Finish-a-thon 2007 Sign-ups!

[kerravonsen]

Announcing... finish-a-thon 2007! Yes, we're doing it again.

Remember all those poor, neglected plot bunnies that have been starving from lack of attention, because all those ficathons kept on having higher priority? The stories you wish you could finish, if only you could find the time? Well, fear not, the finish-a-thon is coming to the rescue!

The finish-a-thon is a ficathon, with all the ficathon-like things like deadlines and fellow volunteers to encourage you, but with this ficathon, you write your own ideas. But since part of the encouragement of a ficathon is writing things for other people, what we're going to do, is vote for which story ideas people should write.

This year I've decided to give a longer sign-up period.
Sign-ups are definitely closed now.

The way it works is this:

1) Sign up.
In your sign-up comment, list a short description all the plot bunnies, unfinished stories (apart from other ficathon stories) and vague ideas that you are putting up for voting on. Say what universe(s) it's in, a very brief description, and some idea of what rating and type (gen,het,slash) you think it will be, to give people a good idea of what they'd be voting for.

Also give your voting preference, whether you wish your story to be voted on by participants only, or all interested parties.

2) Join or friend multific, so that you will recieve assigments, important notices, and reminders. I am NOT going to notify people individually.

3) A poll is made, each "question" consists of the potential stories of one participant.

4) We vote for which story we want each person to finish. The winning story in each section is the one which that author has to work on.

5) Each writer works on their winning story, and finishes it by the deadline. They then put it up on the web somewhere, either in their journal, or on a website.

6) I will post a master-list of all the stories, so that people can find them.

7) Everyone rejoices!

Dates

Australia and New Zealand:

(Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Sign-ups begin: 7th August 2007
Sign-ups end: 6am, 24th August 2007
Poll is put up: 25th/26th August 2007
Voting ends: 6am, 31st August 2007
Stories finished: 6am, 27th October 2007

The Rest of the World (yes, that includes America):

(Greenwitch Mean Time)
Sign-ups begin: 7th August 2007
Sign-ups end: 10pm, 23rd August 2007
Poll is put up: 25th/26th August 2007
Voting ends: 10pm, 30th August 2007
Stories finished: 10pm, 26th October 2007

Sign-up Template

Name:
Livejournal:
Voting preference: participants only/all and sundry

For each plot-bunny...

Fandom:
Description:
Type: het/gen/slash
Rating:

Questions

What do you mean, not other ficathon stories?

Unfinished stories from other ficathons already have a ficathon for them. This is the Home For Lost Plot-Bunnies that don't have a ficathon of their own.

What if I want to use this story for fanfic100?
(or crossovers100 etc)

Well, this is supposed to be for stories not associated with other ficathonish things... but if it so happens that after you've written it, you find that it fits into your Big Table, well, those challenges aren't averse to using stories from other sources, are they?

Are there any restrictions? This isn't an anti-slash thing, is it?

No restrictions. They're your own ideas, hence, your responsibility. Just let people know, in the descriptions, what kind of story you think it will be, so that they can vote wisely.

What about sequels? Can I include bunnies for those?

Sure. Just give a link to where we can find the previous story or stories.

What if my story is a huge epic that I'll never be able to finish in 8 weeks?

We want to encourage story writing, so, if a story is an epic, still put it on the list, but commit to writing 10,000 words of it, or finishing it, whichever is shorter.

10,000 words? You gotta be joking!

I did say "epic", didn't I? It's not as hard as NaNoWriMo.

Is there a minumum number of bunnies required?

Yes. Three. We need something to vote on, after all.

Is there a maximum number of bunnies allowed?

Yes. Ten. Otherwise we'll never be able to decide. Just pick the bunnies you most want to write.

Who gets to vote on what I write?

When you sign up, say what you would prefer:
(a) other participants only
(b) all and sundry (that is, get your friends to vote so you get a better idea of what your peers want)

I will put a note as part of your poll entry as to what your preference is. I won't be able to enforce the preferences, but we can hope that people will be considerate.

What if I don't know what story to vote for?

Try. It is possible to not answer a poll question. But please do try to pick one story from everybody if you possibly can.

What about my own stories? Do I pick one of mine as well?

Nup. The point is to find out what other folks here wish you to write.

What if there's a tie in the votes? Which story would I write?

Toss a coin. If you can't toss a coin, I'll toss one for you -- just ask.

Arrgh! I never thought people would vote for that story!

People will surprise you. They'll vote for anything, however unlikely you think it. So be prepared to write any of the story ideas you put up, don't assume that people won't vote for the wierd one that you put there half-jokingly.

Is there a minimum length requirement?

Unless you committed to writing 10,000 words of an epic, no. However, it seems a bit pointless to waste an 8-week ficathon on a drabble. But I don't want you to be sweating over length requirements. Stories have natural lengths; try to pick story ideas which would naturally fit into more than a drabble.

Is there a maximum length requirement?

No, but do remember you've only got 8 weeks.

I didn't finish! Can I have an extension?

No. If you have a Real Life reason for not being able to finish (like "my computer died" or "my mother broke her hip") then you can have an exemption. After all, it's your story, you will finish it later.

Otherwise:
(A) post what you've managed to write so far, indicating that it isn't finished. You will then get a week's grace period in which to finish or revise the story. Note that those who do not post anything by the deadline will NOT get a grace period.

OR

(B) Write me a nice note saying, "sorry, I couldn't finish". The flimiser the excuse, the more grovelling required. You get a gold star for participating.

OR

(C) Drop out without a word or excuse. This will get you banned from participating next time.

I finished my story, but it isn't betaed!

As with unfinished stories, if you post something by the deadline, you get a week's grace in which to revise. If you don't post anything, you do not get the grace period. Do not treat the grace period as an extension to the deadline. It is not.

I didn't finish my story last time. Can I still sign up?

If you gave it a go, sure. If you bailed out for no reason and didn't even bother contacting me, no.

To be explicit, the following people are banned:
Trinity Day trinityday
Lee southernbangel
Keyla Sheppard neverbelonged/viri_amore
Krista taskir
Myownspecialself mos_self
deaniebtvs
Liza/LadySmith lady_smith
Karen hyperfocused

Comments

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

(1)
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Description: “Into This Haze of Green and Gold” J.M. Barrie once called death "an awfully big adventure." What might that look like to our beloved SG-1? This is one of those surreal, action-filled, metaphor-laden stories about the path into the afterlife.
Type: gen (AU, technically)
Rating: PG-13

(2)
Fandom: Numb3rs
Description: "An Integral Part of a Balanced Day" Dr. Larry Fleinhardt learned long ago that the mind, without variety and without the input of the human heart, begins to go in circles. So he makes sure to exchange conversation, concern--love--with the friends and family and others whose paths he crosses daily.
Type: gen
Rating: PG

(3)
Fandoms: Harry Potter/CSI
Description: The CSI team are witches/wizards, part of a new branch of Magical Law Enforcement who are trained in dealing with magical trace elements, spell identification, etc. Now they've been assigned to investigate the scene of the battle in the department of Mysteries, to determine the exact charges against the captured Death Eaters, the culpability of any of the vigilantes who fought them, and to confirm or deny the presence of Sirius Black during the battle and his role in it. [Unfinished from last year’s finish-a-thon; I have most of the backstory worked out, and several hundred words written. I'd like to get to 10,000 words or finish, whichever comes first.]
Type: gen, though I reserve the right to hint at 'ships. Avatar fic, of a sort.
Rating: PG

(4)
Fandom: The Sentinel (AU)
Description: “Which is Easier?” A police incident two years before robbed Jim of his mobility, and Blair of his life. In the midst of a life as paralyzed as his body, the Sentinel will be given one more chance to find healing. But with Blair not there to offer forgiveness, how can Jim forgive himself?
Type: gen
Rating: PG

(5)
Fandom: Numb3rs/The Sentinel
Description: "You Can Share Mine" Alan and Margaret Eppes made it a habit to take their 3-year-old son Don with them on peace marches. At one of them, the Eppes wind up marching next to Naomi Sandburg and little Blair. The boys hit it off, and Don offers to share his daddy with Blair, who doesn't have one. Then Alan gets arrested, and Blair uses his mighty 5-yr-old wisdom to comfort Don, who is terrified that he's not going to have a daddy either. Told from young Don's POV.
Type: gen
Rating: G

(6)
Fandoms: Numb3rs/Doctor Who
Description: Physicist Larry Fleinhardt has always been fascinated by ideas about time travel. But a professional conference is the last place he expected to encounter a practical application . . . and before he knows it, he's caught up in an adventure that goes way beyond the theoretical.
Type: gen
Rating: PG

(7)
Fandom: Numb3rs
Description: An Alan-pov companion piece to "Statistical Ghosts" and "Phantom Intelligence." Charting Alan's reaction to a case that really upset both of his sons. An epilogue to the episode "In Plain Sight."
Type: gen
Rating: PG

(8)
Fandom: The Sentinel
Description: "Senseless" A case story, set about 3 years post-series. With Blair’s Sentinel research carefully and legally buried, he and Jim are free live normal lives, working as a cop and as a consultant to the Cascade PD. But when a kidnapping case begins to smell of bio-terrorism (this is barely a year after 9/11) and a bright neurologist seeks out Blair’s help, they may have to accept that nothing stays a secret forever. Nice high levels of h/c, angst, and sensory weirdness. (Same universe as “Scents of Celebration” and “Coming to Terms.”) Currently at approximately 42,000 words; one-half to two-thirds of the story has been written--I'd like to try to finish it.
Type: gen
Rating: R (violence, language)

(9)
Fandom: CSI/Numb3rs
Description: "Working Girls" Set pre-series for both shows. About 20 years ago, Catherine Willows realized that life could and should be about more than dancing (no matter how good she looked and how much money she made on the pole). It really frustrated her that she couldn't seem to get that across to the couldn't-be-more-than-16 new dancer who'd just been hired at her club. Megan wasn't the in mood to listen to anybody's advice. . . .
Type: gen
Rating: PG-13 to R (language and adult themes)

[kerravonsen]

Oooh, I didn't know you'd seen enough Doctor Who to write fic for it!

I see you didn't go for the CSI/Stargate one after all.

And I certainly would like to see you finish the CSI/Harry Potter one!

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

I've seen just enough Who to want to write fic, but to be uncertain of my ability to do so. Hence me putting this crossover up again. I'd like to give it a try (probably Nine, but maybe Ten).

I keep wanting to write CSI/Stargate, and not finding a good plot to do it with, and you gave me the beginning hints of one with your prompt. However, as it will require SG1 research, I didn't put it up this year. It's gone in the idea file, though. :-)

[kerravonsen]

I've seen just enough Who to want to write fic, but to be uncertain of my ability to do so.

Ah. Well, you certainly wouldn't get better at Who if you didn't write any!

It's gone in the idea file, though.

Cool!

[kerravonsen]

Oh, and what's your voting preference?

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

Name: Izhilzha
Livejournal: izhilzha
Voting preference: all and sundry

[kalquessa.livejournal.com]

Duuuude! Write me that SG-1 fic!

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

Well, I know which one you're voting on, don't I? :-)

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Psst. Hey, where's "Fidelitas Frater" (or whatever you're gonna call it)? 'Cause, ya know, I totally want to read that one.

Oh, and Geo suggested a N3/Who x-over. I told him we'd already talked about that. Can I tell him you're on the job?

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

The yet-officially-nameless N3/TS crossover isn't on here because I'm actually working on it, still. Also because it's not as well plotted (or short) as most of these other ideas, and thus less suited for the finish-a-thon. IMHO. :-)

As for N3/Who, well, we'll see what gets voted in, won't we?