Fic Fests Guide
for mods, participants and readers alike!
Are you new to fests and want to understand how they work? Or do you want to start your own fest, but don't know where to start?
Either way, we hope these guides may help you! If you ever have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!
Content on this carrd created by EXO fests mods, compiled and managed by EXO Fics Outpost
How do Fests work?
a guide for participants
If you are new to the world of ficdom -- welcome! It is vast and wild and confusing at times, but you will learn to navigate it in no time!
You can find a graphic depiction of the explanation below here (for desktop/computer users) or here (for mobile users). Note that the explanation below is slightly more detailed.
Firstly, it is important to clarify that fic fests are just one type of fan event. They are specially popular in the EXO ficdom, but depending on the fandom, other kinds of fan events may be more popular! Some kinds of fan events are:
Traditional Fests
Art Fests
Big Bangs
Challenges
Exchanges
Fanweeks
Zines
Traditional fests are certainly the most popular kind of fan events within the EXO ficdom. They are usually centered around written fiction, fanfiction, but lately more and more fests have started accepting fanart as well. Within k-pop, fests are usually dedicated to specific member(s), OTP(s) (or OT+), to the group as a whole, or might be centered around specific themes instead (for example, certain AUs or tropes). There is some variation to how fests work, but most of them follow the same steps:
First Phase | Prompting: anyone is encouraged to send prompts. Prompts are little ideas that content creators will pick, develop and turn into finished works! In member-centric and group fests, as prompting proceeds, mods will sometimes release prompt tallies from time to time - a summary of how many prompts have been submitted for each member/OTP. Later on, mods will organize all the prompts into an archive, that is, a google sheet (usually) with all prompts organized in a list. Sometimes they will show this archive to their audience before the next phase; this moment is called Archive Reveal.
Second Phase | Claiming: this is the period during which content creators can pick the prompts that they want to develop. Usually each prompt can only be picked by one single writer/artist (that is, one work/fanart per prompt). Claiming may continue till submission date, or finish earlier. Fests usually release schedules to make that clear. Often content creators are allowed to self-prompt too, that is: sign up with their own ideas instead of a prompt from the archive. If claiming is over, you cannot claim prompts or participate anymore (when in doubt: contact mods).
Third Phase | Check-ins: since most fests are over 3 months long, mods often set check-in dates throughout the process to keep in touch with participants. Participants may be required to deliver minimum wordcounts/their works in progress. Mods will establish what they expect from participants for each check-in in the fest rules.
Forth Phase | Submission: the name says it all. When deadline comes, content creators are expected to deliver their work. Fanwriters are usually asked to submit their fics to an AO3 collection in advance, so that mods can at least skim through their work and check if all rules have been obeyed/prepare graphics for when posting starts.
Fifth Phase | Posting: the best part! Mods will usually have a schedule to gradually post and promote submitted works. Fanfics are usually posted anonymously at first (that is, with the identity of the writer hidden). Fanart submissions are usually posted directly by authors, therefore not anonymously.
Sixth Phase | Guess Whos: since fanfics are usually promoted anonymously, mods will often release the social handles of their participants in order to let readers guess who wrote what.
Seventh Phase | Reveals: lastly, mods will reveal the authors of the previously anonymous works. Then, the fest is done!
Note that not all fests will follow all steps. For example, flash fests are fests that take less than a month from start to finish. In that case, within such a tight timeline, there is no point in having check-ins.
Art fests are very similar to traditional fest in most regards, except they only target fanarts. They might not have check-ins, though, and like regular fests, will most likely not involve any kind of anonymity.
Big Bangs are usually fests that pair up writers and fanartists. They might involve prompting, or only work with self-prompting. Sometimes a fanartist will pick/submit a prompt first, and then a writer will write a fic based on it. However, it is more common for writers to submit their ideas first, and then fanartists create their artwork based on the writer's idea/fanfic.
Challenges are different from fests in the sense prompts/themes are usually defined by mods instead of participants. Mods will set a certain theme or a set of themes, and participants who sign up will submit works according to them. Depending on how long they take, challenges may involve check-ins. The other phases - submission, posting, guess who and reveals - usually work just like any other fest.
Exchanges, just like fests, are usually centered around a certain member/OTP/group/theme. People sign up for the exchange, and after a certain number of participants has been reached, mods will pair them! Participants are usually asked to submit their own prompts (and, sometimes, preferred OTPs), that is: what they want to receive from their recipient. Exchange mods will try their best to pair participants according to their tastes: what participants are willing to write and what they want to receive. Often, recipients do not know each other's identity. Later on, works might be published in the same manner as fests (that is, anonymous at first, then revealed later), or sometimes authors will post them themselves, and mods will later reveal who their recipients were.
Fan weeks are what the name suggests: a week dedicated to a certain theme/fandom (whithin k-pop: a member/OTP/group). They usually welcome a larger array of fan content than the previous fan events mentioned here: besides fanfics and fanarts, they often accept cosplays, edits, gifs, graphics, fan videos, and anything more you can think of! Fan weeks usually last 7 days, and each day is dedicated to a specific theme (a "prompt") - for example, "unrequited love", "pets", "marriage", etc. Sometimes mods define the prompts in advance, but it also happens that prompts are collectively decided upon with polls. Some fan weeks ask for participants to sign up and submit content in advance, but often there is no sign up process and creators are just expected to participate during the given week by using a given hashtag, which the fanweeks mods will use to track the works and organize/retweet them. For fanfiction, if they are posted on AO3 mods will usually create a collection under which participants can submit their work.
Fanzines are self-published booklets/books/collections of works by fans, often centered around specific themes. They almost always include art, and often include text (fanfiction) as well. They might be printed or just distributed digitally (a pdf with a magazine-like layout). Fanzines are sometimes for profit, or they might just charge enough to cover costs (in case they are printed) or to donate to charity. Fanzine organizers often sell merch together with the zine as well (for example, stickers, note pads, postcards, etc). Most often, zines do not involve prompting and the like. Since all works need to be inserted into a magazine-like layout, zines tend to open only a limited number of spots for collaborators, who can draw/write whatever they want within the zine's guidelines and set themes. Fanzines usually have stricter guidelines for writers regarding deadlines and size of their work, since there are physical constraints on how the text will be placed on the pages. Art pieces may or may not be matched to written pieces. Since spots are limited, collaborators are usually chosen based on a portfolio and on their ability to deliver their creations within schedule.
Since zines and fan weeks are not that common within the EXO ficdom, check the Fan Events hub to see how other fandoms usually do it!
Lastly, below are some commonly asked questions regarding fan events.
I want to send prompts, but I don't know how, or if they will be good enough.
Don't be afraid of sending prompts! You do not have to be a writer or an artist to send them - as long as you have an idea you think could be turned into an art piece (be it a drawing or text fiction), that's enough! If you feel insecure about sending a prompt, take a look at writing prompts on the internet or prompt archives from completed/ongoing fests to get a feeling of how this goes. However, do NOT plagiarize prompts. If you get inspired by a prompt from Tumblr or Pinterest, credit it. If you see a prompt you like in a fest's prompt archive, though, you usually cannot use it, no matter how much you like it. If you really want to get a chance to use the prompt in a different fest, ask the mods. They might be able to ask the prompter if they will allow it.
Content on this carrd created by EXO fests mods, compiled and managed by EXO Fics Outpost
Understanding AO3
the best website for fanworks
There are many websites that host works by fans. The popularity of these platforms wavers and changes through the years. If you are a little bit older, you might remember how big LiveJournal used to be, or even fanfics on Tumblr!
These days, even if Asianfanfics still enjoys some popularity, Archive of Our Own (AO3) holds the indisputable top spot in the EXO ficdom. Therefore, it is important to understand how it works!
Firstly, it is important to point out that AO3 is only one of the initiatives put forth by the Organization for Transformative Works (OTW) to support fan culture. OTW also offers legal aid to fan content creators, hosts a wiki of their own on everything fanwork, and even encourages scientific research on fanworks and fan practices! Check their about page for more.
A more practical observation is that you cannot register to AO3 at any time: the platform allows a limited number of people to register a day. But don't worry! It is not too complicated. All you have to do is request an invitation by filling in your email! You will be added to a waitlist, and AO3 will send you an email for you to create an account when your time comes. Usually the process does not take too long, and you will receive their email the very next day! On the bottom of the request page, you can check how many people are currently on the waitlist, and how many invitations AO3 is sending a day.
After registering, you can start posting right away!
The feature that makes AO3 so loved by fests is their collection feature: accounts can create collections to which other users may submit works. The collection's owner has a decent amount of control over them, but ownership remains with the author, unlike what used to happen in other platforms. Collections offer the option of keeping works and authorship hidden, which make it easier for fests to manage posting (by unhiding a few works a day) and reveals (by turning anonymity off). If you participate in a fest, when submission comes, mods will send you the collection code; then, when you submit your fic on AO3, all you have to do is paste the code in the right field and your work will be submitted to the collection automatically.
There are a few other aspects of AO3 that are worth explaining: pseuds, ratings, archive warnings, and additional tags.
Under the same profile, with the pseuds option, you can actually have several subprofiles! That is particularly useful in case you want to use a different handle in each of the fandoms you are part of. Go to Profile > Manage my Pseuds > new Pseud. Another option you will find on that same page is Orphan Works. If you ever feel like leaving a fandom, but feel bad about deleting your works, you can use this option: it will unlink your works from your profile and delete your profile (pseud). That way, your works will remain on the platform, but you won't have any attachment to them.
Ratings vary a lot from platform to platform, so pay attention to how AO3's system works. On AO3, there are 5 possible ratings:
General Audiences: suitable to everyone.
Teens and Up Audiences: content that may be inappropriate for people under 13. It may contain some violence, suggestive themes, a little blood, questionable humor, mentions of illegal activities, and some use of strong language.
Mature: has almost everything, but violence and sexual themes are not as graphic, that is, not explicitly depicted.
Explicit: if your work has detailed sex scenes, gore, or any other more serious adulth theme, you should give it this rating.
Not Rated: you may also choose not to rate your fic. In that case, the system will treat it as if it had the maximum rating (asking users for consent, etc).
We have a section about Content Warnings on this carrd, which is similar to AO3's Archive Warnings. AO3 has chosen to select a handful of themes as ones you must obligatorily tag if you include them in your work:
Graphic Depictions of Violence
Major Character Death
Rape/Non-Con
Underage (for underage characters engaging in sexual acts)
if your work does not include any of the above, select No Archive Warnings Apply.
Additionally, you can also select the option Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings. As a reader, note that this option does not mean that the work has no Archive Warnings, but rather that the author chose not to tag them (to avoid spoilers, or for whatever other reason).
Besides these warnings, we strongly encourage you to also add additional tags! If your work contains any other themes that people should be warned about (check our "Content Warnings" page), you should definitely let your audience know. But that is not the only way of using tags.
You can also use "positive" tags - tags that signal what your work is like and that may help potential readers find in through filters. For example, you can tag the mood of your fic (Fluff, Angst, etc), if it is part of any particular AU (Harry Potter!AU, Start Wars!AU, etc) or if it follows any trope (Soulmates, Sharing a Bed, Enemies to Lovers, etc); if it has smut, or involves a polyamory relationship, or even if it includes pets. You can tag anything you find relevant about your fic, really!
Selecting the most relevant tags is a learning process. If you are new to writing, don't worry! With time, you will get the hang of it. Just remember proper tagging is not only important to protect your readers' mental health, but also to help make your fic easier to find, so think carefully about which tags you are going to add.
Lastly, but not least important, is your role as a reader. You can give fics kudos and leave comments even if you are not a registered user! You can also bookmark fics - remember the author can see whatever you write on your bookmark, so you can leave a sweet comment if you'd like. Show how much you appreciate authors - they deserve it after all their hard work!
Content on this carrd created by EXO fests mods, compiled and managed by EXO Fics Outpost
Creating a Fest
what you should keep in mind!
If you are thinking of starting a fest, you should take both organizational and personal aspects into consideration.
Emotionally wise, it might not be easy to run a fest. Hateful messages sometimes pop up unwarranted. You may also receive criticism. Regardless of how well-justified and constructive it is, it might not be easy to handle. You should be open to feedback, but there is a chance you might feel it coming across as a personal attack.
Your mental health should come first, so think carefully of how you would feel in this kind of situation.
On more practical terms, you should first get familiar with fest terminology. Besides reading this carrd, take a look at other fests, their masterlists, their CCs, to get a feeling for the kind of issues they deal with.
In terms of tools, you should learn more about how Google Forms, Google Sheets and Archive of Our Own work before you start your fest, in case you are not comfortable with these platforms yet.
Once you feel you have got a good hang of the basics, it is time to think of how you will run your fest:
What kind of fan event is it going to be? A regular fest, a fan week, an exchange? (check our "how do fests work" for more information)
Is there a similar event already in the ficdom? Check what other fests are already in place for the same members/OTP/theme, as well as how many fests are currently ongoing. Participants (and readers!) are limited - keep that in mind!
Establish clear rules and guidelines, and decide on what you will do in case someone breaks them. You might feel the need to change the rules along the way. Think of how you will inform your participants (email, twitter, group chat, discord server?). You should let them know from the start about how you will communicate with them.
Create an easy way to access information, whether it is a carrd or a masterlist on your twitter account. If you do create a carrd, remember to make it as user-friendly as possible (remember to add "back" buttons!), as well as to keep it updated. Even if you create a carrd, it might be handy to have a thread with important links on Twitter too (to your carrd, to prompting and claiming forms, and so forth).
Prepare your background resources. If you decide to run a traditional fest, that will include: (1) A prompting form (sample); (2) a claiming (and self-prompting) form (sample); (3) a prompt archive (sample); (4) a follow-up sheet for mods (sample); (5) check-ins sample emails; (6) submission sample emails.
Will you offer beta readers? If you decide to organize your own beta system, you will have to first ask for volunteer betas, then either match them to writers who request them, or let writers contact betas directly. We would like to remind you that there is an account that specifically pairs betas and writers within the EXO ficdom (Beta Cupid), so think what the advantages of having your own system would be.
How will you behave in social media? Will your account be more formal, or will you host mini-games and tyr to engage with your participants? Will you post moodboards, prompt previews, prompt samples? If you decide to these things, consider whether it would be necessary to have a specific mod to run social media accounts.
Once everything is decided and done, all that is left is start your fest!
It is important to be organized: do not underestimate the importance of having all the resources mentioned above ready from the beginning.
One last aspect worth mentioning is graphics. If you do not have access to editing software, there are some free resources you can use! For online, free editors, mods recommend:
If you need to download additional resources (stock pictures, vectors, pngs, and the like), you can find some royalty free resources here:
If you still feel intimidated by graphics, another option is to find a graphics mod! Many people are often willing to help with graphics for fests. If you would like to find a graphics mod before officially starting your fest, you may ask EXO Fics Outpost for help - we can find someone for you!
Content on this carrd created by EXO fests mods, compiled and managed by EXO Fics Outpost
Content Warnings
three words: tag your work!
When dealing with some subjects, content creators should be careful to provide content warnings.
There is no judgement attached to it! It is all about empathy: let you audience know what kind of content you are creating, so that they can make an informed decision on whether they will interact with it.
There are two main kinds of content that deserve tagging: squicks and triggers. You may be more familiar with "trigger warnings" only, but pay attention to the difference.
Squicks are topics that may make one feel uncomfortable or that a reader may not enjoy. For example, some people love Mafia!AUs or tentacles, and some do not. The reader would not feel psychological distress, but instead would prefer to read something else;
Triggers, in turn, cause intense distressing emotional experiences: they might feel disabling, overwhelming and even cause bodily reactions or dissociation.
ou can read more about these differences here.
Even if you consider something to be only a squick, it might be a trigger for someone else, so tag your works adequately.
Below we present some subjects that we strongly suggest should be tagged:
(we are aware some topics are more controversial than others, but we chose to keep them in a single list as to not downplay any personal experiences)
Ableism
Abuse // Verbal Abuse // Emotional Abuse
Abusive relationship
Addiction
Age gap
Animal Abuse
BDSM
Blood and injury
Cancer
Cannibalism
Chronic Illness
Cults
Discrimination
Drug Abuse
Dubcon // Mildly dubious consent
Eating disorders
Genderbending
Glorification of Controversial Governments
Gore
Gun Abuse
Homophobia
Humiliation
Incest
Infidelity
Kidnapping
Mafia
Major Character Death
Mental illness
Minor Character Death
Misgendering
Misogyny
Murder
Noncon
Omegaverse
Overdose
Pedophilia
Phobia
Pregnancy
Prostitution
Racism
Religion // hateful language against religions (antisemitism, islamophobia)
Sadism
Self-harm
Sexism
Sexual assault
Slavery
Stockholm Syndrome
Suicide
Tentacles
Terminal disease
Theft
Torture
Transphobia
Tyranny
Unhealthy relationship
Violence // Graphic Violence