The Timeline

February

01. Author/Artist Sign Ups Begin

28. Author Sign Ups End

March

01. Writing Period Officially Beings

15. Comm Bonding Post on Support Comm

(We'll roll out invites after sign-ups end)

April

01. Author Check In #1

15. Story Excerpt Post

May

01. Author Check In #2

15. Story Excerpt Post

June

01. Author Check In #3 //  Last Day to Change Fandom or Bang

15. Begin Collecting Summaries and Rough Drafts

22. Last Day To Turn in Summaries

25. Art Claiming Preview Post

30. Last Day to Turn in Rough Drafts // Artist Sign-Ups End

July

01. First Art Claims Begin

07. Art Claims End

08. Rough Drafts Send to Artists // Second Art Claims Begin

31. Stories Due

August

15. Art Due

21. Posting Begins

The Info

This will be the sixth round hosted here at the Sci-fi and Fantasy Big Bang, and due to the popularity of having both a mini and a big bang in our fifth round, we will continue the tradition!. Writers are being given the option to sign up for either the 10,000 word Sci-fi and Fantasy Mini Bang or the 25,000 word Sci-fi and Fantasy Big Bang.

+ Author and artists sign ups for the sixth round will begin Saturday, February 1st.

+ Feel free to use any of the promotional banners to promote the challenge! You can absolutely make one for your own fandom, or  if you need one made for a specific fandom, just let us know :)

+ If you need an invitation to the support comm on LJ or DW, please let us know!

+ Minimum word count FOR THE MINI BANG is 10,000 words. Minimum word count for the BIG BANG has been raised back to 25,000 words.

+ At the beginning of each month, starting April 1, we will have an author check in poll. If you miss two monthly check-ins in a row, you will be dropped from the big bang.

+ Your fic must be from a sci-fi or fantasy based fandom/original world. If it is not, it must contain sci-fi or fantasy elements. If you have any questions about what this means, pleas e let us know!

+ Your story will need to be beta-read.

- You are more than welcome to use your own beta (whether they are on LJ/DW/Tumblr or not).

+ You must have a livejournal, dreamwidth, or tumblr account to participate. You do not have to have all three. Any of them will work to sign up with.
 

The FAQ

What are the requirements for a story?

A fic must be at least 10,000 words for the Mini Bang, 25,000 words for the Big Bang and beta read before posting. A rough draft must be completed before the due date indicated above. The word count can be split across chapters in a full story, or as separate but linked stories at the discretion of the author.

What are the requirements for art?

After artist claiming, one piece of art needs to be created for the claimed fic. More than one piece of art is not required, but an artist can make as much art for their assigned story as they want! Art should be created specifically for the piece the artist chooses. Posters, banners, icons, wallpapers, manips, digital art, drawings, paintings, vids, fanmixes, original songs… these are all acceptable forms of art. If your style of art is not listed and you're unsure if it qualifies, don't hesitate to ask a mod.

What is required for check-ins?

You must meet two of the three monthly check-ins. Check-ins consist of a simple yes or no poll: Do you still intend to participate? That's it. You don't need to hit a specific word count at any check-in.

What is required for summary turn-in?

For summaries, we just need you to basically entice an artist to choose your story. It does not have to be summary you use for your story when posting begins.

What is required for rough draft turn-in?

If you are writing for the Mini Bang, you must have at least 4,000 words of your story written along with a summary of the rest of your story. If you are writing for the Big Bang, you must have at least 10,000 words of your story written along with a summary of the rest of your story. OR, for either, you must have a complete outline of your story.

What fandoms are acceptable?

Any fandom that has a science fiction or fantasy element is acceptable. If you're unsure if your fandom meets that requirement, ask a mod.

Can I write an AU where characters from a non-sci-fi/fantasy fandom are thrown into a sci-fi/fantasy universe? (i.e. How I Met Your Mother cast on a space station)

Yes, as long as there are distinct details that make it sci-fi/fantasy. Changing the name of a city to something that might sound like a space station name but keeping everything else the same is not acceptable.

Are crossovers allowed?

Yes. As long as one of the fandoms is rooted in sci-fi/fantasy, crossovers are awesome.

Can I use a WIP that has been languishing on my hard drive? What about one I've already started posting?

Yes to both, but signing up to finish a WIP is limited only to writers signed up for the 25,000 word Big Bang. If you submit a WIP, you will have to add an additional 20,000 words to whatever your initial word count is. That is to say, if your WIP has 24,999 words at the moment you sign up for the Big Bang, you will still have to add an additional 20,000 words instead of just one. If you are finishing a WIP that has already had the beginning posted, you may leave what's online where it is, but no additional posting during the writing period. No story can be posted until the posting dates..

Can I sign up to be an author and an artist?

Absolutely. You can sign up for as many fields (author, artist, beta, alpha) as you feel you can handle.

Can I write a Real Person fic?

Sorry, but this challenge is only open to the characters in the sci-fi/fantasy fandom. Stories can be written about historical persons in the event that they have made an appearance in a fictional setting, such as the use of historical figures on Doctor Who. A significant amount of attention must be paid to their appearance in their respective canon to highlight the fact that they are from a fictional source and not reality.

Can I write a sequel or prequel to a previous fanfic?

Of course!

Can I write an original fic?

Absolutely! As long as it fits into the sci-fi/fantasy realm, you're set!

I signed up to write Fandom A, but now I want to write Fandom B. Can I switch?

Yes. Just make sure to let a mod know before the last date to switch fandoms.

Can I write more than one story?

As many as you think you will be able to finish!

Can I sign up with a Co-Author or Co-Artist?

Absolutely, just put both names in the sign-up!

I signed up for the Big Bang, can I switch to the Mini-Bang? Or vice-versa?

Yes!