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Buffyverse Big Bang ficathon: would you be interested? 
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23rd-Sep-2008 08:59 pm
librarian
[info]sahiya and I have been discussing our love for long-format ficathons for a while. We love reading long stories, and we know lots of you do too. Also, I've been slowly coming to terms with my need to write to deadlines: I've got at least three really long stories that have been hanging unfinished for a while now. I bet some of you are in that boat with me. In short, we think the Buffyverse needs a big bang ficathon, and we're just crazy enough to volunteer to run it.

What's a Big Bang ficathon? It's a challenge, not an exchange, designed to promote longer-format fiction.

[info]big_bang_hd is the original big-bang ficathon. There are a number of others inspired by it, including [info]sgabigbang and [info]tardis_bigbang.

The big-bang format generally includes:
- a high minimum word count, ranging from 20K to 40K for the really big ones
- an art challenge to go with the fic challenge
- internal deadlines structured to help writers conquer the long format
- a support comm for wibbling and wittering
- sometimes, a matching system for writers and beta-readers
- a draft deadline, when artists are matched to stories to illustrate
- a final deadline for both stories and art
- an external archive where stories and art can live for posterity

We're tentatively thinking of doing the following:

- both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel the Series
- any pairing or gen, any rating
- 30,000 word minimum
- writer signups to end in mid-January
- artist signups to end in late February
- an internal progress-check milestone in mid-February
- a fic draft due date on the first of March, after which artists get their stories
- fic + art due-date at the end of March

If you're a writer, would you be interested in writing for a long-format ficathon? Are those winter dates more or less clear for you? If you're an artist, would you be interested in illustrating a story? Have you any words of wisdom for us?
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Comments 
24th-Sep-2008 04:03 am (UTC)
[info]clavally
I would love to write, but think maybe the artwork would be more my speed...at least for the moment.

I was wondering if you were going to have a list of prompts for the stories?
24th-Sep-2008 04:37 am (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Probably no list of prompts. Most people approaching long stories will already have something in mind, or perhaps even something in progress already.
24th-Sep-2008 04:06 am (UTC)
[info]soft_princess
I'd be interested. There's a fairly lengthy fic I keep meaning to work on, and this would be the best reason to do it. AUs would be okay, right?
24th-Sep-2008 04:12 am (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Absolutely AUs would be fine. Ditto crossovers. If it's remotely BtVS/AtS, sounds great by me!
24th-Sep-2008 04:25 am (UTC)
[info]khaoschilde
Sounds interesting. I've always wanted to try illustrating a story, though I would likely manip things rather than draw. Still, I might be willing to try both.
24th-Sep-2008 04:39 am (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Manips would be a-okay, as would more traditional illustration!
24th-Sep-2008 05:17 am (UTC)
[info]alwaysjbj
*puts hand up* I'd be interested in reading and doing artwork. (Um...graphic arts, that is...I can't draw to save my life!)
But there is no way I'm signing up to write anything--I have enough wips already! lol



Edited at 2008-09-24 09:24 am (UTC)
24th-Sep-2008 02:35 pm (UTC)
[info]sahiya
See Antenna's comments above: WIPs are more than welcome, provided they meet the requirements.
24th-Sep-2008 05:20 am (UTC)
[info]missparker
i've already told you yes, but for the record, i would do it. 30,000 makes me nervous, especially since the LAST BTVS ficathon i participated in had me writing something like 4,000 words the night before, BUT, still, yes. dates are good.
24th-Sep-2008 05:57 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
You've already written stuff longer than that! I think the trick might be for us to come up with internal deadlines that help people along, each one manageable but pushing things forward. You can do it!
24th-Sep-2008 05:20 am (UTC)
[info]katekat1010
I would absolutely love to illustrate a story with artwork!!
24th-Sep-2008 06:01 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Eeeeeexcellent!

Hey, can I ask you a question about the amount of time an artist needs to work on a project like this? I'm trying to push the little markers around the board in my head to make the schedule something that is achievable, that puts a little deadline pressure on people without making them melt down, and that still doesn't stretch out into something that takes half of next year to do. (I'm kinda aiming for three months total if it's sane. Not sure it is yet.)

So anyway, if you were given a novella-length story draft to read and illustrate, with characters & pairings you like, what's a rough guess about how much time you'd want? Think time + work time + a bit of procrastination time built in? A month-ish?
24th-Sep-2008 06:33 am (UTC) - from whedonverse
[info]zgirl714
That sounds like a great idea. I'd be interested.
24th-Sep-2008 06:05 pm (UTC) - Re: from whedonverse
[info]antennapedia
Yay!
24th-Sep-2008 06:50 am (UTC)
[info]ruuger
There is a crazy part of me that would like to sign up because I have couple of longer stories that I want to write, but the sane part of me is quite aware of the fact that the longest story I've written so far is only a bit over 10000 words long, and even that has taken me over two years to write, so it's probably wisest if I skip the writing part. I could sign up as an artist, though.
24th-Sep-2008 06:06 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Excellent. Artist participation is something I was kinda worried about. From over here in my tiny corner of the Buffy fandom, I only know a few artists and I'm unsure how many the wider fandom has. Am still worried we might not have enough to sustain the art part of the challenge.
24th-Sep-2008 07:28 am (UTC)
[info]froxyn
You can count me in.

Not as an artist though, because the only thing I can draw is Odie from Garfield. And, he doesn't really have a big (or minor) part in Buffy. :)
24th-Sep-2008 08:44 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
*Eeeeexcellent* (mr burns voice)
24th-Sep-2008 11:45 am (UTC)
[info]jasonsnene
I think it sounds really great and the thought of having art done for the fic is even more inspiring. I'd be in. I'll put a blurb for this on my journal sending people over. :D
25th-Sep-2008 06:43 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Yay! I'm with you on the art aspect being cool. I think I've seen enough interest from artists here that we can do an art challenge too.
24th-Sep-2008 12:43 pm (UTC)
[info]shapinglight
I'm interested.
24th-Sep-2008 10:21 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Excellent.
24th-Sep-2008 01:18 pm (UTC)
[info]secondalto
If I could come up with a suitable premise for a story, I would definitely be on board.
24th-Sep-2008 10:20 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Let's see what we can do about getting you some ideas :)
24th-Sep-2008 01:56 pm (UTC)
[info]scratchingpost1
I'd be interested. It might be the kick I need to write one of my new ideas which will be huge.

Would you allow crossovers? One of my ideas is a crossover.
24th-Sep-2008 02:36 pm (UTC)
[info]sahiya
Crossovers are fine!
24th-Sep-2008 02:32 pm (UTC)
[info]emelye_miller
*wibble* I'll do it, do you hear me? I'LL DO IT!

I have a fic series I've started outlining that I'd really like to get working on. I'm not fabulous with deadlines, but I tend to work well with a gun to my head, so LETS DO IT.
24th-Sep-2008 06:08 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
We twisted your arm! Evilly! Bwahahahahaha(h)!
24th-Sep-2008 03:26 pm (UTC)
[info]mireille719
I'm absolutely interested, but the timeline seems *much* shorter than it's been for most Big Bang ficathons I've followed (as an example, the recent SGA Big Bang had approximately three months to complete the first draft, with an interim check-in deadline about halfway through; the Doctor Who one had *six months* between the close of signups and check-in).

I'm not saying we need six months, but you're talking about writing 30K words in *six weeks*. Which is do-able, obviously, but is going to be tough for a lot of people--it means most people won't be able to afford to have even one "off" week where they have to deal with, for example, overtime, or family issues. (Yes, NaNo is worse. But NaNo *consumes* that month, or at least it does for me.)
24th-Sep-2008 05:50 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
I count 10 weeks, but we sure could nudge that out at either end. I think six months is way crazy, though!
24th-Sep-2008 03:52 pm (UTC)
[info]ladyforash
I believe I would be interested as well!
24th-Sep-2008 05:52 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Awesome!
24th-Sep-2008 04:53 pm (UTC)
[info]spiralleds
I'd be interested as well. As I've mentioned, I've got a half-finished story that should be the right length. However, it makes me nervous, as traditionally "long" for me is 5,000-7,000 words.
24th-Sep-2008 05:51 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
I think nervousness is exactly the right reaction. It's a stretch and a new experience, and you find out at the end of the challenge that you can do a thing you've never done before. Ideally, anyway!
24th-Sep-2008 05:59 pm (UTC)
[info]kallie_kat
I would be interested in reading definitely, and possibly writing. I fear my muse is dead, but I'm hoping I can bring her back to life.
24th-Sep-2008 09:56 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
We'll give your muse a dose of wake-up juice!
24th-Sep-2008 06:16 pm (UTC)
[info]mythichistorian
I think I have at least two WIPs that are nearly that length already ... although I should be working on my thesis by then, so I could find myself facing an interesting conflict of interests!

(The thesis only has to be 80,000 words ... I should be able to fit in another 30-40k worth's of fic, surely?)

Yup - mark me down as interested! *g*
24th-Sep-2008 08:24 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
You are far braver than I. But your last longer G/B story (Giles with the flu!) is one of my favorites, so register my extreme happiness to hear you're interested!
25th-Sep-2008 01:05 am (UTC)
[info]pierson
I'm new to the fandom, but I'd be interested. Most of my fics lately seem to be that length, anyway. If you were doing a drabble-a-thon, *then* I'd be in trouble. :-)
25th-Sep-2008 06:36 pm (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Oh boy do I hear you on the drabbles. I feel like 100 words just just drawing in breath to get started on the story.
25th-Sep-2008 07:50 am (UTC) - AddictedtoBuffy here
Anonymous
I'm interested.
Usually I'm fine with writing long fics. My longest completed to date is over 100,000 words but lately my muse has disapeared. This might give me the kick up the ass I need to start a series I've got in my head.
Can non lj users be part of this though?
25th-Sep-2008 06:35 pm (UTC) - Re: AddictedtoBuffy here
[info]antennapedia
I think we could find a way to work with non-lj users! The fic's the thing, as is finding that muse of yours again.
25th-Sep-2008 08:10 pm (UTC)
Anonymous
Oh my yes. I would definitely be interested as your favorite lurker. Can't write or do computer art work, but as a musician friend of mine says (since I can't carry a tune in a bucket!) somebody has to be in the audience. Love to read and this Giles Watchers group is my link to the best of the fics and vids and art work out there. Definitly a big yes vote from this fan. Vehnu (Sherry)
27th-Sep-2008 12:01 am (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
You, as ever, make me happy.
25th-Sep-2008 09:07 pm (UTC)
[info]raggedy_edge
I have soooo been thinking about a Buffy BigBang and how awesome that would be, and then lo and behold! :D

I would definately be interested in writing, and possibly art as well.. would that be allowed, to do both? Of course I might be insane but the idea of some Buffy manips makes me excited to play in Photoshop again. LOL
27th-Sep-2008 12:00 am (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Hey, if you want to sign up for both parts of the challenge because you have the time and skill, I say more power to you! Cool!
26th-Sep-2008 11:57 pm (UTC)
[info]cafedemonde
Interested in writing.

*smacks myself silly*
27th-Sep-2008 12:00 am (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
It'll be painless. Mostly. Except for all the writing parts. :)
27th-Sep-2008 01:09 am (UTC)
[info]booster17
I've noticed myself that I tend to do much better with my fic when writing to/for ficathons, so I guess I'm another one who needs the deadlines. Sign me up! *sigh*

Regarding WIPs - how would the previously done parts count towards the various totals?
27th-Sep-2008 02:13 am (UTC)
[info]antennapedia
Hmm. I hadn't really thought about WIP word count issues. Let me do some thinking aloud here: The goal of the challenge is to promote new long-format fiction. I'd greatly prefer if the fic posted for it were *mostly* new to the reading community. That is, WIPs that haven't seen the light of day yet, or where the majority of the final story hasn't been posted before. So I wouldn't want to see fics where, say, only the final chapter was new and the majority of the story was already out there. But if you've got 5000 words out there and then you write 25,000 new words to finish off the story, that seems like it satisfies the spirit of the challenge.

The WIP I have in mind, for instance, is one I've been banging at for months but nobody else has seen. So when it's done, it'll be all-new.
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