xf_bigbang, posts by tag: 2010 - LiveJournal

We have two days to go before XF Big Bang 2010 begins! We have eight stories and four pieces of artwork coming in over the next few weeks and I'm looking forward to reading all the new fic and oohing at the new artwork. I hope you guys are too. Congratulations to everyone who completed pieces for this year's Bang. It's no mean feat writing 15,000 words (I couldn't do it) - or coming up with artwork to go with that (I couldn't do that either) - so you should feel really proud of yourselves.

Now for the technical bit: I've given all writers and artists posting access so can you please check that you're able to post to the comm by creating a new post in your journal and making sure you have xf_bigbang in the 'post to' drop down menu (don't hit the 'post' button though). If you don't have posting access please let me know as soon as possible so I can give it to you.

I've also sent invites out to those writers and artists who aren't members of the community so when you get those please join as soon as you can. If you're not already a member of the community it's important you join as soon as possible; I won't be sending out any more invites or reminders.

There's a master list of posting rules and info on which dates fic and artwork should be posted here. Please remember when you need to post because I won't remind you.

If you have any problems or questions either drop me a message on LJ or email xfbigbang@gmail.com.

Finally, a big thank you to everyone who's taken part. As frustrating as plot, characterisation and dialogue can be at times, I hope you've had as much fun as we have. And please, remember to give feedback; it's what makes the fandom world go round.

We're creeping ever closer to the final deadline of October 6th, when fic and artwork should be finished. Completed fic and artwork should be sent to xfbigbang@gmail.com on the deadline so that we know there'll be something to go out on each of the posting dates.

On your posting date, fic and artwork should be posted somewhere online and linked to from a post in the XF Big Bang community (posting privileges will be set up on October 10th for all writers and artists, so don't worry if you can't post to the community before then). If you aren't a member of LiveJournal you can email the mods with the link to your work and we'll post it on your behalf.

Posts should contain:
# Your lj user name/Author/Artist name. The one you signed up with.
# Your final title (both fic and artwork).
# Story and artwork rating, and pairing, if there is one.
# Your summary.
# Any warnings the reader might need to know about (non-con, death, animal torture, I don't know... you know what people warn for!)
# Any notes you might wish to add for the reader's perusal *g*.

Posts should be tagged with your name, the title of your work and the words 'xf_bigbang 201013'.

Emails have been sent to all writers and artists with information about posting dates. A master list of dates is below, but if you haven't had your email, please let me know and I'll resend it.

Remember that fic and artwork should not be posted anywhere else before your posting date.

As always, any questions can be sent here, to the email address, or to omg_xf_bigbang.

Masterlist of Posting Dates

13th October
Variations on a Theme

14th October
Reclamation
Far Above

15th October
The Rusted Wheel of Things

17th October
Dust to Dust

18th October
And Miles to Go (Before I Sleep)

19th October
Isolation

20th October
Genesis Method

Posting dates for this year's Big Bang have now been sent out. Please check your emails to make sure the date has arrived and if there are any problems or questions, drop me a line.

So, the first draft deadline has been and gone, the artist sign ups have finished and it's time for the stories to be claimed!

Claiming a Story:

Summaries will be claimed on a first come, first served basis.

Each summary will be given a number. I will add comments to this post with a number in the subject title. This number will relate to the summary. If you want to claim that summary, reply to the relevant comment.

Once the summmary has been claimed, no one else can take it.

If two people claim a summary at the same time we will use the timestamp to determine who got there first.

Once the summary has been claimed, you'll be given the author's name and contact information.


Rules for Artists:

You will create at least one piece of art or a video to accompany one of the Big Bang stories.

Art can be any type you wish: original illustration, cover art, photo manipulation, etc.

You will be able to post your story on your own journal or site, and we'll create a master list of links and summaries at the community.

Art cannot be posted anywhere prior to your assigned posting date.


Important Deadlines:

Your final piece must be completed by October 6th. You may provide us with a link to the art or video or the art file itself.

The posting window will be between October 13th and October 31st. The moderators will contact you with your posting date


( And now the important bit...Collapse )

(Ahem. For those of you on my f-list? Yes, I fail.)

So, we've had the first rough drafts submitted to the xf_bigbang inbox and I am very, very excited for the final reveal in October!

Just a reminder (for those of you who aren't super organised) the deadline is August 14th - this coming Saturday tomorrow! Guidelines on how to submit can be found here:

Rough Draft Submission Guidelines

As always, questions, concerns, flailing can all be directed to xfbigbang@gmail.com

I know many of you have been waiting for this information... just HOW do you submit your fabulous first drafts?

That's right, for those of you who have been hiding out under magnetite rocks or something, we are almost to the first big deadline of this challenge. More exciting than a New Year's kiss, right?

First drafts of ALL FIC are due August 14th.

Here's what you need to know about submitting your draft:

1. The deadline for your submission is August 14th. As long as it's August 14th wherever you are when you send it, you're on time.

2. Absolutely no extensions past August 14th. We need to get things moving with the whole art assignment part of this, which is going to take some time, hence the deadline.

3. What we will need from you on August 14th:

Send an email to xfbigbang@gmail.com and include the following:
# Your lj user name/Author name. The one you signed up with. (Very important!)
# Your final title.
# Story rating. And pairing, if there is one.
# Your summary. (You just need about a paragraph or so to give the artists an idea of what your story is about. So, be complete. Yet succinct. Also, please indicate if your story is gen, het, slash, or some combination thereof.) Need help? Here are some tips.
# Any warnings an artist might need to know about when choosing a story. (non-con, death, animal torture, I don't know... you know what people warn for!)
# Your first draft of no less than 15,000 words. No exceptions. It must be in a word file, and please send it as an attachment to your email. (No one is going to see it but the mods, and we're only looking for word count and story completeness. Once your summary is claimed the artist might ask to see your draft for more inspiration, but we'll leave that to the two of you to work out.)
# Please note, this draft is NOT THE FINAL DRAFT. Some folks have not had time for a full beta. That's FINE. You'll still have almost two months to polish your epic. We just need to see that you have a beginning, middle, end, and the bits in-between, and at least 15,000 words. Subplots can still be jiggered, adjectives massaged, scene order twisted, and porn scenes expanded (especially this one!). ;)

4. On August 15th we will post final titles and summaries (without the authors' names attached) for artist claiming.

5. Your final draft must be completed by October 6th. This is also the due date for all art and vids.

6. We will make a staggered posting schedule starting October 13th. Don't worry about this now, because we're going to make the schedule after we see how many stories have been turned in. You will have plenty of notice!

Because this is so important, I'm going to say it again, in all caps: THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS, FOR ANY REASON, TO THE AUGUST 14th DEADLINE. (Even for your pathetically procrastinatory, totally earnest mod(s). Whimper.)

So that's it. Finish up, don't panic, and have fun! You guys are doing awesome, KEEP GOING! Let us know if you have any questions, either here, by e-mail, or at omg_xf_bigbang.

---

August 14th is also the deadline for artist sign-ups! If you haven't signed up yet, but would like to create a video or other piece of art for one of our epics, please sign-up here before the end of August 14th.

As you know, it is a requirement that all entries in The X-files Big Bang have a beta reader. Beta readers act as sounding boards, editors, and cheerleaders for authors by helping them get a first reaction to their story. A good beta reader is essential to the creation of most quality fiction. While authors are free to work with existing betas or ask close friends, twnty or so of the authors who signed up have indicated that they may need help finding a willing beta reader.

The purpose of this post is to help them with just that. If you are interested in putting some time into the Big Bang project, please consider helping as a beta reader! Reply with the information below, if interested.

Rules for Beta Readers

1. You will help edit at least one piece of 15,000+ word X-Files fanfiction between the dates of May 14th and October 13th.
2. You are willing to communicate over e-mail with the author.
3. You may already be signed up as an author or artist but, if an artist, you agree not to creat art for a story you've betaed.
4. Betas may also be a member of the general fandom otherwise not connected with this Big Bang challenge.
5. You agree not to talk about the plot or name the author of the story you beta, until its published date.
6. You agree to have your name attached to the project.

Important Deadlines

You must sign-up to participate by August 17th.

Authors will contact you based on your comment below.

The final piece must be completed by October 13th. Make sure any personal time constraints will not conflict with any final revisions.

To Sign Up

Please comment below with the following information:

<b>LJ username:</b> <b>Email where we can reach you:</b> <b>How many 20,000+ fics could your realistically help with?:</b> (The following will help authors find a beta who is compatible with their personal needs.) <b>What are your strengths as a beta (e.g. Grammar, Characterization, Story Background, Research, Cheerleading, etc.)?</b> <b>What is your weakest point as a beta?</b> <b>Do you prefer to beta for slash, gen, or het?</b> <b>In which fandoms could you expertly beta a crossover?</b> <b>What story ratings are you comfortable with (e.g. G, PG, Pg-13, R, or NC-17)?</b> <b>Any story kinks you <u>can not</u> work with (e.g. rape, insest, character death, chia pets, torture, etc.)?</b>

To Claim a Beta

If you see a beta profile that you think would work well with your story, please logout and comment anonymously to the post with something like "GLOMP" or "CLAIM!"

Then e-mail the beta at their contact e-mail to see if they are interested.

Thanks for participating! Don't forget to check out omg_xf_bigbang for support!

Sign-ups have been open for just over a week and we currently have 20 writers and 3 artists. Sign-ups are open until May 14th, so be sure to advertise to your friends and loved ones - it would be great to have as many people sign up as last year. Our prompts and inspiration post has just been posted so if you're looking to feed your muse, check it out.

We've already had a lot of people pimp out the comm (if you haven't already, check out our Facebook Page. And, to make it that little bit easier, here are a choice of four pimp banners/buttons that you may use on your journal profiles/pimp posts and... anywhere really.

Quick Links:
F.A.Q.
Writer's Sign-up
Artist's Sign-up
Prompts and Inspiration
Support Community

(Copy & Paste Below for LiveJournal Codes.)

<center><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/xf_bigbang/" border="0"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/s2zbjk.png"></a><br /><lj user=xf_bigbang></center>


(Copy & Paste Below for Simple HTML Button)
<center><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/xf_bigbang/" border="0"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/s2zbjk.png"><br /><i>X-Files</i> Big Bang Challenge</a></center>



(Copy & Paste Below for LiveJournal Codes.)
<center><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/xf_bigbang/" border="0"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/jtnbbm.png"></a><lj user=xf_bigbang></center>


(Copy & Paste Below for Simple HTML Button)
<center><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/xf_bigbang/" border="0"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/jtnbbm.png"><i>X-Files</i> Big Bang Challenge</a></center>



(Copy & Paste Below for LiveJournal Codes.)
<center><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/xf_bigbang/" border="0"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/2r72fwp.png"></a> <lj user=xf_bigbang></center>


(Copy & Paste Below for Simple HTML Button)
<center><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/xf_bigbang/" border="0"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/2r72fwp.png"><br /><i>X-Files</i> Big Bang Challenge</a></center>



(Copy & Paste Below for LiveJournal Codes.)
<center><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/xf_bigbang/" border="0"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/oiuqeo.png"></a><br /><lj user=xf_bigbang></center>


(Copy & Paste Below for Simple HTML Button)
<center><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/xf_bigbang/" border="0"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/oiuqeo.png"><br /><i>X-Files</i> Big Bang Challenge</a></center>

I hope you like the banners, but feel free to create any additional banners or icons to promote the challenge. If you like, you can even comment to this post and share them with others!

Is there a specific story you want to see written for the Big Bang?

Are you being overrun by ideas and you’re feeling generous enough to share your spares?
Many writers may already have a story in mind, but some people can use a bit of inspiration before committing to write a 20,000 word fic. This is the post for writers/artist/betas/cheerleaders to share their ideas for someone else to write.

Post any ideas in the comments below.

If you see an idea you would like to claim, it's suggested that you log-out for a moment and comment anonymously asking to claim it.

Rules for Artists

1. You will create at least one piece of art or a video to accompany on of the Big Bang stories.
2. Art can be any type you wish: original illustration, cover art, photo manipulation.
3. You will be able to post your story on your own journal or site, and we'll create a master list of links and summaries at the community.
4. Art cannot be posted prior to your assigned posting date.
5. If you are also signing up to write a story, please do not sign up as an artist until July 1.
6. There are no penalties for dropping out. If, after claiming a story, you are unable to illustrate it, please contact the mods if possible so we can try to find a replacement.
10. Artists should join both the xf_bigbang and omg_xf_bigbang communities, not just watch them, to make sure they get all notes from the mods.

Important Deadlines

You must sign-up to participate by August 14th.

On August 15th, a list of summaries and titles will be posted for participating artists to claim as prompts on a first come, first served basis. Once you have claimed a prompt, you will be given the author's name and contact information.

Your final piece must be completed by October 6th. You may provide us with a link to the art or video or the art file itself.

The posting window will be between October 13th and October 31st. The moderators will contact you with your posting date.

To Sign Up

Please comment below with the following information:

<b>LJ username:</b> <b>Artist name:</b> <b>Email where we can reach you:</b> <b>Art, Vid, or both?</b> ( The next two are optional, but we'd like to get an idea of what to expect as far as submissions. You can always change your mind.) <b>Do you prefer to create for slash, gen, or het?</b> <b>What fandoms could you possible create crossover art for?</b>

Thanks for participating, and see you in omg_xf_bigbang!