Frequently Asked Questions
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is a Big Bang, anyway?
A Big Bang is a challenge in which participants attempt to write novel-length (or at least novella-length) fic. Requisite wordcount may vary, but usually there is something like a 20,000 word minimum, sometimes more, occasionally less.
How can I sign up?
Sign-ups will begin January 5th, at which point I will update this post with a link.
Who can sign up?
Anyone can sign up. We don't care if you've been writing novels for years or have never penned a page of fanfiction (or original fiction!) in your life.
What do I have to do?
If you're a ficcer: sign up and write 20,000 words or more of Sherlock Holmes-related fic. (This includes RPF and stories based on spinoffs like Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century and The Great Mouse Detective.)
When are the due dates?
You can find them all here.
Does my story need to be betaed?
Yes. We will have a beta sign-up post shortly after sign-ups begin, and if you can't find anyone to beta your story there, contact a mod. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE, as we will be very busy then getting the challenge live.
How does my entry need to be formatted?
Please include any HTML you want to include, though we'd appreciate it if you didn't go overboard with formatting. Please include some sort of line break other than multiple carriage returns between chapters or sections if you have them.
How do I submit my story?
Send your draft, saved as a .doc or .rtf file, to holmesbigbang@gmail.com. Google Documents is also acceptable but not preferred. We'll keep you updated on the manner in which final drafts will be posted.
I won't be around when posting happens! Can I still participate?
Talk to a mod. We'll sort something out.
Do I need to join the community to read the finished fic?
No, the finished fic will be posted on author's journals and/or a separate archive, linked here, and probably linked at various fandom communities. That said, if you watch the community, you'll receive updates about when posting will happen, how it will happen, and get fic links straight to your friends list.
What can I write about?
Sherlock Holmes source material. You can stick to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, use any of the films as a reference, take the characters and rework them into an alternate universe, write about any of the myriad adaptations, or even branch out into spinoffs. You can even write RPF about the movie actors. Crossover is totally acceptable. What we ask is that your fic be based off of a work that clearly includes the character of Sherlock Holmes. If this is at all confusing, please don't hesitate to ask for clarification.
Do I have to choose a prompt from the prompt post?
No. That post is simply meant to be a resource for participants who aren't sure what they want to write. Likewise, you don't have to adhere to everything in a prompt; they aren't requests, and you're writing for yourself.
Do I have to stick to certain pairings?
Not at all! Whatever your pairing of choice is, we welcome you to the challenge. And if you want to write a gen epic, all the more power to you!
Can I sign up to write more than one story?
No. The mods are new to hosting this kind of challenge; please be gentle with us!
Where will the fic be hosted?
At this point, we are open to options. For convenience's sake we're currently planning to have writers host their fic at their journal/website/archive of choice. If someone has the skill, time, and resources to put together a proper website, you would have our eternal gratitude, but none of the mods have this ability.
Can you sign up as both a writer and an artist?
This depends entirely on you. Can you complete your fic and illustrate someone else's? If the answer is no, or you're not sure, we'd like to discourage you from trying. It would be unfair for someone to receive rushed art because you had encountered writing hangups and didn't have sufficient time to finish their illustration. On the other hand, if you're fairly confident of your ability to finish quickly, or manage your time, we'd love to have you.
What are the restrictions for art?
You need to have a complete piece finished in time for the deadline. What that means is of course up to you, but please do put effort into your art. Also, please be prepared to host your own art, in case we're unable to host it for you.
How will writers and artists be matched?
Writers will provide tentative summaries of their projects, which will then be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis to interested fanartists.
What happens if my writer/artist drops out?
You'll be assigned another artist or assigned to another writer. Hopefully this won't happen; we're trying to give writers ample time to figure out if they can do it or not, and we'd prefer artists not to sign up unless they know they can participate. Of course, things do come up, and that's what we mods are here for.
Is there a place where we can ask questions or seek support?
hbbp is your discussion/participation/ask-anything community. We'll have check-ins on the main community, but I'm sure there will be unofficial check-ins there, as well. Anything not directly related to a modpost should go there.
Will there be any banners/icons for pimping purposes?
I intend to make a banner for pimping purposes; anyone who wants to make banners and icons is encouraged to do so, and post them to hbbp.
Got a question that wasn't answered here? Ask it in a comment, and a mod will get back to you!
What is a Big Bang, anyway?
A Big Bang is a challenge in which participants attempt to write novel-length (or at least novella-length) fic. Requisite wordcount may vary, but usually there is something like a 20,000 word minimum, sometimes more, occasionally less.
How can I sign up?
Sign-ups will begin January 5th, at which point I will update this post with a link.
Who can sign up?
Anyone can sign up. We don't care if you've been writing novels for years or have never penned a page of fanfiction (or original fiction!) in your life.
What do I have to do?
If you're a ficcer: sign up and write 20,000 words or more of Sherlock Holmes-related fic. (This includes RPF and stories based on spinoffs like Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century and The Great Mouse Detective.)
When are the due dates?
You can find them all here.
Does my story need to be betaed?
Yes. We will have a beta sign-up post shortly after sign-ups begin, and if you can't find anyone to beta your story there, contact a mod. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE, as we will be very busy then getting the challenge live.
How does my entry need to be formatted?
Please include any HTML you want to include, though we'd appreciate it if you didn't go overboard with formatting. Please include some sort of line break other than multiple carriage returns between chapters or sections if you have them.
How do I submit my story?
Send your draft, saved as a .doc or .rtf file, to holmesbigbang@gmail.com. Google Documents is also acceptable but not preferred. We'll keep you updated on the manner in which final drafts will be posted.
I won't be around when posting happens! Can I still participate?
Talk to a mod. We'll sort something out.
Do I need to join the community to read the finished fic?
No, the finished fic will be posted on author's journals and/or a separate archive, linked here, and probably linked at various fandom communities. That said, if you watch the community, you'll receive updates about when posting will happen, how it will happen, and get fic links straight to your friends list.
What can I write about?
Sherlock Holmes source material. You can stick to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, use any of the films as a reference, take the characters and rework them into an alternate universe, write about any of the myriad adaptations, or even branch out into spinoffs. You can even write RPF about the movie actors. Crossover is totally acceptable. What we ask is that your fic be based off of a work that clearly includes the character of Sherlock Holmes. If this is at all confusing, please don't hesitate to ask for clarification.
Do I have to choose a prompt from the prompt post?
No. That post is simply meant to be a resource for participants who aren't sure what they want to write. Likewise, you don't have to adhere to everything in a prompt; they aren't requests, and you're writing for yourself.
Do I have to stick to certain pairings?
Not at all! Whatever your pairing of choice is, we welcome you to the challenge. And if you want to write a gen epic, all the more power to you!
Can I sign up to write more than one story?
No. The mods are new to hosting this kind of challenge; please be gentle with us!
Where will the fic be hosted?
At this point, we are open to options. For convenience's sake we're currently planning to have writers host their fic at their journal/website/archive of choice. If someone has the skill, time, and resources to put together a proper website, you would have our eternal gratitude, but none of the mods have this ability.
Can you sign up as both a writer and an artist?
This depends entirely on you. Can you complete your fic and illustrate someone else's? If the answer is no, or you're not sure, we'd like to discourage you from trying. It would be unfair for someone to receive rushed art because you had encountered writing hangups and didn't have sufficient time to finish their illustration. On the other hand, if you're fairly confident of your ability to finish quickly, or manage your time, we'd love to have you.
What are the restrictions for art?
You need to have a complete piece finished in time for the deadline. What that means is of course up to you, but please do put effort into your art. Also, please be prepared to host your own art, in case we're unable to host it for you.
How will writers and artists be matched?
Writers will provide tentative summaries of their projects, which will then be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis to interested fanartists.
What happens if my writer/artist drops out?
You'll be assigned another artist or assigned to another writer. Hopefully this won't happen; we're trying to give writers ample time to figure out if they can do it or not, and we'd prefer artists not to sign up unless they know they can participate. Of course, things do come up, and that's what we mods are here for.
Is there a place where we can ask questions or seek support?
hbbp is your discussion/participation/ask-anything community. We'll have check-ins on the main community, but I'm sure there will be unofficial check-ins there, as well. Anything not directly related to a modpost should go there.
Will there be any banners/icons for pimping purposes?
I intend to make a banner for pimping purposes; anyone who wants to make banners and icons is encouraged to do so, and post them to hbbp.
Got a question that wasn't answered here? Ask it in a comment, and a mod will get back to you!