Welcome + FAQ
Welcome to the D.Gray-man Big Bang! *insert applause* Please use this post to ask any questions you might have about the challenge.
[faq]
*this will be built up as questions come in
Q: What is a big bang?
A: The first big bang challenge originated in the Harry Potter fandom, in which writers and artists came together to work on quality, novella-length fanfiction and accompanying artwork. The challenge has since then been picked up and honored again throughout numerous other fandoms, adapted as necessary, and it has now reached D.Gray-man!
For this year's challenge, writers will write a ten thousand (10,000) minimum word fic, which will then be later paired up with an artist to illustrate.
Q: Can I rewrite/continue a fic I've posted previously to a different community/challenge?
A: I'm sorry, but we ask that you please write new material for this challenge, especially if the fic has been posted previously (either in part or in full) to a different community and/or challenge. However, if the idea/premise/theme was something you really liked, then by all means, work with that. Just please make it a new fic, instead of a rewrite of an old one.
Alternately, if it is a wip that you've only posted under f-lock in your own journal (as opposed to a public community), then you are more than welcome to use that.
Q: Are writers and artists required to have a certain skill level (or their work to be a certain level of quality) in order to participate?
A: There is no skill or quality level requirement. Anyone who wants to participate can participate :D All we ask is that you check and double check for grammar and spelling. We also strongly suggest you have your submission beta'd.
Q: Will there be beta services offered or will writers have to find their own beta?
A: At a yet-to-be-determined time (possibly just before rough drafts are due), we will make a post requesting betas and it will be at the discretion of the writers whether or not to take advantage of any services offered. However, there is no guarantee how many people, if any, will step forward to be a beta, so it is advisable for writers not to rely on the community and to begin finding their own betas at their earliest convenience.
Q: Can I participate as both a writer and an artist?
A: Yes, you may. However, please make the decision carefully. If you choose to sign up for both, keep in mind the following:
-Please make sure you have enough time so that the quality of one or the other doesn't suffer
-If you want to illustrate your own fic, then that's fine, but in the claim post, you must claim someone else's fic first and complete that before moving onto illustrating your own fic
-It's very important to us that each fic have at least one accompanying fanart, so if you sign up as an artist and claim a fic, please make sure you'll have the time to complete it
-In light of the previous point, if something happens and you absolutely must choose one or the other, we'd prefer that you complete your artist commitment first, to ensure that the fic you're drawing for doesn't get left without fanart (unless the time to claim fics to illustrate hasn't yet arrived, in which case you could, of course, choose to just finish your fic)
Q: Can writers submit more than one entry?
A: At this time, we're going to have to say no. Because of the word count and time constraint, we ask that writers only commit themselves to one fic and to focus their efforts on their single submission. One fic per writer will also allow all the writers to remain on equal footing when the time arrives for artists to claim fics.
Also, while the minimum word count is 10,000, remember that there is no maximum word limit! Therefore, you are entirely free (and encouraged) to make your fic as long as you'd like.
Q: Can two or more authors submit a collaboration?
A: Yes! Two or more authors may write a single story, and are welcome to submit it under both of their handles or, if they have one, a joint account/name that they use.
Q: You said a livejournal isn't necessary to join this challenge, but how am I going to be able to see the locked summary and rough draft posts if I don't have one?
eta: For this round, this question is, for now at least, not relevant.
While you don't have to have a livejournal to participate in this challenge, it is strongly recommended that you get one, since it will make things easier on us and allow you to watch this community for news and updates. Rough drafts will be posted to a Dreamwidth account because DW post limits are four times longer than LJ's, and that will help us contain each story in one post. The locking there will work through OpenID, which means we can grant all the LJ accounts that have signed up access to the locked posts. However, there are at least twelve other sites beside LJ that automatically give you an OpenID, as well as five OpenID-only providers, so if you have any of those, we will likely be able to add you in as well. And if you still don't have any of those and want to be able to see the summaries and drafts, we will work something out on an individual basis.
The summary and rough draft posts are, of course, primarily for the artists, so there is no real need for authors to see them. Final drafts with artwork will be posted unlocked.
Contact: dgmbigbang (a) gmail (dot) com
[faq]
*this will be built up as questions come in
Q: What is a big bang?
A: The first big bang challenge originated in the Harry Potter fandom, in which writers and artists came together to work on quality, novella-length fanfiction and accompanying artwork. The challenge has since then been picked up and honored again throughout numerous other fandoms, adapted as necessary, and it has now reached D.Gray-man!
For this year's challenge, writers will write a ten thousand (10,000) minimum word fic, which will then be later paired up with an artist to illustrate.
Q: Can I rewrite/continue a fic I've posted previously to a different community/challenge?
A: I'm sorry, but we ask that you please write new material for this challenge, especially if the fic has been posted previously (either in part or in full) to a different community and/or challenge. However, if the idea/premise/theme was something you really liked, then by all means, work with that. Just please make it a new fic, instead of a rewrite of an old one.
Alternately, if it is a wip that you've only posted under f-lock in your own journal (as opposed to a public community), then you are more than welcome to use that.
Q: Are writers and artists required to have a certain skill level (or their work to be a certain level of quality) in order to participate?
A: There is no skill or quality level requirement. Anyone who wants to participate can participate :D All we ask is that you check and double check for grammar and spelling. We also strongly suggest you have your submission beta'd.
Q: Will there be beta services offered or will writers have to find their own beta?
A: At a yet-to-be-determined time (possibly just before rough drafts are due), we will make a post requesting betas and it will be at the discretion of the writers whether or not to take advantage of any services offered. However, there is no guarantee how many people, if any, will step forward to be a beta, so it is advisable for writers not to rely on the community and to begin finding their own betas at their earliest convenience.
Q: Can I participate as both a writer and an artist?
A: Yes, you may. However, please make the decision carefully. If you choose to sign up for both, keep in mind the following:
-Please make sure you have enough time so that the quality of one or the other doesn't suffer
-If you want to illustrate your own fic, then that's fine, but in the claim post, you must claim someone else's fic first and complete that before moving onto illustrating your own fic
-It's very important to us that each fic have at least one accompanying fanart, so if you sign up as an artist and claim a fic, please make sure you'll have the time to complete it
-In light of the previous point, if something happens and you absolutely must choose one or the other, we'd prefer that you complete your artist commitment first, to ensure that the fic you're drawing for doesn't get left without fanart (unless the time to claim fics to illustrate hasn't yet arrived, in which case you could, of course, choose to just finish your fic)
Q: Can writers submit more than one entry?
A: At this time, we're going to have to say no. Because of the word count and time constraint, we ask that writers only commit themselves to one fic and to focus their efforts on their single submission. One fic per writer will also allow all the writers to remain on equal footing when the time arrives for artists to claim fics.
Also, while the minimum word count is 10,000, remember that there is no maximum word limit! Therefore, you are entirely free (and encouraged) to make your fic as long as you'd like.
Q: Can two or more authors submit a collaboration?
A: Yes! Two or more authors may write a single story, and are welcome to submit it under both of their handles or, if they have one, a joint account/name that they use.
Q: You said a livejournal isn't necessary to join this challenge, but how am I going to be able to see the locked summary and rough draft posts if I don't have one?
eta: For this round, this question is, for now at least, not relevant.
While you don't have to have a livejournal to participate in this challenge, it is strongly recommended that you get one, since it will make things easier on us and allow you to watch this community for news and updates. Rough drafts will be posted to a Dreamwidth account because DW post limits are four times longer than LJ's, and that will help us contain each story in one post. The locking there will work through OpenID, which means we can grant all the LJ accounts that have signed up access to the locked posts. However, there are at least twelve other sites beside LJ that automatically give you an OpenID, as well as five OpenID-only providers, so if you have any of those, we will likely be able to add you in as well. And if you still don't have any of those and want to be able to see the summaries and drafts, we will work something out on an individual basis.
The summary and rough draft posts are, of course, primarily for the artists, so there is no real need for authors to see them. Final drafts with artwork will be posted unlocked.
Contact: dgmbigbang (a) gmail (dot) com