Sign-ups start NOW!

[weasleytook]

Sign-ups will run until SUNDAY, JULY 17th, at 11:59PM PDT. (what time is that for me?)

SIGN-UP FORM | TAG SET | DEAR CROSSOVERING WRITER | FAQ
If you're new to exchanges at AO3 and confused about how sign-ups work, read this tutorial about signing up for gift exchanges.

For specific information about requests and offers for this exchange, please continue reading.

How do I make requests?
You must make a minimum of 3 requests and a maximum of 5 requests. There are three (3) parts to each request.

• Fandoms (REQUIRED): For each request, you must choose 3-6 fandoms you would like to see paired for a crossover.
  
  Example:
  For one request, you might choose Doctor Who, Supernatural, Pacific Rim, Teen Wolf, and Warehouse 13. If you and your writer are matched on this request, that means they offered 2 or more of these fandoms. However, your writer is only obligated to cross 2 fandoms, even if they match on more, so please be certain you're happy with any combination of the fandoms in each request.
  
  You may request fandoms more than once, but each request must have at least one unique fandom. This also increases your odds of being matched to someone else.



• Additional Tags:
This year, we have included an additional field for recipients to indicate whether they prefer crossovers or fusions. We will not be matching based on this field and using it is completely optional, it's just there to provide your author with additional information. If you check both or leave both blank, it indicates to them that you have no preference.

For the purposes of this exchange, we're defining the differences between a crossover and a fusion as the following: A crossover is when the characters/worlds of both fandoms interact. For example, Joan Watson and Sherlock Holmes solve a case with Kate Beckett and Richard Castle. A fusion is when the characters of one fandom are placed into the world of another fandom. For example, Joan Watson and Sherlock Holmes are co-pilots in the world of Pacific Rim, but no characters from Pacific Rim have a major role in the story.


• Dear Writer Letter (OPTIONAL): You may include a link to a Dear Writer Letter, where you can tell your writer more about yourself and what you'd like to see in a fic. Please remember that the details in your Dear Writer letter are optional. Your writer does not have to incorporate any requests beyond the two fandoms you were matched on. Make sure the link is unlocked/public so that your writer can read it. You can post a link to your letter here.



• Optional Details (OPTIONAL): If you don't want to writer a Dear Writer Letter, but you'd still like to leave prompts or ideas for your writer, this is the place to do it. If you have any triggers that could cause you harm if your story contained them, we also ask that you include them here just in case your assigned author fails to click through to your letter. Again, optional details are optional. Your writer's only obligation is to cross the two fandoms you were matched on.

REQUEST EXAMPLE


How do I make offers?
You must make a minimum of 3 offers and a maximum of 7 offers. There's one (1) part to each offer.

• Fandoms (REQUIRED): For each offer, you must choose 4-10 fandoms you would be willing to crossover.
  
  Example:
  For one offer, you might select Dead Like Me, Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, Hannibal, Revenge, Star Wars - All Media Types, and Warehouse 13. If you and your recipient are matched on this offer, that means they requested 2 or more of these fandoms. However, you're only obligated to cross 2 fandoms, even if you match on more. Please be certain you're happy with any combination of the fandoms in each request.

OFFER EXAMPLE


How do I know which tags to use?
You can view the approved fandom tags for this year's exchange here divided by type of media.

Can I change my sign-up?
Yes. Until the sign-up period ends, you may edit your requests and offers as often as you like.

I don't understand how requests and offers will work this way. Can you explain it to me?
Sure! We considered several options for sign-ups, but we feel this option serves participants best. One option, for example, was to require each participant to create a bucket list of requested fandoms and a bucket list of offered fandoms. This definitely would have been the simplest solution, yes, but it presented a couple problems.

One of those problems was this: Bucket lists are typically fairly large. To make matching work for this exchange, bucket lists would have to be large. However, that meant people would be requesting a bunch of fandoms (probably at least 6, most likely 7-9) with no idea how the matching would come out. For example, your bucket list might include Captain Planet and the Planeteers and Hannibal (TV). Certainly, some people wouldn't take issue with reading or writing that crossover, but what if you were matched on those two fandoms…and had no idea how to proceed?

With our approach, participants have a small amount of control. This way, you can choose three (3) fandoms where ANY combination makes for great crossover potential in your mind. This way, you won't have to worry about receiving a fic where Hannibal Lecter eats Captain Planet unless you request them together. 

Why are we required to offer four (4) fandoms at a time when we only have to request three (3)?
Good question! We've noticed people tend to be a little more relaxed with their offers than their requests in exchanges like these. Requiring more offers than requests also eases the matching process along.

If you have any other questions regarding sign-ups, don't hesitate to ask as we're happy to help wherever we can! 

Comments

[morbane]

I'm slightly confused about one point - I'm not sure it's new, though. Maybe I just blithely read past it in previous years?

"each request must have at least one unique fandom."

How does that work? For example, if my request 1 is for A, B, and C, does that mean that at least one of those fandoms (say A) does not appear in my other requests?

So I would be able to request A, B, C, D, and G, B, C, D, but then I couldn't request A, B, G, E?

Thanks in advance - sorry for the confusion. (This probably won't even mess up my requests, but it means my year 1 requests, which were like A, B, C, then D, E, F, then A, B, C, D, E, F, would be illegal?)

[weasleytook]

This is the same rule as previous years. It essentially means you can't have requests like this:

1) A, B, C, D
2) E, F, G, H
3) A, B, C, D

Since we can't put a physical stop to it due to AO3's not having a way for us to do it, we ask people not to and then check that they don't as sign-ups come in.

But all of your proposed combinations are totally fine! Repeated fandoms are A-OK, as long as you don't make identical requests.

[morbane]

Ah, okay, so it's more like "each request must differ from each of your other requests by at least one fandom". Thank you for clarifying, and for the work put into the sign-up tutorial.

[weasleytook]

That's exactly it!

You're welcome and glad to have you back this year! :)

[morbane]

:D

[(Anonymous)]

Hi! I just came across this exchange and, crazy as I am (and as much as I told myself no more exchanges this year), I've decided to do it. I don't have a dreamwidth account and it wouldn't let me subscribe without signing in. Will all of the post be public so that I can read them?

[weasleytook]

Yep! All of our posts are public and we also have a Tumblr that we cross post announcements at. (crossovering.tumblr.com)

Welcome to the exchange and glad to have you on board!

[(Anonymous)]

I don't do Tumblr, either. I'm mostly just LJ and that's it. I've bookmarked the site, and I'll try to remember to check frequently for updates. I'm all signed up, so no backing out now. LOL

P.S.

[(Anonymous)]

This is so cool! I love the idea of this. Crossovers are awesome.

[(Anonymous)]

I see that there are 43 signups and only 13 letters. Guys, if the other 30 of you would post letters, even if they're just copies of your optional details, it would make it a lot easier to figure out what to offer so we can match you!

[(Anonymous)]

WORKING ON IT, PROMISE!

(though it's cute that you think we have optional details to copy.)

(I probably should.)

[(Anonymous)]

You don't need optional details. If you posted a letter that contained just the below, even that would be helpful for matching!

Request 1: Fandom A, Fandom B, Fandom C
Request 2: Fandom B, Fandom D, Fandom E
Request 3: Fandom A, Fandom E, Fandom F

[(Anonymous)]

That's true, but "don't put up letter link when it's a placeholder" is just too ingrained in me now.

I'll have mine done soon anyway.

[(Anonymous)]

I totally second this! I have this burning desire to write Pokemon Go fic right now and I would love to see who requested this fandom.

I'd be really happy to change my own Offers to match Requests, too.

[morbane]

I'm afraid I account for two of the Pokémon requests, and as I don't yet have Pokémon Go, I'm asking my writer to avoid it in favour of other Pokémon canon they know, for now. (I realise that isn't binding, but you'd probably prefer a recipient with more enthusiasm.) So currently it's just Starrie-Wolf's request and one mystery one.

*goes back to working on letter*

[(Anonymous)]

I hadn't thought of this. I'll try to remember to post mine later today.