startrekbigbang FAQ

General

What is a big bang challenge?
A big bang challenge is a cross fandom phenomenon. There are many different versions of it (spn_j2_bigbang, bandombigbang, and big_bang_hd to name a few). Generally speaking, it is a collaborative effort in which authors sign up to write a 20,000 word fic then artists and mixers sign up to create art and mixes for those stories.

How do I sign up?
There will be two seperate posts when sign ups open. One will be for author sign ups and the other will be for artist & mixer sign ups. You will fill out a quick form in the comments of the post and then you get to work!

What pairings/genres do you accept at startrekbigbang?
All of them! So long as it prominently features characters or actors from one of the many Star Trek incarnations, it's welcome. Reboot, Enterprise, Voyager, Deep Space 9, The Next Generation, The Original Series... they're all welcome here. AUs are fine, so long as it features the characters of Trek. Trek RPF is also welcome.



Requirements

What are the requirements for a fic?
A fic must be at least 20,000 words and beta read before posting. The rough draft must be completed within the three month writing period given from when sign ups close to when rough drafts are due. A fic may NOT be a work in progress. It must be complete and stand alone. It may be a sequel to a previous year's big bang, but it still must stand alone for all intents and purposes.

What are the requirements for art?
Each artists is required to create at least one piece of art for the fic they're paired with. Some artists choose to create more, but it is not required. In the pasts, graphic artists have designed "movie posters," banners, icons, and wallpapers for fic. Some people choose to do a vid, others do more traditional-style art such as drawings or paintings. There's also manips, digital art, etc. If you're unsure if your style art qualifies, feel free to ask and we'll let you know.

What are the requirements for mixes?
Mixes must be at least 6 songs. Some mixers choose to also create front/back art for a CD case, but it's not required.



Community Membership

Can I join the community?
Yes, all authors, artists, and fanmixers should join the community once they sign up. When rough drafts for authors have been submitted, any members not participating in the challenge will be removed because from this point forward there will be members only posts made to authors, artists, and fanmixers.

Everyone else is more than welcome to watch the community!

How will I know I need to join the community?
After the author rough draft deadline, yours mods will be inviting all participants not already a member to join the community. There will also be several posts reminding people to join before the community goes into member only mode.

What happens if I'm an author/artist/fanmixer and still haven't joined the community by the time claim posts are up?
Your mods will not be chasing you down to make sure you join the community. It is your responsibility after invites and several LJ posts to join the community.

Why has my membership been rejected?
Once author rough drafts are due anyone that is not an artist, author, or fanmixer will not be allowed to join for the remainder of the challenge. Membership will reopen at the beginning of the next round.



Rough Drafts

How completed do the fics need to be for the rough draft due date?
The fics do not need to be perfectly polished and ready to be posted on the rough draft due date, so long as they've met the 20,000 word minimum. However, they need to be ready to go to beta and have a beginning/middle/end. It's okay if the fics need edits and you add/delete scenes in the month between the rough draft due date and the day posting begins. We just need to be able to reasonably verify that you are going to be able to post on your assigned date.

What will I need to send in?
Authors will need to attach a document to their email with the rough draft of their fic. As long as we're able to open the document, the format doesn't matter. Suggested formats: .txt, .rtf, .doc(x)

Artists will need to attach/link to an artpiece that's finished enough to be posted with the fic if something happens between rough draft turn in date and their author's posting date.

Fanmixers will need to specify where they plan to host their mix, status of their mix, attachment/link to any possible art, and a track listing.

How will I know if you've received my rough draft?
You will receive a confirmation email within a few days.

What if there's an issue with my submission?
Your mods will notify you if there's an issue and give you time to correct it. We will NOT be chasing you down to do so. (One of the main reasons it's important to give a valid email address that you check regularly when you sign up.) It is your responsibility to take care of the issue and ensure your participation in the challenge.



Claiming/Matchups

How are fics assigned to artists and mixers?
Actually, artists and mixers get to choose which fics they want to create for based on a list of summaries with pairings and preferences listed that the authors provide when they submit their rough draft. This is what 2009's claims looked like for artists and for mixers. The list of summaries do not have an author's name attached to ensure a fair claiming process. Claims are done on a first come, first serve basis. We know it sucks when you don't get exactly the prompt you wanted, but suck it up. We don't want to hear whining about it.

How do I submit a claim?
The claiming posts will go up on the specified day at a time convenient to the majority of members. This will be determined in a poll. It is a first come, first serve claiming. You will list 3 stories you would like to create an art/fanmix for and you will be assigned the first available from your top 3.

What happens if the number of authors doesn't match up with the number of artists or mixers?
We will do several rounds of claiming so that EVERY fic has both art and a mix in the event that fics outnumber artists and mixers. If it's the other way, we may open up the fics so that more than one artists or mixer is assigned to the same fic. Either way, everyone who wants to participate will get to participate.

What if I'm an artist/mixer and there are no more fics of the pairing/genre I'm willing to read/create for?
We certainly hope that there will be something you like available, unfortunately, we won't be allowing artists to double up on fics if there are still other fics available. So basically: tough cookies. Sorry! You're not required to claim a fic if nothing you like is available, but you are required to be polite and not make comments about how there's "nothing good left" because that really doesn't make our authors feel good about their fics.

If I'm a mixer and an artist, can I claim the same fic for both?
Yes, so long as it is available on both claiming posts. If not, it's also okay to do a different fic for art than you do for a mix.

Can I be both an author and an artist/mixer?
Yes, but you cannot claim your own fic for art. However, you can make your fic unavailable for claiming as a mix if you have already created a mix while you were writing.

If I'm an author, how do I ensure that I get the kind of art/music I like for my fic?
We don't mind including a list of preferences along with a summary, but at some point you have to be willing to accept that you may not get exactly what you want. This is where it is important to understand that you're expected to be gracious. Receiving art or a mix that you may not necessarily like is a risk. Hopefully not a huge risk as our artists and mixers are all great in their own unique styles, but we understand that not everyone's tastes are the same. Regardless, you are required to be polite and say thank you.



Deadlines

How much wiggle room do we have on deadlines?
None. Due dates are ironclad.

If I miss a deadline or I can't complete my fic/art/mix on time, what happens?
If you're an author and you miss the rough draft deadline, then you're disqualified for this round of big bang. No big deal. We won't come after you. If you have already made the rough draft deadline, but for some reason you still don't have your fic ready to go by the posting date you're assigned, you'll need to contact us and let us know what's going on. Don't count on us being able to change your assigned posting day, though. You need to be ready to post your fic by your assigned date. Your artist and mixer are depending on you.

Artists and mixers also have a rough draft due date. If you aren't going to be able to complete the art or mix for the fic you claimed, you'll need to let us know ASAP so we can get a replacement. If you flake out as an artist or mixer, you will not be allowed to sign up for next year's big bang. So, don't do it! Your authors are depending on you.



Posting/Hosting

Where am I posting my fic?
You may post your fic wherever you want be it on LJ, Dreamwidth, a personal site, etc. We ask that you post a master post to the comm. with links to all parts of your fic, your art, and your mix. A template for the master post will be provided.

Is there an external archive?
There is no external archive. Authors are to post their fics wherever they see fit.

My fic exceeds the character limit for a single post, what do I do?
Most people choose to break their fic up into 2 or more parts (whatever is best for you) and then create a master post that links to all the parts, the art, and the mix from one place. Here's an example of that.

Where can I upload my mix/graphics?
There are several free resources such as Megaupload, Sendspace, or Mediafire that can be used for large files. ImageShack, Photobucket, or even LiveJournal's Scrapbook for paid users can be used to host images.

When do I get to post my fic/art/mix?
There is a month long posting period. Everyone will be assigned a posting date within this time period. There will be 2 or more posters per day, depending on the number of fics that need scheduling. The fic, the art, and the mix must be posted in their entirety on the assigned posting date (which you will be notified of at least 2 weeks before posting begins). Artists, Authors, and Mixers will want to coordinate their posting efforts according to the day assigned. No one is to post their big bang fic/art/mix prior to the assigned posting day.

If it is discovered you have posted your fic publicly before your scheduled post date, you will be disqualified and your masterpost will be deleted from the community.

What if I didn't make the rough draft art/mix deadline due to *insert reason here* but have completed my work in time for the author's posting date?
You may contact your author and then it is in your author's hands as to whether or not your art/mix will be included in their master post to the comm. However, you will not be included on the masterlist which will be posted at the end of the round.

What if I need to ETA/Coming Soon my art/mix links due to computer access restrictions and haven't heard from my artist and/or mixer/?
You are more than welcome to ETA your links though please let the mods know why this is happening and make sure you go back and add them in when you have them.


If you still have any questions, please don't hesitate to leave a comment or contact us via email: startrekbigbang at gmail dot com

Your mods will get back to you as soon as we can.