FAQ
FAQWhat is allowed?
- Any fandom, including real person fiction (RPF)
- All ratings and pairings
- Gen, slash and het content
- Crossovers and fusions
- Original characters in existing fandoms
What is not allowed?
- Original fiction/art
- Works in a language other than English
- Previously posted stories
Why is Hurt/Comfort Bingo English only?
This is to make it easier for the mods. We are unable to moderate submissions, answer questions, or offer prizes for entries we can't read.
Is a fill limited to fic only?
No. While fic is used as a shorthand you are not limited to fic. Bingo squares can be filled with fic, art, icons, recs, picspams, vids, podfic, mixes, or meta.
What are the requirements for a fill to count?
To keep the amount of work a fill takes consistent there are minimum requirements for a fill. They are as follows:
fic - 500 words
meta - 1000 words
art - medium sized
icon - set of 10
rec post - 10 recs
podfic - 500 word fic
picspam - 20 pics
vids - 30 sec
mixes - 10 songs
You can, obviously, write/art/vid MORE than that, but no less.
What are the rules for mixes?
1. Mixes are a minimum of ten songs. They must be uploaded to mediafire, megaupload, or another long term hosting site. Mixes must be in a zip/rar file.
2. Cover art is optional, however you must include a track list with an explanation of how each song fits your h/c prompt.
3. When posting to the comm, do not link directly to the download. Link to your own DW/LJ post with tracklisting and DL links.
I am triggered by sexual trauma and/or abuse prompts and don't want them on my card. What do I do?
The mods recognize that the nature of a hurt/comfort challenge has potentially triggering content. If you would like a card without sexual trauma and/or abuse based situations, please note that when you sign up so we can give you a card avoiding these areas altogether.
I am triggered by another prompt that isn't listed as sexual trauma and/or abuse. What do I do?
Please either note this in your sign up comment or email the mods. We want to make sure everyone has a good time so we will work with you to make sure any triggering prompts are not on your card.
Besides that, you can look at the list of prompts the cards are made from before signing up and veto from one to three prompts/areas that would be triggery/uncomfortable for you to write about. If you need more than three prompts vetoed please contact the mods by PM or email (hc.bingo.mods@gmail.com) and we will work with you to make sure you have a suitable card.
Why two communities?
We recognize that people use livejournal and dreamwidth for primary accounts and that some people do not want to post on livejournal or vice versa. Therefore we want to make it as easy as possible to participate.
Can I write in more than one fandom?
Yes.
Can I write a series?
Yes. However each story within the series should stand-alone.
Can I write, vid, etc. as part of a team?
You can sign up as a team but you cannot split the prompts between you.
I have a story posted previously that fits one of my prompts, can I use it?
No, everything for the bingo should be newly written and tagged as written for hc_bingo.
Can I post my bingo story to newsletter communities and such?
Yes, of course.
Do I have to post every thing I've made for the bingo to the community?
No. You can only post the combination (bingos and extras) with the links to individual fills to the community; posting single fills to the community is not allowed unless it's during amnesty period.
I dislike my card and want a new one, can I request it?
To request a new card you have to finish at least one bingo on your current one. Remember that you don't have to fill out all prompts in your card or be stuck with it until December. Fill out the bingo you're most comfortable with and request a new card to play with!
That being said, if you received a card with prompts of a triggering nature for you, please contact the mods ASAP, so that we can work with you to create a more suitable card.
I've submitted a line bingo and now want to do a blackout, can I just fill the missing squares?
You'll have to write new stories for the squares you've used in previous bingo. You can reuse the square however many times you like, but only if you fill it anew every time. If you do that we'll count points both for your previous bingo and your blackout.
I've completed a bingo but I don't want to ask for a new card, I want to continue playing with this one. Can I do this?
Yes, absolutely, as long as you're making new fills for the previously used prompts.
Can I make a fill that covers several squares at once?
Unless you're doing extras, no. Even if your fill answers two or more prompts at once, you still can use it to cover only one square.
This said, if you manage to write a proper story covering all prompts off the whole card while giving equal weight to all of them (no less than 12500 words) we'll bow before you and give you a special prize. Still won't count as a bingo, though.
You do realize that you have 'cages', 'captivity', 'imprisonment' and 'dungeons' prompts on the same list, right?
Yes, some prompts have both generalized and specific versions on the list; you're encouraged to interpret them as broadly or as narrowly as you'd like.
I don't understand what my prompt means and I'm confused by it.
PM or email the mods and we'll be happy to discuss it with you.
I don't like some of my prompts and I can't write them, what can I do?
If you received a card that has prompts of a triggering nature for you, please contact the mods ASAP, so that we can work with you to create a more suitable card.
All prompts are open to interpretation. For example, 'assault' and 'aliens made us do it' don't necessarily have to have sexual content; 'multiple personalities' could be interpreted as living with a mental condition, or as several consciousness being forced into one body by scientific or magical means; 'tentacles' can vary from a character being attacked by something be-tentacled to the difficulties of being water-bound; 'loss of vision' could mean a temporary or permanent loss of sight, or the loss of ones' vision/goal/future/psychic sight etc.
Some of these prompts are bound to force you out of your writerly comfort zone; half of the challenge of this bingo is thinking of these prompts in new ways.
How much focus do I have to give the prompt?
Your fanwork should have more than just a singular mention of the prompt. It should deal with it in some way. For example, if your prompt is "broken bone" that should be a significant factor in your fanwork, not just a passing mention. How you deal with a prompt is left at your discretion. Remember that the genre is both 'hurt' and 'comfort'.
Does each story have to have both explicit hurt and comfort?
You don't have to write your story out chronologically and explicitly; you can start with the aftermath of hurt and work in details in retrospect. Although the hurt is (loosely) defined by the prompt, the comfort is left to the participant to determine. The comfort does not have to be absolute or 'fix' anything, it can be comfort in the moment. It is important to remember that you, as the creator, are defining what the idea of comfort means to your characters
What is wild card?
It's a card for which you choose a h/c centered prompt, either from the list of prompts or otherwise. You still have to fill it if it's in your bingo, just with the prompt of your own choosing.
I have a question that isn't answered here.
You can either leave it as a comment to this post with Question in the subject heading or email/pm the hc_bingo_mod (hc.bingo.mods@gmail.com).
Please read both FAQs, as your question may have gotten addressed in the comments of the other site. FAQ on Dreamwidth