FAQs
If the information you need isn't contained in one of the answers below, feel free to leave a comment or PM/email me.
May I sign up to be both an author and an artist?
Wow, you're talented! As long as you can meet the deadlines for both challenges, you are more than welcome to sign up for both.
So I can use any pairing or moresome I want, right?
Gen, Het, Slash, and Femslash are all welcome.
How many entries can you submit?
You can submit as many entries as you can get beta’d and finished by the final deadline.
Will we be reminded of important dates?
Yes, we’ll keep a hanging post of all important dates and we’ll remind all participants of sign-up/submission dates a week in advance.
How do I locate a beta?
If you already have a steady beta please feel free to continue working with them. If you don't have your own beta, or they are unavailable, then there will be a beta sign-up post in June. You may contact them to find out if someone is available to help.
Nothing is working as I planned. What should I do?
If you're getting discouraged, need help, support, or encouragement, then head over to sv_sparks . It's the official support comm for the SVBB. People over there are ready and willing to cheer you on.
I’m thinking about quitting: who do I talk to?
If you’re thinking about quitting, and a visit to sv_sparks didn't help, talk to a mod first. Hopefully, we can persuade you to stay. If however, you do decide to quit the challenge, there is no penalty, as long as you do it before an artist selects your story to do art for. If an artist is left high and dry, then you may be banned from participating for a year.
Can I collaborate with someone?
Collaborations are welcome. The minimum word count does increase to 15,000 words.
How do I post?
a. When the drafts are due in September, please send the drafts to twinsarein@gmail.com.
b. During final posting, on your due date, post your story to your own site (LJ, DW, AO3, etc). If your story has to be broken into several posts, then also create a master post that links all the pieces together. Once that is done post to the community with a link to your story's master post. Son't forget a link to your artist's work. All entries need the following header:
Title
Author
Artist
Beta
Word Count
Rating
Pairing/Genre
Summary
Author’s Notes/Warning/Disclaimer/ Spoilers
Link to story
Link to art
I'd like to lock my story/art. May I?
NO! All Big Bang entries must be unlock, and remain unlocked.
May I use an original character?
You can, but the original character must interact with Smallville character(s). If you want to have a Smallville character/Original character pairing, that is fine.
What about minor characters? Can I write a story just with minor characters?
Sure, whatever floats your boat.
Is RPS/RPF allowed?
Yes. That isn't a problem, as long as one of the people in your story was an actor on Smallville.
How can I track my word count?
Here are some resources with charts to help you gauge your progress.
Check out:
Writertopia: Picometer and Progress Meter
Curious Device: Another Little Progress Meter
Do our regular betas need to sign up or is that just for free range betas?
Beta sign-ups are for the free range betas. If you have a beta, don't worry about sign-ups.
Is there an upper word limit?
Basically, it's whatever you can have well-written and beta'd before the final posting date.
Are we allowed to to split the word count between two or more stories, or does each story have to be the 10,000 word limit?
Each story has to have a minimum word count of 10,000 words. You can write more than one story too, but each has to be at least 10k.
Author/Artist Rules & Schedule / FAQs / Author Sign-Ups / Artist Sign-Ups / Bunny Post / Promotional Banners
May I sign up to be both an author and an artist?
Wow, you're talented! As long as you can meet the deadlines for both challenges, you are more than welcome to sign up for both.
So I can use any pairing or moresome I want, right?
Gen, Het, Slash, and Femslash are all welcome.
How many entries can you submit?
You can submit as many entries as you can get beta’d and finished by the final deadline.
Will we be reminded of important dates?
Yes, we’ll keep a hanging post of all important dates and we’ll remind all participants of sign-up/submission dates a week in advance.
How do I locate a beta?
If you already have a steady beta please feel free to continue working with them. If you don't have your own beta, or they are unavailable, then there will be a beta sign-up post in June. You may contact them to find out if someone is available to help.
Nothing is working as I planned. What should I do?
If you're getting discouraged, need help, support, or encouragement, then head over to sv_sparks . It's the official support comm for the SVBB. People over there are ready and willing to cheer you on.
I’m thinking about quitting: who do I talk to?
If you’re thinking about quitting, and a visit to sv_sparks didn't help, talk to a mod first. Hopefully, we can persuade you to stay. If however, you do decide to quit the challenge, there is no penalty, as long as you do it before an artist selects your story to do art for. If an artist is left high and dry, then you may be banned from participating for a year.
Can I collaborate with someone?
Collaborations are welcome. The minimum word count does increase to 15,000 words.
How do I post?
a. When the drafts are due in September, please send the drafts to twinsarein@gmail.com.
b. During final posting, on your due date, post your story to your own site (LJ, DW, AO3, etc). If your story has to be broken into several posts, then also create a master post that links all the pieces together. Once that is done post to the community with a link to your story's master post. Son't forget a link to your artist's work. All entries need the following header:
Title
Author
Artist
Beta
Word Count
Rating
Pairing/Genre
Summary
Author’s Notes/Warning/Disclaimer/ Spoilers
Link to story
Link to art
I'd like to lock my story/art. May I?
NO! All Big Bang entries must be unlock, and remain unlocked.
May I use an original character?
You can, but the original character must interact with Smallville character(s). If you want to have a Smallville character/Original character pairing, that is fine.
What about minor characters? Can I write a story just with minor characters?
Sure, whatever floats your boat.
Is RPS/RPF allowed?
Yes. That isn't a problem, as long as one of the people in your story was an actor on Smallville.
How can I track my word count?
Here are some resources with charts to help you gauge your progress.
Check out:
Writertopia: Picometer and Progress Meter
Curious Device: Another Little Progress Meter
Do our regular betas need to sign up or is that just for free range betas?
Beta sign-ups are for the free range betas. If you have a beta, don't worry about sign-ups.
Is there an upper word limit?
Basically, it's whatever you can have well-written and beta'd before the final posting date.
Are we allowed to to split the word count between two or more stories, or does each story have to be the 10,000 word limit?
Each story has to have a minimum word count of 10,000 words. You can write more than one story too, but each has to be at least 10k.
Author/Artist Rules & Schedule / FAQs / Author Sign-Ups / Artist Sign-Ups / Bunny Post / Promotional Banners