Welcome to secret_mutant!
Hello, internet! Welcome to secret_mutant, a Secret Generic Holiday Figurehead exchange for all the X-Men: First Class Charles/Erik fic/art your little heart could desire. WE WILL MAKE YOUR HEART GROW THREE SIZES.
I'm assuming this isn't your first day on the internet, but just in case it is, I will explain what is going on here. Those interested in writing a Charles/Erik fic or making Charles/Erik art for someone else and receiving some in exchange will sign up for the next two weeks. After sign-ups close, the mods will match participants based on their likes and requests and you'll have five weeks to work to fit your recipient's request. The works will then be posted anonymously for everyone to lavish with praise. The first week in January, the creators will be revealed and we'll all pat each other on the back for being super awesome.
Sounds great, right? I certainly think so! If you think so as well, read on for more information!
Sign-ups: October 23 - November 7
Assignments Out: November 14
Check-in: December 12
Last Day to Drop Out: December 17
Assignments Due: December 22
Posting Begins: December 26
Author/Artist Reveals: January 2
Sign-ups will go out on November 14, after which you'll have 5+ weeks to work a present that fits your recipient's request. We'll have a brief check-in to get an early feel on if we'll need pinch-hits and then the last day to drop out will be December 17th. Once all assignments are in, we'll start the pinch hits going and posting will start the following week, wrapping up in time for reveals!
Excellent! How long does my fic have to be?
Just 500 words! That's not long at all, right? It's like, 100 words a week! 15 words a day! You can do it!
Can I do art instead of fic?
Yes! Drawings/paintings/illustrations and vids are all allowed! If you have an idea for another sort of art, you can ask in the comments of this post.
What sort of requests are allowed?
It's a Charles/Erik exchange, obvs, so let's start off the bat by reminding you that, while we encourage you to include other characters in your request, or even mention other pairings you'd like included, your prompts should be Charles/Erik in nature. We're trying to keep prompts on the short-side, so if you have an epic idea for a crossover AU steampunk time travel fic, this might not be the place for it. Generally, we're asking for a list of things you like in fic, a list of things you don't like, and three brief prompts. But feel free to request AUs or sad fic or disgustingly happy fic or fic where everyone has wings or whatever floats your boat! We'll do our best to match you with someone who likes writing those things!
Does my work have to be ~*winter holiday themed?*~
Nope! If you want to request a Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice/Atheist Kids Get Presents Day themed fic, feel free! Ask for all the winter stories filled with cocoa and presents and ice skating and bitching about the heating bills. If you want a totally not-winter-themed present, go ahead and ask for it. Heck, you could ask for a summer story if you want. Don't feel confined to ~*the holiday season*~.
What if I have to drop out after the last day for drop outs?
There's no penalty--we probably won't hunt you down and glare at you from the bushes outside your house or anything. But we'd appreciate it if you let us know as soon as possible so we can get a pinch-hitter lined up for you.
Sounds fun! Are there rules? There always seem to be rules for these things.
There are indeed rules! How prescient of you!
1. Don't be a jerk. The number one rule for all fic fests, I feel. Remember you are making a present for someone else and someone is making one for you, so please be courteous both to your recipient and to your gifter.
2. Building on that, no character bashing, please. For anyone. Don't request it and please don't write it.
3. If you purposely write a story/make a picture that includes your recipient's squicks, you'll be be banned and a pinch-hitter will be called in.
4. Moving away from the jerky rules, fic length is a minimum of 500 words. Feel free to write more, if you wish!
5. The exchange is anonymous, so please don't reveal who you're writing for until we officially reveal it on the community!
6. Understandably, then, don't post your fic/art elsewhere until after the reveal, at which point you should feel free to post it wherever you'd like!
Okay, I've finished my story! How do I submit?
Hurrah! You can submit either by emailing it to secretmutantmod@gmail.com as a .doc, a .rtf, or a .txt, OR you can use the same email address to share it on GDocs.
Please include the following header:
Title:
A Gift For:
Characters/Pairings:
Rating:
Length:
Summary:
Notes: [Include warnings here, if any.]
(If you're making art, you can nix the "length" bit, obvs.)
This all sounds great! But I have a question you didn't answer!
Feel free to ask in the comments! And then click over here to sign up!
I'm assuming this isn't your first day on the internet, but just in case it is, I will explain what is going on here. Those interested in writing a Charles/Erik fic or making Charles/Erik art for someone else and receiving some in exchange will sign up for the next two weeks. After sign-ups close, the mods will match participants based on their likes and requests and you'll have five weeks to work to fit your recipient's request. The works will then be posted anonymously for everyone to lavish with praise. The first week in January, the creators will be revealed and we'll all pat each other on the back for being super awesome.
Sounds great, right? I certainly think so! If you think so as well, read on for more information!
Sign-ups: October 23 - November 7
Assignments Out: November 14
Check-in: December 12
Last Day to Drop Out: December 17
Assignments Due: December 22
Posting Begins: December 26
Author/Artist Reveals: January 2
Sign-ups will go out on November 14, after which you'll have 5+ weeks to work a present that fits your recipient's request. We'll have a brief check-in to get an early feel on if we'll need pinch-hits and then the last day to drop out will be December 17th. Once all assignments are in, we'll start the pinch hits going and posting will start the following week, wrapping up in time for reveals!
Excellent! How long does my fic have to be?
Just 500 words! That's not long at all, right? It's like, 100 words a week! 15 words a day! You can do it!
Can I do art instead of fic?
Yes! Drawings/paintings/illustrations and vids are all allowed! If you have an idea for another sort of art, you can ask in the comments of this post.
What sort of requests are allowed?
It's a Charles/Erik exchange, obvs, so let's start off the bat by reminding you that, while we encourage you to include other characters in your request, or even mention other pairings you'd like included, your prompts should be Charles/Erik in nature. We're trying to keep prompts on the short-side, so if you have an epic idea for a crossover AU steampunk time travel fic, this might not be the place for it. Generally, we're asking for a list of things you like in fic, a list of things you don't like, and three brief prompts. But feel free to request AUs or sad fic or disgustingly happy fic or fic where everyone has wings or whatever floats your boat! We'll do our best to match you with someone who likes writing those things!
Does my work have to be ~*winter holiday themed?*~
Nope! If you want to request a Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice/Atheist Kids Get Presents Day themed fic, feel free! Ask for all the winter stories filled with cocoa and presents and ice skating and bitching about the heating bills. If you want a totally not-winter-themed present, go ahead and ask for it. Heck, you could ask for a summer story if you want. Don't feel confined to ~*the holiday season*~.
What if I have to drop out after the last day for drop outs?
There's no penalty--we probably won't hunt you down and glare at you from the bushes outside your house or anything. But we'd appreciate it if you let us know as soon as possible so we can get a pinch-hitter lined up for you.
Sounds fun! Are there rules? There always seem to be rules for these things.
There are indeed rules! How prescient of you!
1. Don't be a jerk. The number one rule for all fic fests, I feel. Remember you are making a present for someone else and someone is making one for you, so please be courteous both to your recipient and to your gifter.
2. Building on that, no character bashing, please. For anyone. Don't request it and please don't write it.
3. If you purposely write a story/make a picture that includes your recipient's squicks, you'll be be banned and a pinch-hitter will be called in.
4. Moving away from the jerky rules, fic length is a minimum of 500 words. Feel free to write more, if you wish!
5. The exchange is anonymous, so please don't reveal who you're writing for until we officially reveal it on the community!
6. Understandably, then, don't post your fic/art elsewhere until after the reveal, at which point you should feel free to post it wherever you'd like!
Okay, I've finished my story! How do I submit?
Hurrah! You can submit either by emailing it to secretmutantmod@gmail.com as a .doc, a .rtf, or a .txt, OR you can use the same email address to share it on GDocs.
Please include the following header:
Title:
A Gift For:
Characters/Pairings:
Rating:
Length:
Summary:
Notes: [Include warnings here, if any.]
(If you're making art, you can nix the "length" bit, obvs.)
This all sounds great! But I have a question you didn't answer!
Feel free to ask in the comments! And then click over here to sign up!