FAQs and Intro to the Comm

[lolmac]

FAQs (aka Come to the Rush Side, We Have Cookies)

fic_rush is a two-day, multi-fandom ficathon. Unlike other ficathons, there are no claims, prompts, or deadlines. There's just a two-day magic place where you spend as much of your time as possible writing. It is literally a ficathon: a fanfiction marathon.

Here's how it works. Each month, we post a poll to decide when the ‘Rush weekend will be. Each month, on that weekend, we hold the 'Rush, running from midnight to midnight GMT. Every hour on the hour, for two days, a mod posts a check-in post: this happens in our sister comm, fic_rush_48 (to avoid flist-flooding). Participants check in by commenting on the most recent hourly post.

You can post anything and everything about what you're writing right then: what you accomplished last hour, goals for the next hour, what your fic is, how bad a caffeine headache you've got, problems you've hit, encouragement, anything. You spend the first few minutes of your hour replying and conversing there, then you spend the rest of the hour writing. We do a lot of mutual encouragement and commiseration, and exchange a lot of bad jokes and silly energy.

Two whole days? I have a job, five kids, and a clinical need for at least six hours of sleep a night!

The ficathon runs for 48 hours. You don't have to participate for 48 hours. You're free to start and finish at any time, and hop in and out of the hourly posts as needed. Just be here for as long as you can, as often as you can. If you can stay up for two days, that's great! Try not to go blind. If you can only be around for an evening, we'd love to have you for that time.

That said, it's a ficathon. You're encouraged to give as much time to writing as you can, for this one weekend a month. Most of us spend a lot of time doing stuff for others: this time is for ourselves and each other.

Questions About the Ficathon Itself

Sounds interesting.  How do I get started?

Join this comm, or start watching it, so you can participate in the poll to choose the next weekend.  A note on polls: final decisions are made with an eye to Mod Squad availability, and also with an eye to who actually participates.

Join the fic_rush_48 comm to participate in the weekend marathons; or don't join it if you prefer not to.  You can participate without joining anything.  On 'Rush weekends, we can generate over 50 posts in a two-day period, which can drown out your other content, so you may want to use filters, or just bookmark the comms.  Moderators (affectionately known as the Mod Squad) do have to join the '48 comm to get posting access.

Signing up, signing in, signing out. How's it work?

Signing up: nonexistent. There are no signups prior to a round, although everyone is encouraged to participate in the monthly polls to determine which weekend is the bestest for the mostest.

Signing in: during the round – that is, when the round begins or when you get online, go to the most recent hourly post in fic_rush_48 and say hi. After all, there's no point in doing the ficathon at the same time if we don't have any contact with each other while we do it.

Signing out: when the round ends for you (or when you leave), tell us in the latest hourly post. People often come and go throughout a round – working and eating and sleeping and all that. After the round finishes, there's a wrap-up post for everyone to report, brag, etc.: even if you aren't online at the end of the round, please come back when you can and comment on the wrap-up.

Is it okay to start conversations in the hourly posts, or are they strictly business?

Read a few comment threads, and you’ll see just how unbusinesslike we can get! Conversations are good. The point of fic_rush is to feel that we're all doing this together. The more we talk to each other, the better it works. Just don't get so distracted talking that you don't write any fic.

Generally, you’ll get a lot more out of the comm when you put more into it. If you show up once, post a wordcount and then disappear, we’ll be impressed with your focus but you won’t get much interaction.

On that general topic:

Augh, I have hit a fic impasse/I can’t think of a word/I need a trivia question answered about cocktails/fast cars/sushi bars/US slang/etc.

Go ahead and ask it in the comment thread! Some of our best conversations have revolved around this kind of fic-writing crisis.

You seem to have a lot of running jokes. What’s with the penguins and glowsticks and wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff?

We’ve been doing this for a good many years, and yes, there are a lot of running jokes. Most of them started late at night, or late in the rounds, when people get punchy. We’ve even been known to write crack in the comment threads. Don’t worry if you don’t ‘get’ the jokes at first: you’ll pick them up.

Questions About Your Fic

Can I write more than one fic per round?

Yes! If you want to write 48 hours worth of drabbles, or your muse really thinks you should switch projects, go right ahead. As long as you keep writing something, you're golden.

Can I write less than one fic per round?

Yes! You can spend the ficathon writing chapter 37 of your epic WIP, or start something you know you won't have time to finish. You can bounce from project to project. Progress is progress!

Can I work on something from another ficathon?

Yes!

Porn?

Sure, you can write porn. But the comm is open to all ages, so don't post excerpts or detailed descriptions of your X-rated scenes.

Can I post excerpts of my fic?

We don’t post excerpts, although we sometimes post links to finished works that have been completed during a round.

What fandoms are allowed?

Everything. Seriously. Yes, that includes RPF.

Must I work on fic? I have a school assignment/work project deadline/plans for galactic conquest that I have to finish before I can write anything else.

The comm focuses on fic writing, but it’s grown into a general creative support community. We’ve had people work on everything from original works to lesson plans to blog posts to college applications. We’ve had people making icons, vids, costumes, hats, knitting, cross-stitch, wedding dresses. As far as we know, no one’s actually created a new life-form during a round, but it certainly isn’t against the rules.

I don't write fic.  I am a Serious Writer writing professionally/a hopeful writer who would like to submit for publication.

No problem with the writing -- we will happily cheer you on, and celebrate like mad if you do get published! Just don't cop an attitude about fanfic, and don't assume you're the only person here who might be a pro.

Where can I post my Fic Rush fic?

Anywhere. It's your fic, not ours. You can't post it to this community (see next question), but we have a collection on Ao3, thanks to the lovely seriesfive.

Do feel free to brag about it in the hourly post when you finish something during Fic Rush! In addition, at the end of each round, we post a wrap-up on the main comm, and everyone is encouraged to come brag about what they accomplished.

Misc Questions, Inner Workings

Why doesn't fic get posted here?

Multiple reasons, flist spam being a big one – given how broad-based we are, the range of interests here is REALLY wide. TOS is another reason: the comm is open to all ages, which means the porn has to be kept elsewhere. But mainly because fic_rush isn't about the goal (specific fics) but rather the journey (time spent writing fic).

How do I figure out when the ficathon starts in my timezone?

Here is a lovely Time Zone Converter. Or you can just drop in. We run midnight to midnight GMT.

I would like to promote the comm/invite all my friends!

Yay! Please do!

I would like to be a mod here. The mods seem to have more fun.

You're absolutely right; we do. We're always happy to add new recruits to the Mod Squad. Ask!

Crisis Management
(aka the bit I wish I didn’t have to include)

Where does the buck stop?

Although the comm was originally founded in 2009 (on LiveJournal) by studyofrunning, it has been run and maintained since 2010 by Beth, who is the current owner. All bucks stop with Beth. I have great buck-stopping powers.

There’s a creeper/stalker/harasser/spammer in the comment thread, eww.

Immediately inform the comm owner, Beth (lolmac), and the current mod (that is, the person who is currently doing hourly check-in posts). This is a Zero Tolerance Zone for harassment. (We have rarely had any issues, but it remains a possibility.)

Someone said something rude to me in the comment thread.

Inform the comm owner, Beth (lolmac). Bear in mind that if you’re offended by references to porn, as long as no porn has actually been posted in the comment thread, you’re likely to be gently reminded that this is within our guidelines.

I don’t like your comm and I’m going to start my own.

Go for it! There’s no copyright on the idea.