FAQ and information
Last update: July 11th, 2016
What is got_exchange?
got_exchange is an LJ-based fanfic and fanart exchange for both George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones, the HBO show based on the books. Both canons are welcome here. So far the exchange has taken place fourteen times.
Do I need a Livejournal account to participate?
Yes. Sign-ups via email alone or from accounts from other sites will not be accepted. Why? 1) It makes my job modding this exchange a lot easier if all participants are on LJ, and 2) the fic/art posts in this community are only visible for community members, so if you don't have a Livejournal account, you won't be able to access any of the fics and art posted in the exchange. If you don't have a Livejournal account, you can easily create one; it takes about one minute, and then you can sign up.
I have a Livejournal account, but I don't use Livejournal very frequently. How else can I stay up to speed?
As of round nine, got_exchange has a tumblr. This tumblr does in no way replace the LJ community, but I will always link back to important LJ posts from tumblr. So if you check your dashboard more often than your LJ friends page, either follow gotexchange.tumblr.com or track #gotexchange.
I haven't read all the books yet, won't there be spoilers?
You have to mention in your sign-up form whether you have read (all) the books, and the person writing or drawing for you will know this, so they won't include any spoilers in your gift. Of course there might still be spoilers in the fics and art made for other people, but participants are asked to warn for those.
I don't like the show, I want my gift to be based on the books. // I don't like the books, I want my gift to be based on the show.
Again, you can mention this in your sign-up. If you want a fic that's only based on book canon or only based on show canon, your author/artist will know.
How do I participate?
You can sign up here. When you sign up, you fill in a form to tell me what kind of gift you can make and what kind of gift you want to receive. I will then assign your wishes to someone who will write/draw for you, and assign someone else's wishes to you. You will know who your giftee is, but not who is making a gift for you. You have seven weeks to complete your fic/art. Then you send it to me, and I will post everything here on the comm.
Is there a minimum word count for fics?
Yes, fics need to be at least 1000 words long. No upper limit, but your fic needs to be a stand-alone and finished. You can write a multi-chaptered story, if you like, but it needs to be complete. You can't write only the first chapter of a longer story as a gift, and you can't write a sequel to a story you've written before.
What are the requirements for fanart?
All drawn/painted fanart is accepted. Photomanips/graphics etc. are not.
What format should my submission be in?
Art should be either jpg or png. Fic should be sent in as a text file that includes html coding for italics etc. Please check if your formatting works properly before submitting your fic. I also recommend you use a beta reader. If you don't, at least proofread your fic thoroughly. It is not my job to correct your typos and spelling mistakes before posting your fic.
What if I don't have a beta reader?
For every exchange round there's a sign-up post for beta-readers. You can contact anyone from that list.
When do sign-ups close?
Sign-ups for round fifteen are open until July 22nd.
When will I get my assignment?
On Sunday, July 24th.
When are assignments due?
You have to send your fic/art to gotexchange[at]hotmail[dot]com by September 11th. That means that you have 7 weeks to complete your assignment. If you need an extension, please contact me as soon as possible.
Can I post my fic/art on other sites/other communities/my livejournal?
Please do not post your fic/art anywhere else before it has been posted here. Afterwards you can repost it elsewhere, of course. If you repost your fic on AO3, you can add it to the got_exchange collection.
Can I get in touch with my giftee if I have questions about the prompts?
Not directly. Nobody is supposed to know who is writing/drawing for them. If you have any questions about your assignment, contact me (gotexchange[at]hotmail[dot]com or PM to linndechir). I will then contact your giftee and get back to you. Please do not tell anyone, least of all your giftee, who you are writing/drawing for. This includes talking about your prompts on Livejournal or tumblr or other public sites, unless it's in vague terms (good: "I can't decide which prompt to write for got_exchange", bad: "I'm writing an exchange fic about [rare ship that only one person requested]").
I already finished my assignment, but I'd love to do more!
In the unlikely case that this will happen ... If there are any other prompts that inspire you, draw and write whatever you like. You can send the fic/art to me and I will post it at the end of the exchange. You can also contact me and ask if anyone dropped out and if pinch hitters are needed.
What does pinch hitting mean?
If a participant drops out, the person who steps in for them to make sure that the original participant's giftee still receives a gift is called a pinch hitter. If you agree to pinch hit in the sign-up form, that only means that I might contact you when another participant drops out. You can still decide then whether you have the time and feel like doing it or not.
What if I have to drop out?
If you really can't finish your assignment on time, for whatever reason, please contact me as soon as possible. The earlier the better, because I will have to find someone who can cover for you. I understand that real life sometimes gets in the way, and that's all right, but please tell me in time so your giftee at least receives a gift from someone else. Don't just disappear without a word. Even if you drop out, you are still expected to comment on the gift someone else made for you.
If you have any other questions that haven't been answered here, or if you have any suggestions, leave a comment or send an email to gotexchange[at]hotmail[dot]com.