KuroFai Olympics FAQ
What are the KuroFai Olympics?
The KuroFai Olympics (or as I usually end up typing, Olympfics) are a friendly team-based writing competition between two teams writing opposing themes of fiction, based around the same set of subthemes or prompts.
This year, it is Team Fluff and Team Angst, a return to the origins of this fine annual tradition. As for the subthemes, they were hand chosen by the fandom, consisting of all the prompts from the last nine years.
Each team will have the same number of competitors, and each competitor will square off against the other team’s competitor using the same prompt, with both posting their fics on the same day as determined by the posting schedule.
Where are the Olympics held?
The home of the Olympics is the KuroFai Dreamwidth community. You can also keep up to date with us on Discord, Twitter and Tumblr. We also have a collection on AO3 and you contact the mods via [email protected].
Roles within the Olympics
Moderators: a small dedicated group tasked with planning, coordinating and overall, doing what they can to make this year another success.
Writers: wordsmiths ready and willing to write a story where the main focus is about KuroFai, will be either fluffy or angsty, and fits into the subtheme.
Artists: folks with a passion for the visual arts. While each year, we are blessed with an Artist willing to create a header for the year's Olympics (this year, we thank Clover Flynn), for the tenth anniversary, there is an additional role for Artists. To create art based around the prompts. This can be done based on one's interpretation of the prompt or in coordination with a Writer.
Betas: A second pair of eyes for a Writer, offering insight, advice and or a grammar check in exchange for an early reading of the story.
Pinchhitters: Brave and generous folks willing to take on the role of Writer should the need arise.
Read and Reviewers: Lovers of KuroFai who participate by reading the posted stories and then afterwards, leaving a Review for the author. Let's face it, Kudos is wonderful, but a review leaves a greater impact.
Scorers: by popular demand, rather than leave a Review with a score, Scorer fill out a brief survey where they score the fic. A form of online presence will be required - no going entirely anonymous allowed.
What are Pinch-hitters?
A stand-by writer, in case someone who signs up with a team has to step down for any reason (life obligations, sick, believe they won't finish on time, etc.) so they will step up to write for the prompt left vacant. If a competitor feels they need to step down, please let a Mod know as soon as possible, and the Mods will then ask a pinch-hitter to take over their prompt. Should you be unreachable for two days after a scheduled check in, a pinch hitter will be called upon to take over.
To give a Pinch-Hitter the most time to write, their posting day will be moved to the last posting day. Should two need to step down, the first Pinch Hitter and their competitor will get the day before the last and the newest Pinch Hitter and their competitor will have the last posting day
Posting Dates?
The posting schedule for the Olympics starts on the 8th of August. Each of our sub themes will be assigned a posting date with the first fics being posted on the 8th of August.
The schedule is prone to change but the mods will ensure that all writers know what date they will post on. If a Pinchitter is called upon their prompt will always move to the end of the schedule.
Time zone for posting?
This competition runs on Los Angeles Local Time, give or take a few hours leeway.
So you need to figure out what your timezone is compared to L.A.'s, and make sure you post accordingly. That said, time zones are an illusion we gave ourselves, so as long as you post within an hour or two of midnight on the day of your posting, you won’t be docked points. If you post after the next competitors’ have started posting for their prompt, however, that late penalty card comes into play.
Writers Checkins?
All writers will be required to checkin with the mods three times during the writing period. These checkins are just to see how you are going and to figure out if the posting dates need to be altered. While writers can reach out to the Mods at any time if issues arise the checkins are just a formalisation of this process.
Can I write a joint fic?
All fics entered in the Olympics must be new, original works written for the appropriate prompt by a single participant. You may ask your teammates/friends/family to help you out with coming up with an idea and you can ask anyone even Mods to beta your fic once it's written, but you have to write it.
Can I reuse an older piece of work?
No, you can't take a draft fic you had prepared earlier and jazz it up for the prompt. (We may not have proof but this is where your honor comes in. Write something new for your honor.)
Fic outlines are acceptable and allowed so long as you have not begun writing fic for it before you receive your prompt.
Length of fic?
There's no minimum or maximum length of entries; if you can tell a story in a thousand words, more power to you, and if it takes you fifty thousand, that's great too. However, a word count of between five thousand to twenty thousand for the length of your fic is generally recommended.
Do I have to post my fic on Dreamwidth?
The fic, not necessarily. But you will need to make an entry post on Dreamwidth. That is, a post where you either post under a cut or provide a link to the location where your fic is posted. A template for fic entry posts will be provided closer to the posting date.
Do I have to submit my fic to the AO3 collection?
While we would love for you to put your fic in the KuroFai Olympics 2020 collection it is not a requirement of the competition. This year collection is 2020_KuroFai_Olympics
https://archiveofourown.org/collections/2020_KuroFai_Olympics
What if I can’t write competitively?
There is nothing to prevent you from writing a fic of your own to match the theme or a prompt you really like. We simply ask that you don’t post it during the Week (give or take) that the Teams will be posting theirs.
How can Artists get involved?
This year we are inviting artist to get involved more than usual. The lovely Clover Flynn has created our banner art but we are also calling for artist for each of the prompts. Once prompts have been assigned to the artist there are no restrictions beyond relating to the prompt and KuroFai. Any size, any medium, any colour what ever takes your fancy.
How are fics scored?
By popular demand, this year rather than leave a Review with a score, the reader will be asked to fill out a brief survey which will be linked to at the end of the fic. A form of online presence will be required - no going entirely anonymous allowed for scoring.
Rules for scoring a fic?
Mods will not be allowed to leave a score but can still read and leave a review.
All Writers will be allowed to leave a Score EXCEPT on their fic and the corresponding fic from the other team.
Betas, Artists and others who aided in the Olympics and are not Writers or Mods are free to Score any fic.
People from across the fandom are free to Score any fic but will be required to leave a form of contact in the scoring survey.
The Scorecard
With 1 being the very worst and 10 being the very best, how well do you think this story did?
1. How well did this fic fit the prompt?
2. How well written was the fic?
3. How much did you enjoy the fic?
And please answer Yes/No
4. Was this fic tagged properly?
Questions 1-3 will have a maximum of 30 points available (and when you divide that by 3, you could get a solid 10 Pointer)
Regarding 4, if the Yes outweigh the No, then +2 Points. If the No outweigh the Yes than -2 Points.
Penalty Card
If the Penalty Card had to come in for Late and or Unfinished, then those Points will be taken out when we do the scoring.
No Story Posted: While this has happened due to unfortunate circumstance, it does result in a total loss of points. A zero for that story.
Late but Complete Fic: 1 Point Docked.
Incomplete Story Posted: 1-2 Points docked from that story.
Not Tagged Properly: 2 Points.
Not Tagged Properly?
Because of the sensitivity of subjects, all of these subjects MUST be clearly warned about should they appear in your story. At the bottom of the story under the cut is not clearly warned about.
Non-Con, Sexual violence, Dub-con, Underage, Sexual Kinks, Omega verse, Graphic Violence, Self Harm, Suicide or Suicidal thoughts.
Things like Language, Drug Use, Implied (sensitive subject), etc. are not required but are welcome to make the story that much more reader-friendly.
While not mandatory, stories featuring material from the events after Acid Tokyo, AU or Canon based, have a new tag available to them. It’s called NSFN (Not Safe for Nick/Newbies) and will make this even more reader-friendly.
Failure to comply with the Must be warned about rule results in a 2 Point loss for that story.
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