Pinch Hitting For Yuletide
Changes to pinch hits this year
We are asking people to include their AO3 name when emailing to claim a pinch hit (yes - every time). If you don't, you won't get the pinch hit, even if you were the first to reply. We will only be following people up to ask their AO3 name if there are no other volunteers. This will reduce the work for the people sending pinch hits and make it simpler for everyone.
There are lots of people who want pinch hits, so please only offer for the ones you really want. (If you are wavering on one, wait to see if we re-send it.)
Wake up email
The wake up call has been sent out - if you received the email you're already signed up for the pinch hit mailing list. If you should have received the email and didn't, please check your spam filters.
And now for the general explanation and details:
What are pinch hits?
Pinch hits are assignments that the original author has had to default on, or assignments that weren't matched to any authors. As people default, the Yuletide mods post the assignments to the pinch hit mailing list, where they're available for anyone to claim. Pinch hits are one of the most popular parts of Yuletide, and there's a lot of competition to get them. There are more people on the pinch hit list than sign up for Yuletide proper.
Do I need to be signed up for Yuletide to be a pinch hitter?
Nope! Anyone with an AO3 account can be a pinch hitter.
How do I become a pinch hitter?
Sign up for the Yuletide Pinch Hitters mailing list on Yahoo groups. You can do that on the website, or by email:
How do I claim a pinch hit?
Keep an eye on your email. Pinch hits are generally sent out in batches, starting with a small flurry in the first week or two, then a slow trickle until the final couple of weeks before the deadline, where there's often a dozen or more a day.
If you see one that interests you, hit reply, write your AO3 name in the body of the email, and send it without changing the subject line. You can say that you want the pinch hit in the body of the email message, but do not change the subject line beyond the "Re:" your email program adds automatically.
You must include your AO3 name in your response in order to receive the pinch hit. If you are the first responder but you do not include your AO3 name, the pinch hit will go instead to the first responder who did remember to include their AO3 name.
Pinch hits go very fast - many within minutes - so act fast if you see something you want and are willing to commit to.
If you're the first person to request a pinch hit, the Yuletide mods will respond and let you know it's yours. You'll be able to see it listed on your AO3 profile page by clicking "Assignments" in the left-hand navigation pane. If the Yuletide Mods don't respond to you, you didn't get the pinch hit.
What am I committing to if I claim a pinch hit?
You're committing to write a complete story of at least 1,000 words in one of the recipient's chosen fandoms, using their chosen character(s). You are held to the same rules as if you had signed up initially and been assigned a match through the system.
For pinch hits that are assigned before December 10, the deadline is the same as the regular deadline: 6pm UTC on December 20th (What time is that where I am?)
For pinch hits that are assigned December 10 or after, the deadline is 6pm UTC on December 21.
Post-deadline pinch hits will generally be due 48 hours after they are assigned. However, the sooner the better.
Can I write a pinch hit even if I wasn't officially assigned to it?
Sure! In that case, it would be a Treat.
I don't want to be on the Pinch Hit List any more. How do I quit?
To unsubscribe send an email to: yuletide_pinch_hit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com (it does not need any content - it is an automatic process).
And a note, as you'll all be wondering - matching is going well so far. We are still in the early stages, but no problems yet. \o/
We are asking people to include their AO3 name when emailing to claim a pinch hit (yes - every time). If you don't, you won't get the pinch hit, even if you were the first to reply. We will only be following people up to ask their AO3 name if there are no other volunteers. This will reduce the work for the people sending pinch hits and make it simpler for everyone.
There are lots of people who want pinch hits, so please only offer for the ones you really want. (If you are wavering on one, wait to see if we re-send it.)
Wake up email
The wake up call has been sent out - if you received the email you're already signed up for the pinch hit mailing list. If you should have received the email and didn't, please check your spam filters.
And now for the general explanation and details:
What are pinch hits?
Pinch hits are assignments that the original author has had to default on, or assignments that weren't matched to any authors. As people default, the Yuletide mods post the assignments to the pinch hit mailing list, where they're available for anyone to claim. Pinch hits are one of the most popular parts of Yuletide, and there's a lot of competition to get them. There are more people on the pinch hit list than sign up for Yuletide proper.
Do I need to be signed up for Yuletide to be a pinch hitter?
Nope! Anyone with an AO3 account can be a pinch hitter.
How do I become a pinch hitter?
Sign up for the Yuletide Pinch Hitters mailing list on Yahoo groups. You can do that on the website, or by email:
- On the web: Click "join this group". You need to have or create a Yahoo account to join via the web.
- By email: Send a blank email to yuletide_pinch_hit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. To activate your subscription, just reply to the confirmation message you receive from the group.
How do I claim a pinch hit?
Keep an eye on your email. Pinch hits are generally sent out in batches, starting with a small flurry in the first week or two, then a slow trickle until the final couple of weeks before the deadline, where there's often a dozen or more a day.
If you see one that interests you, hit reply, write your AO3 name in the body of the email, and send it without changing the subject line. You can say that you want the pinch hit in the body of the email message, but do not change the subject line beyond the "Re:" your email program adds automatically.
You must include your AO3 name in your response in order to receive the pinch hit. If you are the first responder but you do not include your AO3 name, the pinch hit will go instead to the first responder who did remember to include their AO3 name.
Pinch hits go very fast - many within minutes - so act fast if you see something you want and are willing to commit to.
If you're the first person to request a pinch hit, the Yuletide mods will respond and let you know it's yours. You'll be able to see it listed on your AO3 profile page by clicking "Assignments" in the left-hand navigation pane. If the Yuletide Mods don't respond to you, you didn't get the pinch hit.
What am I committing to if I claim a pinch hit?
You're committing to write a complete story of at least 1,000 words in one of the recipient's chosen fandoms, using their chosen character(s). You are held to the same rules as if you had signed up initially and been assigned a match through the system.
For pinch hits that are assigned before December 10, the deadline is the same as the regular deadline: 6pm UTC on December 20th (What time is that where I am?)
For pinch hits that are assigned December 10 or after, the deadline is 6pm UTC on December 21.
Post-deadline pinch hits will generally be due 48 hours after they are assigned. However, the sooner the better.
Can I write a pinch hit even if I wasn't officially assigned to it?
Sure! In that case, it would be a Treat.
I don't want to be on the Pinch Hit List any more. How do I quit?
To unsubscribe send an email to: yuletide_pinch_hit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com (it does not need any content - it is an automatic process).
And a note, as you'll all be wondering - matching is going well so far. We are still in the early stages, but no problems yet. \o/