The McShep Match

My mcshep_match fic is done, christened, and sent.

I never read challenge rules. Just so long as I know:

A-- when it's due!
B-- how long it has to be, and
C-- what I'm supposed to write.

I didn't even notice mcshep_match last year until it was long over and the voting closed. But one of my favorite SGA stories, Catch-19 by mmmchelle, was in it. So I wanted to join this year.

Now that I'm done, I'm finally reading the rules. *cough*

This mcshep_match is kind of cool.

Behind the Scenes: I pounded out my story and sent it into a vacuum (with a cheery "we got it!" from trobadora). I have no idea when it will be posted. It will magically appear in the comm sometime between now and July 10th. The mcshep_match is a celebratory run up to opening night for Stargate Atlantis, season five.

Over the last couple of months the teams huddled behind locked posts in their comms, picked their prompts (mine was picked for me because I'm a pinch-hit), offered betas and advice, and cheered each other on. There's Team Spirit! I caught Team Spirit Saturday when I finished my fic! (I'm sure there's a pill for this.)

Stories are posted anonymously. *cue wiggly fingers* I get to watch people respond with no clue that it's me, bwahahaha! I wrote something that's not like anything I've written before. Not in this fandom anyway. The Harry Potter fen might recognize me. I'll be right here in my Masque.

How This Works: There are 24 prompts and two teams: mcshep_away and mcshep_home. I'm on the Away team, just in case you need a hint who to vote for. (auburnnothenna is so going to guess which story is mine. But no one else will.)

Over a period of 24 days, two stories will be posted for each prompt for say, "Face the Music," to use a 2007 prompt. One will have an Away Team "mission" (or "AU") spin. The other a Home Team "ordinary day" (or "canon") spin. They will be posted side-by-side, and people will vote on:

X - how well the story fits the team
Y - how well the story fits the prompt
Z - how well people liked the story overall

That's cool, isn't it? Someone can write a completely awe-inspiring story, but if it's too far afield, it won't matter. Let me point out that these are the real-life writing skills pros need. No doubt Carl Binder has great script ideas that'll never fly in the Stargate universe. Here's where you demonstrate not just writing ability, but control. Teams are encouraged to interpret the prompt and Team mission in creative ways, however. This is fanfic. Really, it's not hard to encourage flights of fancy.

The Teams: To add to the coolness, there are some knock-it-out-of-the-park authors participating. busaikko. wickedwords. mmmchelle. lamardeuse. villainny.

( My Away Team. )

( I can grudgingly say that the Home Team's also pretty cool. )

Our Guarantee: In it for you are fifty SGA stories in a huge variety posted over less than a month in a wild run-up to season five.

Starting... *picks up stopwatch* ... in... five... four... three... two... one... *McKay pointy finger*

Now.

mcshep_match.


P.S. Think you'd might like to join the fun? Hey, I was a back-up writer, too, and didn't get tapped until last week. You can sign up to pinch-hit here.