How to submit your Alphabet Soup fic
This entry has been edited for 2018 to reflect significant changes, so please reread.
So you've signed up to contribute a letter to our current Alphabet Soup. Wonderful!
Here's what you do:
1. Make sure your story fits the criteria: it should be at least 100 words, canon-compliant, and gen. Please keep ratings to PG-13/Teen or lower. As a courtesy to your anthologist :) please keep profanity at a minimum - don't use any language that wasn't used on the actual show.
Stories should be wholly gen, with references to canonical relationships permitted as long as they're not the emphasis of the story. Please ask if you're unsure. There are many, many ficathons/challenges out there that cater to the ship of your choice, so this is not the moment to sneak in even a casual reference to any non-canon ship or military regulations, even if it's just an angsty thought about what can't be.
2. The story MUST be posted by the deadline, but if it's ready ahead of time, go ahead and post post your fic in your own journal, at AO3, or on your own website. Be sure to complete your template for the table of contents, though, and e-mail me a copy at sg1.fig@gmail.com. Detailed instructions for this are at the bottom of this entry.
3. Within a week or so after claims begin, there will be an official Alphabet Soup entry. Make sure to post a link to your story there as well. Include your title (A is for Archeology, or whatever) and a copy of your TOC template, which should include a few paragraphs or the summary as a teaser. Again, make sure you include a link to your entry on your own journal in the comment.
5. On the day after stories are officially due As soon as I have everyone's entries, the table of contests that links to all stories in the Alphabet Soup will be posted. As a courtesy to other participants in the Soup, please try to edit your story post to include a link to the main anthology's table of contents.
6. If you have signed up and realize that you cannot get your story finished on time, let me know immediately that you're not going to be able to write your letter. I will thank you for your courtesy in informing me and put your mission/letter back in the pool.
Finally, here's the detailed template for the Soup's TOC, which was started with Off-World Alphabet Soup. Delete the words in brackets and insert your own details, leaving out the brackets completely. I've included a sample from my own work to give you the general idea.
[TITLE], by [AUTHOR] ([RATING])
Summary: [include one or two sentences summarizing your fic]
Word count: [# of words]
Characters: [list main characters involved]
Era: [This can be as general as "classic team" or "post-series" or as specific as "General!Jack" or "Season Ten," as you prefer.]
Categories: [The topic of the Soup needn't be included in this. Be as vague or specific as you'd like.]
Author's notes: [General catchall: cite episodes or spoilers, and include any warnings you personally feel are needed. No specific rules apply.]
Excerpt: [include a paragraph or two. It can be the first few paras of the story or taken from the middle, as you prefer.]
Link: [TITLE OF FIC HERE]
Here's an example, taken from one of my own fics at random:
_______
Well Met at Midnight, by Fig Newton (PG)
Summary: Jonas Quinn dreams of Daniel Jackson, or maybe he doesn't.
Word count: 1,350 words
Characters: Jonas Quinn, Daniel Jackson
Era: between S5 and S6
Categories: angst, character study
Author's notes: Set just before Redemption.
Excerpt: "I'm sorry for what you've lost," Jackson says some undefined time later.
"I think you've lost more," Jonas replies without turning to face him.
"It's not death, you know."
"Close enough," Jonas points out, and though he doesn't choose to say so, the words seem to echo in the cavernous room: You're not here because of me.
Link: Well Met at Midnight
_______
Questions? Problems? Comment here and let me know!
So you've signed up to contribute a letter to our current Alphabet Soup. Wonderful!
Here's what you do:
1. Make sure your story fits the criteria: it should be at least 100 words, canon-compliant, and gen. Please keep ratings to PG-13/Teen or lower. As a courtesy to your anthologist :) please keep profanity at a minimum - don't use any language that wasn't used on the actual show.
Stories should be wholly gen, with references to canonical relationships permitted as long as they're not the emphasis of the story. Please ask if you're unsure. There are many, many ficathons/challenges out there that cater to the ship of your choice, so this is not the moment to sneak in even a casual reference to any non-canon ship or military regulations, even if it's just an angsty thought about what can't be.
2. The story MUST be posted by the deadline, but if it's ready ahead of time, go ahead and post post your fic in your own journal, at AO3, or on your own website. Be sure to complete your template for the table of contents, though, and e-mail me a copy at sg1.fig@gmail.com. Detailed instructions for this are at the bottom of this entry.
3. Within a week or so after claims begin, there will be an official Alphabet Soup entry. Make sure to post a link to your story there as well. Include your title (A is for Archeology, or whatever) and a copy of your TOC template, which should include a few paragraphs or the summary as a teaser. Again, make sure you include a link to your entry on your own journal in the comment.
5. On the day after stories are officially due As soon as I have everyone's entries, the table of contests that links to all stories in the Alphabet Soup will be posted. As a courtesy to other participants in the Soup, please try to edit your story post to include a link to the main anthology's table of contents.
6. If you have signed up and realize that you cannot get your story finished on time, let me know immediately that you're not going to be able to write your letter. I will thank you for your courtesy in informing me and put your mission/letter back in the pool.
Finally, here's the detailed template for the Soup's TOC, which was started with Off-World Alphabet Soup. Delete the words in brackets and insert your own details, leaving out the brackets completely. I've included a sample from my own work to give you the general idea.
[TITLE], by [AUTHOR] ([RATING])
Summary: [include one or two sentences summarizing your fic]
Word count: [# of words]
Characters: [list main characters involved]
Era: [This can be as general as "classic team" or "post-series" or as specific as "General!Jack" or "Season Ten," as you prefer.]
Categories: [The topic of the Soup needn't be included in this. Be as vague or specific as you'd like.]
Author's notes: [General catchall: cite episodes or spoilers, and include any warnings you personally feel are needed. No specific rules apply.]
Excerpt: [include a paragraph or two. It can be the first few paras of the story or taken from the middle, as you prefer.]
Link: [TITLE OF FIC HERE]
Here's an example, taken from one of my own fics at random:
_______
Well Met at Midnight, by Fig Newton (PG)
Summary: Jonas Quinn dreams of Daniel Jackson, or maybe he doesn't.
Word count: 1,350 words
Characters: Jonas Quinn, Daniel Jackson
Era: between S5 and S6
Categories: angst, character study
Author's notes: Set just before Redemption.
Excerpt: "I'm sorry for what you've lost," Jackson says some undefined time later.
"I think you've lost more," Jonas replies without turning to face him.
"It's not death, you know."
"Close enough," Jonas points out, and though he doesn't choose to say so, the words seem to echo in the cavernous room: You're not here because of me.
Link: Well Met at Midnight
_______
Questions? Problems? Comment here and let me know!