BSG Remix 3 Signups begin!
We're back!!!
Yes, it's really been a year already. The fandom is getting quieter, but there are still some diehards around. And both years previous, this comm has turned out some amazing fic. So, let bsg_remix 3 begin! (I feel like we should be counting with Cylons.)
(This remix challenge and these rules are completely based on the Remix (like remixredux09 run by musesfool and her cohorts. We thank them for their brilliance.)
So, intrigued? Already excited and ready to play?
What the frak is a Remix?
Have you ever read a fic and thought to yourself: that was so good, I wish I'd written it? Of course, if you had you would have done a few things differently. Have you ever wished that more people would write the kind of fic you like to read? Or have you ever done the multifandom Remix challenge, and wished there was more BSG fic in it? Then this challenge is for you. You'll have the opportunity to try your hand at re-imagining someone else's work, while also giving them a chance to re-imagine yours.
After all, what else is our BSG but the ultimate Remix?
The object, as stated, is to write the same story as you would have written it. This means you can basically take the story apart and put it back together however it suits you. Style, point of view, certain events, tone… it's a fantastic way to play in someone else's sandbox.
So, you can change everything?
Not quite. Three things happened before, and three things must happen again: pairing(s), setting(s), and the bare bones of the plot.
The plot is obvious. Change the plot and you change the story. However, what are the bare bones of the plot? That's subject to interpretation. You don't need to include every last detail, or you can expand on details that were only glossed over... there's a lot of freedom.
The pairing can not be changed. However, you can tell a more gen story about the two characters who make up the pairing, as long as you're not bashing the pairing. I know this is fanfic, but the two leads aren't REQUIRED to have sex on the page, no matter what the naysayers claim ;)
Changing the setting isn't something that happens often in BSG fic, but just in case… we aren't talking about setting part of the story on Cloud Nine instead of the Galactica; we're talking taking Roslin and Adama and making them part of Victorian society or something. That kind of changing-the-setting.
I still don't get it. Example, please.
There are lots of ways you can rewrite someone's story. You could change the point of view, change the mood, expand a drabble into a full-blown story, change the characterization, expand on plot points and minimize others… the possibilities are endless.
For example, say you wanted to remix the episode The Woman King (because Gods know it could use it). You might decide to tell it from the point of view of Tigh, and focus much more on listening to an officer that just disobeyed orders telling him something he doesn't want to hear, versus his loyalty to a good friend who is having some nasty allegations made towards him. You might add in more backstory for Tigh and Dr. Robert. You might add in a new scene with Tigh and Cottle. You might hate Sharon/Helo, but since you're writing from Tigh's perspective, you don't have to deal with their relationship, although obviously they're still married. You might add in a lot more about Tigh noticing that Dualla's sick, and debating if he should send her down to Dr. Robert, not so sure anymore now that it's the life of someone he cares about that's in jeopardy. The plot remains the same, the pairing remains the same, the setting remains the same, but the story becomes very different. And that's just one way you could do it.
Want more examples? Check out the remix stories found here and here.
Okay, you've convinced me. Can I play?
Please do! But we do have a few rules:
1.) In order to play, you must have written five 100+ word stories or three 500+ word stories that you're willing to have remixed. More is certainly better, as it gives your remixer a wider variety of fics to choose from.
2.) You also need a way for your remixer to easily access those stories. A website is great, but a sticky post on a LiveJournal with links, ratings, pairings, and summaries is perfectly acceptable. (Really, if you don't have one of those already, you should probably make one so people can find your stuff anyway.) Please make sure that this entry- and the fics it links to- are not friends-locked.
3.) Each participant is allowed to designate one safe story- the story that is untouchable. You don't have to, if you don't have a story that you have that strong feeling about. But if you want to, you can.
4.) Works in progress are not to be remixed, as the original author should be allowed to finish their own work. (Please make sure that any WIPs are labeled clearly.) Other works that cannot be remixed: co-written works and stories written for a previous remix challenge. Crossovers ARE eligible, unless the author declares that her safe story.
5.) This is, technically, an anonymous challenge. Don't post your fic anywhere else until after the reveal.
6.) Fics should be a minimum of 500 words. (There is no upper limit.) A beta is a good thing- please use one. If you need help hooking up with a beta, let us know. (More on that later in the challenge.)
7.) When the story written for you is posted, make sure you thank your remixer! I don't think we've had a lot of trouble with that here, but either way, it's common courtesy.
8.) This is more a reminder than a rule: remixing is a very different challenge in that your fic is not a gift fic. We all hope our remixees will like our remixes, but you are not obligated to cater to your remixee's tastes in fic. This is writing the story the way you would have written it.
9.) If you include any of the biggies in your fic- rape, torture, extreme violence, some of the more unusual kinks- please warn for it in the header. Any other warnings are welcome, but please make sure those are warned for if necessary. (Feel free to use spoiler bars if you feel your warning constitutes a spoiler.)
I can do that. So now what?
1.) Respond to this post using the following template:
Your Name:
Your email address:
Your webside/fic index:
Safe Story
BSG Remixes written:
Pairing or characters I write most:
One a scale of 1 to 5, how far I want to be pushed out of my comfort zone:
My stories tend towards short/medium/long:
Pinch hit?
Your Name: your pseudonym, if you have one, and your LiveJournal name
Your email address: self explanatory
Your website/fic index: Please do not hide your link like this- put the link where we can see it like this: http://community.livejournal.com/bsg_remix/14764.html . It makes copying and pasting for assignment emails SO much easier!
Safe story: If you have one, "none" is a perfectly acceptable answer
BSG Remixes written: If you've written any, because these are off limits.
BSG Fics that have been remixed: These fics are NOT off-limits to remixers, but they may have their own feelings about doing a remix that's been done. Once again, these fics are not forbidden.
Pairing or characters I write most: If over half of your fics are about the same character or pairing, or if there's a group of characters you write like Cylons or pilots. This is for our reference in matching people up.
On a scale of 1 to 5, how far I want to be pushed out of my comfort zone: This worked really, really well last year. Many people put down that they'd write anything, but when we did assignments, some people were relieved to be given something they were used to, others were disappointed, some were excited to have something way out there, others were freaking out. The main idea is for this to be fun for everyone, so we'll keep going with this.
1 is "I LIKE my comfort zone, thank you very much", 5 is "Bring it on, baby!"
For example, if you tell us in the pairing/characters that you write most you write Adama/Roslin fic, you put a 1 down and we'll do our best to match you up with someone who writes Adama/Roslin. A 3 might get you someone who writes primarily canon or canon-possible ships, or gen focusing more on one or the other of those characters. A 5 could net you anything, from a Helo/Athena writer to a Zarek/Helo writer, but it most likely will not be someone who focuses on your normal pairing.
Wait. Does this mean I might have to write slash? (or het?)
Well, yes and no. If you're normally a Kara/Sam writer, and you put a 3, we're not going to assign you to someone who writes tons of D'Anna/Dee smut. However, there are characters who are canonically involved in same-sex relationships, and yes, there is a chance that you might get someone who writes a lot of Gaeta, Cain, Hoshi, and/or Gina, but doesn't focus solely on their sex lives. And you are in absolutely NO way required to write (or not write) sex. That is entirely and utterly up to your own discretion, depending on what your story calls for.
My stories tend towards short/medium/long: Again, this is just something we may or may not use for matching people up. There are people for whom 1000 words is like a novel, and there are people for whom 1000 words is incredibly constraining and they're just getting started. If most of your fics are 1000 words or less, we'll call that short, 1000-5000 is medium, and if you tend towards 5000+, we'll call that long. This does not mean you are obligated to write a certain length of fic. A story takes what a story takes. We just want to use it as a matching tool.
Pinch hit? As with every fic challenge, real life will come up. Would you be willing to pinch hit and do another remix? Yes, no, or ask me when it's time. The standard options.
So, for example, mine would look like this
Your Name: Lissa, or lls_mutant
Your email address: drliss @ comcast dot net
Your website/fic index: http://lls-mutant.livejournal.com/60407.html#cutid2
Safe story: Felix Gaeta's Sing-Along Mutiny
BSG Remixes written: The Rascal King, You Sexy Thing (Not-the-Angel is a Centerfold Remix)
BSG Fics that have been remixed: Softly Tread the Sand Below Your Feet, The Stories We Tell
Pairing or characters I write most: Gaeta, Gaeta/Hoshi, Zarek, Dee
On a scale of 1 to 5, how far I want to be pushed out of my comfort zone: 3
My stories tend to be: long
Pinch hit? ask me when it's time
What if I have to drop out?
It happens, and we do understand. We only ask one thing: LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY. If you let us know before March 25, there's no harm, no foul, no matter what your reason for dropping out is. If you drop out after- or if you don't TELL us you're dropping out so we can get a pinch hitter- you will be banned from this challenge in the future. This is more a precautionary thing; last year everyone let us know. But if you have to quit for whatever reason, it's good to get a pinch hitter.
What are the deadlines?
January 14, 2011-January 28, 2011: Sign ups
February 5, 2011: Assignments will be out (possibly before this)
March 25, 2011: Last day to drop out without incurring the wrath of the mods
April 1, 2011: Fics are due in
Sometime between April 1 and April 7: Posting begins. (This depends on how many fics are still looking for a pinch hit.)
Did we miss anything?
Feel free to ask questions here or email the mods:
Lissa (lls_mutant): drliss @ comcast dot net
Rose (rose_griffes): rosegriffes @ gmail dot com
And now... sign ups begin!
Yes, it's really been a year already. The fandom is getting quieter, but there are still some diehards around. And both years previous, this comm has turned out some amazing fic. So, let bsg_remix 3 begin! (I feel like we should be counting with Cylons.)
(This remix challenge and these rules are completely based on the Remix (like remixredux09 run by musesfool and her cohorts. We thank them for their brilliance.)
So, intrigued? Already excited and ready to play?
What the frak is a Remix?
Have you ever read a fic and thought to yourself: that was so good, I wish I'd written it? Of course, if you had you would have done a few things differently. Have you ever wished that more people would write the kind of fic you like to read? Or have you ever done the multifandom Remix challenge, and wished there was more BSG fic in it? Then this challenge is for you. You'll have the opportunity to try your hand at re-imagining someone else's work, while also giving them a chance to re-imagine yours.
After all, what else is our BSG but the ultimate Remix?
The object, as stated, is to write the same story as you would have written it. This means you can basically take the story apart and put it back together however it suits you. Style, point of view, certain events, tone… it's a fantastic way to play in someone else's sandbox.
So, you can change everything?
Not quite. Three things happened before, and three things must happen again: pairing(s), setting(s), and the bare bones of the plot.
The plot is obvious. Change the plot and you change the story. However, what are the bare bones of the plot? That's subject to interpretation. You don't need to include every last detail, or you can expand on details that were only glossed over... there's a lot of freedom.
The pairing can not be changed. However, you can tell a more gen story about the two characters who make up the pairing, as long as you're not bashing the pairing. I know this is fanfic, but the two leads aren't REQUIRED to have sex on the page, no matter what the naysayers claim ;)
Changing the setting isn't something that happens often in BSG fic, but just in case… we aren't talking about setting part of the story on Cloud Nine instead of the Galactica; we're talking taking Roslin and Adama and making them part of Victorian society or something. That kind of changing-the-setting.
I still don't get it. Example, please.
There are lots of ways you can rewrite someone's story. You could change the point of view, change the mood, expand a drabble into a full-blown story, change the characterization, expand on plot points and minimize others… the possibilities are endless.
For example, say you wanted to remix the episode The Woman King (because Gods know it could use it). You might decide to tell it from the point of view of Tigh, and focus much more on listening to an officer that just disobeyed orders telling him something he doesn't want to hear, versus his loyalty to a good friend who is having some nasty allegations made towards him. You might add in more backstory for Tigh and Dr. Robert. You might add in a new scene with Tigh and Cottle. You might hate Sharon/Helo, but since you're writing from Tigh's perspective, you don't have to deal with their relationship, although obviously they're still married. You might add in a lot more about Tigh noticing that Dualla's sick, and debating if he should send her down to Dr. Robert, not so sure anymore now that it's the life of someone he cares about that's in jeopardy. The plot remains the same, the pairing remains the same, the setting remains the same, but the story becomes very different. And that's just one way you could do it.
Want more examples? Check out the remix stories found here and here.
Okay, you've convinced me. Can I play?
Please do! But we do have a few rules:
1.) In order to play, you must have written five 100+ word stories or three 500+ word stories that you're willing to have remixed. More is certainly better, as it gives your remixer a wider variety of fics to choose from.
2.) You also need a way for your remixer to easily access those stories. A website is great, but a sticky post on a LiveJournal with links, ratings, pairings, and summaries is perfectly acceptable. (Really, if you don't have one of those already, you should probably make one so people can find your stuff anyway.) Please make sure that this entry- and the fics it links to- are not friends-locked.
3.) Each participant is allowed to designate one safe story- the story that is untouchable. You don't have to, if you don't have a story that you have that strong feeling about. But if you want to, you can.
4.) Works in progress are not to be remixed, as the original author should be allowed to finish their own work. (Please make sure that any WIPs are labeled clearly.) Other works that cannot be remixed: co-written works and stories written for a previous remix challenge. Crossovers ARE eligible, unless the author declares that her safe story.
5.) This is, technically, an anonymous challenge. Don't post your fic anywhere else until after the reveal.
6.) Fics should be a minimum of 500 words. (There is no upper limit.) A beta is a good thing- please use one. If you need help hooking up with a beta, let us know. (More on that later in the challenge.)
7.) When the story written for you is posted, make sure you thank your remixer! I don't think we've had a lot of trouble with that here, but either way, it's common courtesy.
8.) This is more a reminder than a rule: remixing is a very different challenge in that your fic is not a gift fic. We all hope our remixees will like our remixes, but you are not obligated to cater to your remixee's tastes in fic. This is writing the story the way you would have written it.
9.) If you include any of the biggies in your fic- rape, torture, extreme violence, some of the more unusual kinks- please warn for it in the header. Any other warnings are welcome, but please make sure those are warned for if necessary. (Feel free to use spoiler bars if you feel your warning constitutes a spoiler.)
I can do that. So now what?
1.) Respond to this post using the following template:
Your Name:
Your email address:
Your webside/fic index:
Safe Story
BSG Remixes written:
Pairing or characters I write most:
One a scale of 1 to 5, how far I want to be pushed out of my comfort zone:
My stories tend towards short/medium/long:
Pinch hit?
Your Name: your pseudonym, if you have one, and your LiveJournal name
Your email address: self explanatory
Your website/fic index: Please do not hide your link like this- put the link where we can see it like this: http://community.livejournal.com/bsg_remix/14764.html . It makes copying and pasting for assignment emails SO much easier!
Safe story: If you have one, "none" is a perfectly acceptable answer
BSG Remixes written: If you've written any, because these are off limits.
BSG Fics that have been remixed: These fics are NOT off-limits to remixers, but they may have their own feelings about doing a remix that's been done. Once again, these fics are not forbidden.
Pairing or characters I write most: If over half of your fics are about the same character or pairing, or if there's a group of characters you write like Cylons or pilots. This is for our reference in matching people up.
On a scale of 1 to 5, how far I want to be pushed out of my comfort zone: This worked really, really well last year. Many people put down that they'd write anything, but when we did assignments, some people were relieved to be given something they were used to, others were disappointed, some were excited to have something way out there, others were freaking out. The main idea is for this to be fun for everyone, so we'll keep going with this.
1 is "I LIKE my comfort zone, thank you very much", 5 is "Bring it on, baby!"
For example, if you tell us in the pairing/characters that you write most you write Adama/Roslin fic, you put a 1 down and we'll do our best to match you up with someone who writes Adama/Roslin. A 3 might get you someone who writes primarily canon or canon-possible ships, or gen focusing more on one or the other of those characters. A 5 could net you anything, from a Helo/Athena writer to a Zarek/Helo writer, but it most likely will not be someone who focuses on your normal pairing.
Wait. Does this mean I might have to write slash? (or het?)
Well, yes and no. If you're normally a Kara/Sam writer, and you put a 3, we're not going to assign you to someone who writes tons of D'Anna/Dee smut. However, there are characters who are canonically involved in same-sex relationships, and yes, there is a chance that you might get someone who writes a lot of Gaeta, Cain, Hoshi, and/or Gina, but doesn't focus solely on their sex lives. And you are in absolutely NO way required to write (or not write) sex. That is entirely and utterly up to your own discretion, depending on what your story calls for.
My stories tend towards short/medium/long: Again, this is just something we may or may not use for matching people up. There are people for whom 1000 words is like a novel, and there are people for whom 1000 words is incredibly constraining and they're just getting started. If most of your fics are 1000 words or less, we'll call that short, 1000-5000 is medium, and if you tend towards 5000+, we'll call that long. This does not mean you are obligated to write a certain length of fic. A story takes what a story takes. We just want to use it as a matching tool.
Pinch hit? As with every fic challenge, real life will come up. Would you be willing to pinch hit and do another remix? Yes, no, or ask me when it's time. The standard options.
So, for example, mine would look like this
Your Name: Lissa, or lls_mutant
Your email address: drliss @ comcast dot net
Your website/fic index: http://lls-mutant.livejournal.com/60407.html#cutid2
Safe story: Felix Gaeta's Sing-Along Mutiny
BSG Remixes written: The Rascal King, You Sexy Thing (Not-the-Angel is a Centerfold Remix)
BSG Fics that have been remixed: Softly Tread the Sand Below Your Feet, The Stories We Tell
Pairing or characters I write most: Gaeta, Gaeta/Hoshi, Zarek, Dee
On a scale of 1 to 5, how far I want to be pushed out of my comfort zone: 3
My stories tend to be: long
Pinch hit? ask me when it's time
What if I have to drop out?
It happens, and we do understand. We only ask one thing: LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY. If you let us know before March 25, there's no harm, no foul, no matter what your reason for dropping out is. If you drop out after- or if you don't TELL us you're dropping out so we can get a pinch hitter- you will be banned from this challenge in the future. This is more a precautionary thing; last year everyone let us know. But if you have to quit for whatever reason, it's good to get a pinch hitter.
What are the deadlines?
January 14, 2011-January 28, 2011: Sign ups
February 5, 2011: Assignments will be out (possibly before this)
March 25, 2011: Last day to drop out without incurring the wrath of the mods
April 1, 2011: Fics are due in
Sometime between April 1 and April 7: Posting begins. (This depends on how many fics are still looking for a pinch hit.)
Did we miss anything?
Feel free to ask questions here or email the mods:
Lissa (lls_mutant): drliss @ comcast dot net
Rose (rose_griffes): rosegriffes @ gmail dot com
And now... sign ups begin!