How (Not) To Be A Fantasy Heroine Q&A

[@JillBearup]

Series 1 compilation here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpvKpZ6el7Wjn9U Shorts playlist here: kzbin.info/aero/PLj4N-R1RQxAuAQ4qBpaUbGLb1ZWpWySAz Oh, and if you do write fanfiction, the place to go is probably the r/swordlady subreddit because...I don't reddit, but it seems like the place to find like-minded individuals!

[@RecklessFables]

Have you ever watched the Lizzie Bennett diaries? They were such a great thing here on KZbin with Elizabeth Bennett as a American grad student doing a vlog.

[@ahd1903]

...entirely coincidentally, /r/swordlady subreddit just grew a [FANFICTION] post flair.

[@lisaroper421]

@@RecklessFables I was thrilled to discover the Lizzie Bennet Diaries through this channel! Jill has a video essay about it-- she has a whole playlist of Pride and Predjudice movies! 😁

[@JillBearup]

That is indeed coincidental… 🤣

[@richardfarrer5616]

I'm looking forward to the scene when Caroline finally submits this to an editor and has to explain to Rosamund why she is redoing some of the old scenes.

[@decayingsun5798]

My fondest hope for seeing Leo is having him still played by Jill, just with a costume, beard, or eyepatch.

[@3countylaugh]

I'm hoping for terrible stick on mustache 🤞

[@PVS3]

Asbolute gold. This is brilliant.

[@sweetsandcharades8383]

Oh, I was hoping to see her husband 🙈

[@thatHARVguy]

@@sweetsandcharades8383 With a terrible stick on mustache?

[@sweetsandcharades8383]

@@thatHARVguy That would be absolutely brilliant!

[@javagirl98]

I really hope that Leo and Rosamund end up together in spite of Rosamunds awareness, but also in a completely different way then Caroline intends for it to happen.

[@elettramelodia8990]

Impossible. Tropes are all-encompassing. But... It could be fun if Leo is just as aware of these tropes, and starts ruthlessly mocking them in the text, while somehow being unaware of Caroline or that he's in a story. Like, for example, the author tries to desperately set up a situation where they have to pretend to be husband and wife to please Leo's mother, who is an enormously influential woman who can easily secure Rosamund's children's inheritance, but won't help her unless she sees her son finally settle down and start giving her grandchildren, and Leo starts talking about how unbelievably contrived the situation is. And Rosamund sees him doing this and starts mocking Caroline for writing fiction so badly that even her unaware characters think her writing is bad, and then they bond over the madness of life and fall in love...Thus restoring things to the tropes and vindicating the author.

[@cmm5542]

@@elettramelodia8990 I REALLY like this idea!

[@MorrahaDesigns]

@@elettramelodia8990 You. Are. Brilliant.

[@frankharr9466]

Rosemund is best man at Leo's wedding to his long-term lover Nigel?

[@mildlycornfield]

Caroline not naming the city until literally the last second is absolutely a mood. Coming up with names is my least favourite part of writing lmao. I love this entire series of shorts and I'm very glad it's continuing

[@JillBearup]

I’m pretty sure there’s a joke somewhere about how she keeps renaming things 😂

[@sapphirII]

@@JillBearup So that's why she focused on Caroline calling her hot enemy Leo. Either she didn't yet came up with a name, or she just kept changing it.

[@creativehorsequeen]

Me: *writes a beautiful and moving romance scene that makes everyone cry * Also me: I'm gonna name the bad guy Murderous McStabby.

[@beckymurphy4714]

I've been writing a series set in a realm where magic exists and the Seven Deadly Sins have corporeal form. Where is this wondrous place? It's called...The Realm.

[@scruffy_jobe]

I've been planning a few D&D sessions and all my notes are filled with "Dwarf captain named (?)" And "Dragonborn priest named (?)" becuase I've got no idea what to call them

[@unpaintedleadsyndrome]

How would you turn this into a longform book? Turn it into the "Collected notes on the travels of Rosamund and her hot enemy", a playful quip on the more serious works in the genre like all Tolkien's notes, appendices and other unfinished stuff... With more funny footnotes per page than actual stuff .

[@Diabolics6894]

„The diary of a fed up fantasy heroine“

[@annastevens1526]

Very much in the vein of genre-savvy semi-romances like Patricia Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles, or more satirical works like Diana Wynne Jones' "Tough Guide to Fantasyland"! Not to mention the revered Sir Terry and his works which sometimes seemed to have a whole novellas worth if subplot happening in the extensive footnotes 😏

[@Vyrlokar]

@@annastevens1526 Yeah, the late Sir Terry Pratchett's epic footnotes might be somewhat of an acquired taste, but I love them.

[@tonybmw5785]

@@Vyrlokar I miss Sir Terry, the world is a darker place.

[@KitagumaIgen]

This has form! Dicken's "Pickwick Papers", Sterne's "Tristram Shandy" and on and on...

[@foxbytheriver]

I'm both Caroline and Rosamund when I write. I believe that Rosamund is the only one in there able to interact with the writer and the "camera", so if she ever told anyone, she would be thought as crazy. Oh, great, bonus therapy moments between her and Leo, who will try to help her.

[@theanicolesallustio4377]

I can definitely see the 2 personalities in this comment, and I love it (and I also do something similar from time to time, so that plays a part🤣)

[@foxbytheriver]

@@theanicolesallustio4377 writer's delusions

[@ajjones8013]

Sounds like my favorite movie, Stranger than Fiction 😁

[@Julia-lk8jn]

Kudos to Leo for not thinking of a sanatorium/ asylum, because those are evil. (Is he over the knives yet? Seriously, what a control freak. Surely it's self-evident that a gentlewoman does not discuss with a man what she's wearing under her dress?)

[@MorrahaDesigns]

@@ajjones8013 That is one of my absolute favorites as well. I wish Will Ferrell would do more dramatic roles like that. He was surprisingly good at it.

[@IronmanV5]

For this to truly be early 2000s fan fiction, Caroline the writer & Leo need to hook up🤣

[@Raycheetah]

I don't often do this, but: LOL! =^[.]^=

[@Shahrezad1]

I can testify of this truth. 🤔 There's nothing quite like a self-insertion fanfic. Nothing else compares, although whether that's a positive or negative reflection of that genre is entirely up to the reader...

[@Missbethr]

Let's Rosamund off the hook!

[@BackyardRebel]

Caroline DID seem pretty interested to learn the hot enemy's name was Leo....there might be some budding romance there!

[@IronmanV5]

@@BackyardRebel Swap places and turn the story into a cheap romance novel?

[@Cationna]

If it ever does turn into a novel, you will have to publish it under a pen name of Caroline Something, tho. I ADORE the series so much and actually I am very impressed that there IS a whole story in your head behind the shorts - not that the shorts aren't, y'know, telling a coherent, consistent story. But what I mean is, this technically makes the shorts actual fanfiction of your own WIP, and this level of meta is just glorious, downright Pratchettian. Thank you for your service.

[@ekij133]

"Caroline S. Ursa" - (for those of us who have been here since this was all fields)

[@duanebouchard8736]

If you ever do publish. I also like the pen name of " Caroline Something" ( Maybe with Cheese as the middle name)

[@Nykteli]

@@duanebouchard8736 Caroline Brie Kerrygold

[@Walls2008]

Pratchettian is perfect, thank you.

[@JamesNewham]

Wasn’t it Caroline Lindley?

[@MarkusAldawn]

The words "If DND was played by two character from Yes, Minister" is rewriting my understanding of the fantasy genre as we speak. That's genius!

[@lajoyous1568]

Briefly confused Yes, Minister with The Vicar of Dibley and was very perplexed

[@cmm5542]

Especially considering that Yes, Minister is my favourite TV series 😁. I love these references!

[@Jayfive276]

Writer and heroine being famous is all well and good, but it’s when people start writing Caroline x Rosamund fanfics that things get weird…

[@tedweird]

Truly inevitable

[@annemelo2247]

LMAO welcome to the internet

[@beckymurphy4714]

So...would that be CoraMund or RosaLine?

[@spandwiches6625]

@@beckymurphy4714 CaroMund. Totally here for this.

[@rhov-anion]

Rule 34 strikes again.

[@RoseWangelin]

For those of you commenting about the shorts not getting monetized, there is a way to get around this. I am pretty sure if you view the shorts under the “video” tab and view is as a normal video, it will be monetized, but if it is viewed on the shorts feed, it is not monetized. Hope this helps :)

[@3countylaugh]

Bumping this up so more people see it.

[@lisaroper421]

Very helpful! Thank you!!

[@joshuadixon4090]

Also, watch the compilation she's making! It's a video

[@meisjeViv]

I'll watch the shorts to get the allround views up (shorts is how I got to this channel as well) and then the compilation video when it's done :D

[@kamille286]

I honestly think that this story is extremely well suited for this format and doesn't necessarily need to become a novel. I will say though, with the recent released bits of text I'm certain I would enjoy it

[@mebibyte9347]

Not every good story needs to be in a giant novel, I've heard that Dickens never published an entire novel at once, but released three chapters at a time in episodic installments, then compiled the whole story into a compilation of chapters. Wow, he would have excelled at YT shorts hah! Much love, keep on rocking

[@suecarol1563]

A LOT of classic novels were 1st published serially. When you see those Victorian doorstop books the original readers were getting it in installments.

[@richardfarrer5616]

He published in magazines mainly. His stories were the soap operas of the day. It was only later they were collated into books (box sets?)

[@rhov-anion]

I remember reading about how Charles Dickens let one of his books ramble for ages because it was so popular, and he would even add in chapters based on fan letters. Sort of like how I used to add chapters to my fanfics based on special requests, really good questions that I never thought to flesh out, or someone cracking a guess at the plot and I was like, "That's actually quite brilliant, I'm gonna steal that and pretend they're a smart reader for predicting my next move."

[@slaplapdog]

In school I was confused when my attempts to emulate the long winded style of Dickens were described as "too wordy". He certainly used 12 words where one would have done. I suspect he was paid by the word!

[@Rachel-fi4sc]

He was paid by the word, iirc.

[@slimchelmi6940]

there's a reason why tropes and cliches stick around it's cause they work and honestly, I just enjoy the series for what it is, me myself being someone who loves some tropes and dislikes others especially since I'm into D&D and the likes: I friggin love this shit

[@scruffy_jobe]

I agree, tropes are just tools. All fiction has it's tropes, it's just hard to see when it's good fiction

[@crowdemon_archives]

@@scruffy_jobe alternatively, tropes that are well executed enhances the story.

[@simongiles9749]

We can be pretentious and call them "archetypes".,

[@jillie_chan]

Personally I want to know what happens when Caroline tries to write the scene she’s been wanting to forever and it, just, isn’t, WORKING! Does Rosamund end up in a time loop or does it look like the same “plz let this go” as before Edited: corrected the auto correct of Rosamund name

[@tedweird]

Rascal Does Not Dream of Petite Devil Kohai

[@aionicthunder]

@@tedweird That is not a reference I ever expected to see… pretty much ever. So, thanks for surprising me!

[@tedweird]

@@aionicthunder I watched the anime, fell in love with it, and got all 7 of the light novels (in English) within a few weeks. Hadn't read any LNs before

[@eriks2962]

The thing about tropes is that some of them are real things that happen. The "I don't like you, but we've had to coexist for a while and I am warming up to you" trope is a real thing. How many times did I end up HAVING to work with someone I did not particularly like on a project. But by the end of the project, I'm not planning our lives together, but I'm thinking that I'll invite them to my next party. They are cheesy tropes because they are over used and taken to the extreme in fiction. But they also DO happen.

[@AnnekeOosterink]

People who complain about tropes existing and being used must never read or consume any fiction I'm assuming, since most fiction is tropes galore. Especially genre fiction, but literary works are not exempt. Every piece of fiction uses some kind of trope in it. Even if only to subvert or lampshade it (which are both also tropes on their own).

[@cmm5542]

Agreed. I really think the biggest issue with tropes is actually often just the inability of READERS to see romantic metaphor as, um, metaphor? For instance, I love enemies-to-lovers tropes like crazy, but only because I see it as a metaphor for just 'learning to get along - don't judge a book by it's cover, people can change'; I actually would be sceptical about applying it to a real-life romance for myself (or anyone I knew). I keep that mentality, learned though it may be from romances, more for friends and acquaintances and teenage students who ACT like monsters (Beauty and the Beast and definitely The Taming of the Shrew should be required training manuals for any secondary school staff member). But using the romantic imagery in the fiction makes a deeper impact and gets the message across more strongly, because, you know, it's what the people want.

[@InventorZahran]

"It can happen, yes it happens. It's not just a phrase, in stories and plays, Yes it's real, and it's happened... to me!" - 'Love at First Sight', from the film adaptation of Puss in Boots

[@maxrinaldi9858]

I adore a good sendup of wornout tropes and the whole series has been delightful! I would go so far as to call it Pratchettesque which is the highest praise I can muster.

[@no1ofconsequence936]

Calling it now: Caroline hasn't written why there's enmity between Leo and Rosamund yet beyond "let's give her a Hot Enemy."

[@paulpinecone2464]

Possible metas: - Writer is just a voice in Rosamund's head which she uses to justify her irrational romantic impulses. - Writer is a Sadistic Sorcerer (D&D Edition VIIb specialty) who has geased a retired swordswench to vicariously enact her fan scroll fiction that has already been rejected by every publisher in the 6½ Kingdoms. See it would totally work! - A fantasy heroine has been linked to a reader of her adventures a la The Never Ending Story. Unfortunately the reader is 9 years old and thinks it would be really cool if the main antagonists made kissy-faces whatever that is. Disney has dropped the project. - Harry Potter is still living in the cupboard under the stairs and hallucinated the whole thing.

[@chokoth]

Hey Jill, Nora Roberts has a book that talks about breaking down an entire novel into the thing you can write. You do entire chapters as "scene vs sequel" until the story is finished. You're doing great so far!

[@lkf8799]

I can't find it 😟 Do you know the title. I Googled Nora Roberts book on writing and all her fiction stuff is popping up and some interviews.

[@CandidCascade]

I'd be curious about the title of this book too, if you can remember it?

[@annbrookens945]

Exactly what I want to know! I thought I'd read everything she ever wrote since I discovered her books in 1989!

[@starbucksmocha88]

I'd love to know this too if anyone knows the title, sounds interesting!

[@VictoriaStarratt]

Stephen King's "On Writing" is really good too.

[@agentmae5490]

I do love these shorts, can't wait to see the further trials of fantasy heroine >:D

[@zeromotivation1817]

Just to throw my hat onto my camel and completely confuse my metaphors I have to also add how much I am enjoying your hopefully long-running short series. A heartfelt and sincere thankyou.

[@DrPeppering]

This series is Lizzy Bennet Diaries level hype for me. I love that you are loving it and I think your love for the tropes shines thru the writing.

[@Fuzz32]

“I get to about 5000 words and then I get stuck.” I felt that in my soul.

[@sorchaazuragaming4765]

One can love and hate the tropes at the same time, and I am 100% here for both the feels, and the eye rolls 😂

[@elizabethmcglothlin5406]

Not only do I find this hilarious and very entertaining, but it's also been lovely to see the pleasure you're taking in it! I wish it paid better, but that's a writer's life and I doubt fantasy heroines get paid any better. Sigh.

[@andreagriffiths3512]

I must admit I am totally invested in this series. I never expected to be but I am! 🍿🍿🍿💕💕💕

[@FMFF_]

I love tropes! People can only be so original I don't see any issue with them being used as shorthand or for humor/fun. I'd rather an author use tropes than waste time with 5+ chapters of backstory to explain why 2 people are just friends but 1 has an unrequited love on the other. I get it childhood friends and 1 was caught staring at the other

[@cmm5542]

I always say a cliche only became a cliche because they are so often true! Of course, creative geniuses can think outside the box and take it to the next level, but tropes are nice on a level we can all relate to.

[@ERNesbitt]

I am a 40-something straight white male who just has an interest in stage combat and a wife who is hopelessly addicted to tropey Hallmark movies. I *love* this series, and your channel. Hopefully you can monetize the shorts soon.

[@SootShade]

As a guy, I enjoy romance stories for the comedic value of the tropes, intentional or not, in about equal measure to the actual romance. So this series is absolutely hilarious for me, and as bonus I get to compare the repertoire of tropes in action here to the ones in the Japanese/Korean comics that I read.

[@kupotron9507]

The sheer amount of gleeful chaotic villain energy you exude throughout this whole video is absolutely glorious. I especially enjoyed how you obviously reveled in the "going to make you mad" answer to the hot enemy question. In my opinion, this video ranks right up there with your combat wedges rant. Perfection.

[@minski76]

A masquerade! What could go wrong? Definitely not any mistaken identity shenanigans.

[@Dafmeister1978]

I'm going to give Bandit 2 the benefit of the doubt and assume that, seeing all three of his colleagues dead or dying on the ground, he decided to get out while he still had the option. Which of course means he can come back seeking revenge in Season 2, possibly causing some kind of "standing back to back against impossible odds" scenario for Rosamund and her hot ene- *ahem* Leo *ahem* Captain Collins.

[@egmccann]

I'm so glad to hear someone else does the "I get only so far and then my brain freezes...." Loving the series, too. :)

[@danielbickford3458]

I mean admittedly, your short series is better than 90% of what's coming out of Hollywood these days

[@tathoiclassicalindianbollywood]

As a YA writer currently drafting a YA Fantasy, I love love love this series so much! I can't wait to see the book 2 (series 2) where Rosamund and Leo finally come closer xxx

[@ri.b.8700]

I love this story in shorts.... frankly it's the only thing my over stuffed brain can handle right now and yes, the short segments are PERFECT!!! Thank You!! Can't wait for more but will if I have to because it's your story. So.... well done Ma'am!

[@IAmTheAce5]

this reminds me of the time I tried to write out a Star Trek Kobayashi Maru scene as dialogue and using features of beta canon to make the scenario plausible but difficult in escalation.

[@JessieTrinket]

Gotta say, I am really looking forward to the compilation, if for no other reason than it means I have a good way to share the first season with anyone who will (or won't) listen. It's a delightful series and I'm glad to har you've got things planned well in advance. EDIT: Scratch that, somehow didn't notcie the playlist of the shorts. Guess who's posting this in all of their Discord servrers! 😅

[@SerenityRavnos]

I am so delighted to hear there will be more of this series. It is pure brain candy and I'm here for it.

[@_purble]

FWIW, I find the short format really suits this series. I usually much prefer longer forms, but sometimes an idea just finds the right medium and it works.

[@rockyblacksmith]

Even if Jill isn't going to write one, I SO want a novel in which the protagonist periodically has conversations with the author, and the plot happens through negociations between the two. That's the kind of meta content I can apprechiate, even though I am extremely annoyed with overt metatextual commentary in most pieces of media.

[@RecklessFables]

I end up rewatching the entire series every time a new video comes out. You might say I'm invested!

[@anastasiyat5913]

I must say, that "female" love fantasy is my guilty pleasure. And your series is like best kind of summarizing all of it) And yes, I am almost sure I've read a fanfic with very similar idea placed in Harry Potter world when I was a kid! But it does no take credit from you in any shape or form! I am so invested in this, you have no idea )) I have ran out of friends I can share you videos with)) Also, I came to your channel for this series, but stayed for "Red notice" fight scenes and then it was 2 am and I have realized I watched almost all of your videos and subscribed. Keep going! You are great!

[@sagesaria]

Honestly, the fact that you love these tropes makes me even happier for enjoying it. I always prefer affectionate parodies that rib themselves and just have fun with it :)

[@Just_Sara]

When Caroline nearly squee'ed at the word *"masquerade"* I very nearly did too.

[@anna-maymoon1001]

The glee when writer said "it's a mascarade too!" YESSSSSSSS 🙌🙌🙌🙌 Thank you for doing a Q&A on this, I hope you get the cash back for all your hard work (or somehow managed to upload it to the tick tock?)

[@JillBearup]

I have uploaded it to the tiktocks, but that doesn’t pay terribly well 😁

[@Dribbleondo]

You are the reason I watch KZbin Shorts. Not kidding. I'm invested as hell in this shorts-series-thing.

[@valerynorth]

I am absolutely loving the series, and I am old enough to remember the fanfic early 00's stuff so I don't even have the excuse of this being new to me 😇. Totally on board with loving the tropes, while also clearly pointing out how silly they are at the same time. It's staple of the very best spoofs and pastiches, after all. And, as a writer, I love it when my characters talk back to me, even if they are awkward, stubborn, wayward and have their own very strong opinions about where they're going... I can usually convince them of my vision eventually, just goes a different route than I originally imagined

[@T_Mo271]

For me the most charming part of this series is the ongoing negotiation between the author and Rosamund over what situations she'll be cast into. I don't know "trope" from "tripe", but "author vs. character" is the unseen part of the storytelling tradition.

[@ZoharielUK]

As a self loathing scribbler, the 5000 words and stop comment speaks to my soul! Highest I managed was 10k and not a day goes that I don't regret going back to it despite having zero ideas on what to do with it

[@JillBearup]

I still get asked on tiktok if I’m going to continue the story I started there and I literally have no idea what she does next, I have written myself into a corner and there are theoretically lots of ways out but I just…can’t. 🤣

[@ZoharielUK]

@@JillBearup good to know this is a feeling felt by others. I suppose there's a sort of Zen state of mind that the act of writing it gave you some enjoyment at the time so no writing is truly wasted. But that's something that is fine in theory but hard to change the neurons flooding your brain with all of the feels and fears

[@MangindDerous]

@@JillBearup as someone who has literally 2 large moving boxes full of notebooks and folders filled with the major plot points, character bios, back story notes, maps and traveling routes/times and pages of other random information some of which is and some which isn't necessary for the actual stories (enough of the above for a 4-6 book series) but who in the nearly 2 decades of writing and making all this stuff has never been able to sit down and actually write more than 2 or 3 pages of a fully fleshed out readable story I truly am in awe of anyone who can do what you do and can't tell you how much it both fills me with joy at your joy in the creation and pains my regrets that I can't find the skill/ discipline/ motivation/ intangible thing in missing to do the same. Love all your content. Much love from Australia.

[@annbrookens945]

I. LOVE. THIS! Some of those tropes drive me crazy in a book...but perhaps it depends more on the talent of the author? In this format (by you!) they are pure delight!

[@cmm5542]

I think all tropes need a healthy dose of self-parody to be palatable. Making fun of something not because you dislike it, but because you DO like it and don't want to ruin it by taking it too seriously. I never take anything too seriously. My favourite comedy is The Mikado, which is all about not taking executions too seriously. Seriously.

[@gorylek198]

I really enjoy this series :-) I want more.

[@jenzvoice]

Your shorts have been having me giggling in glee every time I see one. Even though I don’t like the romantic genre at all. I very much understand not trying to pressure yourself and only looking at a small part. As a writer attempting a sci-fi time travel au history dualogy myself. Yes very invented. Can’t wait to see what happens next ❤

[@EfiLovesBooks]

Thoroughly enjoying Rosalind's adventures. Your gentle poking-fun is also helping me make sure i'm not doing anything too terribly ridiculous in my own novels, so that's a nice little bonus.

[@Butterflier00]

"fake" *blank* is just so cheesy and sometimes awful...but all the time glorious. I love this stuff.

[@LairdErnst]

I’ve never argued with a character in my head when I write but I have had those instances where I start a story and then at certain number of words or pages later I either lose interest or get stuck. I sympathize. Keep doing the short form if that’s what keeps the story going for you! Also, a couple questions. I get the impression that Captain Collins (Leo) is a fighter or paladin type character initially, but now he seems like some kind of fantasy cop? If so, what does that make Rosemund ? I was getting the idea she was a sort of fighter but with the daggers comment I’m thinking she’s more roguish? Also, what are her kids names?

[@maciekmiktus]

Aaaargh! The "will we see Leo" cliffhanger at the end, love it

[@Blamwellamum]

I must say, I really enjoy these shorts, not because I love or hate the tropes, but because it's just very entertaining to watch!

[@allycally6085]

I would die for a Jill as Shallan Davar cosplay (also, I just love the notion of creating the safehand bag/pocket.)

[@lukecox6317]

If I may, I'd just like to say thank you so much for this series and for this Q&A video 🙂 this sort of thing, both the tropey shorts and the discussion on them, reinvigorates my own sense of wonder and enjoyment in the act of reading and writing stories, and reminds me of so many nostalgic things. I pray you go from strength to strength and I hope you continue to enjoy making these just as we enjoy watching them! God bless you!

[@lady_gwen]

Honestly, your heroine series gives me some serious Terry Pratchett vibes...which I will always be down for

[@lilyevans9523]

- Will there be bodice ripping? -NO

[@JillBearup]

Go rip your own bodices! Or don’t, because that’s a waste of a perfectly good bodice…

[@girlwithoutpearlearring]

@@JillBearup It is, indeed! Besides, I've always wondered how they manage to rip the whole thing in two with just one tug. Because, there are usually _layers_. Unless you're getting un-bodiced by Hercules himself, I don't see how any one could rip through, let's say a silk gown, structured, possibly boned undergarments and a linen shift. Oh no, wait, scratch that. We don't wear linen shifts.

[@cmm5542]

I just LOVE this 😍. I could simply never reconcile developing a passionate romantic bond with someone who shows 0 respect for your gorgeous clothes, or the fact that they're inconsiderately making so much work for you by ripping them! How are you going to have any fun thinking about all the extra mending you'll have the next day? Give me a guy like Leo who makes tea and can actually sew himself (at least as well as an eleven-year-old) any day.

[@eolhinforest7736]

@@JillBearup I would find it much funnier if a scene led up like it was going to be a "bodice ripper", but cut to the other party considerately spending 15 minutes at least cursing under his breath while he tries to get the protagonist out of her layers in an orderly fashion without damaging anything. Points for it taking even longer than getting into the outfit, if he is not familiar with that style of formal wear, or such. Also, if we are talking royalty, or the like, there is a good chance that the lady can not put the outfit back on by herself, and had several maids help her into it in the first place, which makes covering up that something happened much more challenging. Though it would be very amusing if some rogues have developed the skill to get ladies re-dressed, not in defense of their reputations, but rather in defense of their own hides.

[@starbucksmocha88]

@@eolhinforest7736 haha this is a great idea, I want to see this or read this in something one day! Love it. 👌

[@TraineeHero]

I just got Caduceus Clay flashbacks from this. Jester: As he ripped open her bodice... Caduceus: That's like five gold to fix.

[@fairytala]

Just a comment for the algorithm and to tell you how amazing this is! You've created great witty and smart videos for years now, but combining your amazing sense of humor, your knowledge and your love for storytelling inte THIS is just... next level!!! ♡

[@thedabblingwarlock]

How did I miss this?! It is gloriously sassy in that way that only Brits seem to be capable of pulling off. Love your content, and the whole series has reminded me of how many teenaged waifs I've played in DnD/Pathfinder. (I am recovering. In the more recent games I've been in I've been playing an exiled prince analogue who's died and been brought back to life by having another character put a hag's heart in his chest and a street rat turned cultist turned acolyte.) Still, there's something to be said for saying "Blessed by the gods!" or "She has non-human ancestry that magically enhances her strength." in a fantasy setting. If you're in a sci-fi setting, cyborg is also acceptable. And then there's the book I've got on the back burner. Currently it starts with some flirty dialogue between the main waif and her choirboy love interest. She does learn to fight, but she gets beaten up quite a bit in the learning. Anyway, enough of this yank's babbling. Back to the rewatch! 😁

[@ekij133]

"I can't tell if you love or hate the tropes" - The tropes are Frenemies.

[@fabricofdreams.]

Oh my gosh a MASQUERADE BALL 😍😍😍

[@mountainjune]

I have to say I love this string of videos! I both hate and love these tropes. I'm a writer, (I can't say author until I've actually published something) and I do the same things with my characters as I'm writing them, like talking to them. Your string of videos have been inspiring and very entertaining and I'm planning on doing something a little like them in the future, but sadly I am not the entertainer you are. I'm glad you'll be continuing them. 🎉 Good show!

[@TheCandyManTeam]

On the last question: It's possible to love something and also be critical of it. Shocking, I know.

[@Kanaye44]

I’m loving these shorts! They are such fun!

[@persiswynter6357]

One: so sorry you don't get monetized for shorts. Two: I absolutely ADORE this series! Thanks for making an omnibus. I'll watch repeatedly.

[@alpinewolf7751]

Not a kid, but invested nonetheless.

[@gigidodson]

God I LOVE this. The writer and the lead character interplay is such a fantastic idea! Kudos

[@allanmonroe692]

This has been enormously entertaining so far. I look forward to more. 👍 Also, you mentioned that you enjoy sci-fi stories that are also regency romances. Have you heard of an author named Lois McMaster-Bujold? Her sci-fi series includes a regency romance. I cannot recommend her enough.

[@jewelschan]

I LOVE this series so much. It makes me happy to see more! It's fun to play with tropes and for me at least, fun to see our little heroine getting annoyed at every little thing the writer tries to sneak in. haha

[@amandawaller3479]

This is something that has been bothering me. Why does Rosamund care that Leo was mad that she doesn't trust him? If Leo did something untrustworthy, he doesn't get to be mad that he's not trusted.

[@meganofsherwood3665]

Thank you, this has been bothering me

[@cmm5542]

I also wondered about that. I put it down to temporary irrational personal insecurity, which every writer appears to inflict on their character at times, I assume as a form of self-projection.

[@zaf_nz]

Re the captions, as someone who needs them, I am so grateful for your hard work!

[@kalcheus]

I wonder if we'll find out that Leo, the hot childhood best friend, etc., are all based on real people in Caroline's life. And then we can debate who we ship Caroline with!

[@Percy_PotterEdits21]

The fantasy heroine got me into your channel (Well, before I saw your murder dresses, but I didn't know that was you) :)

[@ahd1903]

(fills in paperwork for dividend reinvestment in this story to double down on investment)

[@meteorplum]

Love the shorts, and it doesn’t even matter that I don’t see them in order. Makes me work a bit to keep up. As for the “can’t get past 5000 words but I have 6000 in my worldbuilding file” issue, in your copious free time between seasons, maybe think about what these stories look like as issues of a comic. Each issue covers one scene in the interior story, with Rosalind breaking the 4th wall to talk to the Writer. (Or they start over the shoulder of the writer, with the words turning into images as the camera pushes in. If the thoughts aren’t concrete, it looks like a set, and the characters are half in costume, with prop-looking weapons/etc. [Yes, I’m already working out how this can be a *different* video series.] The “reality” of the scene changes depending on how much doubt Rosalind or the Writer has about what’s happening. It’s very meta.) You only work enough ahead to complete the current scene and lay out groundwork for the next scene, which goes for the worldbuilding doc as well, which isn’t the script, but does become the Bible for the story, which is another thing entirely, as you have noted. Have fun with this idea if you choose to try it out. Also copious apologies if you choose to try it out.

[@eloquentlyemma]

Here’s a crazy “it’ll never happen but I so wish that it would” idea. I’d love to see this series as a point and click adventure game - or choose your own adventure book - actually it could be two games/books so that you could either play as Rosamund or Caroline. The scene graphics would be minimal as the focus would mainly be concentrating the characters expressions and dialog - the bargaining and deals that they do with each other… I’d help crowdfund that❤

[@RoronoaEmi]

The brain freezing when trying to write anything long form is a MOOD. Love these. As a thirty-year old mother who writes for a living (not fiction, alas), sews/crafts, does HEMA, and plays TTRPGs, this could not possibly be more in my wheelhouse. ♥ Don't worry about commenting pressure, best of luck with the monetization, and looking forward to 🌟Season Two!🌟

[@shiho15]

"...and it's a ✨masquerade✨ too!" 😂😂😂 I'm loving the series, and as a person pushing 40 it's great to see the tropes and themes we saw as kids/teens been reinvented and still loved! long live the transformative works!

[@nathaliekruger8613]

Can hedgehogs eat vegan cheese?

[@davideldridge3686]

I feel your pain about writing. I once wrote 14 chapters of a book while at a very boring retail job. As soon as I had time to write an actual book based on those chapters, I couldn't press forward.

[@somethingwolfish1872]

You have got to be one of my most favorite people on the internet. Thank you for making me laugh and feel better about the tropes I enjoy.

[@lordunderstatement3645]

I love the shorts but if they aren't monetized, by all means... make long form versions of them. You are absolutely hilarious and watching the 'writer' try to ship the heroine and her 'hot enemy', er, traveling companion, is great.

[@amberpdavis]

thoroughly enjoying every second of this, it fuels my love-hate (but mostly love) relationship with tropes

[@Neophoia]

this series is super entertaining and the self aware and disgruntled fantasy heroine keep making me laugh. Looking forward to seeing future shorts, for however long it takes you to complete the adventures of Rosamund.

[@stephanieturner6912]

This series was awesome and yes, gave so much serotonin!

[@katrinkoop8444]

Supporting this project with all the typety and things. Also I love love love your brainchild, this is highly entertaining!! Also yeahhh to the :invested: thing

[@dragonlordjonerc]

I completely understand the inability to write long form. As a kid, I always wanted to be a writer. I had stories, most of which were just blatant rip-offs or full on fan fiction (though there was a Final Fantasy story that was quickly becoming it's own thing). However, I lacked the long-term focus to keep working on projects. Plus, I hated writing all the stuff in-between the scenes I was really excited for. But then I came across D&D, and suddenly I had a space where I do all my writing of scenes, world-building, etc. but never needing to bother with the in-between stuff because my players took care of that. Sure it meant I don't have novels to show for my work. But I have a bazillion stories to share that people seem to genuinely enjoy, once they have a bit of context.

[@berthulf]

"This is my Jam" Oh honey, that makes me so happy! Because these tropes are my Jam, they are my Butter, and they are the Bread to smother the Butter and Jam on. 🤣 How about a Tolkienesque "Collected Notes" with Extreme Pratchettian Footnotes and a Sandersoni Prologue and Introduction?

[@AbbyKadabby18]

This is my favorite short series ever

[@wakrusgumbo]

I'm way more Rosamund than Caroline when I write. Then again: I'm convinced that, as she said, Caroline knows exactly what the people want. I'm so glad you're into this stuff, even if it's not my cup of tea. You can't really make fun of it effectively if you don't.

[@crestm1384]

I love the shorts. They are absolutely hilarious.

[@fatesrequiem]

Jill, I have to point out…I am in my 30s, have lived in the US all my life, and I want you to know I thoroughly appreciate the “Yes, Minister” reference. Easily one of the best shows ever written!

[@cmm5542]

It is the best. I now live in the UK and WORK for the Civil Service. This stuff is diabolically accurate.

[@fatesrequiem]

@@cmm5542 oh…I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry. lol

[@cmm5542]

@@fatesrequiem It's fine, seeing as I can watch the handbook! YM should be required training material! 😆

[@fatesrequiem]

@@cmm5542 😂🤣

[@zman350x]

I feel like based on everything you said you would really enjoy watching "A Court of Fey & Flowers" Final episode comes out this Wednesday!

[@ewolhteb]

I think I've figured it out: Rosamund and Leo are enemies because of cheese. They are from families of cheesemakers that have been in competition with one another for generations.