JNC Writing Support Group
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Does anyone know of writing site that allows for a wide variety of font styles? Royal Road has a handful of boring fonts. I haven't seen any on Archive of Our Own, and I feel privileged when Wattpad allows me to us itallics!
(I know it is sort of gimmicky, but I am using different font styles to indicate different souls operating in the same body—I am also open to a more elegant solution) -
Hi there. I used the boring combination of italics/non-italics to represent something similar in my submission for the last round.
Normal was non-italics but soul was italics.
They had slightly different written ‘voices’ as well.
Fonts always struck me as risky outside of printed materials or locked formats like PDFs.
But I could just be an old codger.
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@Damon-Cavalchini said in JNC Writing Support Group:
Fonts always struck me as risky outside of printed materials or locked formats like PDFs.
But I could just be an old codger.You can't even rely on PDFs unless you embed the fonts, and that can be a legal minefield (if you're worried about such things).
But yes, fonts and more generally text appearance shouldn't be relied on in anything purely browser-based because the fonts live on the device that's viewing the document and it may not have the same fonts that the document author had, so the browser will try to substitute what it thinks is a similar one. If you try using, say four different fonts, maybe the browser will allocate two (or three or all) of those to the same actual font on the device.
Or at least that's how things used to be until HTML5, CSS3 and EOT fonts came along. Now it's possible for a website to embed fonts in webpages or use fonts that live on a cloud server, so perhaps that's how Royal Road and the rest handle it.
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The original contest allowed for a variety of fonts—and that is what I wrote the story for—and now that I have written it that way, I have grown attached to it—and nothing else seems to work as well.
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It can be hard to change it up and - at the end of the day - it comes down to what you feel comfortable with.
I always hesitate when it comes to online but play with fonts and so when I know it will be printed. For me, it is the only way to control the outcome.
But if people can read and follow your intent then go for it.
If you are happy, result achieved.
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Just in case people haven't seen it, the Light Novel competition is back again and open for submissions.
The rules and T&Cs can be found here.
https://j-novel.club/jncolncontest-application
Just a quick plug given the original competition is where this group sprung from.
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I just wrote the cutest attempted murder scene of all time!
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@jazzyjeoff said in JNC Writing Support Group:
I just wrote the cutest attempted murder scene of all time!
Dammit, had to rewrite my attempted murder scene. Someone reminded me that murders aren't supposed to be cute. Ya see, this is what happens when you write too much Tearmoon fan-fiction!
Bahhh! -
Who says murders can't be cute?
Terrifying - sure. Deadly - yep.
And cute.
Drown them in fairy floss and rose petals while guarded by teddy bears :)
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Okay, I’ve about hit the point of diminishing returns on what I can do with my story without another set of eyes to look at it. I will post an updated link, if anyone is up for reading it (60K words for the contest, and I have chapters that go well beyond this that I am just not thinking about right now). It has an “ending” that begs for additional volumes, so I plan on sending to the continuing story contest.
Again, please let me know if anyone wants to read.
Synopsis below.
Title: The Two Minds of Cassandra: Revenge and Redemption
Synopsis:
The Two Minds of Cassandra begins with the familiar "villainess-returns-to-her-youth-for-revenge" trope but quickly evolves into a much deeper exploration of identity, growth, and redemption. The twist? The villainess, Cassandra, returns to her younger self only to find her body also inhabited by the innocent soul of a child—one who was meant to live that life. This internal duality transforms the story into a coming-of-age tale for the young soul, and redemption story for the older.
Though the narrative contains moments of humor and warmth, The Two Minds of Cassandra is primarily a dramatic story, unafraid to confront darker, complex themes where necessary. Death, bloodshed, and the harsh inequities of the world surface where the story demands them. Moments of playful childhood innocence—a game of hide-and-seek, for instance—are starkly contrasted with the grim reality of a former slave village where children struggle to survive. Though the specter of sexual abuse is present, it is handled with a sensitivity comparable to "Ascendence of a Bookworm," with a violent unwanted kiss between adults being the only instance described to the reader and is portrayed as disturbing, not romantic.As Cassandra and the others confront their pasts and the injustices surrounding them, the rediscovery of lost Atlantean magic becomes a central theme. Sword fights and assassination attempts add to the sense of adventure, but the real heart of the story lies in the characters' evolving motivations. What begins as a quest for personal revenge transforms into a deeper desire to reshape a broken world.
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@jazzyjeoff Good luck!
Sounds fascinating, I hope you make it through the first round so I can check it out 😊
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I've lost most of November (and the beginning of December) to family stuff, but I am happy to take a look if you want.
I should note that I am not a great editor - more of a general comments provider than a line editor.
But if you are after some general feedback then let me know.
Good luck. Having read your Tearmoon stuff, I know you'll be good.
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@Damon-Cavalchini I just sent you a link to the story. If you are up to looking at the story outline and character descriptions, I can forward those as well. I hope your family is okay, and it is good to see you back here.
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Hey guys, been a while. Hope everyone is still working on their books and staying on the grind!
Bit of an update from me. I've just signed a publishing deal with an online publisher for a new book series! It's a RTS LitRPG based in a romance of the three kingdoms-esque setting.
I'm hoping to have it released some time in 2025.
As for my sports book that I posted for last year's JNC competition, I'm heading to Shanghai on Sunday to accept an award for it.
Just wanted to say for those of you still in the group, please keep grinding!
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Hi there,
Sorry I've been offline on family stuff but have started reading and making some comments.
I can see the thematic similarities with Tearmoon but the difference in style marks this as its own creation (so far).
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@Damon-Cavalchini said in JNC Writing Support Group:
Hi there,
Sorry I've been offline on family stuff but have started reading and making some comments.
I can see the thematic similarities with Tearmoon but the difference in style marks this as its own creation (so far).
Yes, I love Tearmoon, and I am sure it shows in this story. But I have forced myself to play it (mostly) straight here—which has been a challenge. I wanted a more “realistic” story that would appeal to folks that like redemption stories, but if I go too dark, I am afraid that I will lose my audience, and if I go too schmaltzy—it just becomes Tearmoon without the humor. But the motivations of the MCs are very different than anything in Tearmoon—and the hook is pretty unique.
I hope the family stuff works itself out for the holidays. Take care of yourself—and thanks for the input!
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How are things going everyone?
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@jazzyjeoff Hello, I am new to this, entered very late, finished my stuff in time though haha! I'm mostly worried right now about how to submit my synopsis, since I am doing a very long ongoing story, I don't know if my synopsis should cover what I submitted, the "first arc", or the "whole story".
Has staff told us what to do in that circumstance?
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@A_Tor They haven't specified so go for what feels right. For example, I'm doing the first three books (Arc 1) as it takes everything to a natural close even though there are more books possible.
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@Damon-Cavalchini understood! Thanks for your advice and good luck!
