You are cordially invited to participate in this year's fourth annual
Screw Yule is a way to kick off the new year with elf smut, and lots of it. Every day a drabble/ficlet/art challenge will be put forth. Each drabble/ficlet/art challenge can be turned into a super challenge by consulting the columns of insanity. You can even completely disregard the challenges and just submit whatever elf smuttiness you like, as long as it hasn't been written previously for something else. The only rules are to have fun, and be dirty [We used to only allow ratings of R or NC- 17/ Adult oriented fics, but if you want to only put one foot in the gutter and not jump in completely, go for it.] This event is being held in the gutter that is Little Balrog.
New this year... the one with the most points wins. Well, actually, we always had that, but they actually win something. What? Well, come on, that's hardly fun to tell you what it is. Surprises are more fun anyhow. But there's an actual prize. Pretty neat, huh? Guess it depends on what it is...
Frequently Unasked Questions (FUQs)
Do I have to be a member of Little Balrog to read the drabbles and stories and such?
Hell no. However, you won't be able to comment and such unless you're a member, and you do need to be eighteen, or cleverly lie about your age to yahoo, to make it into the group to see what is being posted. I'm not condoning the behavior of lying about your age, but if you're going to do that, you're probably already doing it, and I have no idea of knowing one way or the other anyhow.
Do I have to be a member of Little Balrog to participate in the Screw Yule festival?
Hell yes. Unless you're just going to look at the official post everyday, write the drabbles, and post them elsewhere. But you don't get house points for that, now do you?
How do I participate?
Well, first you've got to be at LB. After that, just make sure you have the words "SCREW YULE" at the start of your subject line and what day it is for. If you don't put that in the subject line, I won't know which day you're submitting for and where to archive it. (Putting the words "SCREW YOU" may cause you to lose house points.)
When can I start submitting things?
January 1st, you can start submitting for January 1st. January 2nd, you can start submitting for January 2nd, and can continue with January 1st entries. January 3rd, you can start submitting for January 3rd, and can continue with January 1st and 2nd entries, and so on. The last day of posting for Screw Yule is January 15th, although the last daily challenge is on January 8th. This is to give people a chance to finish up things. There is also a list of challenge titles. You can write using one of those, or you can use a title plus a prompt to get double the points!
Extra smut not linked to one of the specific eight days of challenges can be posted at any time, from the moment you read this until midnight on January 15th. You'll get points for that, too. However, if it's something previously written/posted, it doesn't count. Such as, you don't get points for posting your Slashy Santa or Het Swap fic to the list just because you didn't post it there before. However, a chapter of a pre-existing story not yet posted will count. Ask if in doubt.
You can start writing stuff before the 1st, though. The list of prompts is up now. You can bet Zhie's already working on something; you should, too.
What can I do with house points?
Practically nothing. You can use them at the Batter Store at Little Balrog (which is completely virtual and not a real store, but it is fun to pretend) or just gloat over the fact you have so many of them. The one person with the most this year will get a nifty prize, but mostly everyone else gets nothing. Except the joy of writing and reading smut. Which is good in and of itself.
Can I have a cookie?
You can have two cookies, and a glass of juice to wash them down.
Were you born this way, or did someone drop you on your head?
Neither. Like a fine wine, I am aging to perfection.
Where is Little Balrog?
Glad you asked. It's located in the bottom level of The Gutter, or for direct access, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LittleBalrog
For participants
1. You can write as many drabbles or ficlets you want each day. I wouldn't dream of coming between you and fresh smut.
2. The suggestion is drabbles (100ish words) or ficlets (something around a thousand words) but if you want to go longer, by all means. Honestly, though, this is like a writing warm-up for the start of a brand new year of fanfictional delights, and drabbles and ficlets are nice little things you can usually write in under twenty minutes. This allows you to play with the elves, but still have time to enjoy your break or, if you're not on break, the first week of the first month. You'll also be able to gain more points this way.
3. You won't be stopped from writing something that isn't R or NC17, but for this, why would you want to?
4. Point values are as follows:
10 points -- review of someone else's entry (has to be more than just 'good job' or 'this sucks')
25 points -- betaing someone else's entry
50 points -- using a daily prompt and writing under a thousand words
100 points -- using a daily prompt and writing over a thousand words
150 points -- using a daily prompt and writing EXACTLY 1000 words
150 points -- piece of art or other creative work not written (the one exception to this is making icons; you only get 25 points per non-animated icon and 50 points per animated icon) You want to draw something? Here's a box of crayons. Fingerpaints? Go for it. Toilet paper tube elves? I'll allow it.
75 points -- using one of the titles from the list as your title
50 points -- any other story or chapter posted that does not qualify for anything above
Extra 25 Delicious Bonus Points for using one of the following pairings...
Caranthir/Haleth
Maedhros/Fingon
Elrond/Celebrian
Glorfindel/Erestor
Celeborn/Galadriel
Haldir/Arwen
Deduction of 1,000,000 House Points for using the following pairing...
Glorfindel/Balrog (or Balrog/Glorfindel... ew... just... ew...)
Here's the catch - I fear if I put myself in charge of watching the point totals, I'm going to screw it up. So, when you post, your head should look like this:
:with the XX replaced by the number of points you have earned by your count for your fine work.
-Example-
SCREW YULE - 3 - Six Sexy Sisters - 100
Yes, this means it is possible to attempt cheating. Sure, you can try it. But, if you're caught, you get no points for that one and the King and his not-so-magical ping pong paddle will be paying a visit. Keep track of your points, and at the end we'll have a little accounting of the points to see how everyone did, for inquiring minds who want to know.
That's almost incentive for cheating, but, well, we'll just have to see what happens.
If your smuttiness is something not conforming to one of the particular daily challenges, instead of a number, just type the word EXTRA and I'll get it to the right spot. ^_^
5. Have fun. Above all, ignore everything above, write or draw or whatever some smut and let's all have a great time.
6. Betas get points, too! Hey, I LOVE my betas, and they know it (I think they do at least! I love you, betas 'o' mine!). So, if you beta a story, you get twenty-five (25) points. Hey, it's hard work, you deserve something. (Multiple betas, multiple points - every beta gets points, and with drabbles, that can really add up.. same goes for authors; you don't split points, you both get them!)
7. Reviewers get points this year as well! Huzzah! You get ten (10) points for every review left from January 1st until January 15th. Awesomeness.