Updates

This month was rather quiet on the server as the admins prepared for OC-Tober, but we had lots of OC questions about our characters and how we imagined them going about their day-to-day lives. The questions ranged from how the OCs deal with bad days to how they spend their time if they get early to class. Just concepts to help broaden the characterization of our OCs.

Books in our community updated this month:

The Class That Cried Werewolf - B3r1itz

Stars in the Sky - KeyLimePie001

Jaded - FoxyPuff

Art Showcase

The wonderful artists in our community never fail to impress. Whether it's canon characters, their own OCs, or fan art for others, they always put their all into their work, and it's nothing short of amazing! This month, our artists have been helping the admins prepare for OC-Tober, so we only have one piece of art to showcase...

The piece we have this month is from our lovely Juni_Penguin_! Her rendering of her main character Nicolette from her upcoming book, Spitting Image, really makes us feel the fluffiness of all those tails! We can't wait to see more of Nico!

Character Spotlight

The Storytellers have spoken, and the OC of the month is... FoxyPuff's OC, Aiya Komatso! Aiya is one of the main characters in Foxy's new book, Jaded!

Name: Aiya Komatso (Hero Name TBD)

Pronouns: she/her

Birthday: September 21

Quirk: Pixie: in addition to her silver and black wings, she can generate pixie dust from her own happiness, which makes things float

Class/Occupation: Hero Course Class 1-A

Featured Books: Jaded

Life Goals: Her bucket list consists of: drink straight out of a chocolate fountain, do that thing with the sliding bookcase ladder, ride in one of those zero gravity planes, write an autobiography, and help as many people as she can

Here is what the author had to say about their character:

"Aiya started from this one picture. I was scrolling through Pinterest (this was before AI went rampant, mind you, so finding good refs was much easier) when I came across this very calm, ethereal looking elf. And an entire character just blossomed in my mind. I felt like I knew her already. After a few changes, she became one half of the beloved pixie twins we know today, but I feel like everything stemmed from the vibe of that one picture. I love getting to write her because she has very main character energy without being a real main character. Like we're not in her head. She reminds me a lot of Koto because she's a bit reserved at first, but has snarky commentary going on in her mind. The only difference is having to hold back on that until she decides to make those jokes around people. It gives me a new perspective on writing characters like that."

Questions for Foxy from the community:

riceygirl101 asks, "what was your favorite things about creating the twins?"

FoxyPuff: I love that they really distinguish themselves in my mind. They are truly different and unique, both in ways that I see irl.

Calem_Stormheart asks, "was it fun writing twins with identical Quirks?"

Foxy: It was! Because even though they can do the same things, it often comes down to how they choose to use their quirk. So I really get to delve into different mindsets to write their different strategies.

Juni_Penguin_ asks, "did you already know you wanted them to be fraternal twins due to their difference in looks or did you want them to be identical first?"

Foxy: I like to joke that Aiya was born first because when I was creating my Jaded cast, I found a reference that I really liked for her first. And it was very elven, so I wanted to have a character with really good eyesight and super speed and all that. When I came across a reference that looked very similar but with red hair, I was torn between how I wanted this OC to look, but I eventually decided to make them twins. In my head, Kaede was always going to look more lithe and fast whereas Aiya would look stronger, and I figured with different face shapes to further differentiate them, I should keep them fraternal.

QuaccSmaccSnacc (Andi) asks, "did Aiya go through any changes from when you first thought of her?"

Foxy: Yeah, quite a few, starting with the fact that she was supposed to have an elven quirk rather than a pixie one. I wanted her to be able to channel a rougher sort of magic that could do many different things, she would have enhanced senses, and a lot of other things. But it felt a little OP, and her personality was going to be way more stoic, especially as a character that I wanted to just be friends with Takara. Sure, she remains reserved, but she's funny and has a good time with her group. And her quirk is now way more toned down.

Ricey asks, "what characters (if any) inspired Aiya?"

Foxy: I think I originally had a little inspiration from Legolas with the whole elf concept, and her love of languages, but I abandoned the bow and arrows idea for her because I felt that was too overdone in media. And I really detached her from him in my mind after sorting out her general appearance, especially after the wings came in.

Jun asks, "were the twins' wings always going to look different or did they look identical?"

Foxy: Over the course of their development, I actually got them to look more similar. I always knew Kaede was gonna have butterfly wings, but I wanted to give Aiya moth wings originally. And then, I figured I shouldn't copy Vivi, so I moved onto dragonfly wings. But in the end, I felt like butterfly wings made the most sense. But even so, this goes back to being fraternal twins, I wanted their quirk to develop differently between them.

Ricey asks, "what do you think people will relate to or love most about Aiya?"

Foxy: I think they'll appreciate her lack of excessive animation. Like, it's fun to have very energetic characters, but they're often balanced with down-to-earth characters that are portrayed as strict or distant. I wanted her to be logical, but still open and fun with her friends. She can get a little uptight, but who doesn't? I think she's my most authentic character in the story, to be honest.

Questions for Aiya from the community:

U.A. Storytellers (UAS): Hi Aiya, and congratulations on being voted OC of the Month!

Aiya: Thank you. It's an honor to be here.

UAS: Let's jump right into the questions! Now, your fans are of course aware that you are a twin. In fact, you and your twin are a beloved duo, which inspired a few questions. First off, Ricey asks, "do people ever get you and Kaede mixed up?"

Aiya: Name-wise probably, but at least somebody gets an out if they just say "Hey, Komatso!" But thankfully we're different enough in appearance that there aren't any awkward mishaps.

UAS: I bet it would come in handy though to be your sister for a day though. Especially since it's clear you two are such good friends. Speaking of, Calem asks, "is it true that twins know everything about each other?"

Aiya: Um, maybe. There's definitely a level of trust that comes with growing up with your best friend. Not that I would know by some like "twin instinct" if she had been hurt or something, and I can't read her mind, but obviously I know her tells, I know a lot of her secrets. We know the best and the worst about each other. I think that twins like us see the whole of the other. Maybe better than ourselves.

UAS: You truly do seem to be best friends. That's so sweet! And your fans love that you got to go to your dream school with your sister, but Andi asks, "how do you think things would be different if you and Kaede were in different classes, or one didn't get in UA?"

Aiya: (rubs her arms and looks away) Geez, if one of us didn't get in...I don't even want to think about that. We would've had to go to different hero schools. If we were in different classes, at least we'd be only one building away, you know? I wouldn't want to be somewhere else entirely. I honestly think that the one who got in would have given up on UA and went somewhere else with the other.

UAS: That's certainly commitment! And what about after school? Jun asks, "when you're a Hero, would you make an agency with your sister or go solo?"

Aiya: I think it definitely makes sense to stay partnered up. We trained together our whole lives, and we know how to protect each other's blind spots.

UAS: Very practical of both of you. Especially since you two are so close. But what about times when you are not so close? Andi asks, "what is the biggest fight you've had with Kaede?"

Aiya: Oh damn, uhh...I mean we've had some pretty petty fights. We're sisters; who wouldn't? I guess...when she will take charge and not trust me enough to do things on my own. It gets very frustrating, especially when she doesn't see it. It usually ends up causing a fight.

UAS: Hmm, that does sound very sisterly. How about some lighter questions now?

Aiya: Please.

UAS: No worries! Let's do a few "get to know you" questions! First, Jun asks, "what's your favorite snack?"

Aiya: Oh, that's hard! Probably inarizushi.

UAS: A similar question in regards to food, Ricey asks, "What's your favorite food or a comfort food that you could eat forever?"

Aiya: Probably okonomiyaki. It's so indulgent, but if I could eat it forever, I would.

UAS: Good choice! tocoloco004 asks, "what's your favorite song?"

Aiya: At the moment, Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls.

UAS: Another music question, Ricey asks, "what music artist could you listen to on repeat?"

Aiya: Oh, Panic! At The Disco for sure. Kaede and I used to listen to them all the time, so it really gives nostalgic vibes for me.

UAS: Going into more media you enjoy, our readers know you also enjoy reading! JunieWeathers asks, "what is your favorite book?"

Aiya: I definitely love The Chronicles of Narnia. My favorite would probably be Prince Caspian, just 'cause the lore deepens so much. Not because of the movie...no...that's definitely not why... (eyes the camera as her cheeks flush)

UAS: Oh, I see you, Aiya~ But anyways, let's move on before you burn up like Morita. The next question is from Toco who asks, "do you prefer pencils or pens?"

Aiya: Hmm, I like how pens glide, but I worry about making mistakes, so I'd have to say pencils.

UAS: Interesting. Taking worries out of the equation for a moment, Jun asks, "what's your favorite pastime?"

Aiya: On sunny days, definitely flying, but if it's raining, there's no better time to be curled up with a book.

UAS: I'm sure flying without an airplane or glider is a very unique experience. Junie asks, "what is it like to be able to fly?"

Aiya: Wow, I...I guess it's...I mean, how do you describe what it's like to sit or walk or something? I guess it's like swimming. You know, you have to learn how to do it when you're young, but then once you've got it, you just naturally keep yourself afloat. It just feels like another way to move around for me, but with the weight on my wings rather than my feet. I remember my back being really sore when I first started though, so it does count as exercise, but like, enjoyable.

UAS: It only makes sense that it feels so natural at this point. So when it comes down to it, Andi asks, "do you like your quirk?"

Aiya: Yeah, it gives me so many abilities, and it's basically just an extension of myself at this point.

UAS: That is very true. Thank you so much for coming in today! And congratulations once again for being voted OC of the Month!

Aiya: Thank you to everyone who voted! This was really special!

UAS: And thank you to all our readers and everyone who sent in questions for Aiya! We'll see you again next month!

Member Interests

Hey guys! FoxyPuff here to talk about one of my favorite writing techniques: automatic writing!

No, it doesn't involve AI, rather it involves sinking into a hypnotic state and recording all your thoughts while in it. Because how often do you do something mindless like showering or falling asleep that causes you to vividly imagine a plot point for your story? I say we create an environment that promotes this creativity because I've found some of my best pieces of writing come from this mind space.

Now, this was a technique of the surrealism movement, often used by Salvador Dali himself. And, yes, Dali did some...mmm...not good things, and his films were always disturbing, but something about them was dreamlike in the way it made sense to the human mind without logic. Symbolism that appeals to your subconscious. This method can help you escape from the bland regularity of what may be common or expected.

It might benefit you to do this alone so you can speak out loud if you need to. I usually pull up my notes app, but you can also use your voice memos or a physical journal. Whatever works.

What you're gonna do is get yourself in a place where you can zone out. Whether it's doing mindless tasks, mediating, or trying to fall asleep. These are at least when I get my best ideas. And then you'll wait until you have a spark of thought. The important part of this process is to follow the thought. Don't let it slip away. And this is why the voice memos might be important for you if you can't write fast.

You follow the thought as far as it will take you, even if it has no discernable origin. Because if you think it over for a while and idle on a train of thought, getting back to the first thought you had will be difficult, as will be recalling the whole conversation or description you had thought up. In my experience, every time I go over the thought, it gets less satisfying for the part I am thinking of.

And this is because I overthink it. I try to bring logic into the mix, thinking "well, what motivation does this character have to say such a thing?" But the truth is that sometimes, humans just be saying things. They don't have to think it over, especially when big emotions are involved. Sometimes the best dialogues you will get are when you set your mind loose and stop thinking. That part comes later.

You can always edit it, but it needs to be on the page first. And if you're like me, I like it being good in the first place. This will help you to have a vivacious conversation or description free of common turns of phrases.

Oftentimes, I use this technique to work through an argument between characters, and I find that the best thought to start on is "and what about you?" Because it is incendiary and will immediately be placing blame or accusations on one party.

I truly hope that this makes sense, and I wish you happy writing, and in this case, happy meditation!

Ask the Pro Hero

Our Pro Heroes of the server; aBitGrim, FoxyPuff, and tocoloco004; would like to open up the space to ask them questions. If you have a question for them, feel free to ask and they will provide their best answers!

Q: Who is your favorite all-time villain in mythology/folklore and which do you feel are just misunderstood?

Grim: Oh I loveee Dracula! Medusa is a close second but I'm a sucker for every rendition of Dracula— no pun intended lol

Foxy: Well, misunderstood: definitely Medusa. After all, becoming a gorgon was Poseidon's fault, not hers, she just got caught in the middle. It's really unfair that they sent "heroes" to kill her. But as for favorite villains, maybe Fenrir. Cause how can he be evil if friend shaped? I just want to pet him haha.

Toco: The first to come to mind is Medusa. If I remember her story correctly, she was in love with Poseidon and she was punished for it? 😅 like why does she get punished and Poseidon does whatever he wants? I get he's a Greek God but still 😭 it ain't only her fault!

Q: What's your go to snack?

Grim: I think cookies have to be my favorite snack. Oreo or the keebler ones, I always keep a stash of both on hand!

Foxy: I love a good ol' bowl of kettle cooked chips

Toco: I've really gotten into yogurt recently! I love having a nice little yogurt with fruit and granola!

Q: Any new hobbies that you've gotten into?

Grim: I've recently/ not so recently gotten into screenwriting! I'm still practicing and creating my style but it's been really fun!

Foxy: I've been weaving friendship bracelets recently, but I want to try out more patterns for them!

Toco: I'm slowly getting back into running 😤 catch me going super fast! Ka-chow! 😤😂

Q: Since September has banned book week, what are your guys' favorite banned books?

Grim: I read The Hate You Give a long time ago and I recently found out it's one of the most banned books of the past couple of years, which really sucks because it changed the way I look at the world and have me a lot of needed empathy as I transitioned from highschool into the real world. I think the hate on this book plays directly into its message and I really hope more people give it a chance!

Foxy: I read Persepolis in my AP French class, and it really sparked an interest in me about the Middle East. Not only that, but Marjane's narration of her life is clever, imaginative, and unerringly direct when it calls for it. Additionally, I love Ender's Game and its thought-provoking messages about war and child prodigies. I think it's a book that everybody should read at some point in their lives.

Toco: Oh I got quite a few 😈 I'll give some thoughts with the books as well cuz some of these are one of my top favorites/left a big impact on me !

- Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins! The first young adult series I ever read and I'm bold enough to say this series defined a generation. A must read for me. I understand why it's banned, as it can be a bit brutal and talks about revolution and overthrowing the government 😈

- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It's one of those books I read in high school that stuck with me. Very powerful book about a girl growing up in the South during Jim Crow laws... it's a very uncomfortable, tragic and brutal read. Very well written and I REFUSE to read the sequel that came out a few years ago cuz I heard it's awful and ruins so many characters

- Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Shoutout to Foxy for recommending this read to me! It's a very cool sci-fi about a boy who's a military genius. Talks about intergalactic war and how to approach war that I can see being controversial and people not liking it

- Bone series by Jeff Smith. One of the first graphic novels series I ever read. It felt so baited cuz the main characters are so cute looking! But then suddenly it got brutal real quick 😅 it's a good fantasy read and now I wanna reread it 😅

Book Recommendations

Our community is full of creative perspectives, whether it be writing, art, or reading! Lots of our members are avid readers who would like to share their recommendations with you.

Wattpad books:

The Hacker by Dragon_Rose

"This was one of the very first books that inspired me to write fanfiction. It answers the "What if I was sucked into a video game" question, where the main character, Leaf Verde, is wicked smart and hacks her way through the entire game, only for the game to turn on her and suck her right in. Now, Leaf has to play the game correctly if she wants to escape. It's so good! If you love video games, Pokémon, and an original take on the games itself, then I highly suggest reading it!" 

~JunieWeathers

Off-Site Books:

Promise (Webtoons) by Hat-Chan

"This is a short story by one of my favorite webcomic creators. With only five episodes, it tells this heartwarming tale about a dancer and an artist who once fell in love and the challenges that came with it."

~JunieWeathers

The Kane Chronicles (physical) by Rick Riordan

"It's an exciting series that follows siblings Carter and Sadie Kane on mythological adventures involving Egyptian gods and magic. With Riordan's trademark humor and action, it's a fantastic choice for fans of the "Percy Jackson" series looking for more modern mythology in their reading."

~Kyrpto

Future Events

October is OC-Tober for the Storytellers! We have a bunch of events and projects planned for writers, artists, and fans in between for this month. It will be our biggest OC-Tober yet!!

Review Book

If you are interested in having your book reviewed by the members of the server, check out our review book for sample reviews and submit a form for your own story!

Farewell

We hope you have a wonderful month! And remember to always go PLUS ULTRA!