capbb | FAQ

The CapBB FAQ will be updated with relevant information throughout the challenge!

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Are we required to have an AO3 account to participate?

We don’t require you to have an AO3 account. Just keep in mind that if that’s the case, we’ll have no way to include your work in the CapBB Collection on AO3. We will still promo your masterpost, as well as include them in the round-up post and masterlist, all of which will be shared on Dreamwidth. Additionally, teams have the option of creating additional promo posts on Twitter, which will be retweeted by the official CapBB account.

Are we required to have a Dreamwidth account to participate?

It’s not necessary for you to create an account on Dreamwidth to participate. However, the Bang will be promoting the collaborations by posting masterposts on our Dreamwidth community.

In case neither you or your partner have Dreamwidth accounts, the mods can assist to create and post a masterpost for you. In addition, we will still promote your collaboration through links in our master list and through the CapBB Collection on AO3 if you decide to host your work there. We will also be linking the weekly round-up posts and the master list on our Dreamwidth, Tumblr, and Twitter.

WRITING / AUTHOR RELATED

Can I include (insert name of character/s) in my fic?

Your fic can include any character, as long as the fic is centered around a character from the Captain America canons, either movies or comics.

Can I include (insert ship) in my fic?

As long as your main ship includes a character from Captain America canon, it can be included in this Big Bang. This means you are allowed to write Bucky/Thor, Steve/Bucky/TJ, Sam/Thor, Natasha/Elektra, or any other combinations of ships, as long as one of the central characters is from Cap canon.

However, please bear in mind that the more specialized the nature of your ship/s, the harder it may be for you to find an artist who can connect with your summary.

Can I write OT3s and Pre-Slash?

Absolutely! This challenge is open for all characters and pairings in the Captain America MCU and Comics universe. We just ask you to use the pertinent tags when sending us your summary and posting on AO3.

Can I write Alternate Universe (AU) fics?

Yes, you may. We welcome fics from any genre and AU.

Can I write crossovers/fusion fics?

Yes. However, please bear in mind that due to the more specialized nature of your fic, it may be harder for you to find an artist who can connect with your summary.

Can I use something I’ve already started working on?

You can find this information in the For Authors section in our Rules & Requirements page.

What do you mean by a fic that can stand on its own?

You can find this information in the For Authors section in our Rules & Requirements page.

What's the difference between an outline, a draft, and a fic?

Outline - A general description or plan giving the essential features of something, but not in detail. (Source: Dictionary.com)

Example: bullet points of your fic or the general plot of your fic

Draft - A draft document is the product a writer creates in the initial stages of the writing process. (Source: Wiki)

Fic - Short for fanfiction. Fanfiction is fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from, a particular TV series, movie, etc. (Source: Dictionary.com). The CapBB requires your fic submissions to be completed and betaed.

I’m interested but I don’t know what to write.

That’s okay! We have three prompt generators, one containing NSFW prompts, to help you get inspired.

- Colormayfade Prompt Generator

- Bleep0bleep Prompt Generator

- Bleep0bleep NSFW Prompt Generator

Can I have someone who has not claimed my fic create extra art for it?

You can find this information in the For Authors section section in our Rules & Requirements page.

What if my fic is claimed by two artists and one drops out?

The default for the CapBB is that each fic will be claimed by one artist, with any extra claims being purely optional. Due to this, pinch hitters will only be asked to step in if an author is left entirely without an artist.

What if my story changes drastically between claims and posting?

You can find this information in our Claims page.

What if my final archive warning/rating/title/tags is different from what I put on my summary slide?

You can find this information in our Claims page.

ARTIST RELATED

What kind of art is allowed?

You can find this information in the For Artists section in our Rules & Requirements page.

Can I use something I’ve already started working on?

You can find this information in the For Artists sectionin our Rules & Requirements page.

BETA READER RELATED

What's a beta reader?

Beta readers can help to find and improve elements such as grammar and spelling, as well as proofreading, suggestions to improve the story, its characters, or its setting. Elements highlighted by beta readers encompass things such as plot holes, problems with continuity, characterisation or believability; the beta reader might also assist the author with fact-checking. (Source: Wikipedia)

CLAIMS RELATED

How do claims work?

You can find this information in our Claims page.

TEASER RELATED

Are authors allowed to post teasers of our fic?

Once claims are over and you are already partnered with an artist, yes! You may post teasers throughout the Bang. We only ask that you share no more than 2,000 words of your fic as teasers before your posting date.

Could you explain what you mean by 2,000 words for the teaser?

You may post however many teasers as you wish, as long as the total word count for all of the teasers is 2,000 words. For example, you can post 4 teasers of 500 words each, this is okay as it will total to 2,000 words. If you post 4 teasers of 400 words each, this is also okay as it will total to 1,600 words. You can also post just one teaser of 2,000 words.

Are artists allowed to post art teasers for the fic we’re working on?

Absolutely! You may post cropped WIPs or cropped previews of your art, but please do not post the full piece yet.

Can my partner and I post the teaser together?

Yes! You may post teasers as a team, with a cropped WIP or cropped preview art and a fic teaser. Please keep in mind that whether you’re posting a teaser individually or as a team, the word count must still follow the rules set aside for the total allowable words.

Am I required to post a teaser?

Teasers are optional. Some authors or artists prefer to post them on their social media to create interest for their upcoming CapBB entry. If you do not wish to post a teaser, you are by no means required to do so.

POSTING RELATED

How does posting work?

You can find this information in our Posting page.

Will we be posting all our fic in one day? Can we post our fic chapter by chapter?

You can start posting from the day the posting period begins on October 12 and stagger your chapters until you reach your posting date. However, your collaboration must be completely posted on your claimed date.

What should be included in my masterpost?

You can find this information in our Masterposts page.

How do I embed links and images into an AO3 work?

You can find this information in AO3’s guide for embedding links and images into works.

What if I need an extension?

You can find this information in our Extensions page.

What is the Open Extension Window?

You can find this information in our Extensions page.

OTHER/S

What if I’m under 18?

If you are under 18, you may still join the Bang, subject to certain rules. You can find more information on this in our Rules & Requirements.

Will there be a group chat?

Yes, there will be! It is absolutely not necessary for you to join the group chat to participate in the Bang. All Bang-related communications will be sent to participants through emails. The group chat is an additional way for the mods and participants to communicate with each other outside of emails.

This year, due to Slack's decision to unilaterally deactivate the accounts of users in the US, Finland, and Canada, who allegedly had ties to Iran, we will be moving the CapBB chat to Discord. The server will also have a general chat area and channels specifically for art and fic purposes. We hope you will use the Discord to connect with fellow fans, for feedback and discussions, or to keep each other motivated while we all work together towards completing this challenge.