We regret to inform you that “A Light on You: A Qi Ye and Tian Ya Ke Zine” has halted production for the foreseeable future.Our announcement about this zine was met with, to our eyes, a startlingly strong negative reaction. We have no interest in pointing fingers or starting fights, but it is no secret that a large group of fans have been especially outspoken against our efforts. We understand that a number of these vocal objections are due to past differences between mods on our team and others in the community.We respect everyone’s right to participate in a project or not for any reason, and the right to share their reasons with whomever they choose, however the reactions our announcement elicited went far beyond that – an extremely public rallying cry against anyone supporting the zine at all. We have experienced disproportionate anger, sensationalized and slanderous outbursts, and – on a few notable occasions – outright lies and wild speculation. A flood of accusations circulated around Twitter and Tumblr like a smear campaign. Allegations about our mods were posted and reposted online by people we’ve never even spoken to before, with no firsthand knowledge of the situations they were referencing.Interestingly, the number of acquaintances who reached out to us (to any member of our team) to ask for comments or our perspective on events? Three.To be clear: we have no ulterior motives, no secret agenda to steal personal information, no wish to harm anyone at all. We only intended to make a fan zine with others who wanted to join us, celebrating two books we all love.In recent days we have spoken with several would-be-contributors who have expressed concerns about participating. They are not worried about whether or not we, the mod team, are “safe” to work with, or whether some of us are bad people, but they fear creating conflict and finding themselves at odds with that large, loud group of people who have been so outspoken in their accusations. They simply don’t want to open themselves up to that kind of potential drama. Unfortunately, our team agrees that those concerns are valid, and since we cannot assure contributors that they would be spared the kind of online hostility we’ve experienced in the past three weeks, we have decided to call a stop to this project. We don't want to invite trouble for any of our associates simply for being willing to participate.While we are disappointed that we can't move ahead with this project in a way that feels constructive, enjoyable, or creatively inspiring, that last point is the one most concerning to us. It is troubling to hear others say that they don’t agree with this large group, but are still bowing out to avoid upsetting them and drawing their attention. To us, that feels quite a lot like being afraid of a bully.We are saddened to set this project aside. It has meant a lot to each of us personally, and we were looking forward to creating something wonderful to share with you. We appreciate the enthusiasm of everyone who applied, and the candor of everyone who expressed interest but felt that the landscape was too inhospitable to get involved. Thank you, your support means the world to us.There have been many voices this week spouting many opinions on how things in this fandom should or should not be done, and by whom. So, to those who spoke up so vehemently against us, we leave you with one question: now that you have succeeded in suffocating our project before it had a chance to thrive, which of you is going to step up and create something beautiful for these two books in our place?Sincerely,
the “A Light on You” Mod Team
Applications
We're looking for writers, artists, and merch artists to contribute to A Light On You: A Qi Ye & Tian Ya Ke Zine. You can apply for multiple positions and your applications will be considered separately.Participation in this zine requires that you become a member of a Discord server, as this is how communication will be shared. If you are not currently on Discord and are unsure about creating an account, please reach out to us on any of our platforms.All applicants must be at least 18 years old.Accepted contributors will be responsible for meeting check-ins and completing at least one fully colored piece of art or merch, or one fully edited fic by January 15th, 2024.Please note that as much as we love Word of Honor, this is novel canon-only project!For Artists
- You must submit at least 3 separate completed art pieces
- If you want to be apply as a merch artist, an example of a previously completed merch item is preferred
- Full color illustrations with completed backgrounds are preferred
- Please DO NOT submit an art tag in place of a portfolio
- Instagram pages and google drive folders are acceptable portfolios
- Illustrations of QY/TYK characters are a plus, but NOT REQUIRED
- Art does not have to be digital, so long as it can be provided to us in a high resolution 2D formatFor Writers
- You must submit at least 3 separate writing samples. Please submit two samples that are 500-1000 words in length and one sample that is 1000-3000 words in length
- Samples may be complete works or excerpts.
- Applicants are strongly encouraged to include a QY or TYK specific piece of writing
- Please provide your writing samples as links to AO3, Google Docs or any other writing platform.Thank you for applying!
FAQ
What is a fan zine?
A fan zine is a compilation of derivative works, formatted in the style of a book or magazine.Is this zine for the TV show or the novel?
This zine will be based around the novels Qi Ye and Tian Ya Ke, and not the TV drama Word of Honor.Is the zine SFW? What is it rated?
The zine will be SFW and rated “Mature” in the same fashion as Qi Ye and Tian Ya Ke. Works may include violent, sensual, or otherwise mature themes but nothing graphic or explicit beyond the level of the novels themselves.What is the theme of the zine?
Theme is “masks,” and you’re free to interpret that as literally or broadly as you like! Please refer to the statement of editorial intent, posted on our home page, for more detail and context.What ships can I expect to see in this zine?
Since this is not specifically a ship-related zine, anything goes! The only type of relationships ineligible for inclusion would be ships that would be illegal—mainly, no adults paired with underage partners or children.Are there any other guidelines for submissions?
One! Submissions should be plausibly canon-compliant, and set within the canon universe. Pre- or post-canon works are eligible, but your AU’s (alternate universes) are not.Will the zine be physical or digital?
Our intention is to have both digital and physical editions of this zine (as long as sales permit).Will the zine be for-profit?
No. The zine is designed to have a minimal margin, and any profits gained will be for-charity. Contributors will vote on a short-list of charities to decide where the donation goes.Can I apply as both artist and writer?
Yes. Please fill out both application forms, to apply for both roles. Applications for each position are reviewed separately, and the outcome of one application will have no bearing on the outcome of the other.Is traditional art acceptable? What about other forms of non-digital art?
Yes. The caveat is that all art must be submitted in digital format (i.e. a scan or photograph) at a resolution of at least 300 dpi, but artwork that can be clearly communicated in a digital 2D format at 300 dpi is welcome. Alternatively, you can arrange to mail us your traditional art and we can digitize it for you.What is the main mode of contact for contributors?
All applicants will receive an email to inform them of the outcome of their application. All accepted contributors will be required to join the project’s Discord server for updates and announcements.How will contributors be compensated?
All contributors are guaranteed to receive a digital PDF of the zine. Further compensation (e.g. merch bundle or physical copy of the zine), is our goal but will depend on sales. In the event that free physical copies cannot be provided, all products will be available at cost, or at discounted cost to contributors.