FANPOWER.BIZ

Guidelines for artists and writers to submit work to the site!

The information listed below contains general rules as to content and format for submitting writing & artwork to the FanPower site. Please note that this is the first publication of the rules for submitting work. As such, they are certain to have some areas which need improvement or will need changing altogether as we work with fans looking to break into the comics industry to create a site that works well for us all. Be patient with us and check back periodically, especially if you choose to print these rules out on paper. We will be making occasional revisions and adjustments as needed.

Please read through the section of guidelines that apply to you or your co-creators, artist or writer, BEFORE scrolling down to see the names and email addresses of who to submit work to. Contact information is immediately after the content & format rules.

CAVEAT:
In the interest of keeping the FanPower site running smoothly with no legal hassles and as few obstacles as possible, WE WILL NOT POST STORIES & ART FEATURING COPYRIGHTED CHARACTERS---UNLESS THE COPYRIGHTED CHARACTERS ARE ONE'S YOU PERSONALLY OWN THE COPYRIGHT TO.

Some of you may remember a few years back that Marvel's legal team threatend many fan sites with legal action if they did not register with Marvel. Also, if you do something with the character that offends Marvel (or DC) we could all get in tons of trouble. No one involved with FanPower wants to see that happen. For your own protection (and ours), please submit only your own creations to the site so that none of us get corporate lawyers threatening to shut us down.

*Information on how to copyright characters will available on the website.

ARTISTS

Good artists are hard to find and much in demand. That being the case, we encourage artists to submit their work to FanPower as it is our intention to make this site one that is easy to use, navigate and edit one's work after being posted. Your feedback is appreciated.

1. FORMATTING
All files must be in either JPEG or GIF format. No bitmaps, please. Upon consulting with the website designers, we will most likely also accept PDFs. Expect a related post on this thread from FanPower's editorial staff when that decision is finalized.

2. SEQUENTIAL STORYTELLING
If there is one item we would very much like to be on the front burner here at FanPower, it is traditional comic book storytelling. We encourage you to post panel-by-panel pages and stories on the site. There is no minimum or maximum amount of work at this time, but it is our fervent hope that FanPower feature a large selection of stories by artists looking to master the storytelling craft.

3. COVERS AND PIN-UPS
Everyone loves a pretty pin-up or a stunning comic book cover. We certainly expect that in the beginning, this will be a majority of the initial submissions. While we would prefer storytelling over iconic imagery, the bottom line is artists are welcome to post almost any & all types of illustration regardless of length or structure. Single images are very much welcome and needed.

4. OUR MINIMUM STANDARDS
It's a commonly known fact that getting kids to read comics is a matter of utmost concern to the industry. However, any work submitted to FanPower--especially artwork--must be reasonably competent. We expect those who submit to have a basic understanding of anatomy and the human figure. For those who submit sequential storytelling, your storytelling skills need to be fairly decent. While defining in exact terms what we would consider to be less than acceptable, it's our feeling that there is always room for those struggling to improve--as long as the attention to detail and basic storytelling ability is there.

Each artist will be judged individually. Our standards are not Herculean. In the case of those whose artwork we may turn down, you will always receive a thoughtful critique about why your work was not accepted and what we feel you need to work on to improve for the next time you re-submit to us.

5. NO PORNO
FanPower will have its own mature readers section that is not for the kiddies, but it will not include pornography. There are many outlets online available to artists looking to do X-rated illustraton; FanPower is NOT one of them. Graphic sexual depictions will be rejected and the emailed files deleted without a reply. Please use common sense when submittiing adult-oriented fare to our mature readers section. Nudity is one thing--group sex and other hardcore sex is not the type of material FanPower is intended to carry. DO NOT SEND IT--IT WILL BE DELETED.
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WRITERS

1. FORMATTING
All writing submissions must be in Microsoft Word for the time being. Unfortunately, FanPower's editors do not have access to Linux PCs at this time and so files from Star Office or similar open system software cannot be posted to the site at the present time. Upon consulting with the website designers, we will most likely also accept PDFs. Expect a related post on this thread from FanPower's editorial staff when that decision is finalized.

2. CHARACTER SKETCHES / TREATMENTS / PLOTS / FULL SCRIPTS
All of the above are welcome. For those unfamiliar with the term, a character sketch is a written description of your character's personality, traits, appearance, history/origin, powers, etc. that gives basic information about who and what your character is. Again, there is no minimum amount of work required. However, be reasonable when submitting writing. Your 1,000 page novel manuscript is not something we have the time to edit and upload to the site.

A 7 page back-up story like one seen in, for example, X-Men Unlimited or a traditional 22 page comic book story is something we could realistically review and easily upload onto FanPower.

3. GENRES
Science fiction. Humor. Fantasy. Mysteries. Horror. And, yes, superheroes. All are welcome. The more diversity, the better! We encourage non-superhero genre writers to submit as our goal is to keep this site from becoming a "superheroes-only" ghetto. If you think you've got the comics industry's answer to Harry Potter on your hands, please do submit it here!

4. SPELLCHECK AND GRAMMAR CHECK YOUR WORK!!!
We cannot stress this enough. While it is our job as Editors for the site to catch any & all typos, writing that has obviously not even been spell-checked will get a less-than-enthusiastic response from us. The more typos and misspelling you have? The more likely your work will be rejected. Yes, this is a site for amateur creators--but amateurs who want to become professionals. Be professional; spellcheck and grammar check your writing submissions thoroughly, please.

5. ALL OTHER FORMS OF WRITING
Though there is no hard and fast rule against it, we do discourage poetry, songwriting and non-fiction. The obvious exception would be writers who have submitted stories for posting that wish to add supplemental items such as the ones listed above. However, writers looking only to submit poetry, lyrics and/or non-fiction would be encouraged to not submit to FanPower.
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ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR BOTH WRITERS & ARTISTS!

1. RACE, GENDER AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION
FanPower.biz is not a website for the KKK or Al-Qaeda. This also includes work that may feature black characters using the "N" word in reference to each other. We will not shoulder the legal consequences of racist language in the name of artistic freedom, no matter what context it is in. Like you, we too are amateur writers & artists looking for our first big break in the comics industry. Discretion is the better part of valor--eliminate racial slurs from your writing submissions or they will be deleted.

On the subject of misogynism, we encourage you to read Gail Simone's "Women In Refrigerators" article for some insight into this site's desire to maintain a creative outlet for women where they will be treated with respect and dignity. Again, use common sense in the matter. Your story about a swordsman in the Middle Ages duking it out with an Amazon is not sexist or misogynistic. However, ending the battle with the swordsman engaging in rape and torture while using vulgar gender slurs is clearly way over the line. Cheesecake is a gray area (just as beefcake is); slander and violence towards a particular gender (including men) is black & white. We won't post it.

Lastly, anti-gay rants and slurs for homosexuals also fall under the same restrictions. Take them elsewhere, please.

2. RELIGION AND POLITICS
We do not discriminate against anyone for their religious or political beliefs. If you choose to write characters that are explicitly Democrat or Republican, Christian or Muslim, they will not be removed from the site. Yet remember that this is a comic book website, not a political fundraiser or a Sunday sermon. If you need a bully pulpit to convert anyone to your point of view, there are sites where you can do that. As always, when dealing with direct references to politics and religion, be extremely circumspect about it and carefully consider how far you intend to push a particular point of view. This is a site for creating and critiquing comics, not political or theological debate. On these two topics, please proceed with caution and be extremely thoughtful about dialogue regarding those matters.

3. COPYRIGHTS AND TRADEMARKS
While idea theft is in fact far more rare than many fear it to be, we understand and appreciate fans' concerns about it. Please consult the thread, "Comments on copyright from writers in Hollywood" for detailed answers to such questions. The copyright sections of FanPower.biz are actively being developed and fleshed out. Any and all information found on the aforementioned thread will be added to the site, along with the links to various legal resources/information and even paperwork for neophyte creators to copyright & trademark their work. We take these matters very seriously and are working vigorously to maintain and safeguard the rights of creators on FanPower.
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SEND YOUR ART & STORY SUBMISSIONS TO:

Jericho Wilson
Submissions Editor, FANPOWER
email: GenXMaverick@aol.com

Mike Martin
Editorial Assistant, FANPOWER
email: zak21196@msn.com