All You Need to Know: Rules & FAQ — The Bottom Erik Venus Dimples Fest 2025
Welcome to the 2025 edition of The Bottom Erik Venus Dimples Fest!
This is a fanworks event celebrating bottom!Erik, with optional focus on his dimples of Venus (the small indentations on the lower back).
All types of works are welcome, for example:
✨ One-shots
✨ Drabbles
✨ AU stories
✨ Poetry
✨ Artwork
✨ Podfic
This year’s fest features 60+ prompts provided by the organisers. Prompts vary from short, playful ideas to broader scenarios you can really sink your teeth into. You can claim as many prompts as you like once sign-ups open.
👉 Goal: celebrate all forms of bottom!Erik content, whether or not it highlights his dimples, and add a fresh wave of creativity to the tag.
All works will be collected and revealed on AO3.
👉 Visit the AO3 Collection here
Sign-ups & claiming open: September 27 (12:00 AM)
Sign-ups close: November 1 (12:00 AM)
Last day to post fills: November 30 (12:00 AM)
Works reveal: December 1 (12:00 AM)
Q: What is the focus of the event?
A: The event celebrates bottom!Erik, with optional emphasis on his Venus dimples. All types of scenarios are welcome (AU, fluff, angst, smut).
Q: Who can participate?
A: Anyone 18+ with an AO3 account. The event is open to all experience levels.
Q: What types of works can I submit?
A: Fanfiction, artwork, poetry, podfic, or other fanworks related to the theme.
Q: Can I include adult content?
A: Yes, but all works must be properly tagged and rated.
Q: What pairings are accepted?
A: All pairings are welcome, as long as Erik is the bottom. (Cherik, Erik/Shaw, other Erik/X-Men pairings, M/M, F/F, t4t, etc.). You can interpret any prompt with whichever pairing works best for your story.
Q: What’s the difference between short and long prompts?
A:
Short prompts = flexible prompts also used in the Bingo challenge. Great for quick inspiration.
Long prompts = more structured scenarios provided by the organisers.
Both can be mixed, and you can also combine them with mini-challenges from Tumblr.
Q: Can I submit more than one work?
A: Yes! You can claim and fill as many prompts as you like.
Q: Can I use mini-challenge materials in my work?
A: Yes, but please include them in your work or link the original Tumblr post.
Q: What if I can’t finish a prompt?
A: No pressure, just unclaim it.
Q: How do I claim a prompt?
A: Go to the AO3 collection → sidebar → “Prompts” → “Claim this prompt.”
Q: When can I submit my work?
A: Between September 27 and November 30. Late submissions may be considered case by case.
Q: Do I have to comment on every story?
A: No, but we highly encourage kudos or a short comment on works you enjoy. Feedback keeps fandom alive 💕
Q: Is the collection moderated?
A: Yes, all works must be approved before appearing. Approval may take some time.
Q: Who can I contact with questions?
A: Email the mods or send us a Tumblr ask.
No assignments: anyone can join.
Works must be original & unpublished.
No word count or rating limits.
All works must include ratings, warnings, and correct tags.
Participants must be 18+.
Credit all collaborators.
Crossovers/fusions allowed (as long as focus = bottom!Erik).
All pairings welcome, as long as Erik is the bottom.
🚫 No hate speech, slurs, or insults toward real people.
Click “Sign Up” on AO3 to join the event.
This will take you to the Prompt Form.
Complete only TWO fields:
Fandom (1): X-Men – All Media Types
Character (1): Erik Lehnsherr
Do NOT submit your own prompts in the “Detail/Description” section; all prompts are already provided by the organisers.
Once signed up, you may claim as many prompts as you like from the published list, there are no limits.
Each person can sign up only once. Do NOT submit more than one Prompt Form.
Sign-ups: Sept 27 – Nov 1.
Last day to post fills: Nov 30.
All works must be complete & unpublished before posting.
60+ prompts provided by the organisers.
Short prompts may have optional suggestions, feel free to ignore or reinterpret freely.
Prompt mixing allowed (short + long + mini-challenges).
All pairings allowed as long as Erik is bottom.
Using mini-challenge media? Include or link the original Tumblr post.
Find prompts in the AO3 sidebar → “Prompts.”
Click “Claim this prompt.”
Multiple users can claim the same prompt.
Claims are anonymous before reveal.
Can’t finish? Just unclaim.
All works are moderated before posting. Please be patient.
Reach out on Tumblr anytime.
To make things extra fun, we’re running optional games, badges, fic chains and mini-challenges. Check the dedicated posts for rules and how to participate!
[How to Sign Up & Claim a Prompt]
[Short vs Extended Prompts]
[Badges & Games Overview]
✨ That’s it! We can’t wait to see your amazing bottom!Erik creations fill the collection this year. ✨
