ETA: Sign-ups have started, and only run until 10 November. DB is on the list of over two thousand fandoms, as is Ace and many other squeesome things. Sign up whether you nominated fandoms or didn't; there's tonnes to choose to write or request and share love! See FAQ/LJ, or I can try and explain things here out of my limited experience.

Posting to advertise that Yuletide fandom nominations have started. Yuletide, run by elynross, astolat and geeklite on Livejournal, is a ficathon celebrating obscure fandoms that runs every year about this time, where you make several story requests and volunteer to write a story yourself in return. Last year, Dragon Booster was one of the fandoms nominated, and DemonicFury and I both participated. Ace Lightning was also on the list! Go here for fandom nominations.

Consult the Yuletide FAQ for specific (and correct!) information, but the rough process as I understand it is as follows:

• First, fandom nominations: if you're aiming to participate, you nominate up to six particular fandoms. If nobody nominates a fandom, nobody will be able to write it or request it. So, DBfen, nominate DB if you are interested! I will definitely volunteer to write DB if it's nominated.
• Second, signups. There are two things you sign up for: one, listing your story requests, and two, listing what you're willing to write.
• Third, assignments and writing. Someone gets assigned to you, and has to write one of your story requests; you get assigned to someone else, and have to write any of their story requests. At least one of their requests will match what you said you were willing to write. The stories go active on Dec 25! (or Dec 26 if you're Australian!)

Again--Yuletide FAQ is awesome! Also go to the livejournal for more information. This, from my rather inexperienced notions of Yuletide, is an example from Random Fanthing #3, RF3: RF3, participating in the fandom nominations, especially wants to nominate DB, Ace Lightning, and LM Montgomery's Emily series. She puts down her three, goes through the complete list of fandoms nominated previously plus thinks about other obscure fandoms she might want to nominate. She doesn't absolutely have to later request something in the fandoms she nominates, or say she'll write in them, but it's much better that way.

Then it comes time for requests. Requests are in the format: Fandom, Character Name/s, Details. RF3 might think: "Requesting a DB fic--Dorsull's my favourite character, so I'll put his name down--and in Details, which the person who writes for me doesn't have to pay attention to, I'll say that I'd like him to be dating Word or Chute. Next request, Ace--I could be happy with a fic with any of the characters, so I'll say Any, but in Details I'll put that my favourite character is Lord Fear, though it'll still be okay for my writer to pick any other character to focus on. Emily--Ilse and Aunt Elizabeth are definitely my favourite characters, so Characters=Ilse/Elizabeth, slash not necessarily meaning a pairing; Details--better say that I don't necessarily want both the characters in the fic at the same time, it might bother my writer to have to make them extensively interact." RF3 can make up to four requests in at least three different fandoms (eg. DB/Dorsull, Ace/Any, Emily/Ilse/Elizabeth, DB/Word).

For volunteering to write, RF3 has to select at least three different fandoms. RF3 picks both the fandom and the characters they're willing to write; if they pick 'Any', then they might be matched up with absolutely anyone. Sample thought process: "DB--I think I'm comfortable with 'Any'. I could be matched with someone who wants both Shaynn and that baby crow-drag in the fic, but that's okay. Ace--I'm most comfortable with characters Lord Fear and Lady Illusion, so I'll stick with volunteering to write them. Oh, I can write Any from Emily too. And hey! I can also write Arthurian mythology, eighteenth-century RPF, and the Girl Genius webcomic."

Then request time: RF3 receives RF4's request, and has to write at least one story for them. "RF4 has made three requests--first up, they want a Scrapped Princess fic featuring Pacifica, with details that they like happy endings. Well, I have no idea who this Pacifica person is. Second request, they do want Shaynn and that baby crow-drag, with details saying they really like smut, not that I have to obey the details. Okay, I did say I'd write any DB characters. Third, they want a Mansfield Park fic about any character, details that they'd like Mrs Norris treated sympathetically. Hey, I didn't sign up to write Mansfield Park, but I know the canon anyway, so I guess I could pick this third request. Which story could I write that would make my reader happiest? I guess I'll pick one and have it done by Yuletide."

I would have loved to participate in this. Unfortunately, it's only two more years until I become 18, so no go for me. :( I'd like to see if anybody else here would be willing to participate, though; it sounds really interesting.

I've been thinking about participating this year. How long are the stories usually? Around 5000 words? Shorter?

No, they don't have to be as long as 5000 words at all; stories only have to be 1000 words long (there's no upper limit). During the day just before the archive is opened, shorter stories are allowed to be posted (no minimum limit at all). Basically you just have to write 1000 words in one story for your recipient, and are probably encouraged to write more if you feel like it, and can also write shorter stories to be posted on the 24th of December.

ETA as above, double posting to alert: Sign-ups have started, and only run until 10 November. DB and Ace are on the list of over two thousand fandoms, and many other squeesome things. Sign up whether you nominated fandoms or didn't; there's tonnes to choose to write or request and share love! See FAQ/LJ, or I can try and explain things here out of my limited experience.

*has signed up* :dance: :plot: