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Entry tags:	mod post

Rules and FAQs for our second round!
As promised, here are the rules and FAQs for our next round. Please read them carefully - by signing up, you're agreeing to follow them. :)

Just one quick announcement - we've started a mirror comm on LJ, here, so feel free to join and/or watch that comm if you prefer to follow Snarry Holidays on LJ. We haven't got the layout sorted yet, but we'll have it up and running by the time we start!

Remember, we're starting sign-ups on August 5th, and we're capping the participants at 80 this year ... so sign up early! :)

Then without any further ado, let us present ...

The Rules and FAQs for Snarry Holidays 2008:

Rules

1. Fic must be at least 2000 words in length; for art, there is no limit but please spend an comparable amount of time, giving thought to what your recipient wants - i.e. a quick doodle will not be sufficient.

2. To receive a gift, you must submit a gift. If you drop out, your gift will be reassigned and (barring any extenuating circumstances) you will not be allowed to participate in future Snarry Holidays fests.

If you must drop out, please notify us as soon as possible. We need to know in order to arrange for pinch hitters.

If you dropped out last year, please contact us regarding your eligibility. Contact us if you are unsure of your eligibility.

3. All submissions must be beta-read -- NO EXCEPTIONS. We reserve the right to return your work to you for further editing if there are spelling and grammar errors.

4. Your submission must include all HTML formatting: bold, italics, and so on. The mods cannot go through and fix your HTML tags for you - if the formatting is incorrect, your submission will be returned to you for corrections. If you are unfamiliar with HTML tags, the mods would be happy to answer questions.

For fic longer than 10,000 words, we will be hosting your submission on our own site. Please make sure that your work appears exactly as you want it WITHOUT HTML formatting, and send it to us so that we can upload it.

5. This is an anonymous fest - you may not prematurely reveal your identity! Your work cannot be part of a pre-existing series, and cannot be posted elsewhere until after the fest is over and the masterlist is posted.

6. All submissions are due October 10, 2008. In order to receive a two-week extension on the deadline, you must let us know that you need one and send in proof of progress at the time of asking for an extension. Further extensions cannot be guaranteed - depending on the amount of submissions received and the amount of time needed to finish a submission, additional time may be granted.

7. Your gift must fit your recipient's request, within reason. It is not always possible to include every element in a request, but this is a gift exchange: if your recipient does not wish to receive x, y or z, then do not include them in the gift. The mods reserve the right to return submissions for revisions if they do not fulfill the request.

If for whatever reason, you find yourself unable to complete the assignment that you are given, you MUST let the mods know within 24 hours in order to be receive a different assignment.

If you ask to switch assignments for spurious reasons, or because you did not submit a clear and complete sign-up form specifying what you are willing to write, your request for a different assignment is highly likely to be denied.


FAQs:

What can I write or draw for Snarry Holidays?

Almost anything your heart desires! Gen, preslash, or slash are just fine ... throw in some Polyjuice and make it femmeslash, if you want! The only restriction with regards to content is that your submission must feature the relationship between Snape and Harry prominently.

Do I need to have an IJ or an LJ account to participate?

No, all you need is a valid e-mail address. It makes it easier for us to keep track of our participants if they have journals, but it's not required.

Since it's a holiday-themed fest, does that mean that my submission has to be holiday-themed?

No, not at all ... but please take the requests of your giftee into consideration!

What's the maximum rating?

Dial it as far up or down as you like, taking into consideration the request for which you're writing. If you don't particularly care for high- or low-rated fic/art, just say so in your sign-up information, and we'll try to pair you up accordingly.

Please note that no-one under the age of 18 can write, draw, or receive NC-17 rated works. Snarry Holidays has open membership, but we ask that any under-age members read all header and rating info with care, and refrain from viewing NC-17 fic and art.

What about warnings?

We're asking all authors and artists to make sure that their work is labeled with appropriate warnings, especially when it comes to chan! It's illegal for our Australian friends, and if proper warnings are not present, the mods will add them to the headers. The mods will contact the participant and request an additional warning or a warning change should it be needed, but that the mods have final decision on a warning for the protection of our participants and readers.

What if I don't like the assignment that I've been given?

You have twenty-four hours to write back to the mods and ask for a new assignment if you have a very good reason - such as being unable to write for a request. We will do our best to give you an assignment that better suits you.

What if I don't have enough information to fill the request?

Please write the mods for clarification of your request. We will contact your giftee for you and relay their answers back to you.

How can I find a beta? Why do I even need a beta?

Even the best of us make mistakes at times! We're requiring that all submissions be betaed, NO EXCEPTIONS. If your work is not betaed, or if it has been betaed and still contains a substantial number of errors, we will send it back to you.

If you don't have a regular beta, or if you're looking for an additional beta, keep your eyes peeled for our beta sign-up post later in the fest. We will also be posting a Beta Resource Guide. If you need additional help finding a beta, e-mail us at snarryholiday@gmail.com and we'll do our best to help you!

What if I want to change my story/art?

Once you've turned in your submission, that's it. No more revisions or last minute changes - the only exception to this is for unbetaed work or work with substantial spelling and grammar problems, or a coding error. Once we've posted your story, that's definitely it ... please don't e-mail us asking us to post a different copy, because we won't do it. Make sure that you are 100% happy with your work before you send it to us.

How do I contact the mods?

You can e-mail us at snarryholiday@gmail.com. PLEASE include your full LJ or IJ name (the same name that you used to sign up) in all of your correspondence with us!

How do I format my submission?

You must use the standard header template, and include all necessary information (warnings, ratings, etc). For fic, please include the header in the attached document, NOT as part of the text of the e-mail. For art, include the header in the e-mail, and please also include a small thumbnail for us to post.

You must include all HTML tags in your fic. Please post your work as a PRIVATE entry to your own journal to make sure that your HTML is correct. If we notice hanging HTML tags, we'll send it back to you for revision.

For art, and fic longer than 10,000 words, we will be hosting your submission on our own site. Please make sure that your work appears exactly as you want it, and send it to us so that we can upload it.

How do I submit my fic or art?

You can e-mail it to us at snarryholiday@gmail.com. PLEASE include your full LJ or IJ name and the word "submission" in the header of the e-mail.

For fic, please attach your submission as a .doc or .rtf file. For art, please attach your submission as a .JPG, .GIF or .PNG file.

Why hasn't my submission/my gift been posted yet?

Our posting schedule will be determined by who has turned in their assignments. If you have not yet turned in your submission, then the gift for you CANNOT be posted until you do turn yours in. Please be patient in the meantime. :-)


Let us know if you have any further questions about our next round, by commenting here or e-mailing us at snarryholiday@gmail.com. Other than that ... start getting ready for a very Snarry Holiday this year! We hope that you're just as excited as we are. :)