FAQ for 2014
FAQs
If the information you need isn't contained in one of the answers below, feel free to leave a comment or PM/email me.
Why is the big bang so late this year?
Because I've had a few family emergencies. Like in everything online real life must come first. This does mean that the schedule has shifted slightly to accommodate the change.
May I sign up to be both an author and an artist?
Wow, you're talented! As long as you can meet the deadlines for both challenges, you are more than welcome to sign up for both.
So I can use any pairing or moresome I want, right?
Gen, Het, Slash, and Femslash are all welcome. Any pairing, any character, any combination. As long as you can imagine it we won’t stop you.
How many entries can you submit?
You can submit as many entries as you can get beta’d and finished by the final deadline.
Will we be reminded of important dates?
Yes. I will be regularly posting both here and at the support comm a week and a day before all important dates. If that’s not enough let me know.
How do I locate a beta?
If you already have a steady beta please feel free to continue working with them. If you don't have your own beta, or they are unavailable, then there will be a beta sign-up post in June. You may contact anyone on the list to find out if they are still available to help.
Does this challenge have a support com?
Yes. It’s called svbigbang_help . Please join it and leave any suggestions as to what you might like to have take place there. Would you like times to share some of your writing or to spend some time writing together? Let me know so I can start to schedule events.
Nothing is working as I planned. What should I do?
If you are feeling discouraged there are a few options. Head over to the support comm and drop a comment, let us all know how you’re feeling. Usually there are people more than happy to help cheer you on or just listen. The other option is to contact me and I will do my best to help you out. The other option is that this year there will be a cheerleader post. Feel free to contact anyone there who can help, listen, hold your hand or read what you’ve got and tell you it isn’t as bad as you think it is. There are always options!
I’m thinking about quitting: who do I talk to?
If you’re thinking about quitting, and a visit to the support com doesn’t help then you should defiantly contact me. Maybe I’ll be able to help. If not, then that’s ok. There are no penalties as long as you don’t have an artist already. If you have an artist already you must contact them too. If you fail to inform your artist you will be banned for a year.
Aren’t people normally banned for a year if they quit?
The last few years there has been a one year ban if you quit after you got an artist. However there has been a decline in participation in the last few years and I am reluctant to enforce a ban, especially if you can’t help why you quit. However if you fail to inform your artist I will ban you for a year.
Can I collaborate with someone?
Collaborations are welcome, encouraged even if it will get you to sign up. However the minimum final word count does increase to 15,000 words. The draft word count stays the same at 7,000 words.
How do I post?
a. When the drafts are due September 2nd 2013, please send the drafts to isdon_isgood9@hotmail.com, more instructions will come closer to the draft date.
b. During final posting, on your due date, post your story to your own site (LJ, DW, AO3, etc). If your story has to be broken into several posts, then also create a master post that links all the pieces together. Once that is done post to the community with a link to your story's master post. Don't forget a link to your artist's work. All entries need the following header:
Title
Author
Artist
Beta
Word Count
Rating
Pairing/Genre
Summary
Author’s Notes/Warning/Disclaimer/ Spoilers
Link to story
Link to art
I’m late with posting my story! What do I do?
Contact me immediately either through the lj PM system or by emailing me at isdon_isgood9@hotmail.com and letting me know. I’ll issue you a new posting date if your story is due in the middle of the posting schedule or allow you to post a few days late. Please do not make a post to the community telling everyone why your story is late. I will delete it the second I see it. There is no need for it.
I'd like to lock my story/art. May I?
NO! All Big Bang entries must be unlock, and remain unlocked. This way you don’t have to add all the people coming through the com to see your wonderful story/artwork.
May I use an original character?
You can, but the original character must interact with Smallville character(s). If you want to have a Smallville character/Original character pairing, that is fine.
What about minor characters? Can I write a story just with minor characters?
Sure, whatever floats your boat.
Is RPS/RPF allowed?
Yes. That isn't a problem, as long as one of the people in your story was an actor on Smallville. If you aren’t sure if the person is ok just ask. I’ll be happy to clarify.
How can I track my word count?
Here are some resources with charts to help you gauge your progress. I particularly like Writeertopia’s progress meters but you can check out and use either one:
Writertopia: Picometer and Progress Meter
Curious Device: Another Little Progress Meter
Do our regular betas need to sign up or is that just for free range betas?
Beta sign-ups are for the free range betas. If you already have a beta they don’t need to sign up unless they would like to offer their service to someone else.
Is there an upper word limit?
Basically, it's whatever you can have well-written and beta'd before the final posting date.
Are we allowed to to split the word count between two or more stories, or does each story have to be the 10,000 word limit?
Each story has to have a minimum word count of 10,000 words. You can write more than one story too, but each has to be at least 10k.
If the information you need isn't contained in one of the answers below, feel free to leave a comment or PM/email me.
Why is the big bang so late this year?
Because I've had a few family emergencies. Like in everything online real life must come first. This does mean that the schedule has shifted slightly to accommodate the change.
May I sign up to be both an author and an artist?
Wow, you're talented! As long as you can meet the deadlines for both challenges, you are more than welcome to sign up for both.
So I can use any pairing or moresome I want, right?
Gen, Het, Slash, and Femslash are all welcome. Any pairing, any character, any combination. As long as you can imagine it we won’t stop you.
How many entries can you submit?
You can submit as many entries as you can get beta’d and finished by the final deadline.
Will we be reminded of important dates?
Yes. I will be regularly posting both here and at the support comm a week and a day before all important dates. If that’s not enough let me know.
How do I locate a beta?
If you already have a steady beta please feel free to continue working with them. If you don't have your own beta, or they are unavailable, then there will be a beta sign-up post in June. You may contact anyone on the list to find out if they are still available to help.
Does this challenge have a support com?
Yes. It’s called svbigbang_help . Please join it and leave any suggestions as to what you might like to have take place there. Would you like times to share some of your writing or to spend some time writing together? Let me know so I can start to schedule events.
Nothing is working as I planned. What should I do?
If you are feeling discouraged there are a few options. Head over to the support comm and drop a comment, let us all know how you’re feeling. Usually there are people more than happy to help cheer you on or just listen. The other option is to contact me and I will do my best to help you out. The other option is that this year there will be a cheerleader post. Feel free to contact anyone there who can help, listen, hold your hand or read what you’ve got and tell you it isn’t as bad as you think it is. There are always options!
I’m thinking about quitting: who do I talk to?
If you’re thinking about quitting, and a visit to the support com doesn’t help then you should defiantly contact me. Maybe I’ll be able to help. If not, then that’s ok. There are no penalties as long as you don’t have an artist already. If you have an artist already you must contact them too. If you fail to inform your artist you will be banned for a year.
Aren’t people normally banned for a year if they quit?
The last few years there has been a one year ban if you quit after you got an artist. However there has been a decline in participation in the last few years and I am reluctant to enforce a ban, especially if you can’t help why you quit. However if you fail to inform your artist I will ban you for a year.
Can I collaborate with someone?
Collaborations are welcome, encouraged even if it will get you to sign up. However the minimum final word count does increase to 15,000 words. The draft word count stays the same at 7,000 words.
How do I post?
a. When the drafts are due September 2nd 2013, please send the drafts to isdon_isgood9@hotmail.com, more instructions will come closer to the draft date.
b. During final posting, on your due date, post your story to your own site (LJ, DW, AO3, etc). If your story has to be broken into several posts, then also create a master post that links all the pieces together. Once that is done post to the community with a link to your story's master post. Don't forget a link to your artist's work. All entries need the following header:
Title
Author
Artist
Beta
Word Count
Rating
Pairing/Genre
Summary
Author’s Notes/Warning/Disclaimer/ Spoilers
Link to story
Link to art
I’m late with posting my story! What do I do?
Contact me immediately either through the lj PM system or by emailing me at isdon_isgood9@hotmail.com and letting me know. I’ll issue you a new posting date if your story is due in the middle of the posting schedule or allow you to post a few days late. Please do not make a post to the community telling everyone why your story is late. I will delete it the second I see it. There is no need for it.
I'd like to lock my story/art. May I?
NO! All Big Bang entries must be unlock, and remain unlocked. This way you don’t have to add all the people coming through the com to see your wonderful story/artwork.
May I use an original character?
You can, but the original character must interact with Smallville character(s). If you want to have a Smallville character/Original character pairing, that is fine.
What about minor characters? Can I write a story just with minor characters?
Sure, whatever floats your boat.
Is RPS/RPF allowed?
Yes. That isn't a problem, as long as one of the people in your story was an actor on Smallville. If you aren’t sure if the person is ok just ask. I’ll be happy to clarify.
How can I track my word count?
Here are some resources with charts to help you gauge your progress. I particularly like Writeertopia’s progress meters but you can check out and use either one:
Writertopia: Picometer and Progress Meter
Curious Device: Another Little Progress Meter
Do our regular betas need to sign up or is that just for free range betas?
Beta sign-ups are for the free range betas. If you already have a beta they don’t need to sign up unless they would like to offer their service to someone else.
Is there an upper word limit?
Basically, it's whatever you can have well-written and beta'd before the final posting date.
Are we allowed to to split the word count between two or more stories, or does each story have to be the 10,000 word limit?
Each story has to have a minimum word count of 10,000 words. You can write more than one story too, but each has to be at least 10k.