worldbuilding_exchange | 2023 Sign-Ups Open (and How They Work)

Tag Set: Worldbuilding Exchange 2023 Tag Set
Collection: Worldbuilding Exchange 2023
Rules: Exchange rules
Mod contact: worldbuildingex@gmail.com

The tag set is now sufficiently polished for sign-ups to begin! They will close at 11pm EST on Thursday 26 January. Note: in the tag set, many fandoms you are familiar with may be classified under "Uncategorized Fandoms" - don't forget to check there for fandoms you may be interested in.

Please read the sign-up instructions below, even if you have signed up to the previous Worldbuilding Exchange or you are familiar with freeform exchanges.

How matching will work

Matching will be OR, on characters, worldbuilding elements ("Relationship" tags), and media (fanfiction, fan-art, and/or in-universe media). That is, you will match on at least one character, one (or worldbuilding tags, and one media type, though. When designing your requests, please only group character, worldbuilding, and media tags together if you would be happy with any possible combination of one character tag, one worldbuilding tag, and one media tag in that request.

If there are some fandoms where you want art only for one idea, and in-universe meta only for a different idea, use different request slots for them. You have up to 10 request slots, and you only need to request 3 unique fandoms, so if you wanted, you could have one request for Fandom A, one request for Fandom B, and eight different requests for different tag combinations in Fandom C.

Here is an example of how tags combine, using Narnia:

If these tags (Characters: Edmund Pevensie, Queen Helen, Any or No Characters; Worldbuilding: Golden age society, Rules of succession, Cultural Diversity within Narnia; Media: Fic, Art, In-Universe Meta) are all selected in the same request, that means that the requester is interested in a story about the Golden Age of Narnian society, or about cultural diversity in Narnia, or about the rules of succession, and they are excited for a creator to explore these ideas using any of Helen, Edmund, or any or no characters. They don't mind if they get art, fic, or in-universe media for this request.

alt

However, this request would need to be re-designed if the requester wanted a story or in-universe meta (but not art) about the rules of succession, featuring either Edmund or Queen Helen (but not some other character at its center), or they were interested in exploring multiple topics with Edmund, but only through fic, rather than through art or in-universe meta. It would need to be re-designed if the requester wanted cultural diversity in Narnia to be depicted with art or fic, but not in-universe meta. In that case, it would be better to use multiple request slots to ensure a creator could match on the right combination of tags only.

Here are some of the ways someone might split up that request to get the combination of tags they want:

Request 1:

alt

Request 2:

alt

Request 3:

alt

Please keep in mind that a creator must combine one tag from each of these three columns or tag types. In request one above, the request for Edmund Pevensie, Queen Helen, and the rules of succession is not a request to "write about the rules of succession OR write some worldbuilding about Edmund OR write some worldbuilding for Helen". It means "write about the rules of succession, featuring either Edmund OR Helen".

Special character tags and media tags

The “Any or No Characters” tag can be used to give the choice of characters (including original characters or canon characters not in the tag set) to your creator. This is not the same meaning of "Any" as the AO3 tickbox, where it means "any tag in the tag set"; this tickbox has been disabled for requests. Use “Any or No Characters” to indicate an interest in receiving works where the primary focus is the worldbuilding, and characters are secondary, if they appear at all. You may DNW particular canon characters; you may not use DNWs to force use of an un-nominated canon character.

The “Original Character(s)” tag can be used to indicate an interest in receiving works centered around original characters in general. Many fandoms also have specific original character types nominated.

There will also be freeform tags for the three categories of fanworks allowed in the exchange; you can sign up to receive/create between one and three of: Fanfiction, Fanart, and In-Universe Meta.

The boundary between "Fanfiction" and "In-Universe Meta" is intentionally somewhat fuzzy. In general “Fanfiction” is considered to be narrative story-telling, while “In-Universe Meta” includes things such as scholarly articles, book excerpts, newspaper reporting, instructional manuals, and the like. If you are signing up to receive one but not the other and have strong preferences about how you personally define that boundary, please make that clear in your request.

Requests

You may request 3-10 fandoms. You can duplicate fandoms - that is, you can select the same fandom in two or more requests, if you want - but your requests must include at least three different fandom tags overall. (You do not have to request three different fandoms; it’s okay if all three unique tags are different versions of the same fandom.)

For each request, you have 8 character slots and 8 worldbuilding slots (in the "Relationship" section), and you can request one, two or all three of the "Fanfiction", "Fanart" and "In-Universe Meta" freeforms. The "Any" tickbox is disabled for requests, but you can use multiple slots for the same fandom.

Do Not Wants (DNWs) will only be enforced if they are in the Optional Details box on the AO3 sign up form. As a creator, you should avoid including your recipient's DNWs in the work you create for them. However, please do not use your DNWs in an overly restrictive way to box your creator into a corner.

With the exception of DNWs, the principle of ODAO - Optional Details Are Optional - applies. This means both that you do not have to provide them at all if you don't want to, but also that your creator is not obligated to follow any that you do provide. You may link a “dear worldbuilder” letter.

Requests will be visible throughout sign ups.

Offers

You may offer 4-10 fandoms. You can duplicate fandoms. Just as with requests, you can use more than one slot for the same fandom, as long as there are four different fandom tags overall.

For each offer, you have 8 character slots and 8 worldbuilding slots (in the "Relationship" section), and you can request/offer one, two or all three of the "Fanfiction", "Fanart" and "In-Universe Meta" freeforms. The "Any" tickbox is enabled for offers. Please make sure you are confident about creating for any tag in the tag set for that fandom if you are using it.

You can use the “Matching Notes” description field to express any preferences about matching that can't be captured by AO3's automated approach. You need only use this field on one offer if it applies to your entire signup. You’re welcome to send email instead, if you’re more comfortable doing so.

And finally…

Some tags may not autocomplete as you enter them, but they will still work if you cut and paste them from the tag set. This is a known AO3 bug of long standing. Try cutting and pasting first, but we're happy to help if you run into further difficulties!

Participants are encouraged to write treats for prompts that inspire them! If you are open to receiving treats, please make sure that ‘Allow anyone to gift me works’ is turned on in your AO3 preferences (this box needs to be ticked). We also recommend stating, in your optional details and/or your letter, whether you are or aren't open to receiving treats.

alt

If you have any concerns or queries that the above information doesn't help with, or encounter any difficulties in the sign up process, please do ask, either by commenting here, or if you prefer to do it privately via email to worldbuildingex@gmail.com.