multific | Expressions of Interest

While it was originally a wistful wish, I think I may actually organise this: a finish-a-thon (or maybe a bunny-a-thon). The idea is, all those hoppy little plot bunnies that one has been neglecting in order to write ficathons, deserve a ficathon of their own. Participants would put up a list of plot bunnies and unfinished stories (of which they think they could finish one in the time given), each person would be assigned another person, that person would pick which one of the list has to be finished, and the first person would then endeavour to finish it in the allotted time.

I like this idea because I know ficathons get me to write more and quicker, providing both a carrot and a stick in their approach, but I do feel I've been neglecting me poor little lost plot bunnies, so I'd like to apply the ficathon magic to them.

Anybody interested?
When should I run it?
What length of time should I give for the writing?

Obviously, this isn't the kind of ficathon in which it would be possible to write backup fic -- is that a problem?

ETA:

vilakins suggested over here that it might be organized as a poll, with participants voting for which story people should write. Would that work?

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Oo! Ooo! I'm interested! Mostly because I am always inundated with plot bunnies, and right now it's far worse than usual. Heh.

Now to actually add my $0.02 to your questions.

When should I run it?

Anytime that's not November (planning to do NaNoWriMo already).

What length of time should I give for the writing?

It should probably be a decent length. How long did you give for the lyric wheel? 6-8 weeks? That felt like a good length (I say, even though I was dilatory).

Obviously, this isn't the kind of ficathon in which it would be possible to write backup fic -- is that a problem?

It might be a minor problem, but it sure wouldn't stop me from participating. :-)

Anytime that's not November (planning to do NaNoWriMo already).

Good point. Which means it would either have to be very soon (in order to give people a full 8 weeks to write) or after November.

Hmm. Part of me thinks this is a great idea, and part of me hates it, I think because most of the unwritten plot bunnies I've had are unwritten for a reason. Usually because they'd be very long and very complicated. :) Come to think of it, I'd say a large number of them also have at least the potential to contain explicit sex and/or slash, which I imagine you'd disallow. Which might actually be a make-or-break issue for me, because it's one thing to have rating limits, etc., imposted when you're writing to somebody else's request, and another entirely to be forced to write your own already-existing story in a different way than the story wants to go, if that makes sense.

No, I wouldn't be setting rating limits on this, for exactly the reasons you state; I'm not into plot-bunny torture.

Which I suppose some people might think hypocritical, but... it's... like... people's own plot bunnies that they've already thought of, are their own responsibility, and I'm just facilitating fic, here.
Is that hypocritical?

Absolutely not. It's not request-based, so no reason not to leave that to the author's own artistic conscience.

Cool. Because the more I think about this, the more I think the attraction of the idea overcomes the fear, but the more I also come to the conclusion that it would be a really bad idea for me to sign up if there were content restrictions, because it would eliminate half my plot bunnies and make me feel uncomfortably constrained with respect to the rest.

And, no, I don't think it's hypocritical. I think it displays a laudable flexibility, and an understanding of the difference between "my game, my rules" and "I feel as if I have the right to tell you what to do with your own ideas." If that makes any sense. I also think, btw, that it would be entirely reasonable to ask people to at least make a guess as to what the rating level of a story might turn out to be when they describe the idea, as that could be quite relevant to the person making the choice.

To answer the other questions, then... My ficathon schedule is completely full through September, but any time after that would work OK with me. I usually think six weeks is pretty good for a ficathon, but given how involved some of my potential stories are, I might be grateful for eight. And, no, one wouldn't expect a backup writer for something like this. I don't think it's a problem.

And, no, I don't think it's hypocritical.

Thanks.

I also think, btw, that it would be entirely reasonable to ask people to at least make a guess as to what the rating level of a story might turn out to be when they describe the idea, as that could be quite relevant to the person making the choice.

Good point!

My ficathon schedule is completely full through September, but any time after that would work OK with me.

Since I expect a lot of people will be involved in NaNoWriMo, that would push it back to December. This could be good or bad with regard to people's schedules, because people are either going crazy getting ready for Christmas, or actually have holidays and therefore more time.

And I definitely think that eight weeks would have to be the minimum for this, because I agree, one's neglected plot bunnies are often more complicated than your average ficathon request.

So that would make sign-ups late November/early December, and stories due early February.

I think there's also a lot of people who participate in the Yuletide challenge in December, but a February deadline woudln't conflict with that, I think.

What's the Yuletide challenge?

It's a ficathon for pairings in smaller fandoms. (Well, originally it also included less common pairings in bigger fandoms, too, but they changed it last year.) It's been very popular; I assume it'll happen again this year.

Oh, I forgot, I meant to include a link to the website (http://www.yuletidetreasure.org/).

Golly, that's an enormous list of fandoms!

Told ya it was popular. :)

That's... utterly brilliANT!

*is interested and terrified at the same time*

You know I'm in.

::goes to peruse list of unfinished fics::

Considering you encouraged me to actually do this rather than just mutter wistfully about it...

Yep, I'm very interested provided it's not for a while, like September or later. I think at least 8 weeks would be good as some of us could have complicated stories in mind if they've been simmering for a while.

I don't think that no backups aren't a problem, but you could get round it by putting up a poll and everyone taking part could vote for one plot idea for each other person. Just an idea and, now I think of it, it would also get round people being assigned someone they don't have any fandoms in common with.

Ooh, a poll. That's a fun thought. :-)

Yeah, that could work.

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