Armed Bastards Exchange 2013
Put your hands up! This is The Armed Bastards Exchange - A Martian Holiday.
This exchange is all about sharing ficlets, vidlets, artwork, and icons with fellow Life on Mars fans in a setting which is supposed to induce as little stress as possible. Because nothing says "armed bastards" quite like giving and receiving gifts.
So roll out your Party Sevens and get on your Cuban heels, it's a Christmas Blitz!
Ficlets, vidlets, artwork and icons do not have to be holiday-themed - but they can be, of course, if you want.
STEP ONE: Join CID
Sign-ups are open from now until the end of Sunday, December 1. To sign up, simply COMMENT below with the following info:
What I can do: write/make icons/make a vidlet/create artwork
Characters/Pairings: Sam/Annie, Sam/Gene, Sam/Mobile Phone, Gene/Cortina, Bubbles/Sockpuppet, Any, etc. - we are open to all pairings and characters. (Fics will be clearly labelled.)
What I can't do: Please make this relatively simple, e.g. slash, het, kink, etc.
If you want to write multiple snippets (max 3), or make multiple icon sets (max 3), or make multiple vidlets (max 3) or create multiple artworks (max 3), please include this info for all snippets, vidlets, pieces and sets. You cannot sign up for 3 of each - there is a 'maximum of 3' rule applied to all - so you might nominate 1 ficlet and 2 icon sets, 1 vidlet and 2 artworks, etc. etc. Please DO NOT SIGN UP for more than you think you can finish!
Example of sign-up;
What I can do: Write!
Characters/Pairings: Sam-centric gen, preferably White Cortina/G
What I can't do: Cannot write any sciencey time-travel stuff.
If you've been longing to write that Litton/Phyllis fic (and who among us has not?) - say you're willing to write it. Someone out there might just be longing to read it. If you say you're willing to write anything, people will hold you to your word.
OR
What I can do: Make vidlets!
Characters/Pairings: Any!
What I can't do: Cannot do slow-mo or fancy special effects.
Comments on this post are SCREENED.
STEP TWO: Get your badge number(s).
When sign-ups close (December 1), I'll immediately collate them all into a NEW post, with each sign-up anonymous but numbered. Then I'll make a screened reply to your sign-up comment, telling you your number (or numbers, if you signed up to write multiple ficlets or icon sets).
STEP THREE: Assigning Cases
The new post will be an ANONYMOUS NUMBERED LIST of everyone's sign-up info. You will pick a number (not your own!) to be the person who writes/makes vidlets, artwork or icons for you. You'll comment to that post with the number of your choice and an appropriate prompt: a pairing and a single of dialogue/word prompt for ficlets; OR; two to three song choices for a vidlet; OR a situation you'd like to see turned into artwork; OR a simple character request and/or wording for icons. If there is something you absolutely do not want in your ficlet, vidlet, artwork or icon set - say so here.
Example of choice -
16. Vidlet. Can't do slow-mo or fancy special effects.
Oh, I'd love a Sam/Gene vid to a song by Flight of the Conchords, like 'Bret, You've Got It Going On', or 'Too Many Dicks on the Dance Floor'!
OR
12. Artwork. Anything goes.
Sam/Annie and handcuffs, please?
OR
11. Ficlet. Anything goes.
Gene/Litton. "He's a wriggly little bugger, ain't he?"
If you volunteered to create more than one ficlet, vidlet, artwork or icon set, you get to choose as many to receive as you signed up to make! (if you say you are writing 3 ficlets, you can request 3 vidlets and vice versa - you can also choose any combination of which - 2 artworks and 1 icon set, etc.)
Numbers will be struck off the list as they're claimed.
Comments on this post will NOT be screened.
STEP FOUR: Your Assignment
You'll be able to see the prompt comments, so you can check for yourself if you like. However, when all the sign-ups have been snagged and given prompts, I'll reply to your ORIGINAL sign-up comment with your prompt and the name of the person who requested it, just for confirmation. These comments will be screened, too, so it all stays secret. Let's keep this a surprise!
THE LAW OF THE LAND aka The Rules:
You have UNTIL SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29TH to write the ficlet (300+ish words, don't stress out about it, think of it like comment fic), or create the vidlet (1-2 mins), or the artwork, or make the icons (sets of 6 or so: your recipient can pick up to 2 that are exclusively theirs, if they wish, and the rest will be shareable).
Once again: The minimum word length for ficlets should be around 300 words. Do not stress. This is fun! The holidays are stressful enough. Plus, this is Life on Mars, it shouldn't be... oh, right... Sam doesn't need another angst-laden deadline and neither do you. Just have a good time.
If you can't complete your assignment, PLEASE let me know, so I can throw your prompt up for grabs.
POSTING:
On Sunday, December 29, we all post our icon sets, vidlets, artwork and ficlets to the martianholiday community and The Armed Bastards Exchange will be on its way! Read, download, upload, comment and enjoy! Further instructions shall be issued on the posting format.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at kirious at msn dot com.