Andromerotica Festival: rules

  how to do it  |  time limits  |  format & style  |  posting  |  ratings  |  archiving  

How to do it:

Step 1:               Sign Up
Join the AF mailing list. 
Click the Join link below for directions. The mailing list is for announcements only, not posting stories.

Step 2:               Get Challenge 
You will be sent your challenge via email. 
If you really don't like it, you can request a second option from Mary. No third chances though!

Step 3:               Write Story before time limit ends
Write your challenge story before the end of the Round's time limit. 
There are a few format guidelines which apply. They are written below.

Step 4:               Post Story
Post your story on the Andromeda Festival Bulletin Board. Please remember to give it a rating and say if it is slash. 
Until the second round starts, we ask you restrict the story to the Andromeda Festival website and your own personal website.
Click the Board link below to view the Andromeda Festival Bulletin Board.
If you finish your story before the Wave ends, do another challenge!

Step 5:               Wait to be informed of the next Wave.
Enjoy reading everybody else's stories and rev yourself up for the next challenge round! 

Time Limits:       First & Second Waves
The rounds have time limits! The idea is to stimulate your writing, as many of us work better under deadlines. <Mary, Meg & Tosca all nod their heads>

First Wave:         Finished
Sign Up:              Mon 12th August onwards - finished
Sign Up Closes:    Monday 2nd September - finished
Write:                 As soon as you get your Challenge - finished
Posting starts:     Monday 16th September 
Posting ends:       Monday 30th September 

Second Wave: 
Sign Up:              Monday 07th October onwards
Sign Up Closes:    Monday 21st October
Send/Receive:     Tuesday 22nd October
Write:                 As soon as you get your Lyrics 
Posting starts:     Monday 04th November 
Posting ends:       Monday 18th November 

Format & Style:
These are the format guidelines:

Length: This can be as short as you like, i.e. just a vignette, or a full-blown plot driven tale. We suggest you don't go over about 5,000 words/10 pages (25 k), because of the time limit. But hey! if you feel inspired - go for it. 

Betas: Although nice to have, betas are not necessary (although we prefer them). Some of the new and younger writers might not have beta (proof) readers lined up, so to make it fair on them, beta-ing is not compulsary. 
If you want to find a beta/offer to be a beta, email Mary for details.

No-nos: No underage, no bestiality (we're in two minds as to whether Magog fall under that category).  

Participants: You can use any characters you want from Andromeda. Having at least one crew member mentionedin the story is probably a good idea though!

Crossovers: Due to limited audience recognition factors, we don't encourage crossovers.    

Posting:   
Please include the following when you post your story to the Bulletin Board: (*optional)
Title:
Author: 
Email: 
Rating:
Challenge:
Spoilers:
Website:
Disclaimer:
Synopsis:
Notes:  

Ratings: 
This is a Het and Slash friendly Challenge. 
When you post we do ask that you mark stories SLASH when you post them, so that people who don't like reading slash can avoid it. 

PG  - mild sex/violence or sex/violence mentioned 
i.e.  Rommie and Gabriel have a talk about Vedran architecture with various flirtatious innuendos.
PG SLASH mild sex/violence or sex/violence mentioned 
i.e.  Tyr gives Harper a self-defence lesson with various flirtatious innuendos.
R - sex, violence, adult themes, bad language 
i.e. Beka thinks about various past d**khead boyfriends whilst withdrawing from Flash. 
R SLASH - sex, violence, adult themes, bad language 
i.e. Dylan remembers a covert operation with Rhade with them 'posing' as lovers.
NC-17 - graphic sex, graphic violence, adult themes, bondage, non-con, character death, etc, 
i.e. Trance goes nutso and whacks Uncle Sid in a really gory way. 
NC-17 - graphic sex, graphic violence, adult themes, bondage, non-con, character death, etc, 
i.e. Beka ties up Rommie and shows her what girls really like.

Please note the Bulletin Board has its own inbuilt obscenity editor. So you may find some parts of your story have been 'sanitised' when it displays on the Bulletin Board.

Archiving:   
All the stories written will be linked to or archived by Tosca. 
Send your fics in .txt, .doc or .htm file format to her at toscas_kiss@yahoo.com. 
Please label them "AF FIC to be archived" or she might delete them as yet another junkmail trying to help her enlarge her private parts.  

Once the second wave of the Festival closes you can have your first wave stories archived on AU, WWoMB, FF.net or wherever you want, second wave after the third closes, etc. 
Until then we request they are restricted your own personal pages and the official AF archive.