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natsumeyuujinchouPlease find below (hopefully) all the information you need! :D
FAQ & Sign-Up Tutorial
Do I need an Archive of Our Own (AO3) account to participate?
What does signing up commit me to?
What are the deadlines?
What if I can't finish my assignment?
What is a pinch hit?
Signing up
What's a request?
What's an offer?
What's a Dear Creator letter?
How do I post my work to AO3?
Anything else?
Do I need an Archive of Our Own (AO3) account to participate? back to top
Yes, you will need an AO3 account. If you need an invite code, contactlittlebutfierce / ![[livejournal.com profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
littlebutfierceby PM or via e-mail (paperwarfic at gmail dot com).
What does signing up commit me to? back to top
If you sign up, you are agreeing to do: one complete fic of at least 1000 words, or a complete (not a sketch) piece of artwork or an AMV/vid of at least one minute, that fulfills one of the prompts your recipient gave. In return, you will receive either art, fic, or an AMV/vid (you can specify which you would like) yourself!
What are the deadlines? back to top
Sign-ups will take place from January 25 to February 7, closing at approximately 7 PM GMT (what time is that in your time zone?). Assignments will go out as soon as possible after that.
Assignments will be due on March 17 at 9 PM GMT (what time is that in your time zone?).
The exchange fanworks will be revealed on March 24, or when all the participants have a gift (whichever is later). At this point they will be anonymous. On March 31 the creators' names will be revealed. Please don't post your assignment anywhere but to the exchange collection on AO3 until the creators' names are revealed!
What if I can't finish my assignment? back to top
If you can't finish your assignment for any reason, you must contact the mod (littlebutfierce / littlebutfierce or paperwarfic at gmail dot com) immediately. Things happen sometimes; that's understandable. However, everyone signed up wants to receive a gift – so please let the mod know as soon as possible if you need to default on your assignment, so it can be reassigned to someone else.
You can default by contacting the mod as in the above paragraph, or by going to your AO3 account, clicking on "Assignments" and then clicking the "Default" button next to your Book of Friends exchange assignment.
Defaulting can be done by March 3 without penalty. Anyone who defaults after this date will not be permitted to participate in future rounds of the exchange until they complete a 1000-word fic or complete artwork for one of the original prompts for their assignment.
Anyone who defaults at any time without notifying the mod will not be eligible for future exchanges. If you need to default, contactlittlebutfierce / littlebutfierce by PM or via e-mail (paperwarfic at gmail dot com).
What is a pinch hit? back to top
If a participant can't finish their assignment, a pinch hitter steps in to take it and make sure everyone has a gift! If you are interested in pinch-hitting, please subscribe to the pinch hit mailing list. If any pinch hits are needed, a message will be sent to the list asking for a volunteer to take the assignment. You don't have to be signed up for the exchange to be a pinch hitter.
Signing up back to top
Sign-ups will take place using this form on AO3.
You must make 3 requests & 3 offers. You can make a fourth offer if you want (which may also make matching easier).
What's a request? back to top
When you sign up, you must make 3 requests. You will receive a gift based on one of them.
Here's what the request section looks like:
Each request must have between 1 and 3 specific characters chosen. You can scroll down to see all the characters, or you can click to show all the characters' names at once. Click to select the character(s) you would like to request.
The next section, labeled "Freeforms," has three tags: Art, Fic, & AMV/vid. Please check if you would like to receive art, fic, an AMV/vid, or any (by checking all three boxes). You can choose different options for each request!
A note on how the matching system works: say you'd be happy to receive works featuring Natsume, Matoba, Nyanko-sensei, Taki, and Hinoe. But you don't want to have Matoba and Taki appearing together, and you only want to see Hinoe with Nyanko-sensei. You must then make three separate requests: one with Matoba (and whoever else you want to see with him), one with Taki (and whoever else you want to see with her), and one with Hinoe and Nyanko-sensei.
There's an optional space to provide a link to a Dear Creator letter (see below for more on that).
And finally, there's a space to provide optional details to give your creator more of a hint on what you like. Your creator will be matched on medium (fic, art or AMV/vid) and characters only – this is a chance to offer more suggestions to help them make a work that you'll love! Giving your creator several ideas to work with can be really useful. You can put details here or put a link to your Dear Creator letter (see below) or both!
Here is an example prompt (from a past exchange):
Yours can be shorter or longer, with more detail or less!
Please note that only characters that you specifically name in the request (the 1-3 characters you typed in) are required to be in your gift. In your optional details you can suggest ideas that might include other characters, but your creator is not required to use them. Please also note that you are matched on characters & medium -- your optional details are provided to help your creator know more about what you like, but they aren't required. Again, it helps if you give multiple suggestions if possible. Note that you might request something shippy & receive something gen (with the same characters), etc.
What's an offer? back to top
An offer is how you describe what you are willing to do for your assignment in terms of characters. You must make three offers. You can make a fourth if you like, which may make matching easier.
Here's what the offer section of the sign-up form looks like:
Again, as with requests, you can scroll down the list of characters or click "Show all checkboxes" to see them all at once. You can select from 1-5 characters per offer – this is more than you can select per request, to make matching easier.
And if you are happy to use any nominated characters in any combination, then check the "Any" box. However, most people will probably want to specify characters, or sets of characters, in each request. Borrowing from the example above, if you are comfortable making fanworks featuring Natsume, Matoba, Nyanko-sensei, Taki, and Hinoe, but don't want to do anything featuring Taki and Matoba together, you would have to make one offer with Taki (and whoever else you'd be comfortable featuring with her) and then another with Matoba (and whoever else you'd be comfortable featuring with him). And again, if you only want to create something with Hinoe if she's with Nyanko-sensei, then you'd have to make a separate offer including only the two of them.
The next section, labeled "Freeforms," has three tags: Art, Fic, & AMV/vid. Please check if you would like to offer art, fic, an AMV/vid, or any (by checking all three boxes). You can choose different options for each offer!
Note after your third offer, there is a button on the right if you would like to add a fourth offer.
Once you're done, look over your signup carefully, though you can edit your signup as long as signups are open, and then hit submit.
The signup summary gives an idea of what people are requesting & offering.
What's a Dear Creator letter? back to top
This is optional, but very useful for whoever has your assignment! It's a letter (that you can post on LJ or DW, for example) that gives more details than you might have included in your sign-up: more thoughts about the characters you chose, types of fanworks that you like (or would rather not receive), etc. The more your creator knows about your tastes the more likely they'll be able to create something that you love.
You don't have to have a Dear Creator letter written when you sign up; you can make the post in your journal & simply note that it's a placeholder, so that you can put the link to it in your signup. Don't forget to go back & edit your post to put in your letter, though!
Here is an example letter (from a different exchange with different rules about character requests, but the idea is the same).
And here are the collected Dear Creator letters for the exchange!
How do I post my work to AO3? back to top
There's a FAQ on posting to AO3 as well as a brief tutorial on posting to a challenge.
In brief, to get started you can either use the Post New Work link off your profile page, or you can go to the Book of Friends exchange collection and click on “Post to Collection."
For art and AMVs/vids, you'll do the same thing, except you will have to upload your image or video to an image or video hosting site first and then use the img src tag to post it.
Anything else? back to top
If you have any other questions, please comment here or PMlittlebutfierce / littlebutfierce or e-mail paperwarfic at gmail dot com.
FAQ & Sign-Up Tutorial
Do I need an Archive of Our Own (AO3) account to participate?
What does signing up commit me to?
What are the deadlines?
What if I can't finish my assignment?
What is a pinch hit?
Signing up
What's a request?
What's an offer?
What's a Dear Creator letter?
How do I post my work to AO3?
Anything else?
Do I need an Archive of Our Own (AO3) account to participate? back to top
Yes, you will need an AO3 account. If you need an invite code, contact
littlebutfierce / littlebutfierceby PM or via e-mail (paperwarfic at gmail dot com).What does signing up commit me to? back to top
If you sign up, you are agreeing to do: one complete fic of at least 1000 words, or a complete (not a sketch) piece of artwork or an AMV/vid of at least one minute, that fulfills one of the prompts your recipient gave. In return, you will receive either art, fic, or an AMV/vid (you can specify which you would like) yourself!
What are the deadlines? back to top
Sign-ups will take place from January 25 to February 7, closing at approximately 7 PM GMT (what time is that in your time zone?). Assignments will go out as soon as possible after that.
Assignments will be due on March 17 at 9 PM GMT (what time is that in your time zone?).
The exchange fanworks will be revealed on March 24, or when all the participants have a gift (whichever is later). At this point they will be anonymous. On March 31 the creators' names will be revealed. Please don't post your assignment anywhere but to the exchange collection on AO3 until the creators' names are revealed!
What if I can't finish my assignment? back to top
If you can't finish your assignment for any reason, you must contact the mod (
littlebutfierce / littlebutfierce or paperwarfic at gmail dot com) immediately. Things happen sometimes; that's understandable. However, everyone signed up wants to receive a gift – so please let the mod know as soon as possible if you need to default on your assignment, so it can be reassigned to someone else.You can default by contacting the mod as in the above paragraph, or by going to your AO3 account, clicking on "Assignments" and then clicking the "Default" button next to your Book of Friends exchange assignment.
Defaulting can be done by March 3 without penalty. Anyone who defaults after this date will not be permitted to participate in future rounds of the exchange until they complete a 1000-word fic or complete artwork for one of the original prompts for their assignment.
Anyone who defaults at any time without notifying the mod will not be eligible for future exchanges. If you need to default, contact
littlebutfierce / littlebutfierce by PM or via e-mail (paperwarfic at gmail dot com).What is a pinch hit? back to top
If a participant can't finish their assignment, a pinch hitter steps in to take it and make sure everyone has a gift! If you are interested in pinch-hitting, please subscribe to the pinch hit mailing list. If any pinch hits are needed, a message will be sent to the list asking for a volunteer to take the assignment. You don't have to be signed up for the exchange to be a pinch hitter.
Signing up back to top
Sign-ups will take place using this form on AO3.
You must make 3 requests & 3 offers. You can make a fourth offer if you want (which may also make matching easier).
What's a request? back to top
When you sign up, you must make 3 requests. You will receive a gift based on one of them.
Here's what the request section looks like:
Each request must have between 1 and 3 specific characters chosen. You can scroll down to see all the characters, or you can click to show all the characters' names at once. Click to select the character(s) you would like to request.
The next section, labeled "Freeforms," has three tags: Art, Fic, & AMV/vid. Please check if you would like to receive art, fic, an AMV/vid, or any (by checking all three boxes). You can choose different options for each request!
A note on how the matching system works: say you'd be happy to receive works featuring Natsume, Matoba, Nyanko-sensei, Taki, and Hinoe. But you don't want to have Matoba and Taki appearing together, and you only want to see Hinoe with Nyanko-sensei. You must then make three separate requests: one with Matoba (and whoever else you want to see with him), one with Taki (and whoever else you want to see with her), and one with Hinoe and Nyanko-sensei.
There's an optional space to provide a link to a Dear Creator letter (see below for more on that).
And finally, there's a space to provide optional details to give your creator more of a hint on what you like. Your creator will be matched on medium (fic, art or AMV/vid) and characters only – this is a chance to offer more suggestions to help them make a work that you'll love! Giving your creator several ideas to work with can be really useful. You can put details here or put a link to your Dear Creator letter (see below) or both!
Here is an example prompt (from a past exchange):
Taki is my favorite character, so I would love something with her at the center. I'm a big OT3 shipper, but something friendshippy with her & Tanuma & Natsume would also be fantastic.
Yours can be shorter or longer, with more detail or less!
Please note that only characters that you specifically name in the request (the 1-3 characters you typed in) are required to be in your gift. In your optional details you can suggest ideas that might include other characters, but your creator is not required to use them. Please also note that you are matched on characters & medium -- your optional details are provided to help your creator know more about what you like, but they aren't required. Again, it helps if you give multiple suggestions if possible. Note that you might request something shippy & receive something gen (with the same characters), etc.
What's an offer? back to top
An offer is how you describe what you are willing to do for your assignment in terms of characters. You must make three offers. You can make a fourth if you like, which may make matching easier.
Here's what the offer section of the sign-up form looks like:
Again, as with requests, you can scroll down the list of characters or click "Show all checkboxes" to see them all at once. You can select from 1-5 characters per offer – this is more than you can select per request, to make matching easier.
And if you are happy to use any nominated characters in any combination, then check the "Any" box. However, most people will probably want to specify characters, or sets of characters, in each request. Borrowing from the example above, if you are comfortable making fanworks featuring Natsume, Matoba, Nyanko-sensei, Taki, and Hinoe, but don't want to do anything featuring Taki and Matoba together, you would have to make one offer with Taki (and whoever else you'd be comfortable featuring with her) and then another with Matoba (and whoever else you'd be comfortable featuring with him). And again, if you only want to create something with Hinoe if she's with Nyanko-sensei, then you'd have to make a separate offer including only the two of them.
The next section, labeled "Freeforms," has three tags: Art, Fic, & AMV/vid. Please check if you would like to offer art, fic, an AMV/vid, or any (by checking all three boxes). You can choose different options for each offer!
Note after your third offer, there is a button on the right if you would like to add a fourth offer.
Once you're done, look over your signup carefully, though you can edit your signup as long as signups are open, and then hit submit.
The signup summary gives an idea of what people are requesting & offering.
What's a Dear Creator letter? back to top
This is optional, but very useful for whoever has your assignment! It's a letter (that you can post on LJ or DW, for example) that gives more details than you might have included in your sign-up: more thoughts about the characters you chose, types of fanworks that you like (or would rather not receive), etc. The more your creator knows about your tastes the more likely they'll be able to create something that you love.
You don't have to have a Dear Creator letter written when you sign up; you can make the post in your journal & simply note that it's a placeholder, so that you can put the link to it in your signup. Don't forget to go back & edit your post to put in your letter, though!
Here is an example letter (from a different exchange with different rules about character requests, but the idea is the same).
And here are the collected Dear Creator letters for the exchange!
How do I post my work to AO3? back to top
There's a FAQ on posting to AO3 as well as a brief tutorial on posting to a challenge.
In brief, to get started you can either use the Post New Work link off your profile page, or you can go to the Book of Friends exchange collection and click on “Post to Collection."
For art and AMVs/vids, you'll do the same thing, except you will have to upload your image or video to an image or video hosting site first and then use the img src tag to post it.
Anything else? back to top
If you have any other questions, please comment here or PM
littlebutfierce / littlebutfierce or e-mail paperwarfic at gmail dot com.
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(Also I was afraid this comment was going to be pointing out something completely crucial that I had messed up or forgotten to do -- I'm about to go to bed, heh, so I was hoping I hadn't totally borked things :D )
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(Also I love that as the mod I get to peek at everyone's requests & offers. XD )
Look who's still awake being sick XD
Re: Look who's still awake being sick XD
I keep checking over the sign-ups (11 people right now!) & reading their prompts. :D Totally a perk of running an exchange (which I've never done before), heh!
I'm going to do a Dear Creator letter link-drop post at some point, I think, in case people want to do treats. Also AO3 lets you automatically reveal all the requests, which I might do after the assignments are due or maybe after the works are all revealed, for treat purposes!
Re: Look who's still awake being sick XD
Hee, I know what you mean about sneak peeks. I like the idea of having them all opened at some point so that people can go back and add more gifts in. :D
Also, did I mention my bday is March 25th? ^^ Yay gifts for my bday weekend. :D
Re: Look who's still awake being sick XD
(& also ugh re: working in freezing rain the whole day!)
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/still working on my letter
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& ha, I haven't even started my letter yet. XD I may change my requests -- I probably will change at least one of them at least once. I did them slightly in a hurry b/c I just wanted to test the form one more time before opening signups, hee! Plus... like w/every exchange I've done on AO3, I've been looking at the requested/offered list & may tweak things based on that.
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- Say that one of my recipient's requests is for [Char A, Char B, Char C].
- According to this post, that just means that they would like a fic with any combination of the above three characters. It doesn't mean that they would like all three characters to be in the fic.
- This means, for instance, that fic with just Char A and Char B would count as fulfilling the request. Is this accurate?
(I would just try to include all the characters, but one fic idea in my recipient's 'dear creator' letter is for a [Char A, Char B] sort of story - which I'd like to write - but their actual requests involve more characters than that.)
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No, that's not right -- apologies if the example given (with Hinoe, etc.) was not clear.
The exchange is set up so that if someone requests A, B, & C in one request, they should only be matched w/someone who's also offered A, B, & C. & in theory they should then make requests in their letter that contain A, B & C. Buuuuut if they do have a specific request in their letter that just has A & B, I would say it's fair game to just do that. (IIRC that is what people do w/Yuletide, etc. -- when it's v. clear that one of the recipient's suggested ideas doesn't actually use all the characters requested.)
I hope that helps, but if I was unclear, please do ask again!!
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Regardless, I hand-checked the matching, so hopefully (assuming my brain didn't asplode ^^;; ) everyone should've matched on at least one offer & request w/all characters.
Good luck!