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cap_ironman2016-10-04 04:08 pm
cap_ironman_fe) wrote in cap_ironman2016-10-04 04:08 pm
Entry tags:
2016 Holiday Exchange: Extended FAQ
This post is the extended FAQ for the 2016 Holiday Exchange.
The 2016 Exchange setup is very similar to the 2015 Exchange. Questions dealing with changes to the Exchange compared to last year will be marked with a double star **.
First, the brief FAQ (also on AO3):
Q. I’m new. What is this?
A. You’ll sign up with a request for Steve/Tony fanwork (can be fic or art) you’d like to receive, and the mods will assign you to, in turn, anonymously create a gift for another participant (gift-givers will all be revealed at the end of the exchange). Detailed instructions for how to sign up are provided on the sign-up form.
**Q. Has anything changed from last year?
A. Yes. The sign-up form has changed a bit; please read the instructions carefully even if you’re familiar with it from last year. In addition to the main exchange, we’re also bringing back Community Gifts this year, opening on October 17th! More information regarding Community Gifts is available here.
Q. When will I receive my assignment?
A. All assignments will be sent out by the end of Monday, October 31st.
Q. Can I request to receive only art or only fic?
A. No, it is up to your gift-creator to choose which medium to use to fill your request. Please do not indicate a preference for one or the other in your sign-up.
Q. What if I have to drop out?
A. We understand that life gets busy, especially around the holidays! You can drop out at any time before the assignment due-date (December 18th); just email us at cap.im.events@gmail.com. You do not need to provide us with a reason. If you don't have a gift uploaded for your recipient by the deadline, December 18th, we will automatically assume you’ve dropped out and will send your gift out to the pinch-hitter list. There is no penalty for dropping out in either fashion.
Q. What’s a pinch-hitter, and how do I become one?
A. A pinch-hitter is someone who steps up to create a work for a recipient whose original gift-giver has had to drop out. When we have a work that requires a pinch-hit, we will send out an email to everyone on the pinch-hitter list asking if they would like to claim the work. If you’d like to get your email added to that list, send an email at any time before December 18th to cap.im.events@gmail.com.
Extended FAQ:
Q. Is there an event tag I can follow on tumblr?
A. Yes, we’ll be tagging all event posts with '#capim exchange'.
Q. I want to participate but I don't have an Ao3 account.
A. Email us at cap.im.events@gmail.com and we'll get an AO3 invite for you so that you can create an account. Due to the use of the AO3 platform, all participants must have an AO3 account.
**Q. I want a present but I can't create things myself. Can I get someone else to do it for me?
A. The nature of the main this exchange is that everyone who signs up must create a gift in turn.
If you have a prompt you would like to see filled but can’t sign up for the Exchange, then we encourage you to submit it to our prompt pool for Community Gifts, which opens October 17th. Please note that prompts submitted to the pool are not guaranteed a fill, and fills are considered ‘gifts to the community’ and will not be linked to the prompter. More information on Community Gifts is posted here.
**Q. What is this ‘Community Gifts’ thing?
It is a secondary event that has been run with the Exchange in the past, which we are bringing back this year. Participation in it is not required to participate in the main exchange, and vice-versa. Information about Community Gifts is posted here.
Q. I'm not sure if my art is considered a manip or not. What is considered a manip?
A. A manip is an existing image not originally drawn by you (a screenshot or comic scan, for example) that has been digitally modified. It is okay to use a photo or other piece of art as a reference or for artistic purposes (say, to create a background), but the main subject of your art must be drawn (or painted, or otherwise created) entirely by you.
Q. Do I need to sign up for the Exchange to be a pinch-hitter?
A. No, just send us an email (cap.im.events@gmail.com) indicating your interest in being a pinch-hitter only. (You will still need an AO3 account.)
Q. I want to be paired with X.
A. Part of the fun of the Exchange is the random, anonymous factor. For that reason, we don't allow requests to create for specific people.
Q. I don't want to be paired with X.
A. Tell us this in under the optional 'Additional Information' section of your offer letter. Please don't give us details; a simple 'I don't want to be paired with X' will do. Only the mods will see your offers letter.
**Q. In my sign-up Request, one of the Additional Tags (example: ABO) is a Want for one of my prompts but a DNW for another of my prompts.
A. Please specify this in the individual prompts. Don’t include a Want/DNW in either your Additional Tags selection or in the general ‘I would like to receive’/’I do NOT want to receive’ lists at the bottom of your letter unless that Want/DNW applies to all your prompts.
Q. Can I have the same thing on my "Wants" for requests and "Do Not Wants" for offers? (For example, if I like reading kidfic but don't think I write kids very well.)
A. Yes, and the same vice-versa! These are separate lists for this exact reason.
**Q. Why use these ‘Additional Tags’ at all in addition to the Want/DNW sections in the letters?
A. In order to make things a bit easier for matching, this year we’re using an auto-shortlisting program which will generate ‘short lists’ of possible recipients for each creator, based on a) the canons offered/requested matching up and b) the most common wants/do-not-wants (based on last year’s sign-ups) not conflicting. We will still be finalizing all matches by hand; the idea is to toss out the obvious mis-matches and make the obvious matches more obvious so that we can start with a pool of 10 or so people for each creator, instead of the full 50.
The number of tropes in the ‘Additional Tags’ list is fairly small because we don’t want to actually auto-match everyone; we just want to know the more likely matches we should be looking at.
**Q. Why not just use AO3’s automatch system?
A. Particularly for small exchanges, hand-matching gives better results than computer-matching in terms of matching people up to letters they’d really like to create for; someday we’ll get there with AI, but we’re not Tony and we don’t have JARVIS. We’d like to reduce the initial work involved, but we feel that hand-matching from the shortlists is worth the effort. AO3’s automatcher only shows the top/possible results, rather than weighted shortlists that we can use to hand-match, and it doesn’t handle DNWs very well.
Q. I want to do gen friendship, is that okay?
A. Sure. This comm also welcomes fics that focus on a non-slashy relationship between Steve and Tony, as long as the focus is on the two of them. Just state your preferences clearly in your request letter and offer letter so that we can match you accordingly.
Q. Do I have to offer a 'non-porny out' in my requests?
A. Not at all. If you want to definitely receive porn, make this explicit (heh) in your request letter. If you want to create porn, make it explicit in your offers letter. Likewise if you don't want to receive and/or create porn, stick it in your DNWs. We'll match you accordingly.
Q. I really like one of the example prompts, can I use it?
A. Sure!
Q. Can I submit the same prompts I did last year?
A. Yes, so long as they fit into the format described in the sign-up form.
Q. If I provide 4 short prompts do I have to provide plot prompts too?
A. You need at least two of each kind of prompt. So, you could have 2 plot prompts and 4 short prompts - but you do need both kinds.
**Q. Per the new optional prompt, I want to request somebody make art for my fic. But I thought we’re not supposed to indicate that we only want art?
A. For this one prompt, the medium can be dictated. Please don’t indicate a preference anywhere else in your letter, and please don’t indicate that you only want to have this particular prompt filled. All prompts in your letter should be something that you’d be equally happy receiving.
**Q. My fic/art wasn’t part of a Big Bang, Reverse Bang or the TRB, but somebody already made me art/fic for it. Can I still request art/fic for it in the new optional prompt?
A. Yes.
Q. Can we discuss our prompts or our recipient's prompts in the chat?
A. Sure! The IRC chat is a great resource whether you're looking for people to brainstorm with, or looking for some feedback or specific help. Just be sure that your recipient isn't in the chat at the time!
Q. Do works created for this exchange have to be holiday-themed?
A. Nope. You can specify that you want to receive a holiday-themed gift in your request letter, but it's entirely up to you.
Q. Can I back out if I don't like any of the prompts I've been given?
A. If you are worried about getting prompts you won't like, make sure to give us plenty of info in your offer submission so we can match you with someone whose prompts you will like. Just remember the goal of this exchange is to create a gift for someone else. So, even if you don't "like" the prompts, try creating something anyway. If you really feel that you are unable to fill any of the prompts you have been given, please contact the mods first and we will try to work with you.
Q. The plot prompts on my assignment are pretty complex, and I do art. Can I do one piece of art, and then write something alongside it to cover the rest of the prompt?
A. Yes; if you're an artist and you want to do a prompt that you can't completely fill in one artwork, it is fine to either write something alongside or do multiple artworks--it's your choice. You may also want to consider filling one of your recipient's short prompts, which are designed to be less plotty and easier for an artist to fill with a single artwork.
Q. Will you read over my fic / take a look at my art and tell me if you think X will like it?
A. In a fandom this size, odds are that we may not be any more familiar with your recipient than you are. If you're worried about your gift, we encourage you to ask a friend what they think. Writers can also take a look at the comm's beta list and find someone on there who can provide constructive feedback on how the fic fills the prompt.
Q. Do I have to have a beta?
A. No, betas are encouraged but not required. If you're a writer looking for a beta, the comm's list of active beta readers is a great place to start.
Q. What should I do if I want to ask my recipient a question?
A. Ask a mod, and we'll ask your recipient for you and pass the answer back to you.
Q. I'd like to include a non-Steve/Tony relationship in the gift I'm creating, is that okay?
The focus should be on Steve and Tony's relationship: this is a cap-ironman exchange, after all. While other characters can have relationships, unless your recipient has requested it, please don't focus on those relationships. Likewise, if you do not want a secondary pairing to appear at all in your gift (whether that's a past pairing between Steve or Tony and a third person, or a background pairing like Thor/Jane), please include this in your request DNWs.
Q. How do I post my art on Ao3?
A. Unfortunately, AO3 doesn't host art. You'll need to upload your art elsewhere, and then insert it into the body of your work with the following code:
We recommend you check your host to make sure that your art won't be automatically removed in a few months or years. A private post on tumblr (so that no one but you can see the post) is a good spot for it. If you're uncertain how to do so or don't have a tumblr, then you can email your finished art to us, and we'll post it for you on the comm's locked image-host tumblr.
Q. I've finished my gift. How do I post it to the exchange?
A.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
navaan created an awesome guide on how to do this! If you need additional help, ask us here in the comments.
Q. It's December 18th and I'm REALLY close to finishing, but I'm not done yet. Can I upload my unfinished piece and try to finish before reveals?
A. No. Assigned gifts must be complete; by the due-date (December 18th). If you aren't yet finished, please send us an email at cap.im.events@gmail.com. Incomplete works and WIPs will not be approved by the mods, and attempts to sneak one in may result in limited bans from future cap-ironman collaborative events.
Q. Can I have an extension?
A. Email us with the specifics at cap.im.events@gmail.com to discuss it. Please don't email us four hours before deadline; if you think you might need an extension, ask earlier rather than later.
Q. Can I post my gift (that I created) to tumblr?
A. All gifts need to be posted to AO3 in order to qualify. You are welcome to cross-post your gift to additional locations such as tumblr, LJ, etc after the final author reveals that will take place on January 6th. Before then, please keep your gift anonymous--guessing is part of the fun!
Q. If I have to drop out, will I still receive a gift?
A. Yes, unless your gift-creator also has to drop out. If you have dropped out and your gift-creator drops out, your request will not be assigned to a pinch-hitter.
Q. When will my gift/fill be revealed?
A. Gifts will be revealed in first-in, first-out order, according to the list the mods see. Due to AO3 quirks, this may be different than the order you see, and it may be affected by people editing works. (We strongly discourage any editing of works after the assignment due-date. Works are expected to be complete at that time.) Please be patient: all works will be revealed within the reveals period.
Q. How are you going to deal with the AO3 feed problem?
A. For those unaware, AO3 feeds send out work notifications when an unrevealed work is posted, but not when it is revealed. This means that users who track new works by feeds will not see any automatic announcement when the work is available to read.
In order to make up for this, the cap-ironman LJ and tumblr will be posting daily round-ups during reveals. As they are round-ups, we encourage all our tumblr followers to reblog these announcements without worrying about de-anoning themselves prematurely. We will also be reminding creators to update the 'date updated' on their work after it has been revealed, in order to move it to the top of search results and tag listings. After author reveals, we will be encouraging creators to post their own work announcements to the tags on tumblr, and will reblog any such announcements we see. We will also post individual work announcements at the request of the creator, if that creator would prefer it to posting their own announcement. Wider reminders and announcements of the above will be made during reveals.
Q. I have a question that hasn't been answered here.
A. Email us at cap.im.events@gmail.com, send the cap-ironman tumblr an ask, or leave a comment at this LJ post.
The 2016 Exchange setup is very similar to the 2015 Exchange. Questions dealing with changes to the Exchange compared to last year will be marked with a double star **.
First, the brief FAQ (also on AO3):
Q. I’m new. What is this?
A. You’ll sign up with a request for Steve/Tony fanwork (can be fic or art) you’d like to receive, and the mods will assign you to, in turn, anonymously create a gift for another participant (gift-givers will all be revealed at the end of the exchange). Detailed instructions for how to sign up are provided on the sign-up form.
**Q. Has anything changed from last year?
A. Yes. The sign-up form has changed a bit; please read the instructions carefully even if you’re familiar with it from last year. In addition to the main exchange, we’re also bringing back Community Gifts this year, opening on October 17th! More information regarding Community Gifts is available here.
Q. When will I receive my assignment?
A. All assignments will be sent out by the end of Monday, October 31st.
Q. Can I request to receive only art or only fic?
A. No, it is up to your gift-creator to choose which medium to use to fill your request. Please do not indicate a preference for one or the other in your sign-up.
Q. What if I have to drop out?
A. We understand that life gets busy, especially around the holidays! You can drop out at any time before the assignment due-date (December 18th); just email us at cap.im.events@gmail.com. You do not need to provide us with a reason. If you don't have a gift uploaded for your recipient by the deadline, December 18th, we will automatically assume you’ve dropped out and will send your gift out to the pinch-hitter list. There is no penalty for dropping out in either fashion.
Q. What’s a pinch-hitter, and how do I become one?
A. A pinch-hitter is someone who steps up to create a work for a recipient whose original gift-giver has had to drop out. When we have a work that requires a pinch-hit, we will send out an email to everyone on the pinch-hitter list asking if they would like to claim the work. If you’d like to get your email added to that list, send an email at any time before December 18th to cap.im.events@gmail.com.
Extended FAQ:
Q. Is there an event tag I can follow on tumblr?
A. Yes, we’ll be tagging all event posts with '#capim exchange'.
Q. I want to participate but I don't have an Ao3 account.
A. Email us at cap.im.events@gmail.com and we'll get an AO3 invite for you so that you can create an account. Due to the use of the AO3 platform, all participants must have an AO3 account.
**Q. I want a present but I can't create things myself. Can I get someone else to do it for me?
A. The nature of the main this exchange is that everyone who signs up must create a gift in turn.
If you have a prompt you would like to see filled but can’t sign up for the Exchange, then we encourage you to submit it to our prompt pool for Community Gifts, which opens October 17th. Please note that prompts submitted to the pool are not guaranteed a fill, and fills are considered ‘gifts to the community’ and will not be linked to the prompter. More information on Community Gifts is posted here.
**Q. What is this ‘Community Gifts’ thing?
It is a secondary event that has been run with the Exchange in the past, which we are bringing back this year. Participation in it is not required to participate in the main exchange, and vice-versa. Information about Community Gifts is posted here.
Q. I'm not sure if my art is considered a manip or not. What is considered a manip?
A. A manip is an existing image not originally drawn by you (a screenshot or comic scan, for example) that has been digitally modified. It is okay to use a photo or other piece of art as a reference or for artistic purposes (say, to create a background), but the main subject of your art must be drawn (or painted, or otherwise created) entirely by you.
Q. Do I need to sign up for the Exchange to be a pinch-hitter?
A. No, just send us an email (cap.im.events@gmail.com) indicating your interest in being a pinch-hitter only. (You will still need an AO3 account.)
Q. I want to be paired with X.
A. Part of the fun of the Exchange is the random, anonymous factor. For that reason, we don't allow requests to create for specific people.
Q. I don't want to be paired with X.
A. Tell us this in under the optional 'Additional Information' section of your offer letter. Please don't give us details; a simple 'I don't want to be paired with X' will do. Only the mods will see your offers letter.
**Q. In my sign-up Request, one of the Additional Tags (example: ABO) is a Want for one of my prompts but a DNW for another of my prompts.
A. Please specify this in the individual prompts. Don’t include a Want/DNW in either your Additional Tags selection or in the general ‘I would like to receive’/’I do NOT want to receive’ lists at the bottom of your letter unless that Want/DNW applies to all your prompts.
Q. Can I have the same thing on my "Wants" for requests and "Do Not Wants" for offers? (For example, if I like reading kidfic but don't think I write kids very well.)
A. Yes, and the same vice-versa! These are separate lists for this exact reason.
**Q. Why use these ‘Additional Tags’ at all in addition to the Want/DNW sections in the letters?
A. In order to make things a bit easier for matching, this year we’re using an auto-shortlisting program which will generate ‘short lists’ of possible recipients for each creator, based on a) the canons offered/requested matching up and b) the most common wants/do-not-wants (based on last year’s sign-ups) not conflicting. We will still be finalizing all matches by hand; the idea is to toss out the obvious mis-matches and make the obvious matches more obvious so that we can start with a pool of 10 or so people for each creator, instead of the full 50.
The number of tropes in the ‘Additional Tags’ list is fairly small because we don’t want to actually auto-match everyone; we just want to know the more likely matches we should be looking at.
**Q. Why not just use AO3’s automatch system?
A. Particularly for small exchanges, hand-matching gives better results than computer-matching in terms of matching people up to letters they’d really like to create for; someday we’ll get there with AI, but we’re not Tony and we don’t have JARVIS. We’d like to reduce the initial work involved, but we feel that hand-matching from the shortlists is worth the effort. AO3’s automatcher only shows the top/possible results, rather than weighted shortlists that we can use to hand-match, and it doesn’t handle DNWs very well.
Q. I want to do gen friendship, is that okay?
A. Sure. This comm also welcomes fics that focus on a non-slashy relationship between Steve and Tony, as long as the focus is on the two of them. Just state your preferences clearly in your request letter and offer letter so that we can match you accordingly.
Q. Do I have to offer a 'non-porny out' in my requests?
A. Not at all. If you want to definitely receive porn, make this explicit (heh) in your request letter. If you want to create porn, make it explicit in your offers letter. Likewise if you don't want to receive and/or create porn, stick it in your DNWs. We'll match you accordingly.
Q. I really like one of the example prompts, can I use it?
A. Sure!
Q. Can I submit the same prompts I did last year?
A. Yes, so long as they fit into the format described in the sign-up form.
Q. If I provide 4 short prompts do I have to provide plot prompts too?
A. You need at least two of each kind of prompt. So, you could have 2 plot prompts and 4 short prompts - but you do need both kinds.
**Q. Per the new optional prompt, I want to request somebody make art for my fic. But I thought we’re not supposed to indicate that we only want art?
A. For this one prompt, the medium can be dictated. Please don’t indicate a preference anywhere else in your letter, and please don’t indicate that you only want to have this particular prompt filled. All prompts in your letter should be something that you’d be equally happy receiving.
**Q. My fic/art wasn’t part of a Big Bang, Reverse Bang or the TRB, but somebody already made me art/fic for it. Can I still request art/fic for it in the new optional prompt?
A. Yes.
Q. Can we discuss our prompts or our recipient's prompts in the chat?
A. Sure! The IRC chat is a great resource whether you're looking for people to brainstorm with, or looking for some feedback or specific help. Just be sure that your recipient isn't in the chat at the time!
Q. Do works created for this exchange have to be holiday-themed?
A. Nope. You can specify that you want to receive a holiday-themed gift in your request letter, but it's entirely up to you.
Q. Can I back out if I don't like any of the prompts I've been given?
A. If you are worried about getting prompts you won't like, make sure to give us plenty of info in your offer submission so we can match you with someone whose prompts you will like. Just remember the goal of this exchange is to create a gift for someone else. So, even if you don't "like" the prompts, try creating something anyway. If you really feel that you are unable to fill any of the prompts you have been given, please contact the mods first and we will try to work with you.
Q. The plot prompts on my assignment are pretty complex, and I do art. Can I do one piece of art, and then write something alongside it to cover the rest of the prompt?
A. Yes; if you're an artist and you want to do a prompt that you can't completely fill in one artwork, it is fine to either write something alongside or do multiple artworks--it's your choice. You may also want to consider filling one of your recipient's short prompts, which are designed to be less plotty and easier for an artist to fill with a single artwork.
Q. Will you read over my fic / take a look at my art and tell me if you think X will like it?
A. In a fandom this size, odds are that we may not be any more familiar with your recipient than you are. If you're worried about your gift, we encourage you to ask a friend what they think. Writers can also take a look at the comm's beta list and find someone on there who can provide constructive feedback on how the fic fills the prompt.
Q. Do I have to have a beta?
A. No, betas are encouraged but not required. If you're a writer looking for a beta, the comm's list of active beta readers is a great place to start.
Q. What should I do if I want to ask my recipient a question?
A. Ask a mod, and we'll ask your recipient for you and pass the answer back to you.
Q. I'd like to include a non-Steve/Tony relationship in the gift I'm creating, is that okay?
The focus should be on Steve and Tony's relationship: this is a cap-ironman exchange, after all. While other characters can have relationships, unless your recipient has requested it, please don't focus on those relationships. Likewise, if you do not want a secondary pairing to appear at all in your gift (whether that's a past pairing between Steve or Tony and a third person, or a background pairing like Thor/Jane), please include this in your request DNWs.
Q. How do I post my art on Ao3?
A. Unfortunately, AO3 doesn't host art. You'll need to upload your art elsewhere, and then insert it into the body of your work with the following code:
<img src="url goes here">We recommend you check your host to make sure that your art won't be automatically removed in a few months or years. A private post on tumblr (so that no one but you can see the post) is a good spot for it. If you're uncertain how to do so or don't have a tumblr, then you can email your finished art to us, and we'll post it for you on the comm's locked image-host tumblr.
Q. I've finished my gift. How do I post it to the exchange?
A.
navaan created an awesome guide on how to do this! If you need additional help, ask us here in the comments.Q. It's December 18th and I'm REALLY close to finishing, but I'm not done yet. Can I upload my unfinished piece and try to finish before reveals?
A. No. Assigned gifts must be complete; by the due-date (December 18th). If you aren't yet finished, please send us an email at cap.im.events@gmail.com. Incomplete works and WIPs will not be approved by the mods, and attempts to sneak one in may result in limited bans from future cap-ironman collaborative events.
Q. Can I have an extension?
A. Email us with the specifics at cap.im.events@gmail.com to discuss it. Please don't email us four hours before deadline; if you think you might need an extension, ask earlier rather than later.
Q. Can I post my gift (that I created) to tumblr?
A. All gifts need to be posted to AO3 in order to qualify. You are welcome to cross-post your gift to additional locations such as tumblr, LJ, etc after the final author reveals that will take place on January 6th. Before then, please keep your gift anonymous--guessing is part of the fun!
Q. If I have to drop out, will I still receive a gift?
A. Yes, unless your gift-creator also has to drop out. If you have dropped out and your gift-creator drops out, your request will not be assigned to a pinch-hitter.
Q. When will my gift/fill be revealed?
A. Gifts will be revealed in first-in, first-out order, according to the list the mods see. Due to AO3 quirks, this may be different than the order you see, and it may be affected by people editing works. (We strongly discourage any editing of works after the assignment due-date. Works are expected to be complete at that time.) Please be patient: all works will be revealed within the reveals period.
Q. How are you going to deal with the AO3 feed problem?
A. For those unaware, AO3 feeds send out work notifications when an unrevealed work is posted, but not when it is revealed. This means that users who track new works by feeds will not see any automatic announcement when the work is available to read.
In order to make up for this, the cap-ironman LJ and tumblr will be posting daily round-ups during reveals. As they are round-ups, we encourage all our tumblr followers to reblog these announcements without worrying about de-anoning themselves prematurely. We will also be reminding creators to update the 'date updated' on their work after it has been revealed, in order to move it to the top of search results and tag listings. After author reveals, we will be encouraging creators to post their own work announcements to the tags on tumblr, and will reblog any such announcements we see. We will also post individual work announcements at the request of the creator, if that creator would prefer it to posting their own announcement. Wider reminders and announcements of the above will be made during reveals.
Q. I have a question that hasn't been answered here.
A. Email us at cap.im.events@gmail.com, send the cap-ironman tumblr an ask, or leave a comment at this LJ post.
Recipient
(Anonymous) 2016-11-02 02:13 pm (UTC)(link)I'd like to check out my recipien'ts tumblr but there's no link on their AO3 profile. What do I do?
Re: Recipient