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Fanfiction Policy
"You do as I say, or you die."
Actually, our policy's not nearly as simple (or inflexible) as that, regardless of what Dirk would like. For your convenience, the details are discussed in FAQ format below. If you have any questions or suggestions, please e-mail us. We're a lot more open-minded than Dirk is. Heck, we don't even own a single pair of spiked boots.
Q - Wow! What a spiffy site! How do I submit a story, poem, filk song (parody songwriting/singing. A derivation of 'folk singing,' the term originated at sci-fi conventions), or any other type of contribution to add to your site, thus making it even spiffier (if that's a word)?
A - The easiest way to do this is to join the Wizards and Warriors Mailing List (see the Joining the Fun page for details) and post it directly to the list. We constantly monitor the mailing list for items to code on the website. As a bonus, posting to the list allows you to reach an audience of W&W fans immediately! However, if you don't care to join the list, you can still submit fanfic by e-mailing your submission(s) to Crownhelm. List membership is not a requirement, just a recommendation (Try it! You'll like it!).
Due to the FrontPage 2000 coding requirements of our website, we cannot accept stories in HTML format -- please send plain text, RTF, or Word documents only. Sending HTML documents will cause the Rains of Death to fall upon your house, the instant expiration of all your appliance warranties, and really bad halitosis. We mean it.
When submitting fanfic, please include the title of your submission, how you would like your name credited, your e-mail address, and a suggested short description of your story for a link annotation. We reserve the right to edit these descriptions. If you think your story belongs in a specific category of fanfic (i.e., the role-play section, the participation section, etc.), please let Crownhelm know. Otherwise, she'll just use her own best judgment, and that can be a scary thing.
Q - Cool! So how soon will my fanfic be uploaded to the website?
A - Generally, by the 1st of each month. However, if you send in your fanfic near the end of the month, it may be placed on hold until the following update. Of course, generous bribes and/or shameless flattery may help speed this process considerably! Just kidding.
Q - Ha! Like I'd send you money. Anyway, will my story be edited before being uploaded?
A - Nope, sorry. Although you wouldn't know it by looking at this site, we do (sorta kinda) have lives. The most we'll have time to do is a very cursory spell-check. Please try to do any editing or proofing before you submit it for hosting. If your grammatical abilities are on par with Geoffrey, or if you'd even just like some input and suggestions (and hey, we can all use those), feel free to post a request for a beta-reader to the mailing list. We're a friendly group, and folks often volunteer if they have time.
Q - Whoops -- I proofed, I beta-ed, but even so, I just noticed an error in the story after you got it all nicely coded and uploaded. In fact, I had a bunch of new ideas last night, and I think I might like to rewrite some of it. Am I out of luck?
A - Nah, we're flexible. If the changes are minor (say, only 3 or 4 small alterations), e-mail Crownhelm with the corrections. Be specific about where the changes need to be made and exactly what those changes should be -- remember, we may be a website Wizards' Council, but we're not psychics. If you've been inspired to make really extensive alterations, then simply re-submit the entire fanfic in plain text, RTF, or Word format with all corrections in place.
Q - You're flexible? Does that mean I can customize how my story looks on your website?
A - To a certain degree, you betcha. Each story can have one (1) image. You can choose an image from the available screencaptures (well over 1,000 images available), one of the promotional images (contact Crownhelm for more details), or provide your own picture. Keep in mind that, due to considerations of space, load time, and consistency, story images will be limited to 340x240 pixels, plus a kilobyte limitation of 30 kb. If you don't know how to size your graphics yourself, contact Crownhelm for assistance. Graphics taken from other sites are fine as long as you can obtain an e-mail of approval from the site. Please forward the graphic, the approval e-mail, and the site URL to Crownhelm so that we can properly credit and link back to the site which provided the graphic.
If you would like an image, but don't particularly care which image we use, just let Crownhelm know. She'll take care of ya. And hey, if you don't want an image, that's fine too! Our goal is to provide you with the most control over the look of your creation as our format limitations allow.
Q - Well, I'd like a completely different layout, so there. Can I host my fanfic on my own website and just have you link to it?
A - Of course! We love it when you do all the work! All you need to do is send the URL to Crownhelm and we'll be delighted to link to you. So that we can link your off-site story in the same manner as on-site hosted stories, please include the title of your submission, how you would like your name credited, your e-mail address, and a suggested short description of your story for a link annotation. Once again, if you think your story belongs in a specific category of fanfic (i.e., the role-play section, the participation section, etc.), please let Crownhelm know.
Q - What's all these "Free Use" and "Free Use with the following restrictions" notations I'm seeing on a lot of stories?
A - The Wizards and Warriors Mailing List represents a constantly growing, changing, and very interactive fandom. Over the years, stories have built on stories, creating and developing new mythologies, in-jokes, characters, history, and geography for the land of Aperans. For example, a casual joke about Dirk Blackpool being a really lousy poet has taken on a life of its own in one subset of fanfic. Having such a collective intellectual resource to draw from and play with (as opposed to just 8 episodes!) makes for richer stories, a richer sense of community, and a whole lot more fun.
In order to facilitate this open, interactive process, we have instituted a "Free Use" system. If you choose to have one or more of your stories participate in this system, you may designate it as completely "Free Use" (meaning that all characters, mythology, etc. may be cited and developed by other authors in their fanfiction) or as "Free Use with Restrictions." The latter notation allows you to specify certain elements you wish to keep as yours and yours alone. Have you created a character you feel very attached to? A place in Aperans you want to populate and manage all by yourself? Just note that in your restrictions, and nobody else may place their grubby little paws upon them.
If you do use a major element from another author's work, such as an original character or setting, please credit that author in your story's introduction. Even with Free Use, folks like credit, and a thank-you is always appreciated.
If you do not specify otherwise, the assumed default will be that your story does not participate in "Free Use." Round Robins, and group participatory submissions (such as group Top Ten lists) will automatically be designated as "Free Use".
Q - Well, what if I want to submit a story that draws upon the W&W fanfiction of an author who has not specifically authorized it as "Free Use"?
A - Sorry, but our policy is not to host such a story. The beauty of the "Free Use" system is that it provides for collective resources while still permitting fanfiction authors to retain complete control over their creations if they should so desire. If we host stories that incorporate another author's work without permission, it creates too much potential for conflict and misunderstandings.
Q - Oops -- what if I discover that I mistakenly used the creation(s) of an author who didn't authorize "Free Use"?
A - Just e-mail Kiri and she'll be glad to work with you to change any problematic reference(s).
Q - Are there any restrictions about graphic sexual situations or violence I should know about?
A - If your story contains adult content, please provide a notation to this effect at the beginning of the story. This will allow our readers to exercise their own discretion in choosing whether or not to read such materials.
Q - Anything else I should know?
A - Nope. Go write already! We can't wait to see what you have in store for us. And may the gods go with you!
Version 1.02
Current version posted September 19, 2001
Original version posted December 15, 2000
Written by CJ
For questions, comments or to send submission for the website, contact the webmaster at webmaster@wizardsandwarriors.org
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This site contains copyright material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owners. This is a fan site only and is not affiliated with any motion picture studios, Warner Brothers, CBS, Don Reo Productions, Randi Brooks, Jeff Conaway, Julia Duffy, Tim Dunigan, Thomas Hill, Jay Kerr, Julie Payne, Duncan Regehr, Don Reo, Clive Revill, Ian Wolfe or any of the additional cast or crew of Wizards and Warriors.