Everyst to Showcase Next Generation of Filipino Writers and Illustrators
Everyst,
the social fiction platform, has announced the addition of two new Filipino
writers to its global roster of storytellers: writer/illustrator, Ramina Alexis
Alfonso (@MiChan617), and writer/illustrator, Lerie Ly (@mocheekanon).
What
is Everyst?
Everyst
is a new storytelling platform that encourages readers to engage in real time
through “Social Fiction”. Available across all mobile devices, Everyst provides
readers with a fun and unconventional approach to manga and light novels.
Stories are told through a series of immersive ‘tweets’ that make each read a
compelling and character-driven adventure. Made in Japan, Everyst found
immediate success across Southeast Asia and now have their sights set on the
Philippine market.
Ramina
Alexis Alfonso shares, “Everyst’s way of delivering their stories is very
convenient for people on-the-go because they release their stories part-by-part
all throughout the day. So the characters themselves deliver the story to you
through tweets in a real time format.”
“I
assumed the pieces would be one-shots or six-word stories I often see online,” Lerie
Ly adds. “I did not think the format was ideal until I read how Everyst adapted
classic literary works like Dracula and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde. The “Social Fiction” format made those classics more accessible
and less intimidating. It convinced me that the ‘bite-sized storytelling’
format works!”
Readers
across all corners of the world have enthusiastically shared their thoughts on
Twitter for Everyst’s brand of “Social Fiction”:
“This
is probably the most immersive story I’ve read… The fact that you feel or
interact with them is an amazing idea,” shares Cesar Armando (@multijuegos1315).
“Never
read a Twitter story before. This is genuinely cool! I love the character
interaction,” says Living in 2007 (@LivingIn07).
Who
are Everyst’s Filipino Storytellers?
Ramina
Alexis Alfonso is a twenty-nine year old writer from Cebu, and a graduate of
the University of San Carlos. Primarily a freelance graphic artist by trade,
her fiction centers on comedy, romance, and slice of life. The fusion of genres
is perfectly captured in her debut story, Paper Cranes. The story follows Mayu
Arata, a young girl intrigued by the sudden appearance of paper cranes on her
desk.
“The
story imparts an important lesson about selfless giving and how simple acts of
kindness can leave an impact on someone’s life,” shares Alfonso. “Paper Cranes
teaches us that while life doesn’t always go the way you’d expect it to be, it
is full of surprises!”
Lerie
Ly, a graphic designer and dedicated cosplayer, is no stranger to the print
industry. She has worked on a number of Tagalog-language comic manuscripts for
local imprints such as Black INK. Her story, Unforgettable Taste, was among the
finalists for the Silent Manga Audition. Ly’s work touches upon elements of
comedy and slice of life.
Ly’s
debut piece, Out of Focus, tells the story of Aki, a freelance photographer in
the midst of an existential crisis. In an attempt to put his life back
together, Aki decides to document the wedding of his ex-girlfriend and her
fiancé.
“It’s
an on-going piece,” adds Ly. “Nothing’s certain except self-deprecating humor
and regular mentions of Splatoon and coffee.”
A New
Way of Telling Stories
For Alfonso
and Ly, getting the chance to develop stories for a platform as unique and
immediate as Everyst enables them to advance the craft of storytelling.
“If
you can read on-the-go, you can also write on-the-go,” says Ly. “Just like the
things I post online and tweet, ideas for stories tend to occur to me anytime
and anywhere. I find the spur-of-the-moment lines more fitting to the story I’m
writing and it also puts my knowledge of slangs and memes to good use too.”
“Everyst
brings characters to life,” says Alfonso. “It’s not every day you get the characters
delivering their thoughts or dialogues directly to the audience themselves. In
Everyst we can do that!”
Everyst:
A New Platform for Filipino Creators
Together,
Alfonso and Ly represent the future of Filipino storytellers. Through Everyst,
both women now have the chance to tell their stories and ply their craft to a
global audience of young and excited readers. And given how connected Filipinos
are to social media, both Alfonso and Ly expect readers to catch on to the
accessibility and vast library available on Everyst.
“Everyst
has a good chance of making it big in the Philippines given our fascination, if
not obsession, with social media,” says Ly.
“I
think Filipinos, especially the younger generation, will embrace Everyst and
its ideas on delivering stories as ‘Social Fiction’,” adds Alfonso. “And
because there’s a growing population of manga, comic, and anime lovers, I’m
sure that Everyst will be a hit locally. If other writers are interested, they
can create and share unique stories with us. Our team is very open to new
ideas.”
Experience
a new world of storytelling through Everyst! Enjoy a library that features
hundreds of fully illustrated stories across multiple genres by downloading the
app today on iOS
and Android!
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