Rosewater

"Sub rosa, meus amor."

A fixed Ratiorine zine about secrets.

The phrase 'sub rosa' in Latin is literal for "under roses" and is a phrase to mean something 'in secret.'

Roses are symbolic of love, romance, and beauty.
Rose Water is historically used for tranquility and elegance; a popular bath choice to promote thought. However, to be underwater is symbolic of danger, concealment, and mystery.

So what would it mean to be under Rose Water?

Rosewater is an unofficial fanzine about drowning in secrets, and the romance of Dr. Veritas Ratio and Kakavasha, the Aventurine of Stratagem.

Our main social media is Bluesky.
The others are not updated outside of major annoucements.

About Rosewater

What is a zine?

A zine is a fandom project created by a group under a theme or idea. The end result is a "magazine" or book of some sort featuring a collection of art, written work, and sometimes merchandise. Each zine is different and the concept of 'fanzines' has existed since Star Trek was popular.

What is 'fixed'?

When a relationship dynamic is "fixed" that means the character in the 'giving' or dominant role and the character in the 'receiving' or submissive role do not switch places. Rosewater is a "fixed Ratiorine" so there will be no depictions whatsoever of Aventurine 'topping' Ratio.

However, we do not define top/bottom by solely penetration- it can also be defined by the leader/follower or giving/receiving.

This makes it more flexible for trans depictions, hetbend, sub topping, or similar if contributors would like to explore them. There are exceptions to everything and we would like to remain open minded while staying solely "Ratiorine." Sex is a very fluid thing with many things to explore.

We just want our favorite Doctor to stay on top of it all, if you would.

We understand this may not meet all rigid standards, and we encourage curation of your preferences as needed if Rosewater does not meet them.

How does 'for profit' work?

All charity and profit zines have a period of time in which they come up for sale called "preorders." The goal is to fund production items of the zine itself being printed and any merchandise included within the bundles for all participants of the zine. This is called a "breakeven" goal- and anything beyond that is profit. A charity zine will take this amount of excess and donate it, while a profit zine will split it between the members of the zine as a paid out sum. This typically happens at the very end when the zine is deemed "concluded" and all sales have ended.

If anyone missed it:
The zine's breakeven point is to fund a copy of the zine to all contributors. Ideally, this will be a fully funded copy of the limited edition and shipping to each and every contributor. Afterwards, any remaining funds are split between ALL members of the zine, including mods.
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How many people are in Rosewater?

To be determined in the Interest Check - the question about paying for the zine is what sets this limit as well as the general interest in the zine.
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Based on initial and current feedback- would ideally about 8-9 writers and 30-35 artists in the SFW version, as well as about 10 merch artists. The NSFW and DD versions may have more or less, based on the applications we recieve.

Why so few, you may ask?
For transparency, this is how it works:
If you have a 25 dollar zine, you probably want to have 200 pages or less. There's an entire explanation I could get into regarding print page per dollar costs and brackets, but that would be very overly technical and not needed for this explanation.

So you have 200 pages.
Each writer in a zine with decent typeface and spacing is about 10 to 13 pages.
So if you have 10 writers, that's 130 pages.

Now you have 40 artists. Assume they all do just 1 page- front and back, that's 20 pages so now you are at 150, the low end of what you wanted.

Add in your table of contents, the merch credits, title page, disclaimer, and any other relevant information- you have probably close to 150 to 200 pages even before spreads, comics, and special artwork.

Hope that makes it a bit more clear for you for Rosewater and any other zine you may apply to in the future going forward. It really does just come down to the nitty gritty of the zine's financial burden, printers, and printer availability.

What is Rosewater?

Rosewater is an unofficial fanzine about secrets, based on the phrase 'sub rosa' meaning 'under the roses' in Latin- a little play on words about how people used to meet in the gardens for secret discussions. To be 'under the roses' is to keep secrets.

Ratio is shown to have baths lined in rose petals- a practice used to promote beauty, tranquility, and elegance throughout history. Cleopatra had the sails of her ships perfumed with rose water so heavily that it was said by Shakespeare that the winds were lovesick. Rose water is still used today in beauty products and associated with romance.

To be underwater, however, is danger. There are many phrases about deep water, the mystery it holds, and concealing things.

So if the water is lined in roses, or is rose water itself, does that meaning change?
Would drowning in rose water be drowning in romance, or the concealment of romance?
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Rosewater is a project about this question and the possible stories that can be told with it- drowning in secrets and how those secrets affect or influence the romance between Ratio and Aventurine.

Is Rosewater going to be fluffy or dark?

There are many different ways to take the theme and we will be leaving it up to the contributors how they would like to approach it. A secret doesn't have to be a bad thing- such as harboring feelings or unrequited mutual pining or it can be dark with things like lies, love affairs, and hiding a secret kid.

Is Ratio secretly harboring a love for furbies?
Or is Ratio secretly haboring that he is a furby and must return to his home planet tomorrow?

We would like to see people get creative and have fun with the concept within each respective section (SFW, NSFW, and possibly DD).

All sensitive themes will be tagged and noted within the zine as a precaution in good faith.
The head mod would like to see a certain amount of seriousness in all works across the zine, jokes about furby Ratio aside, so Rosewater will not be a "fluff" zine, but it will not be inherently all darkfic either. Think mystery, drama, and suspense romance with a dash of romcom for flavor as needed.

Why is it "Rosewater" and not "Rose Water?"

# Aesthetics
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Rosewater is still a recognizable variant of "rose water" and is a soft play on "underwater" and playing back into Sub Rosa- Under Roses.

We may add the space back in if the contributors and the future cover artist prefer it.

Application Guidelines

These are subject to change when the actual applications come out or as needed.

About the process~

Rosewater applications will be done BLIND.

When you turn in your app, the head mod (Ket) will recieve your application. There will be a quick glance done to your profile. Any signs of hate speech, anti-like behavior, or phobic displays will result in your application going into further review with the co-mod and/or disqualification.

After approval, your samples will then be placed in a voting document without your name and any identifying info without editing your work too much. (Signatures may be covered up or blurred, but not removed.) You will be given a random codename and from then on- and that is who you are to the rest of the mod team.

Relevant mods will then vote on the works with no knowledge of who created them.

This is painless to applicants, giving everyone an equal and fair chance to be seen and accepted.

As a word of transparency: All mods are given a "Champion" slot. This is 1 person that they vouch for and is usually allowed to be part of the zine without question. A gift from the head mod to the team members. This voucher does not take an applicant slot.

Rejections Happen.

While it sucks, rejections do happen to qualified and good people. This isn't personal. Zines have a limit of how many pages they can print- and that limits how many people they can ultimately have.

Please know that being rejected from Rosewater or any other zine is not a direct or valid reflection of your worth or value as a creator. You can be just as good as everyone else and still get cut due to a coin flip over space. We would love to have everyone, but it's just not possible.

That being said, Rosewater will NOT be giving anyone their individual ratings or reasons for rejection.
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Expectations:

Rosewater is a collaborative project, as all zines are.
We expect the following from our contributors no matter what.

Ability to work towards the theme to achieve the project vision. Zines are closer to commission work than solo work, but they are not a true commission. You have a period of time to discuss your ideas and they must be approved to be included into the zine.
Ability to collaborate as a team.
Ability to take constructive criticism and make changes if needed.
Your work to be turned in on time, with communication given if deadlines are not met.
In the event that there is a concern or problem, the mods are informed as soon as possible.
Treat yourself and the rest of the zine with respect.
You do your best, but not to the point of detriment or harm. Rosewater does not want to be the reason you stress yourself out to the point of grey hair. Zines are supposed to be fun.
The work you create for Rosewater is new and not something pre-written or already shared with the public. Please do not apply for the zine with the pitch you plan to use.

About Guidelines:

The below guidelines are NOT hard limiters or requirements. These are lists of what we would ideally like you to have when you apply, but we do not expect everyone to have everything we ask for.
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The guidelines are designed to give you the best possible chance to impress us and provide what we are looking for in our applicants. They are not actual requirements.

However, failure to adhere to the RULES will have consequences such as your samples being ignored or entire application discarded, so be mindful of them.

What do we want from Writers?

A minimum of 3 (three) and no more than 5 (five) samples at least 1000 and no longer than 3,200 words each.
At least 1 (one) sample featuring Aventurine and Ratio together. Does not have to be a ship, but that is preferred as this is a ship zine. Unlike artists, we will be requiring this from writers as we need to see your full characterizations of the boys together.
One 150 wordish blurb of one of the submitted works you feel properly represents you.
An average level of spelling and grammar mistakes will not be factored into the voting process, however, your work should be readable without effort.
SFW Applicants should not send anything with NSFW.
NSFW Applicants must send at least one NSFW. Dead dove is acceptable for the application if tagged.

What do we want from Artists?

A minimum of 3 (three) and no more than 5 (five) art samples.
At least 1 (one) sample featuring Aventurine and Ratio together. Does not have to be a ship, but that is preferred as this is a ship zine. If you do not have a couple's image, it's recommended you send at least 1 solo image of each so we can confirm you can draw them, then a couple image of your choice.
At least 1 (one) sample featuring a solid full page with a background.
Comic Artists may submit up to 4 pages per comic.
Sepia, Monochrome, and Greyscale images are allowed so long as they are finished and polished.
SFW Applicants should not send anything with NSFW.
NSFW Applicants will be required to send at least one NSFW. Dead dove is acceptable for the application if tagged.
You will be asked what you want to create, so be sure to think about it. The options are single page arts, spread arts, and comics. It is in your best interest to have at least one of what you are applying for within your samples, but not required.

What do we want from Merch Creators?

A minimum of 3 (three) and no more than 5 (five) mockups. Be sure to state what each mock up is for- it's very hard to tell a sticker from a charm from a standee if you don't include say so.
At least 1 (one) sample featuring Aventurine and/or Ratio. Together or matching pieces preferred.
At least 1 (one) image of a completed product, digital merch (such as podfic) can be linked. If you have never produced an item, that is OK.
Sepia, Monochrome, and Greyscale images are allowed so long as they are finished and polished.
You will be asked what you are comfortable creating.
Keep in mind this is not asking what you HAVE made- but what you would like to. There will be a list of all the items we are looking for and a blank box where you can add anything else that comes to mind.

What will help your chances?

Make sure all of your links work. If we can't see it, we can't rate it.
Consider the theme of Rosewater- do you have any narrative, introspective pieces?
Consider the theme of Rosewater- do you have any drama, suspense, or heart wrenching works?
Send as much as you can that meet the guidelines.
Follow the rules below.

RULES:

No Main Character Death. Submitting any work with main character death will result in immediate disqualification. If we cannot clearly confirm the characters are alive and well at the end of the work: Do NOT send it. You WILL be rejected.
Full disclosure: This is triggering to the head mod. You will be rejected if you trigger the head mod by failing to listen to this rule and there are no exceptions.
No NSFW Aventio. Submitting work of NSFW Aventio will result in that sample being skipped and not included in your voting package. There is no punishment or bias applied to your application, it simply will not have that sample included when it is voted on.
Writers: Do not go above 3,500 words, it will be skipped and not included in your voting package. This is also a test to see if you can comply with the zine specs and follow the rules. Cut what you need to.
Artists: Do not send an entire gallery and nothing else. It is at moderator discretion if they want to filter it for you.
Due to legal constraints with the home state of the shipping mod and Discord ToS- Lolisho and/or Shota will not be made or produced for this zine project. However, you may send it as your samples and there is no prejudice against it.
The Obvious. Anything containing hate speech, slurs, or harassment to real world people will cause immediate disqualification.

Notes...

The rule about alt ships has been removed, but please try not to send an entire gallery of an alt ship (such as Sunturine or Screwtio) and expect us to know how you will handle Ratiorine. Threesomes are more acceptable if you have them.