The Zombies, Write! FAQ

Basics

What is Zombies, Write!?

Zombies, Write! is a fic exchange for the Six to Start fitness app Zombies, Run! Participants sign up to write a story of at least 1,000 words. In return, they receive a story of at least 1,000 words.

Please read this FAQ and the Rules before deciding whether to participate.

Who runs Zombies, Write!?

The current mods are RunnerFive and RunnerZero. You can reach them at zrexchange@gmail.com or follow the official Zombies, Write! blog at zombieswrite.tumblr.com.

The challenge is run on the Archive of Our Own. The archive hosts sign-ups, matching, and story posting forms. You will need an AO3 account in order to participate in Zombies, Write!. You can get an AO3 invitation by emailing zrexchange@gmail.com.

When does Zombies, Write! happen?

Schedule for 2016

Sign-ups: April 8 through June 15 at 11:59 p.m. EDT

April 8 through June 15 at 11:59 p.m. EDT Assignments go out: No later than June 17

No later than June 17 Posting deadline: August 31 at 11:59 p.m. EDT

August 31 at 11:59 p.m. EDT Story reveal: October 1

October 1 Author reveal: October 1

Do I have to be caught up to season 5 to participate in Zombies, Write!?

No way! We’re working hard to make sure everyone can have a good time. As with previous ZW! challenges, it’s recommended that you be caught up to season 1 mission 11/12 before sign-ups close. This will introduce you to most of the early characters and give you a basic grasp of the main plot of ZR!, but it’s not a requirement. If you’ve only done the first episode, or the 5K training, or the virtual race, you’re still welcome! Just make sure to say where you are in your sign-up letter.

What if I don't have an AO3 account?

You can request an invite from AO3 by going to the Invite Request page and adding your name to the queue (the page shows you how long you'll have to wait for an invite). Or, you can contact the mods at zrexchange@gmail.com, and they'll issue you an invitation.

You need to get an AO3 account before sign-ups close. However, it is better to get your invite and set up your account beforehand.

How does Zombies, Write! work?

Zombies, Write! happens in three stages: Sign-ups, Assignments, and Reveals.

During Sign-ups, people use a form on AO3 to request and offer to stories.

After sign-ups, participants are matched up based on what they offered and requested, and Assignments are sent out. Participants have approximately 10-12 weeks to write one story of at least 1,000 words for their recipient, featuring the appropriate prompts/characters/pairings.

Stories must be posted to the Zombies, Write! collection on AO3 by August 31 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, where they will automatically appear as anonymous "Mystery Work" gifts for the recipients.

On October 1, the stories are revealed, with authors also revealed at the same time.

Participation

What am I committing to if I sign up?

You're committing to writing one complete story of at least 1,000 words, featuring at least one of the characters, pairings, or prompts your recipient requested. While most stories for this exchange are in English, you are allowed to write in any language, as long as you are certain your recipient can read it.

Your recipient will be matched to you based on what you say you are willing to write.

I don't want to sign up for the challenge, or I missed the sign-up window. How can I be involved?

It is not possible to sign up after the sign-up window closes. All participants must have a completed sign-up in the AO3 Zombies, Write! Collection so that the matching of writers and recipients can begin immediately after sign-ups close.

If you’d still like to participate, you can email the mods at zrexchange@gmail.com and offer to help write stories in case people default. The mods would greatly appreciate help! You can also offer your services as a beta on tumblr using the tags #zombies run or #zombieswrite. And of course, you can always write treats for people!





How do sign-ups work?

Anyone aged 18 or older with an AO3 account can sign up for Zombies, Write!.

Here's a detailed tutorial for signing up for any challenge on AO3.

The link to the sign-up form will be posted on tumblr under the tags #zombies run and #zombieswrite.

Requests

The first section in the sign-up sheet is a request form. Check the box for each item you would be happy reading. For instance, if you like femslash but not slash, check the F/F box but leave the M/M box blank. If you do not want rape/noncon or underage content under any circumstances, leave those boxes empty and check the boxes of any warning you would be happy to receive (for instance, check the boxes for violence or character death if you would be happy to receive a story where characters are hurt or killed). If you do not want any of the warnings, consider checking the "No archive warnings apply" box and leaving the rest empty.

Please make sure to mention where you are in the series as well as including your top Wants (including characters, pairings, and prompts) and Do Not Wants (including squicks and triggers).

Please do not post any spoilers whatsoever in this box. You are totally allowed to request spoilery prompts, but we ask that you post them in your letter and link to it in the appropriate box. Please warn for spoilers by season in your letter! See this letter for an example.

Offers

The second section of sign-ups is your offers. Check the box for each item you would be comfortable writing. For instance, if you are comfortable writing M/M or rape/noncon, check those boxes. You are not necessarily obligated to write anything on the warning list, but you may be obligated to write a certain type of rating or pairing category (such as Teen rating or M/M relationships) if you check that box.

Can I change my mind about my sign-up after I submit it?

You can change your mind at any point during the sign-up period by editing your sign-up form. You can find your sign-up form on your AO3 profile page: click on "Sign-ups" in the left-hand navigation pane.

What are Dear ZW! Writer letters?

"Dear Writer" letters are letters posted to journals, tumblrs, or other spaces that give your writer extra information. Most people use a letter for spoilers or extra space. Your Do Not Wants (squicks and triggers) and your favorite pairings and prompts should all be included in the text box of your sign-up. The mods will use this official, “locked in” version of your requests and DNWs to settle disputes, so please be sure to double check it before sign-ups close. However, spoilers and extra information can go on your external letter. Just keep in mind that your writer might only check your letter right after getting their assignment, or perhaps not at all.

People who choose to write a letter can put the link in their sign-up so their authors can find it easily.

Assignments

How are assignments generated?

Once sign-ups are over, the AO3's automated matching process will match up writers and recipients, and when that’s done, you'll get an email with your assignment.

Your recipient is unlikely to be your writer, as the matching is almost never that direct. Usually you write for one person, and a different person writes for you.

For Zombies, Write!, matching is done based on type of pairing (e.g. F/M, M/M, F/F, none, etc.), ratings, and warnings.

Do I have to write exactly what we matched on for my recipient?

Nope! Matching just helps us link up people with similar tastes and preferences. If you match on Explicit, M/M, and Character Death, you’re still totally free to write fluffy gen fic—as long as your recipient has indicated in writing that they would be happy with that. When in doubt, base your story off what the recipient states they would prefer, since the matching system is a bit vague.

What if I have a problem with my assignment?

Assignments can't be changed under most circumstances. If you’re having trouble with your assignment, please email the mods. We may be able to help.

If you feel that your assignment is something you can’t write, you may choose to default. The earlier you default, the easier it will be to find your recipient another writer.

Can I write more than one story?

Sure! First you have to write a complete story of at least 1,000 words in one of your recipient's requests.

The extra stories will be Treats, so please check that section to see the requirements for such stories.

Posting

How do I post my story?

Either go to your Assignment page on AO3, which you can find under the "Assignments" link on your Profile page, or go to the Zombies, Write! subcollection page and click on "Your Assignment". You should see two buttons at the bottom of your Zombies, Write! assignment: "Post to fulfill", and "Default".

Click "Post to fulfill", and you'll be taken to a posting form. This will automatically post your story into the current year's Zombies, Write! challenge. It also has your recipient's name already filled in. All you need to do is fill in the rest of the form, preview it to make sure it looks okay, and post.

If you're posting a Treat, you won't have an assignment or "post to fulfill" button. Instead, go to the challenge page on AO3, and click on "Post To Collection" under the challenge title. This will take you to a form with the challenge collection name already filled in. Fill in the recipient's name manually, then fill in the rest of the form, preview it to make sure it looks okay, and post.

Can I post my story before the deadline?

Yes! The posting form opens shortly after assignments go out. You're free to post whenever you want.

Can I edit my story after it's posted?

Yes, the AO3 allows editing at any time. Please note that your story must be complete when it is uploaded. You may still make edits and minor changes until the reveal, but the story itself must be finished. Uploading an unfinished story is against the rules.

Defaulting

What if I can't finish my story?

If you can't finish in time, you can default. This lets the mods know they need to write a story for your recipient.

Things happen. Life happens. Defaulting is often out of your control. An earlier default is better than struggling against a deadline you won’t be able to meet. You can default, have the mods write a story for your recipient, and, if you manage to finish, it can still be uploaded and your recipient will have an extra story. An earlier default is better than a later one, as it gives the mods longer to work.

Simply follow the steps outlined below and everything will be fine.

To default, go to your Assignment page on AO3, which you can find under the "Assignments" link on your Profile, or on the Zombies, Write! subcollection page as "Your Assignment". You should see two buttons at the bottom of your Zombies, Write! assignment: "Post to fulfill", and "Default".

Click the Default button, then click the confirmation on the popup that appears. The mods will be notified and will start writing for your recipient.

Default via Placeholder: If you upload an unfinished story, or a placeholder (for example, 1000 words of gibberish, or the text "place holder"), you will be marked as a defaulter. You may also be marked as a defaulter if, upon reading their story, the recipient tells us that it does not deal with any of their requested pairings, characters, prompts, or other preferences. This may result in being banned from future Zombies, Write! challenges.

No-show default: If you default by simply failing to post your story, without using the Default button or contacting the mods in advance, you will be banned from future Zombies, Write! challenges.

Treats

Treats are just that: unassigned extra stories written for the fun of it. They must still include the requested ratings/prompts/warnings, but there is no word count requirement on treats. Treats over 1,000 words may end up being the recipient's only story if their official writer defaults late in the challenge.

If you're writing a Treat, you won't have an assignment or "post to fulfill" button. Instead, go to the current challenge page on AO3, and click on "Post To Collection" under the challenge title. This will take you to a form with the challenge collection name already filled in. Fill in the recipient's name manually, then fill in the rest of the form, preview it to make sure it looks okay, and post.

This FAQ is based on the Yuletide Exchange FAQ. If you enjoy ZW!, consider signing up for Yuletide. Zombies, Run! has been a fandom in Yuletide the past few years.