General FAQ
ABOUT US
Q: I'm confused. Is No Stairway an e-zine, a rec list, or an archive?
A: We're a hybrid of all three. Like a 'zine (online or off), we have editorial styles and standards that we use to guide our selections, as well as our own individual and collective tastes and preferences. We are like a rec list that's a little bit more involved than providing a link and pointing the reader to an author's LJ or website. Since the authors here can opt-in and display their works in the house style, formatted for consistency across the Anthology, we also serve as an archive.
Q: Why don't you just start a rec comm?
A: We could, and many of us do rec, have rec'd, or have utilized rec comms to find stories. And in some aspects, No Stairway (nostairway) is a hybrid rec comm - a rec comm with a twist so to speak. The difference is that we want authors to promote their own work instead of waiting and hoping for someone else to notice their story first.
It's a big fandom and it's getting bigger every day. The chances of something getting missed or only catching the attention of a few people are kind of high. It's your chance to say, "Hey, I wrote this story, loved it, and I want you to give it a try if you haven't."
The story can be written by new authors, established and more widely recognized authors, or authors who have been around for awhile, but who aren't as well-known. It can be a story that's a few years old, or it can be a spanking new story. We're here for you to submit those stories to us without feeling self-conscious about self-promoting.
Q: What makes you qualified to judge my story? What makes you the judge of good and bad?
A: To tell you the truth? Nothing in particular. We're all fans of Supernatural and fanfiction. We all have things we like and dislike in subject matter and theme. But collectively, we think there are certain identifiable elements in a story that go beyond individual preferences.
We are a group of fans who want compelling plots, character growth, and clear prose. We like developed plots and consistent characterizations. And we also welcome PWPs that demonstrate character insights. These are what we like as a group, and we hope to find other people who might share our tastes.
In the end, we're not saying that our tastes are superior or inferior to others. We're saying, "Hey, here's a collection of stories that we think are awesome reads."
Q: What is backstairway?
A: backstairway is the virtual bullpen for the No Stairway editorial staff. It is a closed community and membership is moderated. Discussions of submissions, except in the broadest sense, are not allowed there. It's the forum where the staff can hash out changes or interpretations to guidelines and processes or suggest and discuss upcoming issue themes. Anyone who wishes to join the staff should read the Anthology guidelines, processes and procedures first, at nostairway.org, then send an email to admin @ nostairway.org, indicating what staff position they are applying for.
Q: How can I get involved in this project besides submitting works?
A: We are always eager to see new faces, and many hands make light work. Please contact us at: admin @ nostairway.org.
DECISION AND ACCEPTANCE
Q: When will I be informed of your decision? How long does it take anyway?A: Give or take, 7-10 days.
Assuming we don't find any problems with your file, we'll let you know within 24 hours that we have received your submission. In about three days' time, our Screeners will provide a summary of your technical errors (spelling, punctuation, grammar), if any are found. If you choose to accept these comments, you can make the suggested corrections and resubmit your file. We will not alter your text without your explicit consent. If you choose not to correct the technical errors at this stage, we won't be able to process your work further. Once your story is cleared by the Screeners, it will be passed on to the Editorial Review team. Their review process will take about 3 to 5 days. You'll be asked if you want comments again, but at this point you can choose not to accept them. Your work will be accepted or not as it stands, regardless.
Q: What happens after my story has been approved?
A: On acceptance, we'll contact you about a number of things including whether or not you want your story formatted and archived on the Anthology website, and how you would like to be contacted for feedback. We'll also ask you what additional information you want: notes, acknowledgments, and/or summarized comments of the reviewers. Most volumes of the Anthology will contain 10 stories - and we may be working on more than one volume at a time. We will contact you with the exact volume and the publication date as soon as we have it.
Q: If one of my stories gets published here can I still publish it elsewhere?
A: Definitely. Our anthology is about providing a central resource for people looking for fic that they like, and not to keep it all to ourselves. We encourage you to publish elsewhere so your wonderful fic can reach as wide an audience as possible.
Q: Can I be published more than once in a volume?
A: Currently we allow only one story per author in any given volume of the anthology. However, if we've accepted more than one of your stories, we will publish it in a subsequent volume, and we'll let you know when and which one.
Q: Will I be able to get feedback through the anthology like I do on LJ?
A: Yes and no. If we publish your story, we can provide you with a link back to the journal entry of your choice (please make sure it is unlocked, and does not require that someone friend your journal to reply) or directly to your email. The Anthology itself does not house comments, nor do we allow comments on the nostairway comm where the Volume publications will be announced. It's your story; any and all feedback should come to you.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
Q: Will you beta for me?A: Unfortunately, we cannot offer you any beta services at the moment. We can, however, direct you to spn_betas, a community of fellow fen who offer to beta SPN fan fic.
Q: I use a spell checker, but sometimes I miss things. Does that mean I will be rejected automatically?
A: Of course not! Most spelling and punctuation errors, and in many cases even grammatical errors, are easily correctable. We have an enthusiastic bunch here who would love to assist you with these issues as seamlessly as possible. They do need to be corrected though, so as long as you're okay with that, then we're set. Our Screeners will help polish your finished text technically, so the reviewers can concentrate on your story instead of having there versus their yank them out of a scene.
Q: I don't conform to Standard English Grammar in America, because I'm from [your country name]. Can I still submit?
A: Most certainly! However, before you do that, we'd like to direct you to spn_betas. While we understand that the rest of the world does not conform to Americanisms, we are trying to preserve the atmospheric American backdrop Supernatural so aptly embodies.
REJECTION
Q: Why did I get rejected?A: If your work was rejected, it means that two or more of our reviewers believe your work is not a right fit for our anthology. All of their comments are available to you, if you choose to accept them. We hope that these comments will help answer your question.
Q: If I get rejected, can I edit my story and resubmit?
A: Of course you can! In fact, we encourage it. If you think you'd like to rework some things based on the reviewers' comments and resubmit, you are more than welcome to do so. However, resubmission, even with reworking, doesn't guarantee acceptance. But, it will be three sets of fresh eyes on your revised work. We will not send it to the same review team.
SUBMISSIONS
Q: How many stories can I send?
A: You can send one story at a time. The staff would love to read all your stories, but because we are striving for diversity and have limited time and human resources, we ask you to send us only one story per submission process.
Q: I have a WIP (Work in Progress). Can I submit part of it?
A: We only accept completed stories. We will consider serialized works, and we'd love to see yours when it's finished.
Q: Are there any restrictions to story length?
A: Yes, there are. Your story should be between 1,000 - 10,000 words.
Q: My story is 48,000 words of SPN canonical gen fic written in a Hemingway-esque style to match with the macho ethos of the show. Can't I submit it for the anthology since you're virtual and there's no actual page limitation?
A: For general anthology volumes, no. We have a cap at 10,000 words. However, we plan on doing special editions as well, including volumes focused entirely on novellas and novels. If you'd like us to consider your work for future issues, please send us a summary of the story and the first 1-3 chapters or 3,000 words (up to a logical stopping point - whichever is less), and we would be happy to consider it.
Q: Can I submit a PWP (Porn Without Plot, aka Plot, What Plot)?
A: Yes, you can. Many PWP's are actually not
Q. My story is crack. No, literally, it's crack. Can I submit it?
A. Of course! The term 'crack' is used by fandom to reference absurd situations in a story that might seem extraordinary or unbelievable. But in actuality, it's not any different from stories that are set in Alternate Universes with a spectacularly unique theme. We welcome all themes and subject matter, so don't hesitate to submit your 'crack'.
Q: Can I submit my friend's story for him/her? He/She's really shy, but their writing's so good!
A: Sorry, but the answer is no. We understand that there are authors who do not wish to be part of this anthology, so we cannot allow anyone except the author to submit a story for the review process. However, please encourage your friend to submit his/her stories. There is nothing like a few kind words to boost an author's confidence!
Q: My serialized crossover for Lost, Buffy and SPN starts out with Buffy. Sam and Dean are major characters, they just don't meet up in the first section. Can I submit it?
A: That depends. We'll need you to provide us with an outline and summary of the full series as you envision it playing out, and we'd want to see which parts you already have completed for assessment, along with an estimated final word count. If it's a work you have already published over a period of time, we'd love to see the entire piece - but it may take us a while, depending on overall length.
Submissions are currently closed.
An announcement will be made here and at our LiveJournal community nostairway.livejournal.com when they reopen. For more information, please check out our submission guidelines!