It’s all in the numbers

Numbers are magical creatures.  They bring joy and sadness; show advancement and retreat; and often serve as a universal language. One of the many things I love about numbers is the way they can be massaged and poked, prodded and twisted to form patterns and messages.  Mother Nature herself weaves number patterns into many natural systems.  And I know I am not alone in my love to find meaning in numbers. The fields of numerology and cryptology, among others, thrive with millions of designs encountered each day as people puzzle over possible relationships and hidden messages.

So, I like finding patterns (I think that is why I love a good conspiracy, ancient secret group story, they just swim in numbers, puzzles and patterns). Heck, even my abbreviated birthday follows a neat numeric pattern called a palindrome (I do love palindromes).  And will I be playing with number patterns in my contributions to TofR – you betcha!

But, anyhoos, the reason for this little diatribe is that a really cool number pattern is coming up this month, a once in my lifetime pattern; the twelfth day in the twelfth month in the twelfth year of the century – 12/12/12

That number just looks so cool and is such a perfect number (not THE perfect number, which, depending on if you talk to a mathematician or a sci-fi geek, is either 42 or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_number).

So, what does one do when a really cool numeric pattern comes along?  Why, celebrate of course.  And that is just what I intend to do, and, I think TofR just might be doing a little something on that special day too.  Come back on that day and take a peek.

PS – for a mega convergence, I plan on celebrating at 12:12A.M. on 12/12/12 – holy cosmic number alignment Batman…

FemSlash Con - Come Join Us

Hullo everyone,

TofR will be at FemSlash Con on July 15th.   FemSlashCon is an on-line femslash convention – that will last throughout the weekend (14-15th July).

We'll be talking about Shared Story Worlds and our experiences building this world.  We'll share stories from our world and what it takes to create a SSW.  Our panel is scheduled for 4:00pm - 5:00pm EST.  You can see the complete schedule on the con site.

Come join the fun and see what it takes to make a SSW work and what surprises we have in store for you!


Here's the blurb:

Shared Story Worlds

Panellists: DocWho2100, dhamphir, shesgottaread, Gin, ariestess, quiethearted
Synopsis: What is a Shared Story World? What does it take to create and maintain one? The Tales of Ryh’na is a new SSW that is breaking new ground. TofR is the first lesbian-centric SSW and the first to be created by committee. Meet the team who has put in a year of planning, creating and organizing to create something never seen before.

How TofR Got Its Logo

I've been asked by a number of people, "Where did that logo come from?" Well, as the chairperson of the Graphics Committee, it's fallen to me to write this Behind the Scenes blog post to explain how the Tales of Ryh'na logo came about and what it represents.

There was actually quite a bit of discussion about what to have as a TofR logo. We knew it would have to be something that could be instantly recognizable, simple enough in design to be easily replicated for future marketing opportunities (t-shirts, mugs, etc.), and to convey the essence of TofR.

The yin-yang symbol seems to have such a wide appeal, and it struck an immediate chord with the graphics committee. Its simplicity so elegantly represents dichotomy and balance. And so it became the base for our logo. Beyond that, we needed something that would represent the dichotomy of magic and technology and their struggle for balance in one world.

So, how to represent the magical Ryh'nans and the technologically-advanced Humans?

Dragons, or frahons as they are called by the Ryh'nans, are so recognizable and associated with the fantasy genre that it seemed logical to use one to represent the magical and fantastical part of our story world. (The fact that I happen to love dragons may or may not have had anything to do with that decision.)

That left finding something to represent the technology of the Humans. Even though these Humans are the futuristic sci-fi part of our story world, we still needed something that would be easily recognizable to our audience as technology. To that end we chose the image of a circuit board.

So, there you have it. A yin-yang of a dragon and a circuit board, of magic and technology, of fantasy and science fiction. The logo of Tales of Ryh'na.

- Carson D. Fletcher

Behind the Scenes - an introduction

Behind the Scenes is one of the series we'll be offering here at Behind the Tales. Behind the Scenes serves as a chance for you to peek behind the curtain and see what is brewing in the story world kitchen.  This series is a way to meet those working on this awesome project and to find out just what it takes to put something like Tales of Ryh'na together.

For our inaugural voyage I thought I’d take you to our gym. Yes, all members of the shared story world are given a free membership to our virtual gym as one of the many perks our creators receive.  Do I have your curiosity piqued as to what exactly is a virtual gym?  It’s not a videogame; it’s not Second Life or some other Sim world (although we do intend to extend the story world into the virtual realm).  

It’s...

Okay, actually there is no virtual gym.  I just wanted to make up something awesome, cool, and techno-glamorous to promote the launch of Behind the Scenes.  And now, just as the Hindenburg and Titanic enjoyed that fatal swan dive onto the list of historic crashes, so too is my virtual gym idea.  But, even if I can’t show you a virtual gym, there is much for you to see and explore here at TofR.  We are looking forward to showing you around, giving you inside information, and chatting about how we built this storyworld on rock and roll (well, not really the rock and roll part, I just like that song).  Actually, I do enjoy hiding little Easter eggs and tributes in much of what I create, and I hope you will enjoy finding them. Another fun piece to this series will be when  we take  a look at the trivia and hidden bonus material scattered throughout the story world. So, keep checking back so you can join in the fun.

As a final note, if you have a question about something in the storyworld or if you are curious about how we did something, please ask! You can leave comments here at our blog,  e-mail, or reach out through any of our social media outlets http://talesofryhna.blogspot.com/p/everything-tor.html.  

All right! Off to do a few laps in our pool.  Take care, and I'll see you in TofR.

jojo

Introducing the Tor-abulous Tools and Ryh-tastic Resources Series

Welcome all you classy creators, groovy geeks, wicked writers, radical readers, and anyone else stopping in for a look-see. This series is all about what treasures we can uncover. We here at Tor-abulous seek to uncover those tools and resources that any shared storyworld puppet master, transmedia project designer, or crazy creator could use in her or his toolbox. The reviews are usually short, sweet, and cut right to the quick. We are here to provide you with help, not to do your book report, laundry, or dishes. And we expect quid pro quo. If you have a resource or tool that you cannot live without or a sizzling find that can be deemed tor-abulous and ryh-tastic, please do not be greedy by keeping it to yourself. Spread the love, and share it with us.  After all dears, isn’t that what a shared story world is all about?

Today’s Resource: Gimp—image-editing software (http://www.gimp.org/)

Hopefully many of you already know and love this gem of a program.  Much has been written about it, and  many tutorials are out there (check out  http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/, http://www.gimptalk.com/ — a great support community including an awesome tutorial section, and http://www.gimpology.com/ for just a small sampling).

I am not a graphics designer.  I am a tech-lover who designs a few web pages and loves to create wikis and other fan-generated content. Technology does not scare me. I am a bit of a geek, but I do not program computers for a living. This puts me at a slightly above average technology skill level. Why am I giving you my background?  Because I have found GIMP to be easy to use and not too “technical.”  After working through the basic tutorials, I found it very easy to produce basic graphics (such as banners, altering images, and background graphics). GIMP offers the same basic structure and features as Photoshop.

GIMP is “free” (free to download, but if you like it and want to support creativity, hard work, and those who brought this awesome program to you, you can donate).  If you’ve not already looked at this program, it's worth the time to take a look.

Do you have a favorite graphic/image editor? Please share.

Why do we need beta readers? Jazwriter's thoughts

Why do we need beta readers?

Well, in order to answer that question, I should probably attempt to explain what a beta reader is. Betas are editors for fictional stories, particularly fan fiction, although the term's usage has spread to the novelist realm. The word "beta" was borrowed from the software industry, where it is used to signify when new products are put through their paces to find and eliminate any problems with new products. That testing time enables the software creators, and nowadays the authors, to know what needs to be changed or improved. 

Betas agree to fill a very important and necessary role. They review a story for any grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. In addition, the beta may also make suggestions regarding plot continuity, characterizations, narration, word choice, word meaning, sentence construction, logical thoughts, verb tense, point of view, pacing, and canon.  Of course, some writers do not desire that level of review, nor do all betas wish to expend so much time and effort. It really depends on how sophisticated the writer is: the level of technical mastery, storyteller craft, and complexity of the work.

After spending quite a bit of time and effort betaing a story, I have become rather discouraged at times with writers who have chosen to not apply my suggested edits. A writer should not ask a beta to spend time and effort on a story if he/she does not intend to take all suggestions seriously. At the very least, a writer should present a polished story to everyone. That means the story must be as error-free as possible regarding punctuation, spelling, and grammar. A beta can help a writer reach such a goal. As for the more complex areas such as point of view, continuity, and adherence to established canon, just to name a few areas, that is up to the writer, although certainly a writer might at least review and think about all comments received by the beta relating to those areas.

That is not to claim that all comments submitted by a beta are correct. Betas are as fallible as the writers. Finding good betas is extremely important. Once you find one or more betas who know what they are doing, treat them well! Candy, flowers, effusive thanks—let them know how much you appreciate them.

Over the years, I have used the services of many betas. It became apparent to me rather quickly that different betas have different specialties. Some are grammar or punctuation experts. Others are very well-versed in particular fandoms. And then there are those who can see the overall arc of a story and provide invaluable feedback on plot direction, continuity, and characterizations. Currently, I use the services of about four betas on each piece of writing I create. They all review the writings differently, reacting to them in unique, helpful ways. I am extremely grateful to have found them. Similarly, I provide beta services for about a half dozen writers. For some I will provide technical support, while other writers ask me for help regarding the direction of a story. Regardless of the betaing services requested, I always focus on helping the writer showcase the story in the best way possible.

Every writer should use a beta before posting or publishing a story. I cannot tell you how many times I have been thrown out of a story due to inconsistencies, misspellings, or word choice errors. Nor is it easy to continue reading a story when a writer has a character say things that are clearly out of character. A beta can catch common errors and provide guidance for the storyline. Also, since most story forums have lists of people willing to provide beta services, no writer has any reason to forego such invaluable help.

And remember to thank your beta at the beginning of your story when you do post the new and improved version. Your kind words are the only payment a beta receives.

   

 Jazwriter

What is a Shared Story World

Today we look at the question, "What is a Shared Story World?"  Peruse ideas from two of our SSW creators: Jojo and QH Fletcher


Feel free to share your answer to that question in the comments!

And don't forget, Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 10:00pm EST join us as we chat about shared story worlds Tales of Ryh'na and more with Allaine on Femslash4Fans radio.   

What’s a Shared Story World - Jojo's thoughts

So, you've stumbled onto, well, no, not onto but rather into our shared story world. And you might be wondering, just "what the heck is a shared story world?" That is a question many ask, and I'll take a few moments to answer.

The first step in finding our answer lies with Scott Walker and his Shared Story World site www.sharedstoryworlds.com. Scott not only collects examples of shared story worlds, but also provides articles on how to create shared story worlds and, of course, what makes a shared story world different from other stories and projects.  He offers a short, medium, and long definition.  We'll go with his medium definition: "The medium answer: an entertainment property designed to allow audiences/fans/consumers to collaborate and participate in the creation of content in the entertainment property."  (http://sharedstoryworlds.com/what-is-a-shared-story-world/)

Traditional stories have a flow of story from creator to consumer where the consumer is a bystander,   simply enjoying the content created with no say in how the story unfolds.  With a shared story world the consumer can become the creator.  We encourage people to play with the ideas and potential the TofR story world offers. No need to sit on the bleachers just watching, we want you to participate. This is one reason why TofR uses the Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/) as well as other options for sharing and remixing ideas. 

Tales of Ryh'na (TofR) is designed to be an open universe that anyone can join and help to create. You may want to write a story about a certain place, time, or person.  Perhaps you are inspired to draw an image, record a video, or create another piece of story. A shared story world is, to borrow a famous saying, "of the people, by the people, for the people."

So, what's a shared story world?  It's a place where anyone can come and play.  Go ahead, take a step into our world—I dare you!

jojo

What’s a Shared Story World - QH Fletcher's thoughts

Tales of Ryh’na (TofR) is a Shared Story World (SSW). You may be thinking, “What the heck is that?” Put simply, an SSW occurs when someone creates an in-depth background canon around a proposed universe.  The canon is then made available to anyone who wishes to create content. The contributor can write a story, create a graphic or video, use whatever form of self-expression is most comfortable, or not. SSWs are a great medium for stretching artistic wings.

SSWs function under a Creative Commons License. By that I mean  the content that exists in the canon or is provided by a contributor can be reused by another contributor as long as the second person gives appropriate credit to the initial creator. Sounds complicated, right? The Cliff Notes version goes like this. If I were to write a story based on the canon and create a mean, horrible, fluffy, heart-of-gold Yeti named Marvin, you could then write another story using Marvin as long as you didn't turn him into a blood-sucking killer (since I didn’t create him that way) and give me credit  as Marvin’s creator. Now, if your story absolutely requires Marvin to be Uber Meanie Yeti, all is not lost. You simply e-mail me and ask whether I will approve the character change. If I say no, Marvin remains a Teddy Yeti at heart. If I say yes, you can have Marvin slash and burn the neighborhood as long as you give proper credit. The other point you need to know and remember is that only the original creator can kill off a character permanently. You can sling him in stasis for a time or put him into a healing hibernation that the characters in your story think is death, but you have to bring the lovable/killer Yeti back to life by the end of your creation. Also, ways exist to handle the original creator's decision to kill Marvin while folks are still writing Marvin-based stories. It works a lot like how fanfiction and the disclaimers and warnings a fanwriter has to do in that genre.

Another great point about SSWs is that canon is often flexible. Any and all contributions can be evaluated by the individual or team that oversees maintaining and expanding the canon for that creative work to be included in the main canon of the SSW. Basically, you can add to canon with your work. So, if your story has Marvin meeting Mavis and falling in love, that can become part of the canon once approved. You can contribute characters, plot points, or overall story arcs. I’ve used stories as the example so far, but all of this also applies to graphics, videos, or other forms of creative work. Your graphic, for instance, of how Marvin and/or Mavis look can become canon as well.  Fun, right?

There are several SSWs in existence, though TofR is the first to be created and executed entirely by committee. We’re breaking new ground!  All SSWs function basically the same way: with the use of a pre-existing canon/universe, creator contributions under the Creative Commons License, and fully or partially expandable canons.  To participate, you simply register; study the pre-existing canon, maps, stories, graphics, videos, etc.; form an idea; and get to work.  Submission practices vary a bit between SSWs, so be sure to read the contributor agreement and contribution guidelines that are provided. You’ll usually have to cite the Creative Commons Licensing Agreement provided, which will tell you how to share in existing parts of canon/other’s works, how to give credit, and what, if any, fees you might collect in the future. Yes, some SSWs provide for contributors to receive real coin for their works. Be sure to read that part carefully! Which is the one aspect where SSWs have it all over fanfiction. You get to own your stories and sometimes even get paid.

So, that’s basically what you need to know about Shared Story Worlds, a bit simplified, but still covering a few of the most important aspects.   Fun and creative satisfaction ready to be had. 

Don’t you think it’s time you joined in?

QH Fletcher

Upcoming Radio Show Appearance - Come Listen

We’re gonna be radio stars! That’s right. Some of us are going to be on Allaine’s radio show, talking about our favorite topic, SSW’s and our own beloved TofR. Have to admit, I’m a bit nervous. I’ve always kinda thought my recorded voice sounds like a bullfrog with a head cold, and a Southern one at that. Still, I can’t wait. I love new experiences, and for me, this will be one. Hmm, what does one wear to be on the radio? Oh, I guess you want the particulars. We’ll be on Thursday, March 29 at 10 p.m. It’ll be me, A.Sadie Timm, Carson D. Fletcher, and Jojo Stratton, our illustrious leader. I have no idea what Allaine’s going to ask about, but I’ve always loved his shows and enjoy the warm, casual atmosphere he creates with his guests.  We’re out in the world creating something new, and we really look forward to answering your questions as well. See ya on the 29^th!

Q.H. Fletcher

Allaine's show, Femslash4Fans, broadcasts on BlogTalkRadio, an online podcast and radio hosting platform.  You can find his show here - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/allaine

Nuts 'N Bolts Series Introduction

Since the moment we first conceived of creating the Tales of Ryh’na (TofR) Shared Story World (SSW), we've found ourselves trying all manner of new programs. Some we dropped, but many more we’ve learned to use with at least sufficient proficiency to accomplish our tasks. The main lesson I, for one, have taken from this experience is that all the answers are never in one place. Each program has involved hours of researching “How-To’s” and studying tutorials, which also required a great deal of researching to find.

We thought it might be a good idea to gather as much of that information as possible in one place. We realize we won’t get ALL the answers either, but we will get the ones that were used to create the various TofR sites, graphics, and content. You might not be looking to build your own SSW site, but if you want to create a working website in WordPress, which is not a blog, you should find the information we’ve gathered to be helpful. So, welcome to the TofR Nuts ‘N Bolts series. We’ll tag them (nuts and bolts) to make them easier for you to find. We hope they make your website creation experience a lot less research-and-tutorial-cramming intensive than ours was and continues to be.

How did I get here?

I was minding my own business at the 2011 Femslash Con and listening to docwho2100 talk about a shared story world (SSW). She asked if anyone would be interested in maybe getting together and starting one. I said I would because, really, the idea was intriguing and I figured I’d find out more about it if nothing else.  Seven months later I find myself an Executive Producer and up to my eyebrows in coding, writing, advertising, and one of a hundred varied pieces that make up creating and launching a shared story world.

You might ask what in my credentials makes me a viable choice as an Executive Producer besides a love of writing fanfiction, and I’ll happily answer – Not one danged thing! I somewhat fell into this as I have bits and pieces of the knowledge and experience needed to get Tales of Ryh’na off the ground. Mostly, what I have is a lot of really good friends with a great deal of experience in the varied areas of expertise we need to make this work. They are a group of amazing women who really love a good project.

It’s been an interesting journey; one that’s not yet completed. I’ve learned, taught, pulled out my hair, and screamed at the top of my lungs, but mostly, I’ve had a great deal of fun. We almost came to blows creating the base storyline. We’ve lost a few original members along the way, and picked up a few new ones. We’ve talked story, business, graphics, merchandising, advertising, HTML/CSS, javascript, PHP/MySql, maps, layout, themes, beta editing, and canon development. We’ve periodically stomped off in anger or frustration and came back with new ideas and compromises. We’ve found that explaining magic to the tech-minded causes gray hair and neck strain. On the other hand, discussing tech advances with the magic thinkers causes migraines and upset stomachs.

But through it all we persevered, never doubting the knowledge that we, as a group, could do this, and now our fledgling baby has begun to take steps and speak in sentences.  There’s still a lot to do before we launch, but I don’t doubt for a moment that we will do so.  These women are just too awesome not to succeed.

QH Fletcher (aka quiethearted)

Welcome to Tales of Ryh'na

Howdy, everyone. I want to welcome you to the Tales of Ryh'na Shared Story World.  

I am really, really, really, really (insert about 113 more reallys) excited you are here! I've been working with a very talented and incredible group of people to whip up something in the creativity kitchen that promises to knock off your socks, shoes, and everything else, too. This blog is a place where we (we being those working on Tales of Ryh'na) can share the awesome goodness that this story world offers.  Sneak Peeks, Who's Who & What's What, Tor-abulous Tools & Ryh-tastic Resources, and Behind the Scenes are just a few of the series we have lined up to share with you through this blog. So, sit back, buckle up, and get ready for an amazing ride!  I know I'm ready (and did I mention I’m really excited?).

jojo