Submission Guidelines

How to Impro in Three Easy Steps

Step 1: Sign up!

Just mail the admin listed on the story page. We'll sign you up.

Step 2: Write!

Once your turn comes up, write the part (kind of self-explanitory, yes?). For most impros you'll have 7 days to finish your part and mail it in. The due date will be at the top of the page. RECBT is the exception; it's wild and crazy Chibi-Impro, and deadlines are 5 days instead of 7.

Please note that chapters are due by 11:59 P.M. Eastern Standard Time on the due date.

Step 3: Mail!

Mail the part in. File attachments are preferred (txt or html only). In the case of .txt, please keep your columns at no more than 80 characters per line (72 or less is even better).

Extensions

If you need more time, mail the admin and ask for an extension. All extensions are for two days. Please note that extension requests must be in by the day before the due date. In other words, don't wait until the last minute.

If circumstances beyond your control prevent you from finishing even with an extension, you may request a second two-day extension. For a second extension you must send a brief explanation of the situation along with whatever you have already written. Second extensions are not available for RECBT.

Skips

If you simply can't get your part done on time, even with an extension, mail the admin and explain that you have to skip. If you give a skip notice before the due date, you'll be bumped to the end of the queue or dropped altogether, whichever one you prefer. In the case of skipping without explanation, the admin will use his own judgement in allowing or disallowing readmittance into the queue.

Formatting

When your part is finished, mail it to that story's admin as a .txt or .html file. No other file formats will be posted. To the best of my knowledge all operating systems come with a plain ASCII text editor, and most word processing programs can convert to .txt. (Mind you, not all of them do it well.)

Again, please try to keep line lengths at 72 characters or less; anything longer may be messed up by either your email client or ours.

Miscellaneous Suggestions

• Grammar, grammar, grammar. It's a good thing. We do reserve the right to edit extremely problematic parts for syntax (i.e., grammar, spelling, formattint problems, etc.). We will not edit content.
• As a general rule, keep it PG-13.
• Find a prereader. Ask around on the message board or check the Prereading Service at Improfanfic. It generally helps to have someone else read over your work before you turn it in.
• Know what you're getting into. If you've just started writing, be aware that the most complex, character-intensive, multi-plotted story is probably a poor entrance choice.
• Fluency in the English language is a definite plus.
• We try to be grammatically forgiving, but in extreme cases we may call the Grammar Gestapo.  This means that the Umlaut brothers, Klaus and Wilhelm, will be paying you a little visit with some extremely sharp virgules.  So play it safe and have someone proofread for you if you don't trust yourself.

Omake and Other Fun Stuff

• Sidestories/character guides/parodies/miscellaneous displays of fanatical devotion are welcome and may be submitted at any time regardless of queue status. 
• Fanart will gladly be accepted. We do reserve the right to resize very large images to save space and loading time.
• Logos for unlogo'd stories are also welcome.  : Of course, there can be only one official logo per story, so remember: flattery will get you everywhere.

Ye Covering of ye Buttocks (or: Legal stuff)

Original characters introduced into Indie Madnesse stories are considered to be the copyrights of their originators, but Indie Madnesse authors are free to use them within the confines of the Indie Madnesse page set only, or by agreement with their originators.

So blah blah blah.

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