To recap quickly for any new friends who've joined us here: Inceptiversary is the Inception fandom's annual extravaganza throughout the month of July (which usually also spreads into August). We have a whole slew of events to enjoy and some prizes to win!
But first things first: the Inception fandom has two chat room servers (invite links are hyperlinked)
Discord: You're Waiting for a Train
Inception Slack: InceptionChat
We also highly recommend following @inceptioncentral to keep up-to-date on all things Inception all year 'round!
Jump on in and say hello! If the links are expired, don't hesitate to reach out to the Inceptiversary mods for assistance.
Below the cut is a list of all the events taking place this year!
Most will run from July 1 to 31, but some start earlier and some run longer.
Be sure to follow all the event blogs directly, and don't hesitate to reach out to us mods if you have any questions at all! You can message, ask, or email us at inceptiversarymods @ gmail . com.
Inception 30 Day Challenge (@inception30daychallenge)
The inception 30 Day Challenge is a set of 30+ questions and prompts about Inception, its characters, and you! They're meant to inspire some reflection and creativity about Inception, whether it be through a simple text post, art, music, recs - anything goes! And there will be prizes! Keep an eye on the event blog for the full list of questions to be released before July 1!
Arthur/Eames Last Drabble Writer Standing (@aeldws)
Signups will be open June 19 to 25 or until all 10 slots are filled.
A weekly elimination drabble challenge where all works must fit a given prompt and feature Arthur/Eames as the main pairing. This year's AELDWS will run for six weeks, starting June 26, with a maximum of 10 participants. Prompts are posted on the @aeldws blog Friday at 1AM EDT and drabbles are due Tuesday at 1PM EDT. Voting will take place Tuesday night through Thursday night.
Inception Big Bang (@inception-bigbang)
Signups will be open May 11-18. Posting day is July 31. For the full schedule, see the big bang blog!
An author and artist collaborative event. Authors anonymous submit fic summaries, and artists claim their favorites and create accompanying art! For more details and the full event achedule, be sure to follow @inception-bigbang!
Inception Kitties (@inceptionkitties)
A blog to celebrate all the Inception pawrents in our community! Share photos of your furry felines or follow to admire everyone else's!
Inception Positivity ( @inceptionpositivity )
Submissions will open late June!
Inception Watch Parties ( @inceptionwatchparty )
Inception Positivity is a place to send love and kind thoughts to Inception fandom friends anonymously and receive some love in turn. People submit kind messages via Google form and these are turned into colourful posts that are posted on the blog.
Watch parties will be hosted starting July 1 on the You’re Waiting for a Train Discord server.
See above for invite link to the server or contact the watch party mods. For the full schedule and list of films that will be viewed, be sure to follow the @inceptionwatchparty blog!
Inception Watch Party Bingo (hosted on @inceptiversary)
Come join our annual Inception Day watch parties and play bingo for prizes! Grab a bingo card ahead of time by emailing inceptiversarymods @ gmail . com and enjoy!
Sign-ups May 11-18
Author summaries due May 29
Artist claims start June 1
Pairing announcement June 15
First check-in July 1
Second check-in July 15
Posting date July 31
A Big Bang is a fandom event where authors and artists work together on a two-part project. When signing-up, authors submit a summary of the fic they’ll be working on during the event, as well as the rating and relevant tags. Fics are later claimed by artists during two rounds (if
needed) of fic claims. (Details below the break)
For authors:
Your final piece should be:
an Inception fanfic
written for the Big Bang (no reposting of old works)
at least 1500 words
Other than that, we are open to all ships and gen stories!
IMPORTANT: During sign-ups and fic claims the authors are anonymous. This keeps things fun! We want artists to choose based on the fics alone. Don’t make posts that give away which fic is yours. After claims, talk to your artist! Keep each other updated - the best thing about a fandom Bang is working with each other!
Frequently asked questions of authors:
How much do I need to write before signing-up?
We recommend writing a summary of your story, the rating, and a couple relevant tags. Remember, what you submit is what we send to the artists! Make it easy to understand your story.
Can I change my mind about my submission?
Before fic claims you can send us updates or even send us a different story altogether. All’s fair. After fic claims, any big changes should be discussed with your artist. You cannot change the rating from G, T or M into explicit. If you believe your fic might go down that road submit the tag before fic claims.
Can my fic be a crossover?
Sure!
Can it be a continuation of an older work?
Yes, as long the original fic’s name is not included on new piece and the part submitted for the Big Bang has never been shared anywhere else before. Big Bang projects are secret until the reveal date.
Can it be OT3 / Major Character Death / Kink?
Sure! Just keep in mind that the more specific your work is, the harder it may be for one of our artists to connect with it. This is true for anything you may come up with - crossovers, PWPs, squeamish themes, you name it. We encourage creativity! But use the appropriate tags when you send us your summary and consider being flexible if our artists might have a hard time with that one.
Can I submit multiple stories?
Nope!
Is there the possibility of my fic not being claimed?
We work with artists interested in all different kinds of fics! We also have very cool and open-minded pinch-hitters. In our recent years all fics were claimed. That being said, yes, there is the possibility. It ties back into the OT3 / major character death / kink topic – the more specific your work is, the harder it may be for our artists to connect with it. Also, the harder it may be to actually depict the story. Be considerate of our artists when picking the fic to write for the Big Bang.
Can I sign up as both author and artist?
Of course! Just make sure you have the time and resources available to fulfill all the roles you choose!
For artists:
You will be choosing one (or more!) fics to make art for. Between fic claims and the final posting date you and your author will have one and a half months to work on your collaboration.
Your piece should be:
Art drawn or painted, including digital art
Photo manips
Original music
Gifsets (if you’re making them! don’t re-use/steal gifs)
Fanvids of at least 45 seconds
Physical crafts like sculpture, knitting, and embroidery
If you want to create something we haven’t mentioned here, check in with us first, but chances are you’re fine. As long as it's something you can submit within the deadline it’s fair game.
Frequently asked questions of artists:
How do claims work?
We will make an anonymized master post of all the story summaries available for the Big Bang. To make claims on them, send us an email with your top 3 picks. Fic claims happen on a first come first served basis so try to respond as soon as you can. If needed, we will have a second round of claims.
I'd really like to participate but I'm not sure of my availability - can I still sign-up as an artist pinch-hitter?
Absolutely! We can always use extra help. If you sign-up (only) as a pinch-hitter we will contact you after both rounds of fic claims, or later in the event if we’re needing back-up.
Can I sign-up as both artist and author?
Of course! Just make sure you have the time and resources available to fulfill all the roles you choose!
Most asked question for everyone! XD
Panic time, I won’t be able to make the deadline! What now?
Hey, it’s okay! Life happens, we get it. But keep us updated. Send an email to [email protected] or drop a message to @stormofsharpthings
We can work out extensions, or if you can’t complete your piece, we can talk to pinch-hitters. It’s okay, really, as long as you let us know what's up!
Saito's making a list and checking it twice- Are you looking for something naughty or nice?
Sign-ups for Secret Saito Gift Exchange 2025 are now open!
All ships and gen welcome
Participate with fic, art, or other fanworks
Fic should be a minimum of 1000 words
Art should be an equivalent effort
Signups are open now through November 23rd!
Assignments will go out November 26th
Gifts are due by December 28th
(If you are not posting to the AO3 collection, please send Saito a link and do not post until the 31st).
** Okay, the movie is coming back too, but first, this competition!
A recap: Writers of Inception Creating Kickass Explicit Drabbles (WICKED for short!) is a non-elimination drabble competition focusing on smutty drabbles.
WICKED 2025 will run for four weeks from Friday, November 7 7 to Thursday, December 4.
Fill out this form now to secure your spot for the WICKED writing competition! There are ten spots available.
Sign-ups will close on Wednesday, November 5 @ 11PM EST (check what time that is for you here), or when spots fill up, whichever comes first!
On the form, you will be asked for:
your main username
your Tumblr username (if different)
your email address
More info including the weekly schedule can be found in the rules and the FAQ. If you’re on mobile, you can find these links in our blog description!
If you have any questions, feel free to send us an ask!
You should have received an email with details for your writing/artist partner including an attachment of the artwork.
We have a little over two months before the final drafts are due. Artists, you can use this time to refine your artwork as you collaborate with your writer.
FINAL WORKS are DUE on Saturday, November 1st.
REVEALS will occur on Saturday, November 8th.
Happy Creating! We'll see you September 13th for the team check-in.
Inceptiversary 2025 Watch Parties: Weekend 4 - (Friday, July 25 - Sunday, July 27)
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1. (500) Days of Summer - Friday, July 25, 8PM EDT | Saturday, July 26, 12AM GMT | +1 10AM AEST
Tom revisits the approximate one year he shared with Summer, the girl he thought he could spend the rest of his life with. She, on the other hand, does not believe in relationships or boyfriends.
2. RocknRolla - Saturday, July 26, 8PM EDT | Sunday, July 27, 12AM GMT | +1 10AM AEST)
A real estate fraud worth millions grabs the attention of the city's gangsters. When Wild Bunch tries to steal the cash, a local drug addict too attempts to get his share of the stolen money.
3. Catch Me If You Can - Sunday, July 27, 8PM EDT | Monday, July 28, 12AM GMT | +1 10AM AEST)
Frank Abagnale Jr is a con man who poses as a pilot, doctor and lawyer and cashes forged cheques worth millions before his 21st birthday, despite being constantly chased by FBI agent Carl Hanratty.
Watch parties occur in the #watch-party channel on the Inception Discord server and are open to all! (Message us if you need an invite.) To participate in a watch party, you can watch the screenshare stream on Discord, or sync up with us using your own copy of the movie.