FAQ

[galerian-ash.livejournal.com]

How do I determine if a fandom has no fics? Must I look absolutely everywhere, including old personal websites and zines?

The general guideline is to check AO3 and fanfiction.net, and doing some quick googling. The latter is just to make sure there isn't a fandom-specific archive hiding in plain sight. If none of those bring up any results, then you're in the clear. I don't expect you to spend hours digging through the dark corners of the net, don't worry!

All in all, we're operating under the honor system here. I trust your judgment when it comes to your chosen fandom, and will not go double-checking anything. If there's a mistake made and a couple of fics do exist after all, well, it's not the end of the world :)

What is the minimum/maximum word length?

There is none! Your story can be however long or short it needs to be.

Where should I post my completed fic?

Anywhere you want! I'll create a collection here on AO3 where you can post your fics. Said collection will be hidden until the deadline/reveal date, and is totally optional. I'll also post a list on the DW community with all the fics, regardless of where they're hosted.

How much time will I have to write?

Two months. The AO3 collection will close at 23.59 GMT on the 20th of April. It'll go live — and I'll round up links for all fics in the community — at 00.01 GMT on the 22nd of April.

When is the deadline for signing up?

There won't really be one, actually. I'm sure we've all been bummed out over discovering some awesome exchange or challenge just days after sign-ups closed. I wanted to avoid that here, by simply not having a cut-off date. So if you stumble upon this challenge the day before the reveal, and still want to take part? Write like the wind, buddy!

I can't decide what fandom to write for!

Then pick two! Which is to say, you can submit up to two fics for this challenge — just as long as they're for different fandoms (since otherwise one of them wouldn't be the first, y'know?). ETA: As per requests and subsequent voting, this limit has now been raised to four!

What if someone else writes a fic for my chosen fandom in the interim between signing up and the deadline?

Then that doesn't count. So even if there are suddenly ten fics posted after you've signed up, they won't affect you. Just keep working on your story and don't worry about it.

Can I write for a franchise, where some parts have fics and others don't?

That depends a bit... If the parts are separate enough to basically be different series, then yes, that's perfectly fine. But if they're very closely connected — with the same set of characters and continuing plot — then it's not really suitable for this challenge, sorry.

There are fics for my fandom, but only in Japanese/German/some other language.

For this challenge only fics written in English count, so go right ahead and ignore those.

I have an old WIP that I started writing ages ago, but never finished or posted anywhere. Is it okay to continue working on that for this challenge?

Yup! :Db

The fandom I'm thinking about has fanfiction, but not for the particular characters/pairing I'd like to write about. Is that okay?

I'm sorry, but no. This challenge is specifically to write the first fic for a rare fandom.

Can I combine this with another writing challenge, such as Yuletide's NYR?

Sure thing!

Fanfic exists for my chosen fandom, but it's a crossover. Does that mean I can't write for it?

That depends on a lot of different things (like which fandom is in focus), and as such the answer is on a case-by-case basis. Please ask and we'll talk about it.

Can I write a crossover?

If none of the fandoms have any fics, then yes (it'll be a double win in terms of you being the first!). Otherwise, for now, the answer is no.

Can I write RPF?

By definition that would be more about people, than a specific series. So it's the same as wanting to write for rare characters — and the answer is the same, too. Sorry. ETA: It turns out that a few people had their hearts set on writing RPF, and felt that my view on it was wrong. I don't want to disappoint anyone, so I'll rescind the rule and trust your judgment when it comes to this.

I don't have a DW account, can I still take part in the community?

Oh yes, absolutely. You can either post anonymously, or with OpenID. The latter enables you to use some other social-media account you may have, such as Twitter.

I'd like to post my finished fic to the AO3 collection, but I don't have an account.

Let me know and I'll do my best to get you an invite.

I have another question/problem/suggestion/comment.

Please comment on the FAQ post or drop me an email at galerian.ash@gmail.com, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

Comments

[darkestabsol]

I already joined with two series, but I just remembered a third, this one being Nonchalant Lupin.
Nonchalant Lupin was written as a one shot manga, but then the creator used NL as the basis for his full series Magic Kaito. While Magic Kaito has plenty of fic, I can't find anything specifically for Nonchalant Lupin. Other than being the basis for the full series with a few similarly named characters and plot elements, it's pretty much unconnected and non canon.
Can I still write a Nonchalant Lupin fic for this despite it being used as a basis for a full series?

[galerian_ash]

I haven't read this particular one, but I know those one-shot/prototype stories can be reeeally different from the serialized manga. So yes, that's absolutely fine!

[firedjinn]

A fandom I'm considering has a small but noticeable amount of fanart around, including one work posted to AO3, but as far as I can tell, no fanfic. Is this still fair game?

[galerian_ash]

Oh yes, absolutely!

[gehayi]

Hi. I have a story I badly want to write, but I'm not sure if the fandom counts. There's one fic that's actually three poems connected by a theme, and one of the poems is set in my fandom. (The other two fandoms are BIG--Greek and Roman mythology and Shakespeare.) There don't seem to be any prose stories in the fandom, though. Does this work?

[galerian_ash]

That works just fine, yes!

How to sign up

[bluedreaming]

Hello! I’m probably just too quick, but I shared the sign up post and someone pointed out that they couldn’t figure out how to sign up (not indicated on the sign up posts or the collection or faq). This probably becomes clear once regulars start signing up, but could you maybe add a tiny note about how to sign up (comment on the sign up post, I infer) and what a sign up should contain?
Thanks!

Re: How to sign up

[galerian_ash]

Hi there, sorry for the confusion! This is a very easygoing challenge, so the bit on the sign-up post that says "If you want to take part, just reply to this post :)" is really all there is to it.

Your comment doesn't need to contain anything in particular; it can be a simple "I'm in!" or you talking about which fandom(s) you're planning on writing for. (The latter can be a good way to potentially catch the attention of any fellow fans, but there'll also be a promo post later on.)

Ultimately, sign-ups aren't even obligatory. It's great if you do, because it helps me know what to expect -- like, for example, if tons of people haven't submitted their fics by the deadline I'll try to keep the collection open a bit longer -- but it's definitely not a must.

Again, sorry for the confusion, and thank you for sharing the post!

[(Anonymous)]

Can I gift my fic to a person if I write it for this challenge?

[galerian_ash]

Absolutely, provided one thing: if you add the fic to another AO3 collection (like, for example, an ongoing exchange), then said collection needs to be revealed by the 22nd of April. Otherwise the fic would be hidden when the BTF collection goes live.

Similarly, if you intend for your fic to be a gift on a certain date -- birthday or such -- please be warned that the recipient won't be able to read it until the 22nd.

[sweetsorcery]

I'm signing up for another fic exchange right now, and one of the fandoms I nominated was the fandom for which I'm planning to write the first ever fic. Oops. lol

The odds are hugely stacked against me either receiving or writing in that fandom for this fest, but its deadline and fic reveal are before the end of March, so there's a tiny chance of a fic springing up between now and the end of *this* challenge. Is that something I should grow grey hairs over? :D

[galerian_ash]

Your hair can remain its original color! ;D As per the rules, any fics that pop up in the interim between signing up and reveals don't count. I understand your worry though, since requesting/offering the fandom in an exchange is a bit different than just having a fic pop up unexpectedly, but it's all good. So don't worry about it! (BTW, sorry for the late reply!)

[primeideal]

Still dithering, but would creating interactive fiction (such as through Twine) be within the guidelines?

[galerian_ash]

I don't know much about IF so I have no idea what Twine is -- but sure, I don't see why not!

[undeadrobins]

I just realised that the AO3 collection is closed until reveals. But I really wanted to post my fic now (the canon is still ongoing and I don't want to get jossed!).

Can I post it and then add it to the collection after reveals?

[galerian_ash]

The AO3 collection is open, so you can absolutely post your fic to it right away! It just won't be visible until reveals, which I'm guessing is what you mean? If so, then I'm sorry, but the answer is no. I understand that it can be tough to wait if you finish writing early -- especially when it's for an ongoing canon that could potentially screw up what you've written -- but that's part of the challenge. Each year's collection consists of a bunch of new stories, not ones that have already been posted. Sorry! Perhaps it'd be possible to add a note, something along the lines of "this was written after episode so-and-so"?

[illusionnistes]

Hi! I wanted to write fic for The Feminine Regime by Regina Snow, but that is technically under the Aristasia umbrella, and Aristasia does have a few fics. I think they are different enough to count - Aristasia is a mutable multi-creator worldbuilding endeavor with fantasy elements, while the Feminine Regime is the book that inspired it - but I wanted to check with you before I signed up.

[galerian_ash]

Hi, sorry for the late reply! I'm not familiar with those fandoms at all, but if you feel they're different enough to qualify for this challenge then it's fine :)

[primeideal]

Would it be okay to write a fic that's not in English? (With the obvious disclaimer of "many people will choose not to read it for that reason.")

I'm not sure if I can pull this off but I have a silly idea.

[galerian_ash]

I'm sorry, but no. For a variety of reasons the English rule goes both ways.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi! I’m considering writing a fic for this based on a poem in Theodora Goss’ Snow White Learns Witchcraft. As the title suggests, it’s a book of fractured fairy tales - to me, those are sufficiently different from the source material to qualify as new fandoms (the same way say, Charlotte Holmes or Enola Holmes is distinct from Sherlock Holmes), but I wanted to double check if that’s okay for this? If not, I’ll go with a back up plan.

[galerian_ash]

Yup, that's definitely okay! Best of luck with the writing :D

Do I just...declare I'm doing this?

[(Anonymous)]

Hi, I don't dreamwidth and I don't have an account but would love to participate. I'm on Ao3. Is there something more formal I need to do other than just...posting to the collection?

Re: Do I just...declare I'm doing this?

[galerian_ash]

Well, there's the sign-up post, but using it isn't a must! So if you'd prefer to just quietly add your fic(s) to the collection then that's perfectly okay.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi! Since the recent announcement for the flash round was a heads up and not an official call for signups or anything, would I be right to assume that the "even if someone else posts a work for the fandom after signups start, it's still eligible" rule isn't in effect yet? I had a canon in mind, but AO3 tag search is giving me the impression that someone else already has a fic for it in their drafts and just hasn't posted it yet, so I'm thinking I might end up having to find something else to write for if they do post it soon...

[galerian_ash]

Nnn, that's a tough question to answer! Technically, yes, the rule isn't in effect yet -- but at the same time that would kind of defeat the whole purpose of getting started early :\ Ultimately I guess it depends a little on what happens? Like, if it's just one fic, then that's easy enough to turn a blind eye to. But if it's several, then it'd be a different story, you know? I realize that's a vague answer, sorry! Hopefully the draft doesn't cause you trouble; maybe it's for a non-English fic, or a piece of art, or something else which wouldn't even count!

[ride_4ever]

I've been lurking on this comm for a while without yet participating. I'm hoping to finally participate this year and I'm wondering what constitutes a flash round like what was just announced as opposed to a "regular" round.

Also, there are no fanworks specifically for the movie I have in mind for which I want to write fic, but several years ago in AO3 someone posted a big collection of icons featuring one specific actor and at least two icons -- possibly three -- are images taken from that movie. Can it still be a "be the first" for me?

[galerian_ash]

Hi there, I'm happy to hear you're thinking about participating! The only difference between the flash round and the normal one is the writing time; two weeks instead of two months. That's why I've been posting reminders, so that those who want to take part but aren't keen on the shorter time can get started in advance.

And yes, absolutely! You don't need to worry about those icons at all. The only thing that would count against you is a fic in English (and even that might be okay, if it's a certain type of crossover).

[(Anonymous)]

when i sign up, do i have to state which fandom(s) i will be writing for?

[galerian_ash]

No, not at all! It's entirely up to you whether you want to mention that or not (also, if you do state a fandom and then end up writing for something completely different, that's perfectly okay too).

[the_no_name_system]

Hey! I have a question I suspect I know the answer to, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask: would recursive fanworks be eligible for this exchange if the work in question is listed as an "Original Work" on AO3? There are some stunning Original Works on there I would love to write fanfic of, but obviously "Original Work" is a massive category, and odds are that if I wrote a story based on the OW category, it would get synned there--is that a problem?

[galerian_ash]

That icon of yours pretty much sums up how I feel about a lot of AO3's wrangling decisions, haha. Which is to say -- don't worry about whatever they end up doing! It's the same thing with the RPF that's been written for this challenge; those tags have all been synned to huge and very broad categories. As long as your fic is posted under a specific and fic-less fandom tag (rather than "Original Work") it's all good. Anyway, I hope that's the answer you were expecting to get :D

[(Anonymous)]

Can I write more fanfiction and post those fics before the collection is revealed? Writing the fic for this challenge inspired me to write more fanfics!

[(Anonymous)]

What I mean is writing more fanfiction for the same fandom I participated with BTW

[sunfright]

I have several ballet fandoms that are fic-less that should definitely have at least one fic. One of them is The Moor's Pavane by José Limon - however, it's a reduced/reimagined version of Othello by Shakespeare which does have fic... Would they cound as two different canons/fandoms? The overarching plot is the same, but Limon's The Moor's Pavane has only four characters/dancers and is told in a more abstract way, of course, due to the nature of dance.

[galerian_ash]

Yes, that's totally okay! Different adaptations/remakes/etc. are all allowed, especially when they've been changed from the original (as it sounds like your ballet has been).

[sheenianni]

I'm thinking about writing something for the "Dying for a living" book series. There are no fics as far as I can tell except for a fusion fic that I wrote a few years back, which is on my Dreamwidth and Livejournal. The fusion very loosely used the settings of the book but none of the characters - pretty much all but the plot twist came from the other fandom.

Would a new story in this fandom still qualify for BTF?

[(Anonymous)]

I am the only writer for my fandom. (Well, the one that matters in this particular case), so there are four stories there, that would disqualify it, right?

I think so, but I'm not sure, so figured I'd ask. It's To Leave (Freaky Creations Videogame) if you need to know the fandom.

[(Anonymous)]

Being aware of how awful the one that matters sounds, I meant for fandom relating to my question. I want to clarify that, because it sounds really bad.

[nanslice]

Hello! A fandom that I'm thinking about writing for is the song My Blood by Twenty One Pilots. There's a single fic that's tagged for the music video, the band, and original. But could I write something for the song itself?

Thanks so much for your time! :3

[reynardo]

No idea what I'm writing, but I'm in!

[lefemmerougewriter]

So, in the FAQ, you wrote that having a crossover "depends on a lot of different things (like which fandom is in focus), and as such the answer is on a case-by-case basis. Please ask and we'll talk about it." You also write that "if none of the fandoms have any fics, then yes (it'll be a double win in terms of you being the first!). Otherwise, for now, the answer is no."

Ok, here's my question. I have a partially finished fic which I never published, which is a crossover between a series which has over eighty fics and one that has zero fics. This fic would have only ONE character from the more well-known series, while the other characters would be from the series which no one has written any fics about. Would that fall under this contest/challenge, or no? I mean, I'm still planning on posting it regardless, but it would be great if it fell under the rules of this contest/challenge.

Question about future fics

[(Anonymous)]

Alright so I need to ask a question that might/will sound dumb but uh, can we post more fics of the same fandom we entered into the bethefirst contest/collection etc? As in, I can only submit one fic per new fandom into the contest but if I wanna post a bunch more fics of the same fandom once the contest is over, is that allowed? Just making sure I don't violate any (more) rules here

[xepru]

Does the fic have to be completed by the time of the challenge? Sometimes plot bunnies get away from me and things end up being much, much longer than I ever intended.