merlin_holidays | Information Post (Reply)

Hello! Welcome to

merlin_holidays. This is an anonymous exchange fest for Merlin fandom. All pairings and ratings are welcome! Below you will find community rules and the schedule. This is not the sign-up post. This is an information post so you can decide if this fest is for you!

Please refer to this post regarding art changes to both the community rules and sign-up form. The schedule remains the same.

1. This fest is limited to 50 participants.

2. All participants must be at least 18 years of age.

3. If you join and request a fic or artwork, you must agree to create a fic or artwork in return.

4. You cannot choose the person for whom you will write or draw. You will be assigned a challenge via email by a community moderator.

5. All fics must be at least 1,000 words. There is no upper limit as to length.

6. All fics must be spellchecked and beta-read.

7. In order to preserve anonymity, all fics must be able to stand on their own and not be part of another series or a sequel/prequel to other fics by the same writer.

8. All fics and art should be emailed to a community moderator at merlinholidays@gmail.com for posting.

9. Please do not submit your fic/art until you are completely satisfied with it. Once a fic/artwork is submitted, no revisions will be permitted. If typos are spotted we will ask that particular writer personally if we may change it, to avoid multiple copies of the same story and possible posting of the wrong story version.

10. The moderators reserve the right to return any fic or artwork for revision if they feel it does not meet the recipient's request, or does not meet the quality standards (beta-read and spell-checked).

11. All fics and art posted here will be exclusive to the community until the names of the writers/artists have been revealed. Please do not post them elsewhere on the Internet until that time.

*Please note that it is not necessary for fics/artwork to have a holiday theme unless that is the request of the person for whom you will be writing/drawing.

Schedule

Sign ups open: Saturday Oct 2nd
Sign ups close: Tuesday Oct 6th (or when we reach 50 participants, whichever happens first)
Assignments out: Monday Oct 11
Fics Due: Nov 22nd
Posting begins: Dec 4

Basically, you will have six weeks to complete your work. If you feel you cannot finish your gift, please let us know as soon as possible. This makes it easier on our pinch hitters.

Below is the sign-up form, and following that is an example sign-up. This is not the sign-up post.

If you decide to join

merlin_holidays, please give this sign up form some real thought before you comment on the sign-up post. This is the only information we will have to make your assignment. We'll try our best to give you the best match possible but if you don't tell us that you don't like a particular trope/pairing, then we can't match you properly. Once the assignments are made, we cannot and will not re-assign.

LJ Name:
email address: Please give us the email you check most frequently.
Age statement: (a simple "I'm over 18." will do)

Artist or Writer or Both (please only say both if you are willing to give either fic or art):

For the gift you want to receive

Gift type -- 'art only' or 'fic only' or either: (Please note that requests for 'art only' may or may not be fulfilled depending on how many artists join the community this year.)

Pairings/Characters: List 3-5 preferred pairings or characters you’d like featured in your gift. (Characters from the show and RPF are allowed). Please spell out names. Note that you may receive any one of the pairings listed, and not always your first choice.

Rating: Please give the lowest rating you'd like to receive. (Example: Nothing under an R-rating. OR Any rating will be fine.)

Kinks/Tropes/Characterizations you'd like to see in your gift: Please provide a list of your favorite kinks, tropes, or characterizations. (For example: spanking, modern AU, jealous!Arthur) Be as detailed as you'd like, but be aware that your author will use your list as a starting point, and may not be able to fit everything you list into your gift.

Squicks (Indicate here if you do not want spoilers for S3 in your gift.): Please let us know what you do not want in your gift. This can include characters, situations, tropes, or anything else you can think of. For example: (RPF, Gaius, D/s, etc.)

Prompts: Give your writer/artist some ideas for inspiration! You can give a few key words, some pictures, or a detailed scenario. Go wild! Please note, however, that your writer/artist is not obligated to use your ideas, but it may provide a jumping off point for them.)

For the gift you are going to give someone else

Fic or Art or Either:
Any characters or pairings you refuse to write/draw:
Rating: Please give the highest rating you are willing to write. (For example: I will write up to a PG-13 rating. I will write any rating.)

Anything additional you would be willing to write/draw that isn't listed above: (This may include characters/pairings, genres, kinks, and tropes.)

Anything else you refuse to write/draw: (It will be assumed that you are willing to write/draw any kink or trope that is not listed in this section.)

Contact Person: List a contact person your writer/artist can get a hold of concerning your gift.

And the last: If you should finish early, are you willing to pinch hit? (Yes, I can pinch-hit. OR No, I can't pinch hit.)

SAMPLE SIGN-UP FORM

LJ Name: dreamdustmama
email address: dreamdustmama@gmail.com
Age statement: 26

Artist or Writer or Both (please only say both if you are willing to give either fic or art): Writer

For the gift you want to receive

Gift type -- 'art only' or 'fic only' or either: Either!
Pairings/Characters: Arthur/Merlin, Bradley/Colin, Merlin/Morgana

Rating: NC-17

Kinks/Tropes/Characterizations you'd like to see in your gift: I love both canon and AUs, so either will make me happy. General things I like: plot, strong!Merlin, powerful!Merlin, non-douchey!Arthur, angst as long as it’s resolved, UST, pining (especially if it’s Arthur or Bradley, and mutual pining is love), banter, first time or established relationship, happy endings; Kinks: handjobs, blowjobs (especially if they’re rough and messy), hair pulling, anal sex, barebacking, rimming/felching, come play, breathplay, mild bedroom-only D/s (prefer dom!Arthur/sub!Merlin, but nothing extreme please), bottom!Merlin is my preference but I love bottom!Arthur as well, no preference for Bradley/Colin

Squicks: Character death, non-con, watersports, scat, extreme BDSM, bloodplay, knifeplay, sexswap/genderbending, mpreg, feminine boys, virgin!Merlin/Colin, in-denial!Arthur/Bradley, infidelity, threesomes, the word 'cum', unhappy endings

Prompts: the back page of Merlin's magic book

For the gift you are going to give someone else

Any characters or pairings you refuse to write/draw: Arthur/Gwen, Uther/anybody, Gaius/anybody
Rating: NC-17

Anything additional you would be willing to write/draw that isn't listed above: I'm willing to write Morgana/Gwen, Gwen/Lancelot, Leon/Morgana, and Merlin/Will. I could probably write more formal D/s or threesomes if needed.

Anything else you refuse to write/draw: Whatever is on my squicks list.

Contact Person: ella_bane

And the last: Yes, I can pinch-hit.

If you'd like to fill out your sign up form in advance, here's a handy box for you to copy/paste and work on. The sign up post will go live on Saturday, October 2nd at 6PM EST.

LJ Name:
email address: Please give us the email you check most frequently.
Age statement: (a simple "I'm over 18." will do)

Artist or Writer or Both (please only say both if you are willing to give either fic or art):

For the gift you want to receive

Gift type -- 'art only' or 'fic only' or either: (Please note that requests for 'art only' may or may not be fulfilled depending on how many artists join the community this year.)

Pairings/Characters: List 3-5 preferred pairings or characters you’d like featured in your gift. (Characters from the show and RPF are allowed). Please spell out names. Note that you may receive any one of the pairings listed, and not always your first choice.

Rating: Please give the lowest rating you'd like to receive. (Example: Nothing under an R-rating. OR Any rating will be fine.)

Kinks/Tropes/Characterizations you'd like to see in your gift: Please provide a list of your favorite kinks, tropes, or characterizations. (For example: spanking, modern AU, jealous!Arthur) Be as detailed as you'd like, but be aware that your author will use your list as a starting point, and may not be able to fit everything you list into your gift.

Squicks (Indicate here if you do not want spoilers for S3 in your gift.): Please let us know what you do not want in your gift. This can include characters, situations, tropes, or anything else you can think of. For example: (RPF, Gaius, D/s, etc.)

Prompts: Give your writer/artist some ideas for inspiration! You can give a few key words, some pictures, or a detailed scenario. Go wild! Please note, however, that your writer/artist is not obligated to use your ideas, but it may provide a jumping off point for them.)

For the gift you are going to give someone else

Any characters or pairings you refuse to write/draw: 
Rating: Please give the highest rating you are willing to write. (For example: I will write up to a PG-13 rating. I will write any rating.)

Anything additional you would be willing to write/draw that isn't listed above: (This may include characters/pairings, genres, kinks, and tropes.)

Anything else you refuse to write/draw: (It will be assumed that you are willing to write/draw any kink or trope that is not listed in this section.)

Contact Person: List a contact person your writer/artist can get a hold of concerning your gift.

And the last: If you should finish early, are you willing to pinch hit? (Yes, I can pinch-hit. OR No, I can't pinch hit.)

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, please leave them here. :)