vilakins | Yuletide: what have I let myself in for?

Current Mood: nervous

Yuletide: what have I let myself in for?

I've never done Yuletide before, and have claimed two pinch-hits, though they have yet to be confirmed as others may have beaten me to it. Um, what's the minimum length for a story? I suppose I could write them tomorrow even if I haven't heard by then, and offer them as stocking-stuffers if I don't get either claim. Is that how it works? I know the deadline is really close and I'm so busy anyway (I have to scan some urgent stuff tomorrow for a friend) so it's a bit scary, but I couldn't resist the two fandoms in question. One of them, I couldn't believe my eyes (and no, it's not B7).

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Pinch-hits have the same 1000 word minimum as regular stories. If you don't get a confirmation, it means you didn't get the pinch-hit; the mods are unfortunately way too rushed to let people know when they *didn't* get one.

I know; I just wasn't sure how fast confirmations were; they said they might be slow, And it turns out there've been Yahoo problems. I didn't get either as it happens.

If I do get one, I post a pinch-hit in the same way as the normal ones, right? I'm not sure about the whole treat and madness thing though, because I might write one anyway. I'll see how it turns out.

Pinch hits and any treats over 1000 words (inclding anything written during Yuletide madness) are posted to the regular collection. Any Yuletide Madness stuff under 1000 words goes in the Yuletide Madness subcollection.

Unclear phrasing, drat it, and I can't edit my comment. Anything over 1000 words goes in the regular collection EVEN IF it was written during Yuletide Madness. Only things under 1000 words go in the YM subcollection.

That's OK; I understood! :-)

Ah, thanks! When does the madness happen? After the deadline? Can you offer a treat to someone if it's a fandom they want but not the characters, since it's an extra story after all?

How dos one mark a story as a treat?

Madness begins once everyone has a story of 1000+ words written for them. That'll be some time after the pinch hit deadline (2 am GMT on the 24th). But treats over 1000 words can be posted now.

I think treats can only be based on prompts that were submitted. To the best of my knowledge, stories with the same fandom but different characters aren't allowed.

I don't think you need to mark stories as treats, but I'm really unsure about that one. You should probably check Yuletie_admin or contact a mod.

Did you end up getting either of the pinch-hits?

Nope. I went for another one that was still outstanding but haven't heard anything.

How do they know when people all have a story? From the archive? I didn't take part properly because I found the whole process so intimidating. I couldn't find out much from the admin comm's tags about treats, but I could ask.

You may have seen this recent post already, but in case you haven't, it's all about Yuletide Madness, which is now open. I was wrong about some things, so you might want to have a look.

Thanks! I'm partway through a story and back home again, so I'm going to try to complete and post two. Maybe even three. I'll see how it goes.

Min length should be 1000. It's shorter on stocking stuffer types, but the actual pinch hits should hit the 1k mark.

GOOD LUCK!

That's not so bad! I can do that, she says. :-P

XDDD It really isn't so bad if you're really inspired. GOOD LUCK!!

Meh. There was a screw up with Yahoo overnight when the account was disabled and I missed out on both. I might write the really small fandom one anyway and post it as a treat or whatever.

Copied from the old Yuletide FAQ

Even with Yuletide Madness, we depend on our pinch hitters to finish their stories, to ensure that the recipients receive a story that meets the 1,000+ word limit. After December 24th, the Yuletide Madness stories aren't held to the same word limit, as they are written on such extreme short notice. However, we have had pinch hitters default in the past, so this is our safety net.

Also, Yahoo has disabled Elyn's account which is messing her up. Read here for a few details. Poor Elyn is wiped out & I hope getting some zzzz.
http://community.livejournal.com/yuletide_admin/93221.html

Thanks; I didn't know that. I actually missed out on both but I might write one of them anyway as a treat.

though they have yet to be confirmed as others may have beaten me to it.

This is actually very likely, as pinch-hits tend to be claimed very quickly. Although, yeah, apparently there was a problem with the Yahoo group -- it suddenly flagged the mod as a spammer and wouldn't let her use her e-mail account! -- so I'm not sure she's been able to reply to the people who won the pinch-hits yet. If you did win, you'll probably hear back soon, and if not, you can assume you didn't. (There's a new group set up for the pinch hit list now, since the original one got locked out, by the way. See

yuletide_admin for details.)

Minimum length for a pinch-hit is 1000 words. But, yes, as I understand it, if you don't win, you can still write the stories. I think if it's over 1000 words, you upload it to the main collection as a "treat" and if it's under 1000, it goes under "Yuletide Madness." (There's one I was vaguely thinking of doing that with, but I am kind of busy the next couple of days, plus I'm not sure I have any real ideas for it. But we'll see. Maybe something will pop into my head. :))

I missed out on both. So, if I write one of them anyway today, I'll post it.

I'm not sure about the whole treat / yuletide madness thing at all, though I know how to post to AO3. The whole thing is so huge and complicated. Do I post a treat for the named recipient or just for anyone? It's hard to find info about those aspects.

I'm a little vague on some of it, myself, I admit, but yes, you do mark it for the recipient. That much, I'm pretty sure about.

I'm just not sure how to mark it as a treat.

I've made a play for another one! I've seen a lot of fandoms I like go by, but doubt my ability to get the voices right in the case of some American ones.

I'm not sure if you need to mark it... It might say in the FAQ somewhere.

And I just put in a bid for one, myself! Even though I have to work tomorrow, and was planning on spending tonight doing some more baking. Eep!

I wasn't sure I was going to end up volunteering for any of them, as I kept seeing ones that made me think, "Well, I could certainly do that one if I had a week, but in a day? It might take me that long to get an idea!"

I saw a few of your fandoms go by. :-)

I still have no idea if I got it till she posts a list of those still outstanding. I may start writing anyway.

If you know what you want to do with it, why not? I really don't think your recipient will complain about getting more than one story. :)

And I got it! Meeep! *panics*

If you got a confirmation, then I suppose I missed out again.

And the annoying friend with the last-minute scanning job hasn't turned up yet which is stressing me out further as I'm stuck here waiting, so I'll see if I can even write the stories today. I'd like to because they're in my head.

It might be taking her a while to get through them, but mine wasn't posted all that long ago, so, yeah, you probably didn't get it.

Well, here's hoping you end up having time to do it, anyway, because the more stories, the better! And if they're already in your head, IMO the best thing to do is to let them out. :)

I've started one. Let me know, oh expert, when I can post it.

Oh, I am so not an expert. :) I think the archive is open for the posting of pinch hits and treats now, but the Yuletide Madness subcollection, for under-1000-word stuff, isn't open for another day or two yet.

If you're not sure when/where to post, you can ask the mods over on

yuletide_admin. They've been really good about replying to questions, despite how crazy things must be right now. :)

I think it's all open now, so if I don't make the 1000-word cut (I had to go out), I'll post in madness. :-)

I have to say, it's all very well organised, even if frighteningly huge.

They really do an absolutely amazing job, considering the size and complexity of it all.

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Yuletide: what have I let myself in for?

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