Every lesson is an adventure!

Class Act is an upcoming for-profit, SFW fanzine showcasing the Sumeru characters in a school AU setting, from high school to college and grad school!Current phase: Creation.


Subscribe to our newsletter* below for project updates!

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter below for exclusive sneak-peeks, early access to the shop, and reminders for when Applications and Preorders open for Class Act!

Disclaimer

By subscribing to our newsletter, you give the team of Class Act: A Sumeru School AU Zine permission to send you promotional and reminder emails. Newsletter emails will include: news, updates, and project sneak peeks (such as project progress in the form of WIPs, and snippets). Emails may also contain coupons and early access to the shop if available.Your email will be kept strictly confidential within this zine project and will not be sold, reused, rented, loaned or otherwise disclosed. Any information you give us will be treated with the utmost care and will not be used in ways that you have not consented to. The option to unsubscribe is always available.
Thank you for your kindness and support!
— The Class Act Team

Project Information

Class Act is an upcoming for-profit, SFW fanzine showcasing the Sumeru characters in a school AU setting! Our goal is to present their daily lives as students across different schooling periods, such as high school, college and grad school. We hope to explore different settings and scenarios through fics, art and comic spreads.

Specs

  • Digital + Physical Zine

  • Full color, Perfect Bound

  • 8.5 x 8.5 inches

  • Estimated ~100 Pages

  • ~45 Contributors

  • Merchandise Included

Contributor Info

  • Accepted page artists are expected to create 1 page or 1 spread for the book/zine (with the option to provide spot illustrations for writers). Page artists with an approved comic pitch will be expected to create a short comic of up to 4 pages (2 spreads).

  • Merch artists are expected to create at least 2 merch pieces each.

  • Writers are expected to write 1 story that is between 1.5k to 2k words in length.

  • Usage Rights: Contributors will retain the rights to their pieces but we request that contributors not share, sell, or post full and final iterations of their pieces until given the go-ahead. Sharing of previews is allowed only during our preorders period (after final submissions). More information pertaining to sharing previews will be made, with a provided template.

Compensation

Depending on sales during pre-orders, contributors will be compensated according to the following financial model:

  • 1st tier: Free high resolution PDF (guaranteed)

  • 2nd tier: Book

  • 3rd tier: Book and paper/flat merch

  • 4th tier: Book and all merch

Under this model, shipping is included for 1 bundle. If there are leftover profits, they will be split equally amongst everyone.

Application Guidelines

Applications for Class Act will open on October 28.

General Requirements

What are we looking for? A solid pitch! When applying, it is encouraged that you pitch an idea for the zine. We want the zine to include a variety of ideas that explore different schooling periods, such as high school, college and grad school!Be as elaborate and creative as you’d like! Any pitch that maintains the school AU setting is accepted. Claims and pitches will be assigned and approved after everyone has confirmed their spot and joined the discord server dedicated to this project.We plan on including 30 Artists, 7 Merch Artists and 8 Writers, inclusive of Guests. Numbers are subject to change pending the Interest Check results.

  • All applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of their application.

  • As this is a PG-13 zine, we ask that applicants please do not include NSFW pieces and WIPs on their application.

  • Works presented on your application should be indicative of the type of style and quality you are willing to create for the zine.

  • Works including Sumeru characters are highly recommended, but not necessary. We strongly recommend that you include at least one Genshin Impact sample in your portfolio.

  • Please make sure to submit a link to any platform that presents your best work. Your portfolio could be hosted on Google Drive, Wix, ArtStation, DeviantArt, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, etc. We only ask that you make sure links are easily accessible.

  • Applicants are allowed to apply for multiple roles (page artist, writer, merch artist), but may only be accepted for one role.

  • We will ask for potential pinch hitters on the applications. If you are interested in pinch hitting please make sure to let us know on your application.

Page Artist Applications

  • Make sure to follow our general application requirements above.

  • Please provide 5 samples that best represent your work.

  • Backgrounds are not required, but please share only finished pieces. We will not accept WIPs.

  • We are also looking for Spot Illustrators who are interested in collaborating with a writer to decorate their prose. This is in addition to an artist’s assigned page. If you are interested in this role, please let us know on your application.

Merch Artist Applications

  • Make sure to follow our general application requirements above.

  • Please provide 5 samples that best represent your work.

  • We highly recommend providing real-life photos or mockups of merch you’ve produced in the past.

  • We are also looking for Spot Illustrators who are interested in collaborating with a writer to decorate their prose. This is in addition to an artist’s assigned page. If you are interested in this role, please let us know on your application.

Writer Applications

  • Make sure to follow our general application requirements above.

  • Please provide 5 samples that best represent your work.

  • Please include 1 sample that is completed and no longer than 2k words.

  • Other samples could be taken from longer fics as excerpts but must still be no longer than 2k words.

Schedule

Below is our tentative project schedule. Please note that this schedule runs on ET (GMT-5) timezone. Any changes to this schedule will be announced on our social media.

Applications

August 22Project Launch
September 12 - October 5Interest Check
October 14Interest Check Results
October 28 - November 24Contributor Apps
December 1Results Mailed
December 14Pitches Confirmed
December 15 - Jan 1Holiday Break

Creation

January 11 - January 121st Check-in
February 1 - February 22nd Check-in
March 1 - March 23rd Check-in
March 30Final Submissions

Sales and Production

May 1 - May 31Preorders
June - JulyProduction
AugustShipping

Faculty Members

Meet the team!

Co-Organizer, Finance & Shipping Mod

Hey there I'm SK. My school life experience is 99% procrastination as I sit in the back furiously bullshitting my homework while the teacher is collecting it—the other 1% is correcting the teacher's math. Sir, that's x, not x2.

Favourite Sumeru characters: Alhaitham, Nilou, Nahida and Wanderer 😌

Experience:

  • Tides & Tears: A NeuviFuri Fanbook — Finance, Writing & Organization

  • The Cloti Zine vol.2: Tender Memories — Co-Organizer, Finance & Shipping

  • Lucida Sidera: A FF Ladies Zine — Co-Organizer, Finance & Shipping


Co-Organizer, Graphics & Formatting Mod

Hello! I'm mayari and school is back in session. Are you ready to participate in Sumeru's Shining Scholarly Shenanigans? 💛

Favourite Sumeru characters: Nahida, Candace, Nilou, and Alhaitham

Experience:

  • Tides & Tears: A NeuviFuri Fanbook - Graphics & Formatting Mod

  • Lucida Sidera: A FF Ladies Zine - Co-Organizer, Graphics, Formatting & Social Media Mod

  • Style Bomb: A YuYu Hakusho Fashion Zine - Lead Organizer, Graphics, Formatting, Shipping & Social Media Mod


Art Mod & Promo Artist

Hello! I’m Eli and it’s back to school season… sharpen those pencils and read the syllabus! It’s going to be a blast working together with everyone to bring this universe to life.

Favourite Sumeru characters: Wanderer, Cyno and Layla

Experience:

  • Style Bomb: YYH 90s Fashion Zine - Art Mod

  • Tender Memories: Cloti Zine vol 2 - Art Mod

  • Lunar Flare: Dabihawks Tarot Zine - Page Artist

  • Lucida Sidera : A FF Ladies Zine - Merch Artist


Communications & Merch Mod

Hi there, I'm Sakky and I'm too cool for school ready for school (and lots of chaos) with Sumeru! 💚

Favourite Sumeru characters: TIGHNARI, COLLEI AND NAHIDA!!! And I guess Wanderer lol

Experience:

  • Tides & Tears: A NeuviFuri Fanbook — Head, Merch and Communications

  • Infinite Horizons: A Tales of Fanzine — Head, Social Media, Organisation and Finance

  • Lucida Sidera: A FF Ladies Zine — Merch and Communications


Finance & Production Mod

Hi I'm Aziantearz, but you can call me Mimi! I can't wait to torture see and nourish our brilliant Sumeru characters with fun activities, slice-of-life beginnings, and the ensuing chaos in the school setting! ❤️

Favourite Sumeru characters: Wanderer, Alhaitham, Kaveh, Collei, Nahida and Nilou

Experience:

  • Tides & Tears: A NeuviFuri Fanbook — Finance, Production & Shipping Mod

  • Lucida Sidera: A FF Ladies Zine — Finance & Production Mod

  • Homeward: A Blank Period Sasusaku Zine — Finance, Production & Shipping Mod


Hi there, I'm Mayelisa! As a burnt out former Gifted Child™️, this project is going to be so much fun reliving the chaos of school and the weird nostalgia I feel about buying school supplies when the back-to-school season starts.

Favourite Sumeru characters: Alhaitham, Kaveh, Layla, and Nilou are the loves of my life.

Experience:

  • Lucida Sidera: A FF Ladies Zine - Writer & Beta Mod

  • Tides & Tears: A NeuviFuri Fanbook - Social Media Mod

  • Final Fantasy Tales: A FFVII Kid's Storybook - Writer & Beta Mod


Social Media Mod

Hi it’s Sash and I’m here to liven up the classroom with tons of club activities and mini interactive games (I promise it’ll be fun!) so buckle up and let’s enjoy this ride together~

Favourite Sumeru characters: Nahida and her hostage in a big hat. And Alhaitham.

Experience:

  • Masquerade: HSR AU Zine - Head, Graphics, Writing and SocMed Mod

  • Moonlight Threads II: Genshin Hanfu Zine - Writing and Cultural Sensitivity Mod

  • In A Past Life: Jingrenheng Zine - Writing Mod


JP Communication Mod

Hello, I'm Darque! My lemon teas are 95% syrup, 5% lemon and tea. This is the only school-anything I will enjoy. I remember pulling for Tighnari and his weapon during his release banner even though everyone told me that 'he was coming to standard' and then his weapon wasn't there and I got the last laugh.

Favourite Sumeru characters: Tighnari and Cyno!

Experience:

  • Lucida Sidera: A FF Ladies Zine - JP Communications Mod

  • Tides & Tears: NeuviFuri Fanbook - JP Communications Mod

  • Color Cafe: DR Coloring Book Zine - JP Communications Mod

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

What is a zine?
A zine or fanzine is a small-circulation, self-published work of original writings and/or arts.
What is this zine about?
Class Act is an upcoming for-profit, SFW fanzine showcasing the Sumeru characters in a school AU setting! Our goal is to present their daily lives as students across different schooling periods, such as high school, college and grad school. We hope to explore different settings and scenarios through fics, art and comic spreads.
What is the rating for this zine?
The zine is rated PG-13.
Will the zine be physical or digital?
The zine will be physical and digital.
Will this zine be for-profit or for-charity?
This zine is for-profit.
How will contributors be compensated?
Depending on sales during pre-orders, contributors will be compensated according to the following financial model:

  • 1st tier: Free high resolution PDF (guaranteed)

  • 2nd tier: Book

  • 3rd tier: Book and paper/flat merch

  • 4th tier: Book and all merch

Under this model, shipping is included for 1 bundle. If there are leftover profits, they will be split equally amongst everyone.How old do I have to be to apply?
All interested contributors must be 18 or older by the time of their application to be considered for the zine.
How many contributors are you accepting?
We are anticipating about 45 contributors, which will involve 30 artists, 7 Merch Artists, and 8 writers. Numbers are subject to change pending the Interest Check results.
Will you ship internationally?
Yes! International shipping may be available. Please note that some restrictions may apply based on the country.
Where will the product be shipped from?
The zine will ship from Canada.

Contributor Information

Can I apply for more than one role?
Yes! But interested applicants are most likely to only be accepted to one role.
What are artists and writers required to do?
Accepted page artists are expected to create 1 page or 1 spread for the book/zine (with the option to provide spot illustrations for writers). Page artists with an approved comic pitch will be expected to create a short comic of up to 4 pages (2 spreads). Merch artists are expected to create at least 2 merch pieces each. Writers are expected to write 1 story that is between 1.5k to 2k words in length.
Will traditional art be allowed?
Yes. Please make sure to provide a clean, high-quality scan of your work. Scanning in 600dpi or higher is advisable.
Are contributors allowed to collaborate?
We welcome collaboration between our contributors! Do note, collaborations can only be established among contributors after they’ve been accepted into the zine and joined the Discord.
We welcome any collaborations where artists would like to provide secondary, small pieces to accompany a writer’s story and decorate the story’s pages (spot illustrations)! These pieces will not be priority and artists who do volunteer to do this would still be expected to provide a full-page illustration first and foremost. Collaborations in the form of short comics can also be discussed. More details on collaborations will be available during claims and on the Discord server.Can I include characters from other regions in my piece?
Of course, only as long as the Sumeru cast are included and that they are the main focus of the piece.
Can I include ships in my piece?
To keep this zine open to everyone, there will not be ships in any submissions.
Are pieces in canon settings allowed?
As this is a zine meant to present various school AUs, we will be prioritizing ideas set in AU settings. Pitches in canon settings will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Can I submit an older piece for the zine?
No, please make sure that the piece is unpublished and brand new.