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What's this all about?
* Ever read a fic and think, wow,
what a fascinating story, but if I had written it, I would have...
Well, now here's your chance to do just that. Rewrite someone else's
story, tell somebody else's tale. Take the work of another person and
wrap it up in your vision and style, just like a remixer does to songs.
So just take another person's story and change everything?
* Yes and no. You can do whatever
you like to the story - change POV, dialogue, mood, characterization,
make it longer or shorter, whatever - except for three things: pairing(s),
setting(s) (except in certain circumstances, see below), and the basic
plotline.
Why can't I change ____?
* Basic plotline is fairly obvious,
I think. If you change the plot, then you're really not writing the
same story, right? This doesn't mean you can't change little things,
adding or deleting things as you see fit. For example, if you were rewriting
The Little Mermaid, you might decide to give the mermaid a best
friend who's a fish and a guardian who's a lobster, things that weren't
in the original story. But you would keep the sea witch and the fact
that the mermaid loses her voice because those are essential to the
story. Of course, what are and aren't essential plot points is purely
subjective, but I trust people will be able to decide what to do.
* Pairing(s) must be kept as is. While
this can certainly be argued, I think once you change who the story
is about, you're pretty much writing a new story and contrary to popular
belief, that's not what this challenge is about. It's about reinterpreting
a story that's already been told. So, no, you cannot change the pairing(s)
in the story. We also do not want any slash pairings het-ified or het
pairings slash-ified.
* And with the settings, I'll allow people to take non-AU
stories and make them AUs only if: a) the plot remains almost exactly
the same; and b) the AU setting isn't one that could be considered contemporary
or modern (e.g, ancient Greece is okay, but a high school is not).
All right. So then we can choose any story we want
to rewrite?
* Not just any story. Each participant
will be assigned a writer (who will be a fellow participant and chosen
at random) and must choose a story from that writer. You can choose
any story written by the person you are assigned except for whichever
fic they designate as their safe story (to be explained below) and stories
that are nothing more than smut. Not that you can't choose a smutty
story to rewrite, just not one that is one long sex scene. After all,
where's the challenge in rewriting that?
And just in case it's not common-sense, don't pick a series that's unfinished.
It's not fair to the original author or the readers to have someone
else come up with an ending.
I'm still confused. We're just writing someone else's
story?
* Rewriting. Don't just change
a line here and there. Be creative. Have fun. Make a mess if you want.
Remember, it's a challenge. Don't make it too easy on yourself.
And these are only Smallville stories?
* Nope. This is a multifandom challenge,
so everyone from XF to DS to HP and beyond should join in (Please
note that this version is for FPF only. No RPF will be accepted).
If you've written in more than one fandom, so much the better. If you've
only written in one fandom, but are itching to tackle a new one, let
me know in your sign-up email, and I will work with you to find a good
match.
So what the hell is a safe story?
* It's the one story that you don't
want anyone messing with, for whatever reason. You only get one. You
don't have to have one, only if you want.
Do I have to have website?
* Yes, because otherwise, how will
we find your stories? You don't need your own website; hosted
fics are fine as long as they're all on the same site. Stories posted
to Livejournal are okay as long as there is some sort of index or listing
for them, making them easily accessible. Stories posted only to message
boards and/or mailing lists are ineligible because access to those are
often limited.
I've only written a few stories. Can I still play?
* As long as you have a minimum of
three stories, not including your safe story, and they're not drabbles
or PWPs, then you can. Works in Progress are not acceptable.
What if I've co-written with someone?
* If you have someone you co-write
with regularly and the two of you wish to sign up for the challenge
together, you will be counted as one participant and only the stories
you have written together are eligible. If you regularly co-write with
someone but only one of you signs up, then your co-written stories are
off-limits. The same goes if both of you sign up but separately.
Are there any sort of deadlines?
* Why yes, there are! People can sign
up for the challenge until 11:59 PM EST January 27. Assignments will
be handed out on February 1, probably sometime in the evening. And then
the stories aren't due until 11:59 PM EST March 31. So you've got a
lot of time.
When will the stories be put up then?
* I would like to have them up by
April 15.
Oh yeah? What if I miss the deadline? Then what're
you gonna do?
* Well, I'm not going to hound you
for the story. I've got better things to do. But I'm not putting up
any of the stories until I have all of them. And when people ask me,
"Hey, why aren't the stories up?", I'll point them to the site, which
will have the names and email addresses of everyone who's late, and
say, "Because of those people."
That's kind of mean.
* Why, yes, yes it is.
How
do I play?
Please send
me an email if you'd like to participate. Please include your name,
your fandom(s) your website URL, and the name of your "safe story"
if you've got one, and I'll be in touch by February 1st.
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