due South Seekrit Santa gift exchange

Dear dSSS 2021 participants: TYK for being part of continuing the dSSS tradition, now in its 18th year!


What You Need To Know: Assignments, Instructions, What’s NOT Required
(You can also check our challenge profile for the rules and FAQs.)

Assignments

Everyone should have received their 2021 dSSS assignment email from AO3. The AO3 collection can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/collections/dsss_2021.

If you didn’t receive it, please log into AO3 and check your "My Assignments" page. Your assignment should be listed there. If you don’t see it there, email us mods at dsss.admin (at) gmail (dot) com ASAP. If AO3 shows your assignment, but you didn't get the AO3 assignment email, check your spam or junk mail filter. If it isn't there either, please let us know ASAP at dsss.admin (at) gmail (dot) com!

After assignments go out, there will be a check-in email from one of the mods and a post here and on Tumblr noting that the email has gone out. Participants should respond to that email so mods know that assignments have been received.


Instructions

Reminders:

Your assigned recipient may have up to three requests, but you choose only ONE as your required assignment.

Your created fanwork is for the character or the character relationship in the recipient's AO3 request. Additional tags and Dear Santa letters are suggestions only and are optional.

Requirements:

Fic must be at least 1,000 words in length according to AO3's word count.

Podficced works must also be at least 1,000 words in length.

Vids must be at least 1.5 minutes long.

Visual art should be equal in effort and time to a well-crafted 1,000 word story. If in doubt, write a short drabble to go along with it.

All gift-works must have a beta! No exceptions! We want our gift recipients to have the best quality dSSS gifts!

For betas, go ahead and acquire one on your own, or if you can’t do that, watch for beta call posts in this comm for beta volunteers. If you cannot find a beta either way, contact the mods at dsss.admin (at) gmail (dot) com for assistance with acquiring a beta.

Do NOT contact your recipient about your assignment! Contact the mods at dsss.admin (at) gmail (dot) com if you have a question for your recipient and we will direct the question to them while keeping your identity seekrit.

If asking a question in an open comment here in the comm could reveal your assignment or recipient, please DO NOT comment here! EMAIL us dsss.admin (at) gmail (dot) com.

To reiterate: Seekrit things are seekrit. Optional things are optional. Required things are required. To ask questions or express concerns, email the mods at dsss.admin (at) gmail (dot) com and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.


What’s NOT Required

For gift-makers:

Holiday or Christmas-themed giftworks are NOT required – and given that the dSSS is an international and multicultural exchange, some participants may even have expressed that such themes are a DNW.

Please check your recipient’s requests on AO3 – and their Dear Santa letter if they have written one -- to see if they have listed triggers or squicks.

For recipients:

If you have a preference regarding December holidays, or if you have triggers or squicks, please mention that as noted above to inform your gift-maker.

Bonus works and treats:

If you finish your dSSS gift early and have an idea for a bonus work or treat, that would be great -- but you are only required to make one gift-work for your recipient.

Also, until your primary gift-work is completed, beta done, and work posted on AO3, please do not make or post any bonus works or treats.

Lastly: We're excited about dSSS 2021 and hope you are too! Participate and create!