid because there is no venue for "out there stories...
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I recently purchased some sugar for the kitchen and 2 liters of
rootbeer and the end result is a mental hurricane you will read below.
Hardcore writers/authors/poets come here...
As a member of fandom I read fanfic etc. However, I find myself being
unable to expand into other universes unless I took alot of time to
consume that professionally made universe. For instance, I can't read
or understand Gintama fanfic cuz I've seen under 1 hour of it on
youtube.
So I wonder, if anyone out there would be interested in producing an
anthology of 100% original fiction, poetry, containing hand
drawn/crafted art, digital art, photographed 3D art etc, graphic
novel. The art should complement the stories or they can stand alone
but must have a "point" to it---the author may explain in a
paragraph "why" they created the art. I know that all art is up to
the viewer to interpret...but if you photograph a drop of blood on a
sheet of rice paper most people would be clueless of what you are
getting at.
I'm inspired by this idea because a friend and I outlined a hot yuri
story that is 100% original and I think very fascinating. We would
never have an audience because it doesn't "fit" in a universe. I also
completed and now improving a twincest story (the twincest part was
suggested, I was trying to submit it somewhere), and I think it's
readable (after I improve it).
I want to call this Imagine 1800s Azia Anthology (I-1800s-A)
By explaining the title I hope to convey the essence of the
publication and why it would be a strong and successful (maybe even
PROFITABLE venture).
I am not anti-fandom, but I am pro-original. Absolutely no universe
derived stuff. Period.
The reason why is because I want to sell this anthology folks.
Adapting your fanfic involving lets say a hitokiri with an x shaped
scar on his cheek, changing his name and his hair color is just still
ripping off the original and easily recognizable.
Besides I really dislike how people snark about this and that being
OOC, or not accurate enough for the canon.
SETTING
The reason why the title is (I-1800s-A) is because we don't need to
make all the stories Japan centric. The characters can be any
nationality. The Japanese travelled abroad so the story can take
place in Europe, Africa and the United States and other countries
like Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Siam.
I spelled "Azia" because I want to take fantasy-history. For example
in the Russo-Japanese war what if there was a super weapon being used
by the Russians or Japanese developed by a scientist? (Alternate
Universe) OR WHAT IF THE QUEEN OF KOREA WAS NOT KILLED BY THE MEIJI
GOV and there was an attempt to invade Hokkaido by the Koreans using
a small fleet led by radicals? SEe what I mean? Infinite possbilities.
ERA
1800-1912 (end of the Meiji Era, however you can make the story set
in modern times and flash back to the 1800s---most of the content
however should be 1800s) If you enter the Showa Era just a bit that's
fine but don't go overboard. If you want to do a time travel for a
samurai pre-1800s and put him in the Meiji Era that's fine but please
do your homework. Japanese culture did change over time as did the
role of the samurai.
CONTENT/GENRE
There is so much in history to inspire your fiction. However, there
is no genre limit. I'll take historical fiction/fantasy, horror (oh
man I luv horror), gothic, romance, comedy, steampunk, fantasy and
YES EROTICA (m/m, f/f, m/f and any combination. NO underage kids,
rape to arouse or entertain and bestiality, rape as character history
is ok, no scatalogical stuff or necrophilia to arouse the readers
either---shape shifters ok).
Because I'll take erotica, each story will be proceeded by a page
with a rating and warning.
By selling this anthology I hope to prevent underage folks from
getting their hands on it anyways. As for historical fiction there
can be varying degrees of accuracy but if you want to mention the
name of the Prime Minister for a certain year, please be sure you
have the right guy named in your text. If you are a mega-history-
researcher type yes...yes you can include footnotes and bibliography.
Really GOOD edu-tainment is awesome but you need a plot and great
characters too.
POETRY
I love poetry. I hate one word poems though. That's not a poem.
Poems can be accompanied with art if you like.
ARTISTIC FREEDOM
No "happily ever after" required.
If you want to write horror and gore...go right ahead but there needs
to be a motivation for all things.
If you write sexy stuff it better be ~HOT~
ART
Each story gets a cover which the writer can design herself/himself
using any medium as long as it is 100% original. If you can't draw
your characters, fine with me, use symbols from the story. Be
creative, look at professional book covers and see the variety of
styles. For example you can purchase photos from online vendors and
manipulate the image etc. Just please don't grab a screencap from
Mibugishiden, rip-off fanart from deviant art and call it your story
cover. You may work with an artist.
You can submit a graphic novel but please understand that pencil
sketches will not look very good in print, nor will an effort to
imitate the art style of another artist. If you don't
do "manga"/"anime" style then don't force yourself. Be natural in
your art and let your own style emerge. Originality before mimickry.
Art can be color or black and white or as I said earlier, photos.
GRAPHIC NOVEL
It's not always possible for an artist to complete 10 detailed pages
of art or story, so I will even take a short story, some illustrated
panels, and then the rest of the story. This allows the artist the
freedom to "fuse" more than one mode of story telling!
LENGTH
No minimum wordcount, however the cap is at 30K (Novella length).
Each story must be complete because this is a one shot anthology
deal...no series/(to be continued).
QUALITY
Each work must be complete and nearly ready to publish. Dont' turn in
a manuscript and then 2 days later turn in a different version
(that's really confusing). Once it is edited it will be returned to
the author who must complete edits and turn it back in ASAP. AFter I
read it the first time...then you can propose changes in the LAST
DRAFT if need be.
This is going to be high quality stuff so please no glaring grammar
errors. If you write a fantasy and give a chara a special name, be
sure there is some consistency to your names and the "rules" you
establish in the fantasy story.
I'm a pretty hardcore person (ok it's taking forever for me to
relaunch SHQ.com but believe me there is a lengthy explanation for
that---and I lived on P&J sandwiches for a month and it nearly killed
me I had no energy to do much)----but I know what I can manage and
I'm pretty driven to get things done.
I don't like flakes. Don't tell me "I'll turn in my story tomorrow"
and then not turn it in. I don't like that. I also check my email
twice a day atleast so you will get a response from me unless I am on
my death bed or something is wrong with my internet. In other words,
I'll work just as hard as you will on this project.
If I read your story and say this or that part is confusing or needs
improvement don't take it personally. I've been rejected so many
times for the same reasons and any weakness I see in your work is
probably in my own as well. The goal is to make every page of this
anthology awesome.
WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?
Fame. Fortune ofcourse!
No not really. You do get a venue to showcase your talent.
This is what I want to do: If I get 10 stories, art etc and determine
the page count or word count I'd like to get it published by Lulu.com
(now for my friends who are real professional writers and artists you
must sympathize that it's a pain to get a major publisher to accept
anything). Submitting to a major e-pub means you can wait weeks for
them to read it, reject it, and if its contracted you wait forever to
get your %.
As the anthology sells (translation, your mommy and daddy buys one
copy) and the money comes in, it is split between all contributors.
Fine details of the % split between author and writer will be
negotiated once I figure out who is interested. We can even setup a
chat and yell at each other and figure stuff out.
So you ask...how will this anthology be promoted?
Well...that's where you come in.
I am the webmaster for
http://www.shinsengumihq.com (basically when
the site is done, I'm actually going to celebrate by doing some
art/writing by focusing on this project!). So yeah, I am DYING to see
a new take on the Shinsengumi!
So when the anthology is done, I put up a tiny link from SHQ to the
Lulu.com page selling the anthology. Those of you dev-art or
fanfiction.net or adultfanfiction.net accounts should be pimping this
anthology when it is done.
In other words I-1800s-Azia is a "cooperative" where you put in the
time and work and maybe you may get enough money to buy some tea at
starbucks or something.
Whatever happens, you'll get an anthology in your hands you can be
proud of.
DEADLINES
Please email me at secretarytocapt3(at)hotmail.com for
proposals/questions by August 1st
If no one is interested that's fine.
I got a whole bunch of ideas and I'll do this on my own (^_^). I have
stuff which would be good on adultfanfiction.net but it's mixed in
with nerd stuff and people there don't like that. I can't fit on
fanfiction.net because my work is original so I'm in artistic
purgatory or something.
LASTLY
I'd even want this anthology on a CD because I would think it's cool
if people did audio stories or read their poetry but I don't think
that is possible.