How to Advent (or FAQ)
Over the years the challenge has grown more complex, and this year we've decided to simplify it a bit. Or at least we hope this a simple guide for you all out there in the land of fanon. So here it is, your guide to all things adventchallenge! Any questions should be asked by replying to this post or by messaging ddraigcoch directly.
Q: What is the Challenge?
A : 25 stories or artworks posted in 25 days. Posting begins on the 1st of December and ends on Christmas Day (although you'll still be counted as completing in time if you post your final story on the 26th instead - it is xmas after all!)
Q: Is the Summer Round different?
A: Yes and no. You've still got a set number of peices to post within a time limit, and there's still a seasonal theme to follow. Replace 25 peices with 14, 25 days with 30 days and Christmas/Winter with Summer and you're there
Q: What should I do with my peices?
A: Post them here and/or to our sister groups!
Either link to your lj or post here directly using the form in the rules section ( here). Feel free to cross-post to any other groups or sites you feel would enjoy them. This challenge is all about spreading the joy of the season, but please link back to the community when you do cross-post.
Q: I don't have an LJ account, can I still join in?
A: Yes! You'll still have to reply to our sign up post here, but replies by non-lj members have been allowed. We have sister groups on DeviantArt and Archive of Our Own where you can post your challenge responses too, so if you want to get involved but don't have an lj you still can!
NEW: We're on Tumblr, tag #adventchallenge!!
Q: Is there a word limit?
A: Nope! Your entries can be as long or as short as you want them to be. They can even be chapters of a story if you're feeling up to it.
Q: There's no tag for my fandom, what do I do?
A: Please use the '!No Tag For My Fandom' tag in this situation and I'll go back to create one later and edit the tags on your submission appropriately. If you've got a request for a new tag just reply to this post.
Q: What does 'level' mean on the sign up post?
A: There are lots of ways of doing the challenge - as many ways of doing it as there are people who try it! This year we've decided to compile the three most popular ways of doing it into levels so that new members can get a better handle on how it's done. The levels are as follows, and everyone who completes the challenge will receive a banner so you can show off your acheivement on your journals! To claim your banner message ddraigcoch with a link to your journal or anywhere you've listed your adventchallenge posts.
Beginner
The easiest way of doing the challenge we've found is to use the prompt lists (Winter round here, Summer round here) and to stick to one fandom for the duration. To qualify for this level though we only ask that you use the prompt lists and use no more than two fandoms. You can pre-write your posts weeks in advance if you choose to.
Intermediate
This is where most people taking part in the challenge will fall. You can pre-create your entries and use as many fandoms as you choose. For this level we reccomend that you gather prompts from other people (For an example of this see ddraigcoch 's prompt table for advent 2009 found here) but we're not going to make you. Basicly find a way of fulfilling the challenge that works best for you!
Expert (or Old School)
This is the Challenge as it was originally played, and the hardest one to stick to. We don't care whether you use the prompt lists, collect requests from other lj users or simply come up with your own. You can use as many fandoms as you want (although we reccomend only one or two). The catch is that the work you post must be created on the same day that you post it, for the whole of the 25 days unless circumstances stop you posting (in which case let the mods know).
For the Summer Round this means 14 peices posted on any 14 consecutive days during the length of the challenge. Other levels please feel free to post your 14 peices at any time during the time limit for the Summer Round.
Q: What is the Challenge?
A : 25 stories or artworks posted in 25 days. Posting begins on the 1st of December and ends on Christmas Day (although you'll still be counted as completing in time if you post your final story on the 26th instead - it is xmas after all!)
Q: Is the Summer Round different?
A: Yes and no. You've still got a set number of peices to post within a time limit, and there's still a seasonal theme to follow. Replace 25 peices with 14, 25 days with 30 days and Christmas/Winter with Summer and you're there
Q: What should I do with my peices?
A: Post them here and/or to our sister groups!
Either link to your lj or post here directly using the form in the rules section ( here). Feel free to cross-post to any other groups or sites you feel would enjoy them. This challenge is all about spreading the joy of the season, but please link back to the community when you do cross-post.
Q: I don't have an LJ account, can I still join in?
A: Yes! You'll still have to reply to our sign up post here, but replies by non-lj members have been allowed. We have sister groups on DeviantArt and Archive of Our Own where you can post your challenge responses too, so if you want to get involved but don't have an lj you still can!
NEW: We're on Tumblr, tag #adventchallenge!!
Q: Is there a word limit?
A: Nope! Your entries can be as long or as short as you want them to be. They can even be chapters of a story if you're feeling up to it.
Q: There's no tag for my fandom, what do I do?
A: Please use the '!No Tag For My Fandom' tag in this situation and I'll go back to create one later and edit the tags on your submission appropriately. If you've got a request for a new tag just reply to this post.
Q: What does 'level' mean on the sign up post?
A: There are lots of ways of doing the challenge - as many ways of doing it as there are people who try it! This year we've decided to compile the three most popular ways of doing it into levels so that new members can get a better handle on how it's done. The levels are as follows, and everyone who completes the challenge will receive a banner so you can show off your acheivement on your journals! To claim your banner message ddraigcoch with a link to your journal or anywhere you've listed your adventchallenge posts.
Beginner
The easiest way of doing the challenge we've found is to use the prompt lists (Winter round here, Summer round here) and to stick to one fandom for the duration. To qualify for this level though we only ask that you use the prompt lists and use no more than two fandoms. You can pre-write your posts weeks in advance if you choose to.
Intermediate
This is where most people taking part in the challenge will fall. You can pre-create your entries and use as many fandoms as you choose. For this level we reccomend that you gather prompts from other people (For an example of this see ddraigcoch 's prompt table for advent 2009 found here) but we're not going to make you. Basicly find a way of fulfilling the challenge that works best for you!
Expert (or Old School)
This is the Challenge as it was originally played, and the hardest one to stick to. We don't care whether you use the prompt lists, collect requests from other lj users or simply come up with your own. You can use as many fandoms as you want (although we reccomend only one or two). The catch is that the work you post must be created on the same day that you post it, for the whole of the 25 days unless circumstances stop you posting (in which case let the mods know).
For the Summer Round this means 14 peices posted on any 14 consecutive days during the length of the challenge. Other levels please feel free to post your 14 peices at any time during the time limit for the Summer Round.