Sign-up instructions
Sign-ups are open at AO3. They will remain open until 11:59pm EDT, August 6.Basics
-Ask for 4-10 fandoms, 1-10 "relationship" tags in each, and in each of your requests, tick at least one of the additional tags that specifies what kind of gift you're interested in.
-Offer 1-10 fandoms, 1-10 "relationship" tags in each, and in each of your offers, tick at least two of the additional tags that specifies what kind of gift you're willing to create.
-In fffx's tagset, the "relationships" field covers characters, relationships, and worldbuilding. fffx uses OR matching - you will get, or create, a gift focusing on one of those tags. If you want specific characters to interact, select a single "relationship" tag that names all of them and uses & and / as appropriate.
-You can repeat fandoms in your requests - ie, you can ask for Original Work twice. You still need 4 unique fandom requests. Offers can be be as minimal as you like, but you will need someone to create for in order to receive an assignment.
-Please list dealbreaking Do-Not-Wants in your sign-ups. You must also put some other, positive information about your interests in each request - this can be a likes list, some prompts, or just talking about what you like about the canon & characters.
Please consider your DNWs carefully. "DNW: unrequested relationships" might suit a 1k relationship-based exchange that also matches on freeforms like "trapped together in an elevator", but may cause stress to someone considering a longer plot. DNWs should give guidance but not constrict your author to a plot that is exponentially narrower than the possibilities of the tag you requested.
-Participants must be aged 18 or over.
-There is a space in Offers - Title - for "Notes to Mod". You can use this space to tell me more about your matching preferences, if you like. You can also leave it blank. If you have Do-Not-Match requests, I may follow up with you for more information - ie, how pinch hits will be handled.
-You are not eligible to sign up if you have not commented on previous gifts or discussed the situation with the mod. You are not eligible to sign up if you either defaulted after check-in, failed to check in during check-in, or posted a placeholder for which I banned you, unless you've posted a make-up work. If you simply defaulted at any time in rounds one or two, you are now welcome to sign up again whether or not you've posted a make-up work.
How the Additional Tags Work
If you request Fanart: 1 x 10-Page Comic, you will receive 1 gift that is a comic of at least 10 pages or at least 40 panels. (Ie, if there are 40 distinct panels, it can have 9 pages. If there are 10 full pages, it's okay if there are only 36 panels.)
If you request Fanart: 1 x 10-Page Comic OR 2 x 5-Page Comics at Artist's Discretion, you may receive 1 gift that is a comic of 10 pages or at least 40 panels, or you may receive 2 gifts of 2 comics that are each half that long. (If selecting that option, I recommend also selecting Fanart: 1 x 10-Page Comic - there are no drawbacks. But you don't have to.)
If you request Fanfic: 1 x 10000-Word Fic, you will receive 1 gift that is a fanfic of at least 10,000 words.
If you request Fanfic: 1 x 10000-Word Fic OR 2 x 5000-Word Fics at Author's Discretion, you may receive 1 gift that is a fanfic of at least 10,000 words, or you may receive 2 gifts of 2 fic that are each half that long. (If selecting that option, I recommend also selecting Fanfic: 1 x 10000-Word Fic - there are no drawbacks. But you don't have to.)
It is possible that if you select both Fanart: 1 x 10-Page Comic OR 2 x 5-Page Comics at Artist's Discretion AND Fanfic: 1 x 10000-Word Fic OR 2 x 5000-Word Fics at Author's Discretion, you may get two gifts, one of which is a 20-panel comic and 1 of which is a 5,000-word fic. It is possible that if you select "2 x 5" tags for more than one fandom, you will get half-length gifts from two different fandoms. This is up to your creators.
You have to offer two Additional Tags. If you are someone who creates only in 1 medium, you can select both the Fanart tags, or you can select both the Fanfic tags.
Groups
Groups & Creator's Choice tags works like this:
"Gribbles/Splonks"
This means a sexual or romantic relationship including at least two Gribbles and at least two Splonks.
"Gribbles & ALL: Splonks"
This means a story featuring platonic relationships between at least two Gribbles and all of the characters who can be defined as splonks.
"Creator's Choice of Gribble & Splonks"
This means a story featuring platonic relationships between ONE Gribble and at least two Splonks.
When ALL is part of the tag, all members of the group must play significant roles in the work. If it isn't, the creator gets to choose which character feature. Requesters may not select within the tag or DNW members of the group.
Groups that are nominated in this way should be discrete and clearly defined.
If an existing group or Creator's Choice tag doesn't work for you, please use your supplementary nominations slots to nominate a tag between specific characters.
If requesting a group, I recommend using your prompts to talk about who you see as part of the group, just in case your creator has a different idea.
Unusual Things fffx Is Doing
Please be aware before you sign up that:
-Letters left incomplete or locked on August 25 will be removed from your sign-up. Please don't link to a letter (an external document containing prompts, general preferences, etc) unless you're confident you can complete it. Of course, you can't predict the future, but if you can't finish your letter ~3 weeks after sign-ups end (preferably earlier!), I believe it's better for everyone if your creator is set free to go ahead with their own ideas. I will send a reminder before removing your letter, but depending on what communication channels I can use or you can check, you may not see it. Letters, of course, are optional - you don't have to link one at all.
-This exchange requires you to put prompts, or general likes, or something you like about the canon, in the AO3 form. It doesn't have to be long or eloquent, but something other than your DNWs is required. Ie, Optional Details are only optional for creators - they are not completely optional for requesters.
-Please sign up with one account only.
-There are also extra deadlines - August 25 for asking to swap your assignment for any other assignment & for finishing your letter, and November 18 for confirming you're still committed to your assignment, as well as the posting deadline of January 21.
-You must comment on any gifts you receive or, if you cannot, discuss the situation with the mod.