The Rules
These rules apply to everyone: participants, readers, viewers, reviewers. If we have to add or change something, we will indicate these changes, together with the date these changes were made.
The previously posted rules mostly referred to sign-ups and entries. But now, as the party begins, the time has come to remind you of the few basic, but firm, rules we've put in place for these communities that apply to everyone:
All participants and readers must be over 18. If you aren't 18 yet and can read this, you lied about your age!
While this fest is rather easy going, there are two strict rules: no shipping wars and no concrit, as well meaning as it might be.
--People like their ships, and this is a multi-ship/gen event. Please be respectful of other people’s tastes. Ship bashing will not be tolerated.
--Concrit can be helpful but only if the author/artist welcomes it and asks for it. A fest like the Birthday Bash is not the right place for it, and we cannot monitor the levels of concrit different authors might invite. Should you read/review content you don't like, then the back button is your best friend.
The review challenge is supposed to make you want to read/view out of your normal comfort zone and to find and appreciate authors and artists from other areas of the fandom. Looking beyond our own little fandom corners can help us interpret characters better and maybe even rethink situations and interpretations we've always taken for granted because they have become strict fanon in our ships/areas of the fandom.
We invite and encourage you to look outside your comfort zone; however, we are aware that this can create potential trouble. Therefore, we would ask you to remain relaxed, even when you see/read something that might not be to your taste. Tastes differ, as do fandom expectations. It doesn't help anyone to attack an author or artist because they like things you don't. They may write the characters you're used to in a very different way, as well. No one's characterisation in fan-fiction is completely correct, by default. Complaining about ooc or unlikely situations, therefore, isn't helpful. If you think you can help writers or artists to improve, then look around for beta-forums and offer your services. If you want to discuss a particular story or image, approach the author or artist privately and ask them if they are willing to discuss it with you. Some will take these discussions to their journals, some will reject the idea, but in any case, the fest is not the right place for it. Most authors and artists work with beta readers and cheerleaders, anyway, and have already gone through a process of concrit and careful editing before submitting their entries. Most of us here are amateurs who are providing your entertainment freely and willingly. Please respect this fact and don't act as an overcritical, pseudo-professional editor.
And if you think you must review every story and piece of art and craft because you want to win the prizes in the review challenge, there are always things that can be commented positively on. Look at the style, characterization, magic used, imagination, plot, originality, technique… and if nothing else helps, remember: the back button is your best friend.
Positively yours,
sylvanawood and the mod squad of the Severus Big Bang Birthday Bash, 8 January 2010
1. The Severus Big Bang Birthday Bash revolves around Severus. That means that he is in the center of things; be it fic, art, crafts, music or whatever else it is you create.
2. The preliminary sign ups are from June 1st to June 30th. Help will be provided for all participants, whether you need a beta reader or cheerleader. We will provide a semi-private participants-only environment to give you the freedom to interact and ask detailed questions. If you find that you can’t get your work finished or encounter a massive case of writers/artists' block, you can drop out painlessly.
3. The entries must be new, that means they cannot have been posted elsewhere before. Exceptions are the ‘developing’ of a drabble or short ficlet into a longer story or a quick sketch into a painting.
4. At the sign ups we ask for an indication of what you will write or create. It’s not binding, but helps us estimate how much assistance we need for a certain genre or ship. If you change your mind and want to do something else entirely, just let us know.
5. Gen and all pairings are welcome. Crossovers are welcome; however RPF (real person fic) cannot be accepted. Subject matter and rating are up to the participant.
6. All participants and audience must be 18 years and older. If you aren't 18 yet and can read this, you lied about your age!
7. We don't restrict kinks, but sexual situations have to be restricted to characters 16 years old and older (the age of consent in the UK). Please keep in mind that many archives don’t allow sexual situations for characters under the age of 18. Keep also in mind that you are bound by the laws of your own country if those are more restrictive than our rules.
Changed Rule! 8. We will post all entries on the communities, beginning on January 9, 2010. We ask you not to post your work, or pieces of your work, on your journals or other archives until February 15, 2010January 20, 2010, to give people time to read and review on the community. After February 15, 2010January 20, 2010, you are free to post anywhere you wish. Several archives are providing categories for the Severus Big Bang, check them out here: Affiliates and Friends.
9. While this fest is rather easy going, there are two strict rules: no shipping wars and no concrit, as well meaning as it might be.
--People like their ships and this is a multi-ship/gen event. Please be respectful of other people’s tastes. Ship bashing will not be tolerated.
--Concrit can be helpful, but only if the author/artists welcomes it and asks for it. A fest like the Birthday Bash is not the right place for it and we cannot monitor the levels of concrit different authors might welcome. You can sign up as cheerleader or beta reader if you want to help writers or artists with tips, suggestions and concrit if they want it.
1. The due date for drafts is October 1st, 2009. That draft helps us to prepare the posting of the stories and should have the approximate length and chapter number. Of course, there can be changes, but the draft should give us a good idea about the finished work. An entry can be a sequel or prequel to other fics, but the Big Bang entry must be able to stand on its own. Stories must be finished, have a closure. This means no ‘to be continued’ in the end. Please see our FAQ for a more comprehensive explanation of what is suitable content for the fest.
2. You are committed to the completion of your piece once you've handed in the first finished draft. The due date for the finished work is November 15, 2009. If you find that you have problems with finishing your draft or with the word count, talk to us. We cannot accept admissions later than that, unless circumstances are truly unforeseeable and unique.
3. We expect fic to be formatted, spell-checked and punctuated for clear reading on LJ and IJ. In particular, dialogue should be punctuated appropriately, canon capitalisation and italicisation of words should be used and paragraphs should be separated by an empty line. British or American punctuation and spelling are both acceptable. We strongly encourage you to use a beta-reader.
4. We reserve the right to return stories that have multiple and/or consistent errors in spelling, punctuation or formatting for re-editing. If this happens, we also reserve the right to both insist that you use a beta-reader and ask for evidence that you have posted fic online before. This is for your and our benefit, so we can support you appropriately. If you are unable to find a beta-reader then let us know and we will endeavour to find someone for you. Check out our resource page, too.
5. We will provide a forum where you can brainstorm with fellow writers, talk to beta readers, get plot advice and find resources.
6. The finished version of your submitted fic should be HTML tagged and ready to post. This means tagging italicised, bold and centered words and including scene dividers where necessary.
7. Please include the words "Bash for Severus" in your sign up post to demonstrate that you have read the rules.
1. Fan art and craft contributions: what we want are those pieces for which the submitting artist has done all the work. This means that the artist has started with a blank slate and perhaps a reference (e.g. a pose, character, location) and proceeded to draw, paint, compose or otherwise create every line and place every color with their own hand. For example, if you use a reference image in Photoshop or similar, remove the original layer completely when you've finished and leave your own handiwork! Photo manipulation is acceptable as long as both the model(s) and the photographer(s) have given permission for the image(s) to be used in this way. General guidelines for the use of stock images are given below.
2. The same philosophy applies to music and fan-video. We really welcome submissions in this form but they should be original. Compose your own piece about Snape using traditional or electronic means. You could write and perform a rap or poetry. You could compose a Snape Sonata! Make your own film using, for example, cosplay or animation. Can you top the Potter Puppet Pals? Write and perform your own voice-over and avail yourself of stock music sources if you need to.
3. When copying from an established source (a famous painting, for example) it is considered good etiquette to credit your source. Also, please note that precisely duplicating an existing work by directly tracing or reproducing every single detail so that it is difficult to tell your work from the original isn't very cool, so please try to add your own personal touches and style. Please don't feature screenshots, official artwork from a video game, scans from an art book, a photograph of a famous person or music released by another artist or band.
4. There are thousands of stock images available for use, particularly on sites like DeviantArt. Please follow the instructions for use given by the image provider. For example, make sure the resulting image(s) can be posted on websites other than where the sources were posted. If the image provider specifically says they don't want their image used for fan art or for sexual contexts, respect their wishes. All required credits should be given in the artist's comments about their submission.
5. Traditional and digital imagery, ceramics, crafts, film and music are all encouraged! This community is designed to generate new work, so all art and craft should not have been previously displayed on other archives or online galleries. You are obviously free to archive your work after February 15, 2010.
6. Depiction of sex involving anyone under the age of 16 – the age of consent in the UK – is strictly banned. While trying not to be restrictive, we do reserve the right to return submitted images we deem inappropriate due to their content or flagrant copyright issues. You may edit and resubmit if you wish.
7. Any image or video that draws complaint for which there is any potential legal basis will be removed immediately and questions asked later.
8. Art, craft, film and music participants should email a description of their project including where relevant details of the final number of images or the place where film/music entries will be hosted and in all cases a description of the state of progress to snapeartist AT gmail DAWT com by October 1st 2009. This enables us to develop the final posting format and schedule in parallel with the fanfic. If we don't hear from you by October 1st we will assume you have decided not to participate. If we do hear from you, we assume you are committed to participation. If your plans change dramatically between October 1st and November 15th, please inform us by email.
All final art and craft submissions should be emailed by November 15th, but you can send us your final images/craft photos as early as you like. If you desperately require an extension, you must email the moderators at snapeartist AT gmail DAWT com Please note the dedicated email address for art and craft enquiries. If you do not meet your revised deadline, your image(s) will not be posted to the community.
9. The maximum size for submitted images is 1024 pixels high by 1024 pixels wide. The maximum file size is 1.5MB. JPEG and PNG file formats are acceptable. Images/photos will be displayed on LiveJournal and InsaneJournal with a click-through to a larger version. Images should be emailed to: snapeartist AT gmail DAWT com. Please note the dedicated email address for art and craft submissions.
10. Because of the potential file sizes and the more specialist requirements, we are asking participants to sort out the hosting of film and music files themselves. Fanvids and music should be uploaded to a sharing host and a link provided, along with information on embedding, by emailing snapeartist AT gmail DAWT com by November 15th. We do not take responsibility for the hosting sites or their format requirements.
11. Please include the words "Bash for Severus" in your sign up post to demonstrate that you have read the rules.
Please read our FAQ and/or contact us at anytime for further clarification of the rules.