BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Secret Santa Fic Exchange 2014

**Posted by Schmiezi** September 19, 2014 4:25 am

This year there will be a Secret Santa event again. The participants so far are in alphabetical order (as of December 1st):

BreathingIsBoring
gently69
Kerkerian
LaJolie
mrshouse
NotYourHousekeeperDear
Schmiezi
SherlockHolmes
silverblaze
SilverMoonDragonB
SolarSystem
stoertebecker
SusiGo

Everyone is welcome, no matter what their prefered pairings, settings or ratings are.

We will use this thread to discuss how to proceed this year. I would suggest that this year we don't draw the promts but match them so that everybody gets a prompt they feel good with. Like, someone who cannot even stand the thought of Mycroft and Lestrade kissing should not have to write about it.

What do you think about that?

Last edited by Schmiezi (December 1, 2014 10:09 am)

**Posted by SusiGo** September 19, 2014 6:44 am

Yes, this is a good idea. I was lucky last year as I had a lovely prompt but it would a pity to be landed with something one does not like to read or write about. Maybe people could PM you and state their no-gos and/or preferences or something like that.

**Posted by Schmiezi** September 19, 2014 7:28 am

I'd send a (very small) questionaire to all participants.
Should I really be the one to organize it.

**Posted by SolarSystem** September 19, 2014 8:11 am

Your questionaires are paramount.

**Posted by NotYourHousekeeperDear** September 19, 2014 10:26 am

Great idea!
I was wondering if we could also have a prompt to bring together all the stories- maybe a word we all include somewhere or a title we all give our take on-thought it might help as a starting point...What do you think?

**Posted by gently69** September 19, 2014 11:31 am

I'm not sure if I can join you because my English skills may be not good enough for a whole story.

**Posted by SusiGo** September 19, 2014 12:05 pm

Come one, gently, there are nice native speakers to help you. And it does not have be long. Mine was very short.

**Posted by La Jolie** September 19, 2014 12:12 pm

Can we have the rule again that the fic must have a minimum of 221 words, but need not have more than that? Otherwise people who are new to writing fanfic and/or are not native speakers, like gently69, might not feel confident enough to sign up, which would be a shame.

Oh, and if it's not too much work, and if it comes out even, I'm all for distributing the prompts according to the specifics given by the writers and against a random lottery.

And I'd be fine with an overall theme, as long as it isn't "Christmas", which has been done SOOOOOO many times before it would be a shame to limit ourselves to that.

And please can I repeat my request for more time than just a fortnight.

**Posted by SolarSystem** September 19, 2014 12:29 pm

I'm not even sure about that fortnight, I seem to remember that I had far more time than that...?

**Posted by SusiGo** September 19, 2014 12:38 pm

Yes, we did. More like six to eight weeks, I think.

**Posted by Kerkerian** September 19, 2014 12:53 pm

Hi guys,

yes, I'm still alive. I just read Schmiezi's PM and saw this new thread.

First of all, I think it's brilliant that we're indeed going to have a second round and that so many people are in for it already. Secondly, I know that I can't host the event this year, because it's definite that our Christmas visitors will arrive as early as Dec. 19. Apart from that, I'll be very busy throughout the Christmas season due to my work and other real life chores.
I'm sorry about that and hope that we'll find a replacement. I can't promise that I'll be online much during that time, but I hope I can participate, and if there are any questions or if anyone needs advice, I'll try to help.

PS: The original plan last year was to make it a fortnight, as it was meant to be a bit of a challenge. Since a lot of people were so very busy, however, they notified me in advance and I pushed their dates back so that they did have more time.

Last edited by Kerkerian (September 19, 2014 12:56 pm)

**Posted by SilverMoonDragonB** September 19, 2014 1:48 pm

Yay! I'm very glad we're doing this again
I had a lot of fun last year with my prompt...I do like having as much time as possible to write it though, since for certain reasons it can be difficult for me to write within a short period of time, but I'm flexible with what everyone else has in mind. Great thoughts on this years exchange so far!

Last edited by SilverMoonDragonB (September 19, 2014 1:49 pm)

**Posted by Schmiezi** September 19, 2014 1:55 pm

Okay, if nobody minds I'd organize everything.

Will update the list later, when not posting from my mobile.

I would reccommend a minimum of 221 words, and that we pair prompts with writers instead of mixing them randomly. That way we could keep likes and dislikes in mind.

Last edited by Schmiezi (September 19, 2014 1:58 pm)

**Posted by SilverMoonDragonB** September 19, 2014 3:17 pm

Schmiezi wrote:
Okay, if nobody minds I'd organize everything.

Will update the list later, when not posting from my mobile.

I would reccommend a minimum of 221 words, and that we pair prompts with writers instead of mixing them randomly. That way we could keep likes and dislikes in mind.

Sounds great!

**Posted by SusiGo** September 19, 2014 3:19 pm

Thanks very much, Schmiezi.

**Posted by Kerkerian** September 19, 2014 4:18 pm

Thank you for organizing it, Schmiezi!

**Posted by gently69** September 19, 2014 4:48 pm

Schmiezi, please put me on the list. I will try my very best.
Please have mercy with my skills.

**Posted by SusiGo** September 19, 2014 4:54 pm

Welcome to the club, gently.

**Posted by Schmiezi** September 19, 2014 7:41 pm

You are welcome.

Update:
crazybbcamerican
gently69
Kerkerian
LaJolie
mrshouse
NotYourHousekeeperDear
Schmiezi
silverblaze
SilverMoonDragonB
SolarSystem
stoertebecker
SusiGo
tonnaree

We are thirteen now, given that LaJolie decides to give it a try. 24 would be better, of course, so let's continue fishing for participants.

I am aiming at giving you enough time for writing, beta-ing, brit-picking or just waiting until one day before the dead-line and then frantically write it down.
How does the beginning of October sound?

We could say that we'd accept further participants until September 30th. I would then send you the already mentioned little questionnaire on October 1st, because I'll spend lots of time on trains on October 4th and could do the matching then.

**Posted by SilverMoonDragonB** September 19, 2014 7:43 pm

October is fine with me!