Frequently Asked Questions
What is Shukumei?
Shukumei is a private Neopets guild for skilled artists and writers, to put it simply. Founded in late 2002, Shukumei has formed a strong community of both experienced, long-time members, yet still allows a steady flow of new members to join and let the group evolve. Beyond the exterior of Shukumei as a an exclusive guild, the world Shukumei is a mythical land formed by the imagination of it's creators and contributors. Though this land accepts all worldly creatures unlike its predecessor guild, The Mohabi Pack, many of it's inhabitants are still of the canine type. The lands of Shukumei exhibit various climates and landscapes, from icy tundras to deadly lava fields, fruit-filled islands, and anything the heart could desire.
The Shukumei world was created in hopes to encourage roleplay interaction between members of differing skill levels, allowing for learning and improvement. Similarly, more artistic or code-knowledgeable members may critique and help one another in their own specialty fields. Although our members are required to have a certain level of skill before joining, there is always room for improvement, and participating in a large group of similarly skilled users is highly beneficial.
Who leads Shukumei?
Shukumei has two founders, Keri and Nikki, and three additional council members, Abra, Ardy and Gobi. All five of us have been on Neopets, and in Shukumei, for several years.
How do I join Shukumei?
We accept members into the guild through an application process to judge their skills. Applications are now open on a constant basis unless stated otherwise, and can be found on the apply page.
What does the name Shukumei stand for?
Shukumei (
) is a Japanese word meaning "fate," and is pronounced shoe-coo-may.
We chose this name with the idea that the Shukumei world is a place that the pure of heart are bound by fate to discover.
How can I apply for Shukumei?
Shukumei Applications are no longer managed on Neopets and through neomail. This is because we can't have multiple users log in to check and review applications, and because the Neomail system has annoying limits. Click here to apply. Below is a description of the application form:
| Name: | The name you prefer to go by. |
|---|---|
| Age: | How old you are. Unfortunately, due to COPPA regulations, we're legally unable to give members under 13 years of age full access to the guild without parental permission. |
| Skills: | Let us know what skills you're trying to get into the guild with. Typically we expect artists and/or roleplayers, but if you're especially proficient at composing midis or programming, we'd like to hear it! |
| Examples: | Some examples of your previously stated skills. If you're a roleplayer, give us a paragraph or two of your typical roleplaying (please avoid spending an extra hour refining something just for the application!), or if you're an artist, send us a link to some pieces of art, or a gallery. If you're both, send both! |
| About yourself: | Our goals with applications include getting a feel for yourself as a person. Go ahead and give us a small bio about yourself, your interests, if you've applied before or been in the guild before, and why you want to join the guild. |
Applying to be invited in your main account is preferred!
I was rejected! Can I apply again later?
We allow applicants to apply again in the future, but we ask that you give yourself time to let your skills develop before applying again. Typically, if you're rejected a first time, allow yourself a few months in the least before sending another application. Also, please consider the number of applications we're currently dealing with, and especially the number of people waiting to join at the time. Both of these numbers are visible on the application page.
Do you have any tips for applications?
A lot of things that make the process easier for us, and better for you, are very similar to making an online job portfolio, or even a resume. Don't over complicate the application - we like to see some effort put into what you're submitting (proper capitalization and an effort at grammar, save if you're making a joke, are the least amount of effort we expect) but it becomes extremely difficult to get through your application if you make it too long! For this reason, keep things somewhat concise - we just don't want to see an essay for each section.
Examples generally follow the rule above, but there's an important balance here. We need to be able to see an adequate amount of your work to really judge it. The best thing to do, especially with writing, is to give a couple of paragraphs for a quick example of your writing, but if you have a full version of the piece, link us to it if we want more! For art examples, typically we would like at least 5 examples of your best work.
What standards do you have for art and writing?
Here are a few examples of what we consider the base art quality to get into the guild:
Drag an image to your URL bar for the full size
Currently, we don't have any writing examples. Sorry!
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