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Tales From Mt. Qingya

a word of honor zine

A zine focused on the characters of the Valley, in the style of the Ghost Valley pamphlet from the series.

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guidelines

Contributor GuidelinesWe are excited to welcome contributors to the Ghost Valley Zine to bring these ghosts to life! In total, 14 characters will be featured in the zine, and they will each have a full-page character poster in a style similar to the Ghost Valley pamphlet from the series (although not necessarily a headshot or bust). The zine will also include fic collaboration art, which will involve smaller illustrations.As for writing pieces, 7 of the characters for whom people indicated the most interest in the Interest Check will have full-length fics up to 2,000 words. The remaining 7 characters will have shorter writing pieces, such as a ficlet (approximately 500 words) or an alternative short work. Please note that as Zhou Zishu is not technically from the Ghost Valley, he will be among the characters with a shorter writing piece.You may apply for multiple roles. Please fill out the appropriate form for each. You may be accepted for multiple roles, and you can accept any number of them. On the application form, you will have to select your top picks for the characters, as well as whether you would accept a random assignment.Note: if you have already applied to the zine, and you want to change or add something to your application, please send us an email at [email protected].Every applicant must meet the following requirements:1. You have to be at least 18 years old.
2. You must have a Discord account to join the zine’s server, which will be the main mode of contact for mods and contributors. If you do not already have a Discord account, you must be willing to create one if you are selected as a contributor.Additionally, the following guidelines apply to all applicants:1. You must include links to 3 samples in your application (e.g. links to a Google Drive). Please ensure that your links are accessible and publicly viewable.2. You must remove all identifying information and markers from your samples (and portfolio, if you include one). For artists, this includes removing watermarks that identify you as an artist. For writers, this means you cannot use an AO3 link for your samples. The purpose of this guideline is to ensure that every application undergoes an anonymous review process by the mod team.3. Any samples submitted in your application must be your own work. We will not accept any application containing plagiarized work.4. It is not necessary to submit a new work with your application; your samples may be older works, although they should not be older than 2 years.5. It is strongly recommended that the samples you submit be similar to either the general concept of the Ghost Valley Zine or to the specific concept(s) you have in mind for your piece in the zine, should you be accepted as a contributor.6. It is also recommended that at least one of your samples be from the Word of Honor/Shan He Ling fandom.7. NSFW samples are permitted.Writer guidelines:
1. Out of the 3 samples you submit, two of them must be a maximum of 2000 words (there is no set minimum, but ideally it would be at least 1000 words). The third sample must be a maximum of 500 words, or an alternative short writing piece (e.g. poetry, a case file, a spy report, a letter, etc).
2. You may submit samples that are completed or just excerpts. However, we strongly recommend you submit completed pieces because it will help us see how you structure your work and write conclusions.
3. It is not necessary to submit a portfolio, but you can if you want to. A portfolio should include a few pieces you think best represent your writing skills.Artist and merch artist guidelines:
1. Your 3 samples must be finished work, not sketches.
2. Your portfolio should include approximately 5 pieces.
3. For merch artists: If you apply to create physical merch, please include with your design sample one or more photographs of the finished product, if possible.Mod GuidelinesWe are looking for more mods to join the Ghost Valley! In general, all mods must meet the following requirements:1. You have to be at least 18 years old.
2. All mods are expected to assist in reviewing contributor applications.
3. You must have a Discord account to join the zine’s server, which will be the main mode of contact for mods and contributors. If you do not already have a Discord account, you must be willing to create one if you are selected as a mod.Prior zine experience is not necessary. However, if you do have prior zine experience, please let us know about it and link to past zines.Please note that you may apply to be a contributor as well, even if you are selected as a mod. All contributor applications presented to the mod team will contain no identifying information, to ensure the application review process is anonymous. You will not be expected to participate in reviewing contributor applications for the role(s) you applied to.Social Media Mod:
1. Your primary task will be to manage the zine’s Twitter account: making promotional tweets; answering DMs; interacting with followers.
2. You will be expected to work with the Graphics Mod (and others as necessary) to create promotional content, such as mod and contributor spotlights, announcements, etc.
3. Experience in managing a zine account (or any non-personal/professional account) is not necessary, but if you have that experience, please let us know!Finance Mod:
1. Your primary role will be to manage the zine’s finances: working with the Shipping Mod (and others as necessary) to determine budget, costs, and bundle prices; establishing the zine’s online shop; tracking and managing the proceeds from sales; working out whether the zine can support a P4P run for the contributors and mods, and/or an honorarium.
2. You must have experience with finance and accounting.Graphics Mod:
1. Your main tasks will be to create social media graphics and assist in creating assets for the formatting of the zine.
2. Experience in graphic design is required, but it does not have to be zine-specific.Artist Mod:
1. You will oversee the work of the artists, including merch artists: ensuring artists meet deadlines, providing feedback, answering questions, making sure that the artists’ works and concepts are in line with the zine’s vision and guidelines.
2. Although previous zine experience is not necessary, you should be an artist yourself.

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faq

Q: What is a zine?
A zine is a compilation of derivative works, formatted in the style of a book or magazine.Q: Is this zine for the TV show or the novel?
This zine will be based on the Word of Honor (山河令) drama, and not the novel Faraway Wanderers (天涯客). However, as long as plot points remain based on Word of Honor canon, creators should feel free to draw inspiration from the novel if they wish!Q: Is “Ghost Valley Zine” the official zine title?
No, this is a placeholder, and the official title will be decided some time after the contributor applications.Q: Is the zine SFW? What is it rated?
The zine will be NSFW. Works may include violent, sensual, or otherwise mature themes. Although the Ghost Valley zine is not a horror zine, such content is appropriate for this zine. Dead dove content is allowed, subject to the mods’ approval.For these reasons, we will not accept applications from people under 18 years of age.Q: What is the theme of the zine?
The zine will include at least one writing piece and one illustration for each of the major Ghost Valley characters, in the style of the Ghost Valley pamphlet from the series (as seen in Episode 26).Q: Are AUs allowed in the zine?
The content of the zine will be strictly canon-verse, as the zine aims to explore who the individual ghosts are in canon. Fics and illustrations may depict characters and events at any point of the timeline, including pre-canon and post-canon. All canon-compliant headcanons are welcome!For the reasons above, we will not accept works set in alternate universes, including genderbends.Q: What ships can I expect to see in this zine?
We will be including both canon and non-canon ships. Who knows what the ghosts get up to off-camera!Q: Will the zine be physical or digital?
We will offer physical and digital bundles: (1) a zine-only physical bundle; (2) a half-merch and zine physical bundle; (3) a full-merch and zine physical bundle; (4) a digital zine and merch bundle.All zine bundles will include the ghost gremlins minizine.Q: Will the zine be for-profit, charity, or p4p?
The zine will be for-profit, should the proceeds from sales support that.Q: How will contributors be compensated?
All contributors (and mods) are guaranteed to receive a digital PDF of the zine. Any further compensation (e.g. honorarium, full physical bundle) depends on sales.Q: Can I apply as both artist and writer?
Yes, please apply separately for each role: merch artist, writer, artist. Applications for each role are reviewed separately.Q: Will mods be participating?
Mods who are interested in participating will undergo the same anonymous portfolio review as the contributors.Q: Will you have guest contributors?
Originally, we did not plan to have guest contributors. However, since we received a low number of applications, we have extended the contributor applications and we're considering inviting guest contributors.Q: How many contributors will be accepted?
We aim to have one illustrator and one writer per character, which will include Wen Kexing, Gu Xiang, Zhou Zishu, the old Ghost Valley Master, and the 10 ghosts. We hope to have other artists for additional illustrations as well.Additionally, we are looking for merch artists to create physical and/or digital merch.Q: Is traditional art acceptable?
Yes, please scan in 300 dpi resolution or higher.Q: What is the main mode of contact?
All applicants will receive an email to inform them of the outcome of their application. All accepted contributors and mods will be required to join the Discord server for announcements.

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moderators

angelina
head moderator

she/her. I'm a artist & writer who loves word of honor and is obsessed with ghost valley! I wanted to make this zine because I desperately need it in my life... thank you for joining in on the fun!

AJfanfic
writing, shipping, and layout moderator

he/him. AJ is a writer and artist who enjoys terrible little men and doing great violence to them.

sab
logistics moderator

she/her. I’m a writer and a Priest fan who climbed up the mountain in March 2021 and has yet to come back down. I have experience in organizing journal publications, but the Ghost Valley zine will be my first zine, and I’m very excited about its creation!

sam
graphics moderator

she/her. Sam is a uni student with a background in design. When she isn't being haunted by class projects, she's lurking on Twitter.

verity
finance moderator

they/them. Verity organizes events, writes fic, and prints riso zines. graphic design data visualization is their passion.

ange
social media moderator

they/she. Ange is an artist and a lover of bratty villains with mommy issues.

anna
artist moderator

she/her. Anna is an art student who accidentally fell into Ghost Valley due to a really terrible navigation app and has been trying to find the way out since. let me out dot jpg