TIMELINE and FAQ

[hpsscmods]

Timeline

» Signups: 17 May - 31 May
» Writing/Drawing Period: 01 June - 31 July
» Submissions Due: 01 August
» Posting Begins: 16 August

§ General Questions

» Why did you start this fest?
Often, BDSM is erroneously associated with destructive or abusive behavior. While dark themes and nonconsensual acts can make for excellent works, there was a need for a community and fest where every fic or art posted would depict a positive, loving, and healthy expression of BDSM. Rape, torture, abuse, and other dark themes can be found in plenty of fests and communities; they are not appropriate here. All works posted to this fest will display consensual relationships and acts.

» What's SSC? What's RACK? Why did you choose SSC for the name?
SSC stands for 'safe, sane, and consensual', and was one of the original mantras for the BDSM subculture. RACK stands for 'risk aware consensual kink', and began to be used after many members of the BDSM community pointed out that a lot of practices were not, by their nature, 'safe'. For the purposes of the fest, SSC is in the name because it's been established longer, and it's easier to remember due to the rhyme. (HP! SSC! HP! SSC! It's like a chant. Try it!)

» Sounds awesome! Can I advertise/link/prod my friends into playing?
Sure! Banners are available in this post.

§ For Participants

» Can I use RACK instead of SSC?
Works are not required to conform to SSC only. RACK is perfectly welcome as well. As long as a work displays a consensual relationship, it's good. In a fantasy setting with magic and wizards, we're not going to insist on 'realism' in works. If everyone's enjoying themselves, let the good times roll.

» Are noncon roleplay scenarios permissible?
Yes! Roleplay scenarios and fantasies are permissible. Caveat: A dub/noncon fantasy or scenario must have consent explicitly indicated in the work. We understand this is a prescriptive rule, but as this fest is devoted to consensual relationships, we do not want any misunderstandings or confusion. Noncon fantasies that do not have consent explicitly given in the work will be returned for revision.

» All this talk about consent. Do I have to have a conversation about safewords, consent, aftercare in my piece?
No. The only time you are required to provide a clear indication of consent (through dialogue, narrative, inner monologue, or some other form) is when a piece includes non-consent fantasy elements. All other works may be assumed to be consensual even without explicit statements in the piece, and consent will be indicated by both the theme of the fest and the required header templates.

» May I collaborate with another person?
Yes! Writer/writer, artist/artist, or artist/writer combinations are all welcome.

» Am I allowed to create a work involving minors?
All characters appearing in fic or art must be sixteen or older, based on the age of consent in the UK.

» Can I write/draw any pairing?
Absolutely and yes, please! Het, slash, and femslash are all welcome and encouraged. As well, 'pairing' does not mean there can only be two people involved. Threesomes, moresomes, and soloists are all welcome.

» Are genderqueer characters allowed? What about CoC or PWD?
Absolutely and yes, please! We welcome and encourage all expressions of sex and gender. Characters of color and persons with disabilities are equally as welcome.

» What sort of kinks/practices are allowed?
Any of them! BDSM is not a 'one true way' lifestyle, and participants are not limited in their choice of scenarios. If you'd like to create a work with Neville as a leather daddy, Rowena as a pony girl, Rodolphus as a pain slut, or Victoire as a body slave, we'd like to see it! As long as it's consensual, you are free to be imaginative.

» Does a work have to be adult-rated?
No! BDSM does not require sex. You are welcome to create a work of any rating.

» I'm sixteen. Can I sign up?
All participants must be eighteen as of 31 July 2010.

» How good do I have to be to contribute a work?
This is not an 'elite' fest. Everyone is welcome to participate.

§ Submitting your work

» If I list warnings on my piece, it will spoil it. Do I have to list warnings?
The header template for all works includes a line for "Contains" rather than "Warnings". We want to entice watchers with the works in this fest! You may use a spoiler stripe if you wish to retain an element of surprise. Instructions for coding a spoiler stripe can be found here.

» I might have to drop out. Will I be in trouble?
No. This is a prompt fest, not an exchange. Signing up to participate as a writer or artist does not obligate you. All pieces submitted and accepted by the deadline will be posted, but if you can't make the deadline, don't fret. We encourage you to let us know as soon as possible if you'll need to withdraw. You can PM or email the mod account (hpsscmods@gmail.com) to keep us up to date.

» I'm a writer, but need help with SPaG (Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar). Will you look over my fic for me?
There will be a post available for beta assistance. Betas may leave their contact information; writers may leave a request for help. hp_betas, hp_betas_wanted and Perfect Imagination are additional resources. It is each writer's responsibility to find a beta. Fics submitted with numerous SPaG errors will be returned to the writer for revision.

» I'm not certain about what I'm trying to write/draw. Is there someone I can ask for help?
For the duration of the creation period of this fest, hp_ssc will be open for general posting. If you're stuck, confused, or just in need of a little boost, you can drop a note there. Other places to ask questions are little_details and writing_sex. (hp_britglish is also a good community if you're worried about things like flats, lifts, and kerbs.) Please remember to check the rules of other comms and comply with their instructions. Wipipedia, a fetish/BDSM wiki, is another good place for research.

» What are the minimum requirements to submit?
All fics should be a minimum of 1000 words; all art should display clear effort and time. The moderators enjoy drawbles, drabbles, and lightning works of all kinds, but "I wrote/drew this in ten minutes during commercials" is not appropriate for this fest.

» I'm done! How do I submit my work?
Send an email to the mod account at hpsscmods@gmail.com, and attach your work to the email. Do not submit your work in the body of the email. Fics should be in .doc, .txt, or .rtf format with all HTML coding intact. Art should be a .jpg or .png, of a reasonable size for dial-up users. (If you're not sure, email the mod account and we'll work something out.)

§ For Watchers

» I don't like the piece posted today. The characters are unsafe, unrealistic; that character would never top/bottom; no way that character would do that kink.
We respect your opinions as yours, but there is a wide variety of fic and art provided for our watchers. This fest is devoted to positive and consensual BDSM practices, and as long as the work conforms to that guideline, it is welcome here. If you see a work that is not to your taste or preferences, there are many others available, and you're encouraged to admire those.

» The piece posted today was amazing and I want to let the creator know, but I want to remain anonymous. (Don't have an LJ account, don't want to attach my name to the feedback, etc.)
Anonymous comments are permitted to all works here. They will be screened until a moderator can read them over. Attacks and flames will be deleted. IP tracking is on for all anonymous comments (and only anonymous comments).

» The piece posted today looks like rape/torture/abuse/noncon to me.
Noncon fantasies and scenarios are permitted in this fest. All such works are clearly marked in the headers, and all play-acted (or fantasy) noncon scenarios have consent explicitly granted in the work itself. The moderators have screened each work for compliance. Great care has been taken so that only consensual works of fic or art have been posted. Here is an excellent chart listing several differences between BDSM and abuse.

§ Posting

» Who's posting the works?
The moderator account will be the poster of all pieces. This is to ensure that there is a good balance of pairings and scenarios over the fest. Writer and artist names will be attached to their works, as this is not an anonymous fest. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may do so with an alert to the mods in their submission.

» Where are you posting?
The fest will be posted at both Livejournal and Dreamwidth. Long fics and all art will be posted at Dreamwidth, with links posted to Livejournal. Watchers are encouraged to leave comments in either location; participants are encouraged to track comments on their works.

» Can I cross-post my work?
All works are to remain exclusive to hp_ssc_fest for the duration of the posting period, though you are more than welcome to link, announce, and point it out wherever you prefer.