wrath in the ashes | a 1001 nights retelling

author's note

and before you ask, no, WITA is not coming down.

but if you want the next chapter, i'll need your help.

let me explain.

this past year has been nothing less than a rollercoaster. i had dug extensively into research for all of my WIPs, and so far i was getting things right. despite that, i had gone through several periods of doubt in my work (hence the long breaks between chapters) and came close to putting everything down and marking WITA as incomplete. 

NaNoWriMo 2019 changed that.

this year was my first year participating (the WIP of choice was my Book of Esther/story of Purim retelling, And He Drank The Sun), and i entered hesitantly, to say the least.

i ended up writing over 50,000 words in less than 25 days. (November 23, to be exact.) 

and as i did that, at the end of it all i turned my thoughts to WITA and realized that i couldn't give up. i thought of how you had encouraged me throughout this story's first incarnation (The Talisman ) and into its second, and i couldn't let everything screech to a halt like that.

so i jumped back into it. through it all, i've been working on the next update of WITA while wondering how i can further connect with you all.

then, i had it. so many of you have offered to be there if i needed to run anything by you that i didn't want to keep saying 'i'll let you know' and probably (probably, y'all) never get back to you. i wanted to keep in touch.

so i brainstormed for a bit and realized that what would be best for my needs was a group of alpha/beta/sensitivity readers.

alpha readers read the WIP while it's still unfinished (much like what you guys do here) and give plot suggestions/feedback.

beta readers read the WIP after it's completed and also give plot suggestions/feedback, except their information will be crucial in starting future drafts and/or submitting to agents in the future.

sensitivity readers can be both, but they read the WIP and give plot suggestions/feedback on things that have to do with POC/minority rep, also helping with research and providing resources.

after much deliberation, i've decided to call this diverse group The Ruinated Ones–after my tag list over on Tumblr–and open up applications.

here are the specific identities that i'm looking for:

  ✒️ South Asian (specifically Indian)

  ✒️ East Asian (specifically Chinese)

  ✒️ MENA (Middle Eastern/North African)

  ✒️ West African and/or Afro-Carribbean (i identify with the latter myself, but my ancestors were the former–there is a high possibility that they could have also been part of MENA, but for now i feel comfortable with the West African description)

  ✒️ Jewish (raised or practicing)

  ✒️ Muslim (raised or practicing)

interested in joining? here's what you need to do:

  ✒️ ' n1. follow me here on Wattpad.

  ✒️ ' n2. fill out this form (link is in the comments/external link) with all the necessary info (because how else will I meet you lovely people?)

  ✒️ ' n3. once that's done, i'll sort through the list and announce my picks. if you're not chosen, no need to despair! i'm always looking for people willing to help and i will most likely reopen applications in the spring/summer of 2020–when that happens, there's no need to send in an application if you have already. you get first dibs, since i'll be looking through your apps first before moving on to the newer ones <333

and that's it! applications close on my 16th birthday (January 7th!), just about a month from now. thank you so, so much for supporting me from the beginning–i've always wanted to connect with you, and this is just the start. hopefully, this will give me the push i need to edit and publish the next chapter of WITA, as well as share many other WIPs with you. i'm excited, to say the least, and i can't wait to meet the applicants.

stay ruinated, darlings,

–ella <3