FAQ
FAQ:
GENERAL
What is Fandom For Australia?
FFA is an online fanworks auction in the style of Fandom Trumps Hate, designed to allow fandom creators of all mediums and nationalities to use their talents for a good cause. Our goal is to generate donations to help the people and wildlife affected by the bushfires in Australia.
Who can participate?
Anyone! This event is open to members of any fandom, from any country. However, please keep in mind that, as this event is to benefit Australia, charities will be Australia-based and auctions will be in Australian dollars.
How does it work?
Fanwork creators sign up to offer their skills or labour for auction. The winning bidder then donates the specified amount to one of the charities on our list, and submits proof of the donation to us, at which point the creator will get to work on their gift.
Can I participate as both a creator AND a bidder?
Yes, of course! But please don’t bid on your own auction ;)
When will the auction take place?
Creator sign-ups will be open from 25 Jan-8 Feb 2020, and bidding begins on 23 Feb 2020. Please see our Schedule for further details.
What currency are you using?
As stated above, all auctions will be in Australian dollars. To find out how much an amount is in your own currency, please use the XE.com Currency Converter.
What charities can bidders donate to?
You can see a full list of the recommended charities here. If you’d like to donate to an organisation that is not on the list, please contact us.
Is it legal to sell fanworks like this?
That’s a good question, and it kind of depends on the circumstances. Fortunately for us, though, we’re not selling anything! We’re asking people to donate to a relevant charity, and fanwork creators have promised to create a gift for donators as a thank you. No profit is being made by us or the creators of the fanworks.
How do I know you’re not just pocketing the money?
No money is ever handled by us - bidders donate the winning amount directly to the selected organisation, so they receive 100% of the benefits.
I’m not a creator and I have no money, how can I help?
A huge part of making any event like this a success is word of mouth! If you have a Twitter, Tumblr, LJ, DW, or other social media platform, then please consider sharing one of our Promo posts to help spread the word.
I’m already offering something similar by myself. Will you reblog/promote/support my efforts?
While we hope that you’ll consider signing up as a creator with us as well, we’re happy to support anyone who is raising donations for Australia. Please tag or @ us so that we can promote your work!
Are you affiliated with Fandom Trumps Hate?
No. This is a separate event created by a completely different set of mods; we’re simply following a similar format.
I have another question not answered here.
Please drop us an Ask or PM, or email fandomforaustralia@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you!
CREATORS
How/when do I sign up?
Creator sign-ups open on 25 Jan 2020. You can sign up by filling out the Creator Sign-Up form and submitting your auction details to us before sign-ups close on 8 Feb 2020. Please see our sign-ups page for more info.
What types of fanworks can I offer?
Any fanwork that can be delivered digitally may be offered for this auction. This includes (but is not limited to) fanfic, fanart, fanvids, graphics, podfics, translations and fan labour such as betaing and Brit-picking. Unfortunately, due to the logistics and costs involved in international shipping, we are not able to include fan crafts or other physical creations at this time. If you create traditional art, such as paintings and sketches, you will still be able to participate provided you are able to scan your work to share with your bidder.
Can I offer more than one work type?
Yes. Each individual creator may offer up to 3 auctions, each of which may be for a different type of fanwork (e.g. fanfic, graphics, betaing). However, please be mindful of your time and make sure you don’t overcommit!
Can I offer pre-existing work?
No. All fanwork must be created specifically for this auction, so as to better accommodate the requirements of your bidder.
Can I set limits regarding what I will/won’t create?
Yes. On the auction page, you will be able to specify what you are and are not willing to create for the auction. Please be as specific as possible so that your bidder knows what your limits are and is not disappointed. In the event that they make a request you are uncomfortable with, please discuss it with them in the first instance, and contact the mods only if a compromise cannot be reached.
Can I specify which charities I’d like my bidder to donate to?
Yes. Creators may specify up to 3 preferred charities from our list. However, please keep in mind that we cannot guarantee that bidders will donate to the charities of your choice. Donations to any of the charities on our list will be accepted.
Help! I don’t know what to put as a starting bid / bid increment!
Think about how long it will take you to complete the work, how much you think you ought to be paid for your time and efforts, and how much you’d be willing to bid for the same thing from someone else. You can also check out previous auctions such as Marvel Trumps Hate, Fandom Trumps Hate, and Fandom Loves Puerto Rico if you want to see what similar fanworks have been offered for in the past.
Can I sign up even though I’ve never done this before / I’ve never completed previous offerings / I’m not sure about my upcoming schedule?
If you’ve never done this before and/or you’re busy and uncertain about your schedule, then you can still sign up! However, we do ask that you be mindful of your workload and don’t bite off more than you can chew. Please make it clear in your auction details when you can start, how fast you can work, and when you think you will be finished by. You may also want to set limits on your creations (e.g. fics under 5k, lineart only, etc.) and encourage bidders to discuss parameters with you prior to bidding so that they know exactly where things stand.
If you’ve participated in FTH or other fandom auctions before, but have not been able to complete your offered works, then please only sign up as a creator if you are sure that you will be able to fulfil your commitments tot his auction. You are also more than welcome to participate as a bidder.
Can I sign up to FFA if I’m also participating in FTH/another fandom auction at the same time?
Yes, of course! We’d love to have you. However, please make sure you’ll have enough time to fulfil your commitments to all winning bidders if you sign up.
When are fanworks due?
While there is no hard due date, ideally we would like to have most, if not all of the works for this auction completed by 31 Dec 2020. If extenuating circumstances arise, and you either fall behind or need extra time to complete your fanwork, then that’s fine, but please keep in touch with us and your bidder so that we can keep track of your progress.
What if I need to drop out?
If you change your mind about participating as a creator, then let us know prior to closure of sign-ups on 8 Feb 2020. After this point, however, we ask that you contact us first to discuss any issues you may have with completing your fanwork. While we recognise that life happens, we are flexible about deadlines and would prefer to avoid disappointing winning bidders if at all possible.
What if I never hear back from the winning bidder?
If the person who wins your auction fails to provide a donation receipt by 15 Mar 2020, the auction goes to the second highest bidder. However, if your bidder has made their donation, and you have made every effort to contact them but have not heard back, please get in touch with us to resolve the situation. If our attempts to contact the bidder fail, and you haven’t heard back from them by 31 Dec 2020, you will no longer be obligated to fulfil the auction.
BIDDERS
How/when can I start bidding?
The auction will open for bidding on 23 Feb 2020. You’ll be able to look through the fanwork on offer for a week bidding opens, so you can get an idea of what’s available. For additional bidding info, please see our bidding page.
Can I bid on more than one auction?
You’re more than welcome to bid on multiple auctions; however, please make sure you can commit to donating the full amount(s) of any auctions you win. Remember, the total is cumulative, so if you win two auctions for $50 each, you will need to donate $100, and so on.
Are group bids allowed?
Yes, group bids are allowed. One member will need to be responsible for coordinating your bidding and donation receipts.
Can I have someone else (a “proxy”) bid on my behalf?
Yes. Make sure they know your bidding limit and provide the correct contact information.
What if I need to ask the creator a question?
You’re welcome to contact creators before or during the auction process to ask for more information about what they will/will not create. However, after bidding has closed, please wait for moderator approval before contacting your creator.
What if I want to retract my bid?
Unfortunately, all bids are final. If you enter the wrong amount by mistake, please get in touch with the mods ASAP and we will help you sort it out, but you will not be able to retract your bid. Please make sure you are able to commit to the amount before bidding. If your circumstances change and you are unable to fulfil your bid after the auction closes, please let us know ASAP so that the auction can pass to the second highest bidder.
If I win, can I commission the fanwork as a gift?
Of course! That’s a great idea. Just make sure you keep your giftee’s likes and dislikes in mind as well as the limits of the creator.
Can I donate to more than one charity?
Yes, as long as the total amount matches your winning bid. Make sure you keep track of your donation receipts so we can confirm your donation!
Do I have to donate to the creator’s preferred charity?
While we encourage you to take their preferences into consideration, as long as you donate to a charity on our list then it will count.
Can I donate more than my final bid amount?
Of course! However, please keep in mind that the creator is not obligated to go beyond what has been agreed to in the auction. So if they’re offering 2k per $10, for example, and you win the auction for $20, they’re only obligated to create a 4k fic, even if you donate $60.
Can I donate in one lump sum for multiple auctions?
Yes, provided the donation matches your total amount, so please include the auctions you have won and your winning bids along with your donation receipt. However, please note that we would prefer it if you made individual donations for each auction, as that makes it easier for us to keep track of things.
Where do I send my donation receipt?
Once you’ve completed your donation, please send a PDF or screenshot of your receipt to us at fandomforaustralia@gmail.com. Personal information (e.g. name, address, credit card details) can be redacted; we only need to see the date, amount, and name of the charity.
When will I receive my fanwork?
While our aim is to have all (or at least most) fanworks for this auction completed by 31 Dec 2020, there is no hard deadline for creators. You will need to discuss the projected completion date with your creator, either before or after the auction closes, so please be flexible if things take longer than you expect.
What happens if the creator never contacts me?
If you don’t hear from your creator after the mods put you in touch, please reach out to them yourself. However, if it’s been a while and you still haven’t heard from them despite your best efforts, please let us know so that we can sort things out.
Unfortunately, sometimes creators do end up dropping out, and the nature of the auction is such that we can’t provide pinch-hitters. On the off-chance that your auction does fall through, we hope that knowing you’ve donated to help a worthy cause will help lessen the disappointment of not receiving the promised fanwork.