Do you have a question that isn't answered here or in the Challenge Rules? Please Contact the mods!
I’ve never done a challenge before! How does this work?
A big bang (traditionally a 50,000 word challenge–this is a small-ish big bang) is a type of challenge in which authors have a set amount of time to write a fic of specified minimum length, which is then claimed by an artist who will illustrate two or more scenes from the story.
Authors and artists function as a team, sharing a posting date and masterpost on the challenge blog. You will communicate directly with one another over the summer. Please keep in mind this is not a commission. Artists may choose to illustrate something other than the scenes an author had in mind. For a successful collaboration, communication is key. You are both creators with your own visions, so be respectful.
Some artists like to claim one or more fics and will work with multiple authors in this challenge; however, authors will be matched with a maximum of one artist. In the event that an artist has to drop out after claims (emergencies happen), we will arrange for a pinch hitter, someone who steps in to create art at the last minute.
I missed sign-ups. Can I register late?
Due to the size of the DCBB, we don't allow late registrations for authors or artists. It's not fair to the people who signed up on time, and we like to have a handle on the size of the challenge so we can start thinking about promotion and posting schedules well in advance. But we'd be happy to put you on our mailing list for the following year or direct you to our other challenges!
We've also had authors ask if they can join but not take part in art claims. Unfortunately, the DCBB is too big for us to include a solo-author track. We appreciate your understanding.
I need to update my information. What should I do?
To change any information in our records, such as your name, email, participant type, or if you need to drop, please email deancasbigbangmod@gmail.com and we'll be happy to take care of that for you.
What happened to the mini bang?
The mini bang component of the DCBB had such low participation in the last round that we decided to dissolve it. If you were looking forward to a smaller challenge, here is a list of Dean/Cas Friendly Challenges.
Here are the mini bang 2015/2016 stats:
2015 MiniBang Stats
In 2015 we had 12 stories posted for the minibang. 193 people initially signed up for the minibang. Of those 193, 19 people upgraded to the Big Bang and posted; 2 people who signed up for the Big Bang downgraded to the minibang and posted. Ultimately 176 people committed to posting a minibang and of that amount 164 people dropped from the challenge which was a drop rate of 93%.
2016 MiniBang Stats
In 2016 we had 14 stories posted for the minibang. 89 people initially signed up for the minibang. Of those 89, 5 people upgraded to the Big Bang and posted; 4 people who signed up for the Big Bang downgraded to the minibang and posted. Ultimately 88 people committed to posting a minibang and of that amount 74 people dropped from the challenge which was a drop rate of 84%.
Will you email me reminders? What if I need more time?
We will send email reminders in advance of published deadlines. Both of your lead moderators work full-time, so we understand a fandom challenge might not be at the very top of your to-do list. We will email reminders about check-ins, claims, and posting dates.
That said, time management is important on your part, so consider adding check-in and other dates to your calendar.
Due to the size of the DCBB, we will not grant extensions to any posted deadline.
I’ve never written/drawn for a challenge before. Can I sign up?
Yes. We admire everyone who would like to attempt this challenge but ask that you have some experience with writing or creating art. Please familiarize yourself with the requirements and be prepared to budget a good deal of your time to creating your fic and art for this challenge. This should not be something you throw together over a weekend. That’s why you have the summer to work on it.
Will you assign a prompt? Can I work from a prompt?
We do not assign prompts or tell you what to write (beyond it being a Dean/Cas fic), so what you write about is up to you. You may work from a prompt, but please don't reveal what that prompt is publicly.
When can I start writing? Can I work on other WIPs at the same time?
You can start writing before DCBB sign-ups even open, just keep your work under wraps. And yes, you can absolutely work on other stories at the same time.
How much information can I reveal about what I'm working on?
Before Art Claims, you may not discuss your story except in private with you beta writers and other writers you know are not drawing for the DCBB. After claims, you can discuss who you were paired with and may chat generally with people on the PB server about your story but you can not create your own promo. Once your promo is published on the official DCBB tumblr, you may talk about your story on social media but can not share any quotes or create more promo.
We know some people are confused about how much information is okay to reveal, so here are a few examples:
“I'm halfway through writing my DCBB!” ← This is okay since it doesn’t reveal anything.
“I'm halfway through my Star Trek AU for the DCBB!” ← This isn’t okay because it reveals a specific detail about your fic that someone could recognize during claims.
"I'm going to give you guys the summary for two different plots I'm going to write. Which would be best?" ← This isn’t okay. Even though there’s no mention of the DCBB, the story would be for the DCBB and might be recognized.
"Is there anyone who isn't going to be making art for the DCBB who could help me decide (in private) between two plot ideas I have?" ← This is okay since you’re taking the conversation to a private space.
Can I write a threesome? What about other pairings? Does Dean/Cas (Jensen/Misha) have to be endgame?
You can write whatever you’d like, but this is called the Dean/Cas Big Bang for a reason. You should not expect endgame Sam/Cas to go over well with the audience this challenge normally attracts. And please tag your pairings.
Is underage fiction allowed?
We've changed our policy regarding underage fiction starting with our 2018 round. Please read the current policy.
When am I assigned an artist/author partner?
That happens during Art Claims. You will be paired through an anonymous claims process. You may not select your own partner.
How much control do I have over what my artist is creating?
Art you receive in a challenge is NOT commissioned art. Your artist is your partner, not someone who works for you. They might choose to include you in their creative process, just as you might choose to include them in yours - but they are not obligated to take direction from you (and vice versa, your artist can't demand you make changes to your fic).
Here are some tips for proper communication with your artist partner:
- Immediately let them know about any changes to the fic that could affect an illustration (eg. you decided Dean has shoulder-length hair).
- Be available to clarify details, if asked, like the time of day in a scene or what someone is wearing.
- Your artist might ask for a list of scenes you'd like to see illustrated, but we recommend waiting for them to ask before providing one.
- You can provide reference photos for your artist if your fic contains specific places or animals, but your artist is not obligated to illustrate them.
- Unless they ask for feedback and criticism, you should only request changes if something in the art is contrary to a fic detail (eg. the color of a shirt - but please don't send your artist HEX codes).
- You should not demand specific poses, backgrounds, art styles, or mediums unless your artist has asked you for that level of direction. Again, this is not a commission.
If you are not comfortable with allowing an art partner creative freedom over their part of your team's collaboration, this challenge is not for you.
Do you assign beta readers? What's a beta, anyway?
Beta readers are editors who go over your work. They might look for typos, spelling errors, grammar mistakes, plot holes, and continuity errors. We require all DCBB fics to be looked at by at least one beta reader so you can be confident on posting day.
We do not assign beta readers, and you don't have to use one of the betas that volunteers for the DCBB. If you have a beta you work with already, or if you want to ask a friend to beta for you, that's absolutely fine. Beta readers do not need to be registered for the DCBB in order to beta a DCBB fic.
If you don't have a beta reader, we have a list of qualified people who will be happy to help you. Request the Beta reader list
How do I check in/submit a rough draft/submit summary info?
You will check-in and submit your rough draft through a form. We’ll email links to participants a few days before these steps are due.
If you have trouble with the form, you may also email your rough draft and summary information to deancasbigbangmod@gmail.com and we will manually enter your information into the database.
Due to the size of the DCBB, we will not grant extensions for submitting your rough draft for claims. It’s unfair to our artists.
What's due at the various check-in points?
- Mandatory author check-in #1: Nothing is due at this point. We'll ask your status to see if you're likely to go through to claims.
- Rough drafts and claims info (authors): At this point, we'll need your rough draft (at least 80% complete; please see Art Claims for details), fic summary, warnings, visual elements, and info like wordcount and rating.
- Author promo info: For promos, we'll need your fic title, summary, rating, wordcount, warnings, and a preview snippet (we'll specify the wordcount). At this point, we also need any dates when you absolutely cannot post.
- Mandatory team check-in: We'll ask if your team has communicated and if there are any issues. Nothing is due on this date.
- Mandatory check-ins for October and November posting dates: Art rough drafts and fic final drafts are due (you can continue to edit until your scheduled posting dates).
What if I have a hardware/software failure?
We ask that all participants keep backups of their story and art on different devices. Periodically emailing yourself with a copy is also a smart idea. Google Drive offers free word processing software and cloud storage. Another free solution is Dropbox.
I haven’t heard from my partner in X days!
By registering for this challenge, you agree to communicate with your partner through email (if you decide on other communication methods as a team, that’s fine). Some teams might communicate only a handful of times; others might choose to communicate regularly. Either way, it’s critical you check your messages and respond promptly to your partners, even if it’s just to say you’re busy and will write back later.
If you can’t get ahold of your partner, contact the mod team through email.
I'm not getting along with my partner.
Not everyone walks out of a challenge as friends, but you are expected to be cordial to your partner and to work together to complete your collaboration.
Fandom can be intensely personal for some and just a lot of fun for others. And this event welcomes people from all parts of fandom, from Dean/Cas monoshippers to the Dean/Cas curious. We have multishippers who participate too. It's possible you will be paired with someone who has headcanons that oppose yours or even offend you. Please check your fandom politics at the door.
If you have issues with your partner, it's best to remain professional. Respond promptly and politely, and keep conversation solely to the DCBB.
Am I allowed to write timestamps for my fic? What about additional art?
Timestamps and epilogues
- All chapters, prologues, and epilogues that make up your completed fic must be posted on your scheduled posting date. Please see our Serial posting policy.
- Once your fic is posted and your team masterpost has been published, you may not add additional chapters, timestamps (these may be scenes you cut earlier and want to share, or a new chapter that shows what Dean and Cas are up to after your fic ended), or epilogues to your fic until after the current round's posting period has closed and the masterlist has been released. This will be considered Serial posting and is against the rules.
- Once the current round's masterlist is published, you are welcome to publish timestamps, epilogues, deleted scenes, etc.
Additional art
- If your team's artist creates additional art for your collaboration after your team's masterpost has been posted, they may post it once this round's masterlist is released.
- If someone creates fanart for you as a gift, or if you want to sketch something from your own fic, you can link to these from your fic masterpost one year from your posting date; however, the original art masterpost must remain linked from the fic; you may not erase or downplay your artist partner's contribution.
- Commissioning art or asking a friend to create more art for you because you were unhappy with your challenge art is not in the spirit of the challenge. It could hurt your partner's feelings and we ask you not do it.
Can I include a map with my fic?
An author is permitted to embed or link to a map as long as they adhere to the following rules:
- The map was drawn by the author as part of their writing process (no commissions, no outside artists)
- It is provided for reader clarity
- It may be colorized for clarity (eg. blue water) but shouldn't be illustrated to the point where it could be reasonably confused for art
- It may be linked to or embedded in the fic. If embedded, we'd recommend putting it into a note, not in the body of the fic, so it cannot be confused for art.
It's perfectly fine if the team artist would like to illustrate the map as one of their art pieces, but not all artists may be willing or able to do this.
If I found a typo in my published fic, may I edit it, or is that against the rules?
Yes. Editing a typo does not send out notifications to your readers or change your fic's posting date, so it's fine to make quick edits if you find a mistake.