rules

Dark Magick Challenge Awards

Rules

1) This is an archive and awards site devoted exclusively to love stories and romantic Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel fanfiction! That means the main focus of your fic MUST be about the attraction or love between one or more couples from the show. Action is acceptable. Alternate Reality/Alternate Universe is acceptable. Angst is acceptable. Character death (NOT snuff) is acceptable. Darkness is acceptable. Erotica is acceptable. Kink (elements of BDSM, for example) is acceptable. Any element you wish to introduce to your fic is acceptable but it MUST NOT overpower the romantic bent of the story.

(For example, a fic that focussed on the Scoobies tracking down a dangerous artifact before it gets into the wrong hands and Xander and Willow share an incidental kiss or two is not a romance. A story of Xander and Willow's relationship blooming and developing into love as they feverishly work on tracking down the artifact would be acceptable.

An erotic fic that focusses on Angelus pursuing and eventually seducing Tara into a night of long exhausting passion is not right, either. BUT a story of Angelus falling in love with Tara and seducing her, perhaps even turning her, is acceptable.)

2) Submitted fics must be based upon a Dark Magick Challenge. A variety of challenges are offered featuring various pairings. I try to keep the challenges loosely structured so that the authors can use as much imagination as they like to flesh out the story as they see it.

3) These are the types of awards offered.

The Dark Magick award is for fulfilling the challenge and producing a coherent story.

The Dark Magick Rose award is awarded for a truly exceptional story that makes me feel all swooney and my heart go pitter-pat! Once a DMR is awarded the challenge is officially retired. THIS IS NOT AN EASY AWARD TO WIN!!! The DMR winner will have to feature a really professionally developed story or offer something really unique in the fic (ie, a convincing unconventional pairing, or a combination of 2 or more challenges.)

I also offer awards for RED GOLD fantasy/Alternate Reality fan fiction. The RED GOLD AR is a sensuous dark fantasy playground based on my original fan fiction efforts, "Southern Hospitality" and "Remission." It includes interaction with the Buffyverse, but it also features an original character.

There is a RED GOLD Original Fan Fiction Award (for an original submission) and The CONQUEST award (for fulfilling a RED GOLD challenge) Only writers with a very creative bent who are interested in writing more original work than "canon" BtVS and Ats should try for these.
For information on the RED GOLD AR (writer's resources and challenges) please visit "Blood is NOT Enough!!!" (outside link) my original fan fiction archive...

Finally...There is "Plum's Pick." This is a personal award I would award any fanfiction I discover that I truly enjoy, not anything based upon any of my challenges. Usually, I send this awards to authors when I've read and enjoyed their fan fiction. Obviously, I can't read everything on the net so, if you have a nice romantic fic you'd like to submit for my consideration, please nominate it.

Sample awards displayed here.

4) Criteria for judging a fic will include: grammar/mechanics, chemistry of the actual pairing(s), character credibility, plot, and overall enjoyment.

5) All ratings of fic are accepted for this archive. Remember, this is ROMANTIC fiction and a love story can be just as beautiful and complete in a G-rating as it can in full-on explicit NC-17. Slash is also accepted.

6) Hate fics are not accepted so please do not submit any.

7) "Snuff" fic (where one character kills another during or after a sexual encounter) is NEVER acceptable.

8) Rape fics are generally not acceptable and disgusting to me. HOWEVER, there is a type of "fic noir" / fantasy rape fic that can be quite seductive and enjoyable to read. I will consider such fics for awards/archving on a case by case basis.

9) If your fan fiction is already on the web, you MUST feature a DARK MAGICK CHALLENGES banner or button linked back to Dark Magick on your fanfiction OR somewhere on your website (either your splash page or a nominations page.) Authors not following this rule WILL NOT be qualified for an award! If you do not have a site, you must e-mail me your fic in text, doc, or .html format and I will archive it here (as a nominee) until it is graded and scored.

10) I am relatively new to this gig, so I do have to reserve the right to change and amend this rules list in the future. I'm doing my best to make it as complete as possible.

(Thank you for taking the time to read the RULES...When submitting a nomination, please include the exact following phrase on your e-mail as a "password" to indicate to me that your actually read them:
"Swallow the moon..."