Our FAQ
Who may participate in the challenge?
Anyone! The only requirement is that you have a Livejournal account, as you will need one to post to the community. You can set up a Livejournal account for free here; the entire process takes about five minutes. Also, you must be a member of the community to post.
May two writers co-write one fic? How about two artists creating one piece of art?
Yes! However, please sign up in only one comment.
May I sign up to write a fic of my own and also co-author a fic with someone else?
Yes. We want to support collaborative writing efforts as well as give a writer the chance to work on something solo.
May a writer sign up to write more than one fic (that does not include co-writing)?
No. You may write your own story and co-write with someone else. Also, a writer may sign up to do art and an artist may sign up to write, but at this time we are limiting one fic to one writer for this challenge.
May an artist sign up to create art for more than one fic (that does not include co-creating)?
Yes, but only after all artists have had a chance to choose a fic to work on. We will then have a second round of choosing if we have fic that still needs claimed.
What type of art is allowed for the challenge?
Artists are required to produce one (or more, if so inclined) fan mix with at least 8 songs, a series of at least 8 icons, a video, a podfic, a single piece of two-dimensional art like a cover or banner. Artists and writers may collaborate, but ultimately it's the artist's choice regarding what to produce.
Do I need to know exactly what I plan on writing when I sign up?
No. The sign-up template asks what you're planning but it's not written in stone. You may change anything up until the time you submit your draft (and you may continue to work on your draft after that, of course).
Can my big bang be something I've already started?
Yes, as long as it has not been posted anywhere else before on the internet.
What genres are accepted for this challenge?
All genres, including: femmeslash, general fiction, het, slash and a mix of romance genres (example: the fic focuses on David/Nikki/Colby with a side of Charlie/Amita and Don/Ian should be labeled as het and slash).
Is a canon relationship het or general fiction?
If a canon relationship (example: Charlie/Amita, Don/Terry) is the focus of the fiction, it is het. General fiction refers to stories that do not focus on romantic relationships whether canon or fanon.
Are there any rating or content restrictions on fic or art?
No. However, please use MPAA ratings accordingly and warn for material that is possibly triggering and/or not safe for work.
Can I write a prequel or sequel to an existing story?
A prequel or sequel to an existing story is acceptable, if the prequel or sequel stands on its own and the existing fic does not need to be read first.
How about including an existing original character or established alternative universe?
Also acceptable as long as the existing fic does not need to be read first in order to understand the numb3rs_bigbang fic.
What is an alternative universe as compared to a fusion or crossover?
An alternative universe is any universe that you create which stars characters from Numb3rs. In contrast, a fusion is dropping Numb3rs characters into an existing media universe (Don and the team are dropped into The Wire). A crossover is mixing Numb3rs with another media source (Colby and Ian meet up with the Winchester Brothers from Supernatural and they all hunt together).
Can I take inspiration from other media to develop my plot and/or AU?
Yes. "Inspired by XYZ" fics are fine but please remember to credit the inspiration.
20,000 words seems like a lot?!
It is! However, if broken down into a daily word count, if one begins the first day of sign up, the writer needs to average 167 words per day. If one begins on the last day of sign up, the writer needs to average 216 words per day.
What is expected of the draft I email on May 31?
Rough drafts must have a beginning, middle and an ending; it must be coherent enough that a skim of the fic makes sense. You must also include a summary and title for the fic. The draft of the fic that you send to your artist should be as close to the final draft as it can be. Drafts must be emailed to n3bbmod at gmail dot com as either DOC, Pages, RTF, or TXT as an attachment.
How final is the May 31 due date for story drafts?
Final; no extensions will be granted. We must receive the draft to our gmail account by 11:59 PST on May 31 in order to have a final count on who is participating and to prepare the post for artists to choose a fic for his/her art.
May I hook up with an artist before the anonymous summaries go up?
While we won't know if you do this, it is not in the spirit of the challenge, so we ask that you please refrain from back room deals between writers and artists.
How and when do I post to the numb3rs_bigbang community?
Posting begins 5 July. We will post a staggered scheduled for posting fic and art in late June and all participants will have access to post at the community after final drafts are in. Please use the header template here when posting to the community. Also, do not friends lock or disable comments on your community post. Please do not post art to your promotional post at the community.
Where can I post my fic and/or art when it's my day to post?
Please post your fic where you normally post your fic [Livejournal, Dreamwidth, personal website, archival sites like AO3, FanFiction.Net, etc.]. Please post to the numb3rs_bigbang using the header that links to your fic.
Do you have any suggestions on how to post fic since it will not fit in one Livejournal post?
Yes. A master post or index post works well, especially if your story exceeds two posts. We also encourage internal linking or at least a link back to the master post or index post on every part of the fic.
Can I integrate the art into my story or can it be separate (at the artist's Livejournal, etc.)?
Either is fine! The writer and artist should collaborate to decide what works best.
Do I have to use warnings on my fic for this challenge?
Yes - in the header that you post at numb3rs_bigbang. We understand that this is often a volatile topic that usually encourages vigorous debate, however, we ask that you please warn for: dub-con, incest, non-canon character death, non-con/rape, and underage sexual activities. Please feel free to use a color bar to hide warnings. While you must use warnings in your header at the community, you are free to include or exclude any information where you post your story.
Do I have to use the same fic header on my site as I do at the community?
No. You may add or delete information at your own space as you wish.
How should I rate my fic or art?
Please use MPAA ratings: G, PG, PG-13, R, or NC-17. The rating should cover the entire fic and not just part of the fic. If you host your fic at an archive that uses another rating system, please use the equivalent rating there but in your header at the community, please use an MPAA rating.
What if I cannot post on my assigned day?
Please email the n3bbmod at gmail dot com and let us know what the issue is - if you let us know at least 72 hours before your assigned day, we will work with you on choosing another posting day.
What should I do if there is a problem with my writer or artist?
Please email the n3bbmod at gmail dot com and detail the issue at hand. We shall endeavor to help and/or mediate as best as we can.
Is there a place where I can get support while developing my fic, through out the writing process, and help finding a beta?
Yes! We have our very own support community - omgn3bb.
Do I need to use a beta?
We do not require writers (or artists) to use beta services; however, we strongly encourage it.
May my community affiliate with numb3rs_bigbang?
Yes! Please affiliate with us by commenting to this post.
How may I help advertise and promote the challenge?
Feel free to promote the challenge at your Livejournal, Facebook, Twitter, etc. We have graphic links that you can cut and paste here.
Do I get anything for participating?
Yes! Everyone who participates will get a personalized banner.
Who's running this thing and where can I contact you?
n3bbmod is the collective voice of maerhys, mercilynn, and spikedluv. You can reach us via the n3bbmod private message or through our email - n3bbmod at gmail dot com.
If there is something we have not covered here or further clarification is needed, please comment here.