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Hi All!

I'm here with the kind permission of the mods (thank you!) to try and interest you in a fannish exchange that has a new and very shiny option for writer-podficcer collaborative work.

purimgifts (also under the same name on DW and tumbr) is an annual fannish exchange, celebrating the Jewish Holiday of Purim. The big hero of this Holiday is a heroine, Esther; and throwing balls and gift-giving are major Holiday traditions. So, Purimgifts! In which we exchange gifts of fannish works over three days (so three fic-gifts). The gifts can be in any and all fandoms; the only requirement is that they each be 300-1000 words or 3-10min of audio, and that they center on characters who are at least one of women, Jewish or persecuted by evil viziers.

You can sign to Purimgifts as a writer-podficcer team. The signup process itself is similar to individual signups; only one partner need complete the form on the AO3, with the other partner(s) screen-names and emails listed in a field only the mods see (not other participants). The three-gifts thing gives teams an extra degree of creative freedom and possibilities for dividing work between team-members, particularly convenient for people who may not have a lot of time or spoons on their hands.

There's two clauses in the rules that take into account the specifics of a mixed team/individuals exchange. One is that the minimum bar for co-created text-and-audio is lowered to 150 words on 1.5min of audio. You absolutely can create all the way up to the 1000 words/10min bar! But you can go lower than the 300 words/3min minimum bar for individually-presented text- or podfic. Note the "presented" - that's the second clause: co-created text-and-fic (whether created by a single author or a team) "count" towards one gift of the three required. This means a team could present a text-only fic for a Day 1 gift, a podfic of a pre-existing text-fic on the second, and a full text-and-audio set for the third.

I'm the primary mod on this exchange, and I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have. I also want to emphasize that this exchange has something of a tradition on the matter of rules - we don't take them too seriously, let alone with it's the first run with this specific set of rules. Anything that doesn't work will be changed on the spot (if at all possible - the signup form on the Archive isn't changing this year).

Thank you for your attention, and I hope to see you at purimgifts!

Hello!

Round 7 is now concluded, and that wraps up two glorious years of the Pod Together Lightning Challenge. We've had a blast running the challenge, and we hope that you've enjoyed it with us.

Since PT-Lightning opened in November 2013, 77 participants have worked together to create 81 projects in 62 fandoms. You've created AUs and 'verses, poems and plays and puns, epistolary tales and oral not!fics, and many other awesome things.

We just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for joining us, for playing and collaborating and seeing what happens when people create together in a very compressed time frame. You are awesome, and Pod Together Lightning couldn't have existed without you.

Finally, if you're seeking more collaboration, pod_together | pod_together | pod-together is now open for sign-ups! The mod team is awesome, and the challenge is a delight (it's actually how we met), and we highly recommend it.

And now, we bid you farewell.

Blue and Fleur

Excalibur Delivered by LaDonnaErrante and podfic_lover
Fandom: Merlin (TV)
Summary: Morgana, rightful heir to the throne of Camelot seeks Excalibur in the Lake of Avalon. She is accompanied by Guinevere. Told in the style of Tasso.

Not Enough Coffee for That Amount of Syrup by dapatty and Sunquistadora
Fandom: Teen Wolf (TV), Hawkeye (Comics), Thor (Movies)
Summary: Stiles is great at coping. Totally. Except how he's totally not, but hey. That's what friends are for.

So You Think You Can Dance: Vale by Opalsong and Syr
Fandom: RWBY, So You Think You Can Dance RPF
Summary: I hope you're ready for the fourth elimination round of So You Think You Can Dance Vale. I know how much you enjoy watching me froth at the mouth. And WHOO BOY! What a doozy this week was. There was happy froth, sad froth, and the furious froth of a thousand exploding suns. Not quite sure what [READ MORE]

Kodachrome: Exposed by HYPERFocused and RsCreighton
Fandom: Smallville
Summary: Clark wants to shoot the truth. Lex doesn't want to pose anymore.
The Instamatic version, for those who don't know/don't remember the basic storyline: Briefly, Clark has an alter ego of K.L. "Kal" Kent, award winning photographer. He met Lex when Luthorcorp hired him to shoot P.R pictures, after Lex came back from the island he crash landed on after his wedding to Helen. He and Lex are now in an established relationship, and Lex knows one of his secrets (that he's also Clark Kent). He does not know the big one, yet, though he has his suspicions. Clark has admitted that "meteor rocks" affect him badly, and that he has certain gifts, but has not directly told Lex about his origins.

Hello!

We hope that your projects are going fabulously.

Your fanworks are due on Saturday, May 30 at 11:55 pm UTC. The text fic and podfic ought to be posted jointly (unless the final project is audio-only), and both the writer(s) and the podficcer(s) ought to be listed as co-creators.

To submit your fanwork for Pod Together Lightning Round 7, post it to the Pod Together Lightning Round 7 Collection at AO3.

The collection is unrevealed, and we'll reveal all fanworks simultaneously on May 31. At that time, we'll post a master list of fanworks at pt_lightning, pt_lightning, and pt-lightning.

( A few things to know about posting to the Round 7 CollectionCollapse )

If you need hosting for your podfics, cover art, or other fanwork-related files, we can provide it at http://pt-lightning.parakaproductions.com. Just email us copies of the relevant files. We'll upload them and email you back a link; it will look something like http://pt-lightning.parakaproductions.com/round7/Name1Name2/filename.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to Page a Mod.

Happy collaborating!

Blue and Fleur

Greetings!

It's May 25 and time for the second of two scheduled check-ins.

If a member of your group requested formal check-ins during the sign-up process, then your group needs to email us and let us know that you're still in contact and that your project is progressing. We mentioned in your welcome/matching email whether or not your group has formal check-ins.

To check in, please email us, ccing all members of your group. At minimum, tell us: "Hi! My group is still in contact, and our project is progressing."

If you have any specific questions, concerns, or comments please let us know, either in a group email, at the check-in or otherwise, or in a private email. We can also be contacted via twitter and DM.

Happy collaborating!

Tomorrow is May 19, which means that a full, working draft of the text is due for groups who signed up as individuals. Please submit the text to the Pod Together Lightning Round 7 Collection at AO3.

Note: It doesn't have to be the final words, but it does need to be a working text from which the podficcer can begin creating. If you decide to post your work audio-only, you can delete the interim text before reveals. If the project evolves between May 19 and May 30, just replace the interim text with the new text.

If you have any questions about how to post, please don't hesitate to ask. Additionally, we have a tutorial, with screencaps: Pod Together Lightning: Posting at AO3.

If your group chooses to opt-out of the deadline, that's okay! Perhaps your project doesn't neatly categorize itself in written/podfic components. Perhaps you've discussed the schedule and feel another date works better for your partnership. That's totally fine! Just let us know that you've discussed scheduling within your partnership and come to a satisfactory conclusion by emailing us, ccing all group members to tell us that your group decided to opt out of the deadline.

Greetings!

It's May 15 and time for the first of two scheduled check-ins.

If a member of your group requested formal check-ins during the sign-up process, then your group needs to email us and let us know that you're still in contact and that your project is progressing. We mentioned in your welcome/matching email whether or not your group has formal check-ins.

To check in, please email us, ccing all members of your group. At minimum, tell us: "Hi! My group is still in contact, and our project is progressing."

If you have any specific questions, concerns, or comments please let us know, either in a group email, at the check-in or otherwise, or in a private email. We can also be contacted via twitter and DM.

Sign-ups are closed!

Welcome to Round 7 of Pod Together Lightning!

This post is for individual sign-ups, and it will be open through Sunday, May 3.

If you sign up on this post, you will be matched into a podficcer-writer partnership based on common fandoms, tropes, and genres you list in your sign-up. Additionally, you can opt-in to being randomly matched if you're feeling adventurous! If you wish to sign up with a group, please visit the Group Sign-up Post.

Prior to signing up, please take a moment to read through the FAQ. You can also Page a Mod with any questions.

Schedule:
May 1-3: Sign-ups
May 4-6: Matching and Assignments
May 7-19: Creation
May 19: Deadline for text (opt-out)
May 19-29: Creation
May 30: Fanworks due at 11:55 pm UTC
May 31: Reveals!

Please fill out the following information:

DW/LJ/twitter/tumblr name(s): What is your home on the internet?

AO3 name: You need an AO3 account for posting. If you don't have an AO3 account, Page a Mod, and we will give you an invite.

Email address: We'll email you and your partner when you're matched.

Podficcer/Writer/Either: Please specify how you're signing up or if you're happy being assigned to either role in your partnership.

Check-ins: Do you want to have check-ins on May 15 and May 25?

Fandoms: Please list as many fandoms as you'd be willing to work in. If you have strong character or pairing preferences, please mention them, and we will try to take them into consideration when matching.

Genres/Tropes: Content/Genre Matching is based on genres, tropes, kinks, etc. If you want to write or perform something specific but are a little more flexible on fandom, a Content/Genre match might work really well for you. Possible sources for terms: Category: Tropes and Genres (fanlore), List of Tropes in Fanworks (fanlore), List of Fan-fiction Kinks, Tropes, and Cliches (fanlore), schmoop bingo prompt list, podfic bingo prompt list, and kink bingo kink list. However, don't feel limited to these lists -- fandom is a beautiful and varied place, and no list could encompass it all!

Are you willing to be assigned to two groups?: If numbers are uneven, we might assign people to two groups.

Are you willing to be in a group with two podficcers?

Do you want to opt in to random matching?: If you opt in to random matching, there may not be anything in common in your partnership's sign-ups, and it's up to you to figure out that you want to create that coffee/tea anthropomorphic fanwork or that you both feel fannish love for an obscure musical group.

Additional comments: Is there anything else that you'd like to share or think we need to know?

Sign-ups are closed!

Welcome to Round 7 of Pod Together Lightning!

This post is for group sign-ups, and it will be open through Sunday, May. 3.

Please use this sign up post if you are already part of a podficcer-writer partnership. If you wish to sign up and be matched with a partner, please visit the Individual Sign-Up Post.

Prior to signing up, please take a moment to read through the FAQ. You can also Page a Mod with any questions.

Schedule:
May 1-3: Sign-ups
May 4-6: Matching and Assignments
May 7-29: Creation
May 30: Fanworks due at 11:55 pm UTC
May 31: Reveals!

Please fill out the following information.

Writer(s): name at DW/LJ/twitter/tumblr

Writer(s) AO3 name(s): You need an AO3 account for posting. If you don't have an AO3 account, Page a Mod, and we will give you an invite.

Writer(s) email address(es): In case we need to contact you.

Podficcer(s): name at DW/LJ/twitter/tumblr

Podficcer(s) AO3 name: You need an AO3 account for posting. If you don't have an AO3 account, Page a Mod, and we will give you an invite.

Podficcer(s) email address(es): In case we need to contact you.

Fandoms or Genres/Tropes: According to the current plan -- feel free to change them later!

Check-ins: Do you want to have check-ins on May 15 and May 25?

Additional comments: Is there anything else that you'd like to share or think we need to know?

Today's second and final announcement.

The Mod Team, fleurrochard and somnolentblue, are stepping down from Pod Together Lightning after Round 7.

Y'all are awesome. It's been two years and (in one more month ;) ) seven rounds since pt_lightning opened, and we've had a blast creating, collabing, and working with you. This challenge, and this community, are truly amazing.

We would be happy to pass the torch to a new mod team! If you think you might be interested, please get in contact with us. We're happy to share details about modding the challenge, the nitty gritty of what it looks like throughout the month, and other questions you might want to ask before committing. Just ask! Please don't hesitate to talk to us, even if your interest is tentative instead of certain. (We love talking about Pod Together Lightning. At great length, even.)

We would ask that a perspective mod team:
- be a team; it's definitely a multiple person job
- be willing to consider committing to multiple rounds (Year 3?)

From us you would receive:
- answers to your questions before you committed
- (probably) more information that you ever wanted to know about pt-lightning
- the information for the pt-lightning accounts. (We would wipe the email before turning it over to preserve the confidentiality of any email that was sent to the Fleur-and-Blue mod team, but it would be your account going forward)
- pt-lightning graphics, including the psd files we use for the promo banners (although you are, of course, welcome to create your own graphics)
- access to the matching program
- OPTIONAL if you wanted, we're both willing to be on call during Round 8, your first round as the mod team

Please email us at pod.together.lightning at gmail dot com with your questions, concerns, and comments.