#episodefantasy

[dominiquewritesthings]

[dominiquewritesthings]

How to Develop a Style of Directing

1. Re-read the stories you like - Read your favorite stories with directing you admire. This is the fun part of researching because you can enjoy some good content. It's also the easiest. 

2. Understand what elements you like - You don't have to like everything. Pick out the things you like and reimagine them as your own. Let's say you like visual outfit choices. If you already know how to do tappable choices, they're easy to do once you know how to. Yet, they can truly elevate your story's interactivity. 

3. Realize what you dislike - What don't you like about the directing? Are there too many flashing lights? Or is it lacking some filters to make it aesthetically pleasing? Either way, understanding what you dislike is just as important as what you like. You need to understand why you don't like it and figure out what you can add when you keep that element out of your directing so it doesn't feel stale and like it's missing something to the reader.

 4. Ask Questions! - Have you ever liked a directing element but not known how to include it? Ask the author! A lot of the time, if the author doesn't mind they'll send you a link to a forum post and explain it to you themselves so you can enjoy the feature as well. If they don't answer you though, respect their wishes and figure out how you would do it as if you were creating this. 

5. Take Notes - It can't hurt to read different Instagram Infographics and Forum posts to find new directing tips that you may want to add to your directing style. The more you have under your belt, the better you'll be when you need to code something new. Without my years of learning Donnacode, I would've struggled immensely with creating mini-games. 

6. Be Inspired - Look around you in the game and in real life. Let's take the simple task of typing on a computer. You don't sit down and start typing. You grab your keyboard or laptop, make sure your computer is on, and then start typing. Now imagine coding that into Episode. Maybe the user would tap the laptop before the character starts typing. Simple codes like these would make your story more interactive and feel real. 

7. Experiment - Don't think about what you can't do, think about what you can do. If you see something you may want to code, think about how you would logically do that. Would you use a ton of overlays? A special background? Utilize a new line of code that you usually don't include.

8. Know your limits - Sure, the sky is the limit but no one reached the stars without a long journey there. When I started experimenting with mini-games, I started understanding how to use tappable overlays and timed choices. I started incorporating timed choices because those are a bit easier to include as a mini-game but still make your story so much more impressive! The next thing I knew, I was coding a card game for a new story. Sure, the card game was really hard to do, took a lot of overlays, and took 3 days to code, BUT it was SO worth it since I had fun with it AND  a lot of people enjoyed it! You will get there eventually, just don't rush yourself. 

[dominiquewritesthings]

Read Chapter 4 of Moving Elsewhere on the Episode interactive App. I'd appreciate everyone's support in reading.

[dominiquewritesthings]

Season 1 of Magic Prep is complete, which means that Season 2 is not too far around the corner. Season 1 ended with Chapter 19, and I’m so happy it did. I worked so hard to make sure season 2 started on a pretty number, so let’s give a round of applause for that magic.

Speaking of Magic, let’s set the expectations for season 2. Londyn will be learning more about herself, gaining confidence, and discovering the many secrets of magic. Interested in finding out what that is? You’ll see soon enough.

She’ll meet new people, and discover new secrets about the school itself.

Also, I’ll be going on a mini-hiatus when it comes to publishing chapters. I’d like to be a little ahead of schedule before starting season 2, purely because I want to add more art scenes, make it more complex, and more. All that requires work, planning, and a good storyline.

Thank you all for sticking around and reading this far, I hope you’re more than satisfied in season 2! Ideally, season 2 will start in 2024. Not sure exactly when though, but make sure you keep an eye out for updates.

Comment 🔮 if you’ve made it this far. I’ll see you soon!

[dominiquewritesthings]

Winter Tidings at the Magic Preparatory School

Winter Tidings is a magical holiday that is celebrated school-wide at the Magic Preparatory School. I realize that many of you may not know what it is, so I figured today would be a great day to learn about it.

Every year on December 10th, students remember how thankful they are to be where they are. In the past, many witches and wizards lived on Earth and didn't receive proper education on how to use their magic. As a result of that, many witches and wizards have been frozen to death because they could not make a fire for themselves to keep themselves warm. 

In modern-day times, people celebrate by giving gifts to friends and realizing how privileged they are to go to a school that teaches them how to use magic. Thankfully, they are allowed to have a few days off from school because of this to truly spend time with friends.

[dominiquewritesthings]

What I Read in 2022

Back in the past, I used to make shelf lists on my Instagram. That said, I wanted to elevate it a little bit and do an Episode wrapped for my Ko‑fi page! I will be linking the Instagrams to all of the creators below because I hope you check out these fantastic stories! 

1. Black Magic by ER Gurney & Art by Sucre. This story is completed and in the fantasy genre. Your first semester at Wandsoworth's Academy of Wizardry is off to a flying start... until a rogue love potion has the most SEXY guy/girl there falling at your feet! 

2. SWY: The Library Escape by Yoshi. This story is completed and in the mystery genre. Two people, one is popular and one is a loner with an attitude, stuck in a library locked at night. Will you escape in time? 4 possible endings, CC.

3. Stuck in a Nightmare by Tanji. This story is completed, with no wait and in the horror genre. In the world of Halidrea, you can visit other people's dreams. What will happen when you and your rival get stuck in someone else's nightmare? 

M/F MC | Full CC | 4 Endings 

4. College of Eternity by Sophookles. This story is currently being written in the fantasy genre. At the time of writing, 34 chapters are out. Your life gets turned upside down when you receive a mysterious letter from a magic academy. Will you make friends, find romance, and discover the truth and the school?

5. Slay by Lucas. This story is currently being written in the LGBTQ+ genre. At the time of writing, 8 chapters are out. The campus' LGBTQ+ club is caught in a murder scandal, that roomies Tim and Ezekiel intend to solve. They will find mystery, danger ... and maybe love?  CC/GAY ROMCOM MYSTERY

6. My Reaper by Sophookles & Lizard. This story is currently on hold and in the fantasy genre. This story currently has 13 chapters. You can't cheat death, can you? With your life at stake, will you be able to melt the cold heart of your mystery reaper or will you fall into oblivion? Full CC | LGBTQ+ | Art 

Of course, I read more stories than this. That being said these were the ones that had me biting my nails and at the edge of my bed. Even spending gems on skip-the-wait or early access because I had to know what happened after the cliffhanger! 

Also, please note! While none of these stories are in the romance genre, they all involve some form of romance. 

[dominiquewritesthings]

How I Picked Magic Prep Names

Picking the names of your characters feels like it's the end all be all, and that everyone will look into the name as much as you are. But sometimes, that's not always the case.

1. Londyn York - Londyn York's name is a little unique, but it's available to be customized. I wrote this as an ode to my parents, my dad who lived in New York, and my mom who grew up near London. 

2. Blythe Davis - Blythe is an ode to my favorite kids show that I watched growing up. I wanted the names to be unique because I wanted my characters to stand out, but this name isn't too out there. 

3. Aurelie Bleu Dupont - I wanted an obnoxiously French name, to match her personality. Not to say that Aurelie is obnoxious, but in the beginning, it does come off that she always has a problem with everyone, but really her character is more like an onion. She'll open up the longer you read.

4. Asher Thorne - I'll be honest with you, I looked up a bunch of American names, and went with the one that had a similar Urban Dictionary as the personality that I wanted.

5. Claire Hawthorne - I swear, Asher and Claire are not related, the last names are purely coincidental. I just thought that the last names fit them, and then realized later how similar it is. Don't hold it against me!!

I made this post to show that you can put so much thought into the names of your characters, but you don't necessarily need to when it comes to having a good story. As long as your characters have depth and personality, you'll be fine. The name will stand out for itself.

[dominiquewritesthings]

A Brief Guide to Safe Haven Day

On March 19th, 1695 the Magic Preparatory School started accepting applications. 

This school was created to be a safe haven for all witches and wizards alike to learn how to properly use their magic without hurting themselves or others and be able to practice without humans hunting them. 

To celebrate, students dress up in their school colors (purple, grey, and white) and are thankful for the school they go to. Also, alumni sometimes visit to participate in the ultimate school spirit day.