May: Writer/Artist/Beta applications open

June 24: Writer applications close

July 1: Writer/Artist/Beta acceptance sent out

August 28: Project Proposal (summary, tags, 2k snippet)

August 31: Artist/Beta applications close

September 1 - 7: Artists' rankings

September 15: Writer-Artist pairs announced

November 10: Check-in

January 1, 2023: Posting begins

What is a Big Bang?

A Big Bang is a fandom-wide event, where writers write a long fic (more than 10k words) for which artists make fanart during the 6 months long creation period.

How does it work?

Writers arrive with a fic idea at the start of the event. Once they have begun writing, artists select fics to illustrate in an anonymous process, then mods match writer-artist teams. Betas can apply for a specific story to help with what the writer requests: bouncing plot ideas, helping with the flow of the story, correcting spelling and grammar mistakes.

When can I apply?

Writer applications are open until the 24th of June. Beta and artist applications are open until the 31st of August.

Where can I apply?

Application links will be posted in May.

What do I need to participate?

You’ll need an email address, a Discord user and if you’re applying as a writer, an AO3 account.

What is expected of me if I get accepted to the Big Bang as a writer?

Create a complete, previously unpublished fic for the event that is independent from your previous works (no sequels or prequels are allowed) and longer than 10.000 words.

Work closely and communicate regularly with your collaborator partners.

Keep the setting and plot of your fic a secret, don’t talk about it publicly outside the event’s server.

What is expected of me if I get accepted to the Big Bang as an artist?

Create at least two pieces of complete, previously unpublished artworks to accompany the fic of your choice for the event (recommended canvas size minimum 2500*2500 pixels).

Work closely and communicate regularly with your collaborator partner(s).

Keep the details of your illustration a secret, don’t talk about it publicly outside the event’s server.

What is expected of me if I get accepted to the Big Bang as a beta reader?

Work closely and communicate regularly with your collaborator partner(s). Provide technical spelling and grammar corrections, along with content and plot feedback to the writers if they ask for that. The extent to which writers decide to incorporate this feedback is up to their own consideration.

Keep the setting and plot of the fic a secret, don’t talk about it publicly outside the event’s server.

Do I need to get my fic for the event beta read?

We encourage the fics to be beta-read, however, this year it isn’t required. Still, we’ll have betas on the server who can be called upon if you don’t have a beta, and you can also invite your personal betas (up to 3 people) to the server if you’d like.

How will the matching of artists and writers happen?

After writers submit their Project Proposal on August 28, all summaries, tags, and snippets will be shared anonymously with artists. From September 1 - 7, artists will fill out a survey listing their top 5 fics they wish to illustrate. Mods will announce writer-artist pairs on September 15.

If I apply and get accepted as a writer, is getting art for my fic guaranteed?

Artists have the right to decline any work they do not wish to illustrate, so while mods will do their best to match each fic, writers are not guaranteed an artist partner. However, all writers can still produce a long fic to be proud of with the support of the Big Bang discord community. Other benefits of being in the Big Bang are getting your fic added to the AO3 collection and reblogged by the Tumblr blog.

Can I apply for multiple roles?

We want everyone to have the best chance at completing their work within their writer-artist team. For that reason, you may only be accepted as either a writer or an artist, so if you apply for both be aware that it is up to the mods’ discretion which role you will get. However, writers and artists can also be betas.

What happens if I need to drop out of the event?

If you need to drop out please contact a moderator ASAP so they can inform you of the procedure! If you drop out before the pairing happens nothing will happen. However, if you drop out after this you might not be able to participate in next year’s event.

What happens if my partner drops out during the event?

If you’re an artist or a beta, you can choose to work with another writer. If you’re a writer, the mods will make every effort to find an artist to fill in for you (this person is called a pinch hitter).

Can writers collaborate on fics?

Yes, writers may collaborate on a fic. In this case please indicate so in both of your sign-up forms.

What kind of content is allowed?

Your work can be about any ships (or no ships). Salt content (content with a heavy focus on character bashing or other extreme critique) is allowed, though keep in mind that writers must explain any potentially salty content in their Project Proposal and this may affect whether artists and betas choose to work with you. Crossovers are not allowed.

Are NSFW fics allowed for the event?

Yes, you may create NSFW content for the event, be that Mature or Explicit fic. You’ll have to indicate this rating when filling out the Zeroth check-in, though, so we can make sure betas and artists who don’t wish to engage with this content don’t stumble upon them when browsing the summaries. You’ll also be able to discuss any adult parts of your creation on the designated channel.

Who can work on an NSFW fic?

You may only apply to write, beta, or make art for an NSFW fic if you’re over 18. We’ll trust your word on this, but if we later learn that you lied about your age we’ll take away the project.

Can I share part of my fic/art with anyone during the creation period?

We ask you to keep your idea and progress as private as possible except for the Big Bang’s Discord server. This is to preserve the anonymity of the writers when artists choose fics to contribute to, and to keep the suspense and excitement in the general fandom about the pieces.

I already shared some details of my fic before I knew about the Bang. What now?

Please contact the mods! We'll make an evaluation based on your specific circumstances.

In general, we aren't penalizing people for brainstorming an idea publicly on Tumblr or Discord; and we definitely don't mind if you shared your idea or bits of your work with a handful of friends privately. Our aim is to preserve the authors’ anonymity as much as possible, and to build excitement for the posting period. If you have shared anything publicly, we ask that you hide the post and stop discussing it immediately in any public spaces.

The ML Big Bang is a yearly challenge, where writers, betas, and artists collaborate to make new fanfiction and accompanying artworks for the whole fandom to enjoy. But who is behind the scenes, coordinating this event?

We’re five Miraculous fans, some older and some newer to this event, but no less excited to bring you a smoothly running creation period.

Our Discord mods are Angel (@aoyagiworld), Izy (@fragileizy), Mia (@miabrown007), and Sunny (@sunfox), who will be your first point of contact during the event. They are mainly responsible for coordinating and keeping in touch with the contributors, as well as conducting the general organizational tasks of the event, so don’t be afraid to reach out to them if you have a problem or question!

Our Social Media mods are Mia (@miabrown007), and Sunny (@sunfox), who are in charge of our social media presence. They are running our Tumblr and Instagram, so if you send us an ask you’re most likely to get an answer from them.

Our Graphic mod is Ishi (@acairune), whose main responsibility is coming up with the event’s design, and creating graphics for our different platforms.

We’re all really excited to bring this year’s event to life, and hope you all will have a great time creating with us! If you have any questions about the event, feel free to reach out, we’re always happy to answer! Happy creating!

Writer Rules

1. Create a complete, minimum 10.000 words long, previously unpublished fic for the event that is independent from your previous works (no sequels or prequels are allowed).

2. We recommend having your fic beta-read. You can use your own trusted betas (up to 3 people) who you can invite to the server, or you can look for someone by posting an ad to #beta-requests.

Artist Rules

1. Create at least two pieces of complete, previously unpublished artworks to accompany the fic of your choice for the event.

2. The recommended canvas size for an artwork is minimum 2500x2500 pixels. (If you would like to create traditional art for the event, you should scan it in appropriate quality, not just take a photo of it. Post-scanning edits are allowed.)

Collaboration Rules

1. Collaborators must communicate with their partners on a regular basis. Please make sure you keep in touch

2. If you are having hardships during creation (e.g. communication issues with your partner) please don’t hesitate to reach out to the mod team! We’re here to help you the best way we can to complete your pieces!

We take this event seriously and would like to ask the same from you, so all of us can have a good time creating together. However, we understand that life is busy and fandom isn’t always a priority. If something comes up, please reach out to us and communicate! We promise to do our best to work with you and come up with a solution, but we can only do that if we know about the issues you’re having!