FAQ
Q: Do I have to choose from a list of fairy tale prompts?
A: You are free to choose whatever fairy tale you wish, as long as it has not already been claimed by someone else. It can come from absolutely anywhere in the world; for a pretty extensive list of world fairy tales we recommend you check out this page.
Q: The fairy tale I want to use is actually a movie. Can I still use it?
A: Yes. Keep in mind, though, that fairy tale movies almost always have one (or more!) older fairy tales they are based off of, so you may want to do a little research into the original stories as well.
Q: Can I pick more than one fairy tale to sign up for?
A: Certainly. If you think you will have the time to fill more than one prompt in the time given, you are more than welcome to sign up for multiple fairy tales. However, keep in mind that no duplicate sign ups will be allowed - if you are not sure you will be able to fill another prompt, we encourage you leave it open for other artists or writers.
Q: Can I co-write/art with a friend?
A: Yes, just make sure their info is also on your sign up post.
Q: I'm confused. How will sign-ups work, exactly? Will we be claiming member-submitted prompts/requests? Or will you provide us with a list we have to choose from?
A: Neither, actually. Because fairy tales are so numerous and varied and, let's face it, neither of your mods are experts in them, we're not going to put out a definitive list of fairy tales you must select from. We'd advise you to take a glance at this page, which is a seemingly extensive list of fairy/folk tales from all over the world. Don't be afraid to find one on there that's not well-known, and if you know of a story that's not on that page, don't be afraid to claim it on sign-up day; we'd also love if you'd provide a link, just so we can read and learn about it, too.
Regarding how sign-ups will work: on the first sign-up day, we'll put up a general claims post, where we'll link you to that list again. Sign-ups will run for about two weeks, during which time people will comment with the fairy tale(s) they are interested in claiming -- we're following a "one entry per fairy tale" rule, so claiming will be necessary. As claims come in, we'll edit the post to include a list of all the fairy tales that have already been taken and are now off-limits, and we'll contact you if there's an issue with your claim because of us falling behind on updating that list. Remember, though, that we're looking a bit more for the older fairy/folk tales, not just a movie with fairy tale elements (so, for instance, The Little Mermaid would work, but Enchanted would not, even though both have fairy tale stereotypes in their design, because Mermaid is based on a fairy tale, whereas Enchanted is only a film. A damn good one, but still only a film). Keep that in mind while you're brainstorming, and be prepared for your request to be denied if we feel it falls more in the movie category than the fairy tale one. We're sure it'd be excellent, but that's more what reel_merlin is for, sorry.
Q: What kinds of entries are you accepting?
A: We are accepting fic, fanmixes, and art of all kinds - drawings, manips, and vids are all acceptable. Any art submitted should be more than a quick sketch or an icon; as writers are being held to a 1000-word minimum, we ask that artists also hold their work to a similar “1000-word” equivalent. Accordingly, we ask that fanmixes follow this pattern and contain between ten and twenty songs. For more details on submitting a fanmix, please see below.
Q: Does my fanwork have to stick exactly to the plot of my fairy tale prompt?
A: No; the fairy tales are meant as prompts, and you may interpret them as strictly or loosely as you wish.
Q: Can I create a fanwork based in RPF for this challenge?
A: No. While we appreciate that RPF is a related section of fandom that many people (us mods included) enjoy, the goal of this challenge is to encourage participants to explore Merlin the show, not the world of the actors involved in making it, in relation to aspects of the fairy tales they choose. The nature of the show should give you more than enough to work with, and AUs are definitely allowed . So for this round, at least, the challenge will be exclusive to characters contained within the show's canon (and, by implication, the canon of the broader Arthurian legends).
Q: Can I write/create a crossover for this challenge?
A: No. Again, for this challenge we are encouraging participants to focus on the characters of Merlin only.
Q: I am submitting a fanmix for this challenge. What do I need to do?
A: A fanmix for this challenge should be treated like a fanmix you would create and post to a community. As such, you should plan to include in your submission: a track-listing; a piece of cover-art, however basic or extravagant you wish to make it; the lyrics from each song that explain why it has been included in your mix (if you wish to add additional explanations, feel free! They're always interesting to read); and a working download link (at least one mirror link would be advisable). In keeping with the length expectations for fics and art pieces, we ask that mixes include between ten and twenty songs (the upper limit is to ensure that we can all download and enjoy your work as quickly as possible after it has been posted). Also, note that fanmixers will not need to include a download link with the initial submission they send in to the mods. In order to maximize the life and availability of the link, please upload your mixes a day or so before your assigned posting date, then include those in your formal post.
Q: I am writing a fic as my entry for this challenge, but I would also like to include a small fanmix I have put together to accompany it. Is this allowed?
A: Yes and no. While we applaud the fact that you have put so much effort into your submission, for the purposes of maintaining the "one entry per fairy tale prompt" rule, we ask that you choose one or the other to include in your main post to this community. If you wish to post a related mix with the fic in your journal, or to simply include a link to it in your author's note when posting to this community (if that is the only place you are posting your story), that's perfectly fine. Just be aware that your entry here will only be tagged as a fic submission, not a mix.
Q: How does posting work?
A: Participants will be posting their own work on the date assigned by the mods. We will post a sample template for you to use; if you would prefer to make your own template please include a title, your name, the prompt, rating, pairing (if any), and any warnings or spoilers. You may post the work directly in the community or post a link to your own journal. All work must be complete when posted.
Q: I am not going to be able to finish my entry on time. Should I email the mods about this?
A: No. We will be having a few check-in/update posts as the challenge progresses, so if you realize that you will not be able to complete your submission, let us know there. If you forget to do this, that's fine; if we don't hear from you by the submission deadline, we'll assume that something has come up and you won't be entering anything.
Q: Something prevented me from finishing my entry by the submission deadline. I'm extremely close to being done, though, and I know that I could finish it within a few days. What should I do?
A: In this case, you should definitely email or PM the mods on or before the submission deadline. We understand that RL can be unexpectedly hectic, and we don't want you to feel pressured to sacrifice anything important to complete your submission. If you honestly feel like you can finish your entry within a few days of the submission deadline, we will give you an extension to send us your entry and schedule you for a later posting date. Note: a deadline extension does NOT exclude you from officially submitting your entry to the mods. You still need to email your completed piece to tobreakthespell [at] gmail [dot] com.
Q: Who are the mods who came up with this craziness, anyway?
A: Your mods are i_claudia and anowlinsunshine, and no, even they couldn't really tell you why this is happening for any reason beyond, "Because it would be AWESOME." They are both huge fans of capslock, so know that you'll be seeing a lot of that around here regardless of who posts, especially as the submission deadline draws closer. If they remember, though, you shouldn't see either of them posting to this community; instead, for administrative ease, expect all posts to come from brkthespellmod. If you have any questions, concerns, or problems with the challenge at all, feel free to PM the general mod account or email us at tobreakthespell [at] gmail [dot] com. They're both shared accounts, and we'll be trying our hardest to remember to check them regularly, so one of us should get back to you as quickly as possible.
Still have questions? Leave a comment here or contact the mods at tobreakthespell [at] gmail [dot] com.