Finish-a-thon Sign Ups!
Aug. 2nd, 2008 12:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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multificAnnouncing... finish-a-thon 2008! 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.
Sign-ups are now CLOSED.
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![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
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: Saturday 2nd August 2008
Sign-ups end: Saturday 16th August 2008, 8am
Poll is put up: sometime between the 17th and the 23rd of August
Voting ends: about a week later
Results announced: by the 30th of August
Stories finished: 25th October 2008, 10am
The Rest of the World (yes, that includes America):
(Greenwitch Mean Time)
Sign-ups begin: 1st August 2008
Sign-ups end: 15th August 2008, 10pm
Stories finished: 24th October 2008, midnight
Sign-up Template
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?
This is for fanfiction, not RPF (Real People Fiction). Otherwise, there's 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.
If you want to see the results of the poll, click on the "submit" button without selecting anything else.
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:
Alixtii![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
alixtii
Annerbannerbhp
Evearray_of_colors
Zuluqueenzulu
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.
Sign-ups are now CLOSED.
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: Saturday 2nd August 2008
Sign-ups end: Saturday 16th August 2008, 8am
Poll is put up: sometime between the 17th and the 23rd of August
Voting ends: about a week later
Results announced: by the 30th of August
Stories finished: 25th October 2008, 10am
The Rest of the World (yes, that includes America):
(Greenwitch Mean Time)
Sign-ups begin: 1st August 2008
Sign-ups end: 15th August 2008, 10pm
Stories finished: 24th October 2008, midnight
Sign-up Template
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?
This is for fanfiction, not RPF (Real People Fiction). Otherwise, there's 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.
If you want to see the results of the poll, click on the "submit" button without selecting anything else.
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:
Alixtii
alixtiiAnnerb
annerbhpEve
array_of_colorsZulu
queenzulu
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-08-05 12:22 am (UTC)Livejournal:
Voting preference: everyone
1. (Indiana Cregg)
Fandom: The West Wing
Description: A semi-comic, semi-serious rip-off of the Indiana Jones movies, starring the fab four from the West Wing. CJ Cregg as the intrepid adventurer, Toby Ziegler as her reluctant companion, Sam Seaborn as the naively adventurous journalist who tags along and Josh Lyman as (I haven't worked out this dynamic yet!) either the 'damsel' in distress or the 'native' guide. Adventures abound.
Type: Gen with a side of slash.
Rating: up to R, I'd have thought, no higher.
2. (Dupont Circle)
Fandom: The West Wing
Description: Sam Seaborn is a male prostitute, Toby Ziegler is his client. One of those difficult love stories. This has been sitting on my harddrive for over three years now and I'd really like to get it done.
Type: Slash.
Rating: Probably up to NC-17.
3. Like A Bright Exhalation in the Evening
Fandom: The West Wing
Description: An ongoing canon-based series (http://raedbard.livejournal.com/tag/like+a+bright+exhalation+in+the+evening), now up to its eleventh chapter. I'd be committing to another two chapters or ten thousand words, whichever works out in the time. (The last chapter *was* 10,000 words ... )
Type: Slash. Though canon dictates a bit of leeway on that one at the point I'm currently at!
Rating: Usually hits a low R or less.
4.
Fandom: The West Wing
Description: An expansion/adaption/jumping-off-from of this ficlet (http://raedbard.livejournal.com/582229.html), tapping in to my substitute lovers and pseudo-incest obsessions. (Less awful than it sounds ... ) In the aftermath of Toby's death, Sam and Toby's son Huck get into a relationship.
Type: Slash.
Rating: up to a high R. Probably.
5.
Fandom: The West Wing
Description: AU. Kind of TWW meets the Discworld Watch books meets Michael Chabon's Yiddish Policeman's Union. Toby and Sam are, again, the major players, though the other characters will probably feature too.
Type: Gen, with a side of slash.
Rating: Up to R.