#some examples: a fic where Mary asks Stede what Ed's like and Stede is like “...incandescent.” | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ourflagmeansgifts · 2 years

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Sign Ups!

How do I sign up for this exchange?

You fill out this form on AO3. You can make up to 10 separate requests and up to 10 separate offers, and each request and offer can hold multiple ships and tags.

Whoa, that's confusing. Multiple requests/offers AND each one can have multiple ships?

Yes. It's easiest to explain with examples. So you could have one request that contains Ed/Stede, Stede & Mary, and Ed & Izzy, along with the tags "Alternate Universe - Modern Setting", "First Time", and "Falling in Love" and a blurb about how you like modern settings with weird occupations and DNW (do not want) a first time with bondage. Then you could have another request that contains Ed/Frenchie, Ed/Izzy, and Ed/Jim with the tags "Fake Relationship", "Emotional Hurt/Comfort", and "Angst with a Happy Ending", with a blurb about how you'd like to see something set soon post-canon with any of these ships, darkfic, dealing with the fallout from the finale.

It's a way to group together ships that you like with the same dynamics/tags, basically.

If I do that with offers, will I have to write all of those ships, or all of the ships my recipient requested?

No. You only have to write the ship that you matched on. If you matched on multiple ships, you can pick and choose. You can also write a ship that you didn't match on, but only if you also write the ship that you did match on. (The same goes for the trope tags.)

It says I can choose "any additional tag"?

You sure can! This is a great way to increase your matchability, particularly for offers. Take a look through the tag set and make sure there's nothing you'd absolutely loathe writing first, though, just as a precaution.

Can I request the same ship in multiple offers?

Yes. If you do this, though, you must request/offer at least one other (unique) relationship with each request/offer containing the duplicated ship.

How does matching work?

It's done by an algorithm. The only other thing I know is that it works from the options with the least number of requests/offers up. If you are the only person who requests Izzy & Jack and only one person offers Izzy & Jack, for instance, you are probably going to be assigned to them. So make sure that what you request and offer is what you definitely want to receive or write, because if there's something very obscure that you add in at the last minute out of obligation, you will most likely end up matching on it (in my experience).

What happens if I can't be matched?

I'll be in touch with you to ask you to add some more ships or tags to a request or offer (depending on how you're unmatchable), etc. Keep in mind that this is a possibility when you're signing up and perhaps try to balance "this is the niche ship/concept I really want to read/write" with "this is something I'd be happy to write/receive".

What is the description box for?

That's where you can explain what you do and do not want (DNW) to see in the fic written for you. DNWs are non-negotiable - if you say you DNW non-con and your writer includes it, they will be kicked out of the exchange. Things you say you like, on the other hand, are optional to include. You can also talk about why you like a ship/tag, what types of stories you like ... anything you'd like your author to know.

What's a "letter"?

Letters are optional posts you make somewhere off AO3 (Tumblr, DreamWidth, Google Docs, etc.) and link in your signup to give your writer the same info as in your descriptions. There are many benefits to writing a letter:

You have more space than in the signup form, if you want to talk at length about what you do and don't like

You can do something like put all of your DNWs at the top or bottom rather than having to repeat them for each request

You can also include a section for general likes so that, again, you don't have to repeat it

It's easier for people to link to and look at your preferences if they want to write you a treat

It's just a whole tradition in the exchange world to write a letter to your writer

#our flag means gifts #fic exchange #signups #reference

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