Star Sending Event Info
Welcome to the Pokeask community’s first Star Sending Event. Basically, this is a Holiday Exchange (AKA, Secret Santa) with a little twist: It’s in-character! Write up a wishlist for your characters and in exchange receive another blog’s character’s wishlist - one which you either draw or write your character completing their gift as best they can.
This is not a full fledged event with a location your characters must attend, interact with others, etc. You only need to do three things: Write your character's wishlist, fill the sign-up form, and do your piece for who you get!
Continue reading for info on how to participate!
Important Links
Intro P.1 | Intro P.2 | Info Tag | Wishlist Template | Contact Info SIGNUP FORM TO PARTICIPATE
Continue reading for rules and other necessary info!
BASIC INFO
These are limited to Pokemon OC blogs or ask blogs!
One entry per PERSON.
The form to apply is found above, just make sure you read the full document first.
Do not expect to send or receive more than one gift (But you can choose to provide more than one should you be inspired)!
As part of your entry, you can submit multiple Wishlists for your characters, with one list each. This gives your Sender multiple options to choose from. More lists does not guarantee more gifts to receive.
Senders may do as much or as little as they like with their submission, as long as it meets the minimum requirements for the post.
Feel free to reply to your Sender’s submission as well, and use it to kickstart an interaction!
You MUST keep your Recipient a secret.
Do not share with anybody that is also participating in the event.
This event focuses around character interactions.
Politely, I ask you don’t join with the sole intent of getting free art or writing pieces. While I ask for effort in submissions, the main goal is to spark little interactions between the characters from different blogs!
TIMELINE
Assume all dates are done under the Eastern Standard Time Zone. We do not have exact times because our team is doing this within our availability and have life priorities outside of the event.
Our application period starts from now, and runs until the 3rd of November.
Wishlists will be distributed on the 4th or the 5th, depending on availability and any extra organisation needed.
You may start working on your submission as soon as you receive your Wishlist!
We will be checking in on submission progress on two separate WIP dates; the 25th of November and the 15th of December. This will be to make sure you’re on track with your submission.
A verbal update is sufficient for the first Checkup, but we expect something more substantial by the second Checkup.
If no update is received a backup entrant will be assigned to your Recipient. We will have one final Checkup on the 10th of January for unsubmitted posts.
As part of the above, PLEASE keep a line of communication open with us! We will be understanding if you find you cannot complete your gift and there is no judgement towards you should that occur. We want the event to be as fun as possible!
WISHLIST INFO
Wishlist Template | Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 | Example 4
Wishlist Due Date: November 3rd
Five Wishlist items per character, max.
As part of submitting your Wishlist, you MUST make sure to include some kind of visual reference for the characters that you are submitting lists for.
Wishlists may be posted publicly, and posting them is even encouraged! Tag them under #pokestarsending2023.
Wishlists are allowed to be farfetched, abstract, or even impossible to complete in-canon if it is in-character for your OCs to request such a thing.
If you’re unsure what this qualifies as, check the list examples or confirm with a mod!
In the case something your character would ask for is something you as the blog owner does not want to be completed for plot or story reasons, please leave a note written OOC stating so!
Lists can be written in-character, out-of-character, by a different character on the blog, or just a simple bullet pointed list.
As everything is completed in-character, do not expect the Sender to complete any wishes in a proper manner if it doesn’t seem fit for them!
SUBMISSION INFO
The period for posting for submissions will start on the 24th of December and ends on the 31st of January.
We ask that you send your submission to be checked over with us to make sure it meets all requirements. Once approved, you may post!
If you require more character info about your Recipient, you may ask us to ask for you while keeping you anonymous!
Remember: It is your character that is completing what is requested on the Wishlist.
Your character does not need to be able to fully complete a gift item from your Recipient’s list, if it isn’t realistic for them (i.e. their Wishlist asks for Technology and your character is a Wild Pokemon, which may be unrealistic or abstract). HOWEVER, there should still be effort put forth by your character in providing the gift.
Try to keep the tone positive and heartwarming, unless you receive permission from the character owners for your submission to take on a different tone.
Post by @-ing your Recipient, and include the tag #pokestarsending2023! We will be reblogging all submissions.
If you are unavailable to post your piece during the submission period, please let us know! We can post it for you on our blog.
Writing minimum: 600 of words minimum.
600 words is the minimum we ask of a writing submission to make sure enough is put into describing the gift and/or gift giving process. If you find yourself struggling to meet the minimum, please reach out to us with your WIP so we can can help review it with you.
In the case you plan to write the Recipient as part of your submission, we will inform you if the person receiving would prefer you not to write their character in your submission.
Instead, try focusing on other details: How would your character prepare the gift? What process do they take in doing so? To what lengths do they go? Also, make sure you describe the gift itself and how it’s delivered to its Recipient.
Art Minimum: Either a coloured full-body, or a half-body with a background (at least three props).
Must include the character of the Wishlist. Including your own character is encouraged.
Comic Minimum: Clean sketch, 3 panels.
Must include character of the Wishlist. Including your own character is encouraged.
The minimum requirements may change if we feel they need to be adjusted. We will announce any changes, and by the submissions drawing period, we will have finalised them.
Final Notes.
Questions and constructive feedback are always welcome and never stupid! We are happy to clarify anything. Be it through the messaging system, or ask. You can also contact us on discord for any further communication; please see the contact page on the Star Sending blog for more info!
If you are stumped in any way of participating, you are free to ask for help or feedback from the team!
To make sure you have read everything, I have included a little passcode requirement in the form. What was your first pokemon game? (Non-mainline games are valid)
Make sure to reference examples and templates to aid in your submission!
Thank you for your consideration in participating! I am just one person with some friends, hoping to run something nice for this community, and I sincerely hope I can do my best for you. Every effort to make this as great as can be is hugely and humbly cherished.