CAP-IM Big Bang Big Changes
It's almost time for the annual Cap-IM BB! It's been over 15 years since we started this event, so we are re-vamping the experience, based o
Hello, Cap-IM diaspora!
We're thrilled to announce sign-ups will soon be open for the 2025 Cap-IM Big Bang. You may have seen our Big Big Bang poll circulate a few months ago soliciting feedback on how we run the event – this poll was beyond fruitful and we’re excited to announce some of the BIG changes we’re implementing this next cycle! Read on for the deets and fill out our interest check if you’re as pumped as we are.
YOU MUST BE 18 TO PLAY. To safeguard our community spaces and maintain an environment that lets creators create freely, we have transitioned (back) into 18+ standards of community structure. All events going forward will reflect this. (MUCH) MORE TIME. More words demand more time. We’re revisiting and extending the timeline to plan for fallow periods, creative snafus, the process of writing longer fiction, and real-life demands. We want people to come out of the event feeling good about what they’ve made AND having avoided burnout. Our Big Bang will now run for ~9 months as its own long term animal, concurrent with other Cap-IM events. ANON BEGONE. This was probably the loudest feedback we received: the work of writing longfic is high-faith, low reward and it sucks to not be able to tell anyone about your work in the inception and development stage! In the past we required a cone of silence, but this mod team is less interested in ~mystique~ and more interested in measures that keep you excited about writing your fic. Feel free to seek feedback from friends, discuss your process in public chats, etc. WIPS AND SEQUELS ALLOWED. We know that longer fic does not spring up in a vacuum! If you have several longish WIPs languishing in a folder somewhere and a genuine desire to revisit them, DO IT. If you’re hyped about it, we’re hyped about it. If you can sculpt it into a 20k project, then we want to see it! CREATIVE SUPPORT! Creators will have access to synchronous/asynchronous workshops, gatherings, and brainstorming sessions. We know that toiling in complete isolation can be demoralizing, lead to momentum loss, and sap the creative soul. If you need a rubber duck to bounce ideas, a rubber duck you shall have. MORE ART! Our writers write, on average, ~37k for this event, a full 17k over word minimum (and that’s not including the outliers that stretch into six word-figures). To equalize the energy investment a little bit, artists who select a piece to illustrate will be required to do TWO pieces of art. NEW CLAIMS PROCESS. We’ll be restricting the # of works artists can claim to make sure that we’re investing our time and energy as fan creators in the things that really spark us. Writers will also have the chance to include a longer sample and more info about their work to make sure everyone is working on projects that they are truly interested in working on. NEW OPTIONS FOR FAILURE. If the worst happens, and you have to drop out, fear not. You can roll your project over into the next calendar cycle. Pinch hitters for both artist and writer will also be available!
Look for sign-ups in July, and fill out our interest check!
If you missed the BIG BIG BANG SURVEY and you’ve done a BB before at any point in the comm’s history, feel free to also submit a response HERE.
As always, feel free to contact the mods at [email protected] or on discord if you have burning questions or feedback.
