#snowflakechallenge2024

[snowflakechallenge]

Introducing the 2024 Fandom Snowflake Challenge!

I'm Turps, and it's my pleasure to welcome everyone to the Snowflake Challenge 2024!

Many of you will have done Snowflake before, if you have, welcome back, it's lovely to see you. If you haven't, again, welcome. It's always fantastic to see new people, and we hope you have fun.

So, what is the Snowflake Challenge? Well, to go back to the very beginning and the inspiration for this challenge, Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance, sang the song 'Every Snowflake's Different Just Like You' and some lyrics from that song are Big fangs. Small chin. There are so many special things about you.

And that's what Snowflake is about. That every snowflake is different, that every person is special in their own unique way, and the challenge is here to embrace those differences and hold them up to the light.

January can be too cold, too dark, too hot, too everything and we want Snowflake to spread a little joy in what can be a bleak time. Each little glimmering snowflake joining together to create a blanket of positivity and happiness as we're reminded of the things that we love.

Fandom can be a wonderful place, and we want people to embrace that, to talk about their passions -- and it has to be noted here, those passions don't have to be narrow and based on TV/film/book/music fandoms; everything counts. If you love weaving with yak hair, tell us. If your thing is creating suspension bridges out of spaghetti, well let us know, don't hide those skills and those loves, we want to know all about them.

From the 1st, we'll be posting challenges every second day throughout January. Some challenges will have been used before, some will be new, but all can be answered in any way that you want and to your own interpretation. There are no wrong answers.

Also, please know that no one is taking note of what challenges you take part in. You can do every one. You can do one or none. You can do a challenge and not link at the comm, that's perfectly fine. But, if you do link at the community, we do encourage other Snowflakes to check out the links, because there is a whole wide world of loves out there waiting to be encountered and read about. You can also respond to the challenge at any time, on the day that it's issued or a year later, it all counts.

The mods who post the challenges are located throughout the world, so while the challenges will be posted on specific dates, due to time zones they will be posted at different times during the day, so don't worry if a challenge is posted at 9am your own time one day and 9pm the next.

Finally, Snowflake Challenge takes part on other platforms too, specifically:

Tumblr: https://snowflakechallenge.tumblr.com/

Pillowfort: https://www.pillowfort.social/community/Snowflake%20Challenge

Mastodon: https://fandom.ink/@SnowflakeChallenge

And if you want to check out past creative responses, we have an A03 collection here: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/fandom_snowflake_challenge/profile

And that's it, all that's left to say is, welcome again, have fun, and we look forward to meeting you all.

[maluron]

you know how last week @snowflakechallenge had us make a list of fandom stuff we'd like to see happen? well yesterday it was "create a fanwork" and

here's my take on "Machine Herald deals with Naph coming down with a cough", untitled little genfic that'll probably need editing later (also if someone else still wants to spin their own take on that prompt please please please please do so?)

Naph interrupts his work to cough into his sleeve. Again.

Everyone down there coughs now and then; it's a fact of life in Zaun. Everyone, even the chembarons who use breathing masks like the pilties they've all but became. The only exception is those who have entirely replaced their respiratory system as a last resort--being the only one to offer such services, the Machine Herald is well-aware of the fact, and there are not many of them. The air is cleaner now than it's been up to a decade ago, thanks to filters more performants, more numerous, better maintained. At least, the air less aggressive than it was, but it's still a far shout from clean. Infections are still common even if thankfully outright Sump Rot and Lung Blight are on the decrease.

Still. With Naph today it's happened already too much in too little time. More than the boy usually does. A persistent cough, coupled with glassy eyes and a slight slowness in his work... Viktor fires up a thermal sensor and checks: and there's a moderate fever. A minor infection then; no need to fret.

As he's suppressed his fear response he does not worry anyway, whatever the situation, only takes in facts and acts on them. But even if he still could worry there would be no cause here and now.

Naph tries to hide the affliction, of course. That's children of Zaun for you. They learn very young, way too young, to hide weakness. When asking for help goes unanswered, you rely on ourself only. Naph is no different. Viktor himself, so long ago, wasn't either. It doesn't mean that they should keep on that way.

Why does Viktor care about this one more than others? He cares about the nebulous concept of "the children of Zaun should live in better conditions". What makes this one different is that he's not afraid of him. Well... back when they first met he was afraid of The Machine Herald but willing to see for himself the rumors' basis and to learn more. And also, to get rid of his fear when it impeded him. Clever boy. That was a good start. Naph came back time and again. He does want to learn. And so... Viktor admits that he got used to his presence. Having no emotions he can't say that he enjoys sharing knowledge and encouraging learning. But it's logical to want to form apt minds to do the good work.

Also, he's built a sense of familiarity out of Naph. Even though he's only one out of many street urchins. Having no emotions, again, he's not afraid he'll die, he would not be upset should he die. Not more upset than at any other failure--every and any preventable death is a failure. So why would this one be worse? ...maybe because of the personal investment he's been making in his education, should it go to waste.

Still. This cough. It's not nothing but it's not dire. And it still needs adressing.

When Naph coughs again, Viktor puts a stop on whatever he was doing. "That's it. No workshop for you today." "What! But..." "I won't have you coughing all over this prototype, spray particules on delicate circuitry and mess up soldering whenever a fit interrupts you."

One could hold up a finger from any hand to emphasize a point and of course The Machine Herald does so with his freakng Hexclaw from extra emphasis. That's final.

Naph does not want to be sent home, that's obvious. Viktor never asked what home was for the boy, if home existed at all, if anyone will take care of him there. Naph is also afraid of being confined to bed, deemed uselss. Neither will happen. Viktor put a stop on the working and even the learning but prefers to keep him close as long as needed.

The bits he was tinkering with are swept away and replaced byt a hot drink--not sweetmilk this time but some nasty tea, heaped with honey that doesn't entirely mask its bitterness. A cold compress os offered--fever is the body's natural response against illness--Viktor is no medical doctor but opines it's better to let it run its course and to suppress it only if too high or gets too uncomfortable. There is no use in feeling crappy if one can help it after all, there's no glory in suffering--after all he offers time and again to anyone wulling to evolve past the possibilities of suffering!

So Naph has to rest even if he doesn't take well the idea of staying idle under his mentor's watchful eye. On different circumstances he would gladly take the oportunity to slack off... if there were no immediate consequences at least. But letting down The Machine Herald by not being up to... whatever expectations he had? There is no expectation on you, at least not today, except for you to get better. And that's out of your hands anyway. Defeated, Naph agrees he won't be able to do anything too hard. Light reading it is then, something that even looks merely recreational--yet Viktor assures him that no no there are history and life lessons in it and swears it is educational. That it's not slacking off.

Naph won't even ask how comes The Machine Herald ever got less-educational reading materials in the first place. After making faces at his tea however he finds the never to ask, "And so, you won't give a copper head for that?" "I won't." He will not give him even wire mesh lungs. At least not yet. Hopefully never. As he did on himself to replace his own failing lungs back in the days. Luckily Naph shouldn't need that. This is only a cold. And sure chest colds can get nasty, but it's not chem lung. (Not yet.) And even if, caught early there are ways to slow the progress down, and when it's progressed too far, to graft replacements. But with more luck, by the time Naph grows up chem lung won't even happen anymore?

"Now, we've had this conversation already and we can have it again when you're better ('cause he will get better--the odds are all in his favour) if you want me to give you copper-plated cranial augments..." Naph snorts, laughs, coughs again and laughs some more and manages to cut Viktor's speech short.

[mercurygray]

❄️❄️Fandom Snowflake Challenge Day 1 ❄️❄️

Every year, the good folks at @snowflakechallenge encourage fandom folks to introduce themselves a little more and reflect on what fandom is for them. They have a series of challenges throughout the month of January to prompt sharing more about yourself!

1. Update your fandom information. Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it.

Hi there! I’m Merc, she/her/hers, 30ish, unreformed tea drinker, time travel enthusiast, and one of those viewers like you PBS is always talking about.

I love period dramas, strong female leads and women’s history. Historical Alternate Universes and Original Female Characters are a big part of my fandom brand and practice. I'm not a historian, I just play one on TV. In my professional life I work at a large museum and I'm happy to talk about museums and career development!

I am on Archive of Our Own as MercuryGray. My older work (2016 and earlier) can be read on ff.net under the same name. I also post shorter works on Tumblr at the tag mercurygraypresents

A full list of my original characters is available here. Please ask me before using my characters in any of your own work.

For the last 4 years I've run the Blind Dates OC Prompt Fest, a chance to write and test new fandom original characters. The fest usually runs in February and you should join us!

Currently I'm reblogging House of the Dragon, Vikings: Valhalla, All Creatures Great and Small, SAS: Rogue Heroes, Band of Brothers, The Pacific, Lord of the Rings, and Masters of the Air.

I think that’s about it. The askbox is open. I absolutely read your tags. There’s pop in the fridge. Stay as long as you like.

[alexseanchai]

@snowflakechallenge 3:

Create a wish list of fandom things (podfic, graphics, playlists, canon recs translations, research help, vids, sky's the limit!) that you'd like to receive. Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this Snowflake Challenge Dreamwidth post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

I'm mostly blanking on things I want that aren't on my fandomtrees wishlist (which has Emelan, Encanto, Miraculous Ladybug, and Yuri on Ice prompts) or holiday_wishes wishlist (though the only fannish bits there that aren't on the fandomtrees list are in the spending-money section).

But! The first chapter of starting right now I'll be strong and all chapters of Jeu des princesses avec les pommes d'or de la discorde, inscribed 'to the fairest', both canon-divergent Yuri on Ice fics, are told entirely through stuff the characters said on the internet. Notably on Instagram. Thing is I do not have either the art skills or the art commission money to illustrate most of those Instagram posts. So if I can't glue the Insta post together using canon screenshots, Wikimedia Commons, and Unsplash, then the Insta post has to stay text-only. (You can see in the second chapter of Jeu des princesses how well that's going. I do have two and a half of the images for the first chapter of starting right now—the first one, the Minami one, and the top half of the one where the bottom half is Yuuri stole Phichit's Pikachu hat—but comparing those two chapters may illustrate why I haven't added those images yet.)

So in addition to what's listed on fandomtrees—and I'm joining the chorus of Snowflake participants who want people to look over all those wishlists, or at least the ones with fewer than two gifts, and fill what you can—I am asking for fanart that's the image part of one or another of the Insta posts in one of those two fics.

And! fandomtrees doesn't do Creator's Choice of Fandom, which is valid, but does mean I had to leave this prompt off that list:

* exploration via historical documents, primary and secondary sources, etc., of canon characters/events and their effects on the local, regional, and global courses of history. this could be set a couple hundred years after canon and thus explore canon from a historian's perspective (social media posts could be both primary and secondary sources here, depending), or it could be set around, during, or before canon and explore characters who have been name-checked at most.

Also, the how to use CSS to make iOS messages look realistic guide by CodenameCarrot and La_Temperanza makes it seem like there should be a way to use background-image in the CSS from the how to use CSS to make vintage-2016 Instagram posts look realistic guide by gadaursan (with instIcon1 instIcon2 instIcon3 instead of instIcon, as well as instIconRight instHeart) so that those five little icons don't display when creator style is off. But so far all I seem to be achieving is making them not display when creator style is on, either. Send help?

[apfelhalm]

Fandom Snowflake Challenge #5

Search in your current space, whether brick-and-mortar or digital. Post a picture (a link to a picture will be fine!) or description of something that is or represents:

1. Something your favorite character would like

(My favourite character is Jim Kirk, in case you couldn't guess.)

2. Something that makes you laugh

3. A fandom place you would like to visit

4. A fandom creator (pro or not) you'd like to meet

idk ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

5. Something you find comforting

Not to sound dramatic, I've only known this show for half a year but it already gives me a level of comfort only Kommissar Rex used to give me (see below).

6. Something from a favorite TV series or movie from your childhood

7. A piece of clothing you love

I got this Starfleet beanie for my birthday a while ago and I'm wearing it every time I leave the house, I love it so much.

8. A book or song with a color in the title

Ao no Sumika (Where our Blue is) by Tatsuya Kitani

9. Something only someone in your fandom would understand

Is it a JoJo reference? Yes. Yes, it usually is.

[snowflakechallenge]

Snowflake Challenge #1

Introduction Post * Meet the Mods Post * Master Post on DW

Remember that there is no official deadline, so feel free to join in at any time, or go back and do challenges you've missed.

Happy New Year, fandom! As we look to the beginning of a new year (is it really 2024 already?!), it’s time to freshen up our online spaces. This is a good opportunity to create a new profile post or simply update the one you’ve already got. Your profile can be anything you want it to be: a list of the fandoms you participate in, your loves/hates in fandom, a tour of your fandom journey, or anything else you want people to know about you.

Challenge #1

Update your fandom information. Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

If you need ideas or inspiration, feel free to visit the links below for examples of how others have done it. There is no right or wrong way to do this, so write what makes sense to you.

Misbegotten misbegotten’s profile post

Dizzydrea: dizzydrea's profile post t (and a peek at dizzydrea’s sticky post)

Vriddy: vriddy's profile post

Spikedluv spikedlus’s profile post (and a peek at spikedluv’s sticky post)

Check out the comments for all the awesome participants of the challenge and visit their journals/challenge responses to comment on their posts and cheer them on.

And just as a reminder: this is a low pressure, fun challenge. If you aren't comfortable doing a particular challenge, then don't. We aren't keeping track of who does what.

(If you want us to reblog your response here at our Tumblr, we’re tracking: snowflakechallenge2024.)

[mercurygray]

❄️❄️Fandom Snowflake Challenge Day 2 ❄️❄️

Every year, the good folks at @snowflakechallenge encourage fandom folks to introduce themselves a little more and reflect on what fandom is for them. They have a series of challenges throughout the month of January to prompt sharing more about yourself!

Challenge #2: Set some goals for 2024.

Finish writing The Darkening Sky. The fic turns FOUR in May. It must be finished by then or so help me, God.

Continue to keep up with the friends and neighbors I've acquired while writing TDS. I know this sounds silly, but it takes a village and I think one of the things that scares me the most about finishing the fic is that when it's done, I will lose that village. (There. I said it out loud.)

Successfully lead Blind Dates again! My goal this year is to have 15 authors and I'm pretty confident we can do it! (Last year we had 12 participants.)

Contribute, in some positive way, to the Masters of the Air milieu. This is the first time I get to be on the ground floor of an HBO war fandom and I'm really, really excited about it.

Keep whatever writing I do for MOTA at a manageable length. No more four year projects, please.

-This is pure vanity, but I really want TDS to reach 100 bookmarks and 20,000 views. There. I said it in a public forum. Judge me all you want. This is the first time in fifteen years of doing this that more than five people have liked something I've written and I want to savor it, damn it.

[snowflakechallenge]

Fandom Snowflake Challenge #6

Introduction Post* Meet the Mods Post * Challenge #1 * Challenge #2 * Challenge #3 * Challenge #4 * Challenge #5 *

Remember that there is no official deadline, so feel free to join in at any time, or go back and do challenges you've missed.

We’ve all got one: that favourite book series, movie, TV show. Some of those might be among the better known fandoms, for others you may be the only person to have created for them on AO3. So today, it’s time to share the love for your favourites!

Challenge #6 In your own space, share a favourite piece of original canon (a show, a specific TV episode, a storyline, a book or series, a scene from a movie, etc) and explain why you love it so much. . Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

Promote those you wish had more love, find people who share your fandoms, discover something you never knew about before but like the sound of.

Check out the comments for all the awesome participants of the challenge and visit their journals/challenge responses to comment on their posts and cheer them on. (And because we were gifted with paid time for the month of January, you can search comments! So don’t forget to list the fandom(s) in your comment so people can search for it.)

And just as a reminder: this is a low pressure, fun challenge. If you aren't comfortable doing a particular challenge, then don't. We aren't keeping track of who does what.

[snowflakechallenge]

Fandom Snowflake Challenge #4

Introduction Post* Meet the Mods Post * Challenge #1 * Challenge #2 * Challenge #3

Remember that there is no official deadline, so feel free to join in at any time, or go back and do challenges you've missed.

( Fandom Snowflake Challenge #4 )

So far we’ve asked you to share your fandom profile, your goals, your wishes and later we’ll be asking you all about your fandom, what makes it special, what makes it important, but first--let’s talk about you. Who are you?

Challenge #4 IceBreaker Challenge! Tell us about yourself. Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so. Think of it as an elevator pitch, or a manifesto; give us bullet points or lyrical prose. Want to make a game out of it? Tell us things that are true and things that aren’t and let us guess. Don't know what to say? Hate elevator speeches, but don't want to skip a day? Try this Random Question Generator and make yourself a meme all your own.

Whatever you want to do is grand. After all the best thing about fandom really are the people you share it with. The rest--the fic, the art, the vids and meta--is just gravy.

Check out the comments for all the awesome participants of the challenge and visit their journals/challenge responses to comment on their posts and cheer them on. (And because we were gifted with paid time for the month of January, you can search comments! So don’t forget to list the fandom(s) in your comment so people can search for it.)

And just as a reminder: this is a low pressure, fun challenge. If you aren't comfortable doing a particular challenge, then don't. We aren't keeping track of who does what.

[snowflakechallenge]

Snowflake Challenge #2

Introduction Post * Meet the Mods Post * Master Post on DW * Challenge #1

Remember that there is no official deadline, so feel free to join in at any time, or go back and do challenges you've missed.

The beginning of the year can be a propitious time to set new goals and hopes that will carry you forward for the rest of the year. It can be something big or small, or perhaps a new habit that will bring you closer to achieving what you want to do. Maybe clearing an old WIP, giving a shot at that ambitious idea, or checking out a new book series people keep recommending to you? Considering making a goal or two, or as many as you wish to.

Challenge #2

Set some goals. Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in today’s post at The Fandom Snowflake Challenge on DW saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

If you'd like advice on how to achieve these goals, feel free to mention it in your post! If you just want to talk about them, that is absolutely fine as well.

Check out the comments for all the awesome participants of the challenge and visit their journals/challenge responses to comment on their posts and cheer them on. (And because we were gifted with paid time for the month of January, you can search comments! So don’t forget to list the fandom(s) in your comment so people can search for it.)

And just as a reminder: this is a low pressure, fun challenge. If you aren't comfortable doing a particular challenge, then don't. We aren't keeping track of who does what.

(If you want us to reblog your response here at our Tumblr, we’re tracking: snowflakechallenge2024.)

[mercurygray]

❄️❄️Fandom Snowflake Challenge #6 ❄️❄️

Every year, the good folks at @snowflakechallenge encourage fandom folks to introduce themselves a little more and reflect on what fandom is for them. They have a series of challenges throughout the month of January to prompt sharing more about yourself!

Challenge #6: In your own space, share a favorite piece of original canon (a show, a specific TV episode, a storyline, a book or series, a scene from a movie, etc) and explain why you love it so much.

I wrote more about the scene here back in 2020, but I'm sharing it again because I still love it a lot.

One of my favorite scenes in Band of Brothers is actually in the first episode - the unit's made it to England, and are now running field exercises in and around the tiny English town where they're living. In the course of one day's exercise, they accidentally involve one of the locals.

I really liked this scene as I came back to the show in 2020 because it's just funny, but it gave just the tiniest peek into ground that a bunch of other dramas that are less well known with American audiences cover - the British home-front perspective. These men were very much a part of this community for a good seven months, and when you read many of the books that have been written about the 506th, they talk much more about the village and the people that lived there. It just adds such an interesting dimension to the story, and it's something I chose to play a lot with in my own writing.

[snowflakechallenge]

Meet the Mods!

Akamine_chan created The Fandom Snowflake Challenge back in 2012 as a way to remind herself “why I loved fandom so much”. Over the years the challenge itself has come to mean a lot to many of us, so by way of introduction some of the mods for this year have written about what The Fandom Snowflake Challenge means to them and why they are excited about it.

Muccamukk: Mucca mostly writes fic and reviews, usually in western media fandoms, and can never turn her back on a kink meme. She's been participating in the Snowflake Challenge off and on since year one, helping mod for the last five, and there still hasn't been any cake.

Misbegotten: I'm Misbegotten and this is my second year as a Snowflake mod. Fandom has been my happy place for many decades. My sad place too, but what's life without variety?

Sparrow2000: Hi I'm Sparrow2000 on LJ, DW and A03. I've made my fandom home in the Buffy 'verse for the last 20 odd (sometimes very odd!) years and it's where I write. I read in any fandom that catches my eye and I'm an avid reccer because I believe spreading the love keeps our fandoms alive. I've taken part in the snowflake challenge every year since 2014 and it never fails to energise my fandom joy. I'm thrilled to be helping out behind the scenes for the third year running and can't wait to see how everyone expresses their own fandom love this year.

Tjs_whatnot: Oh Snowflake, how I've missed your optimistic and cheery fandom energy! I've exhausted those resources pretty early on last year, so a refill is in desperate need! I've been part of the Snowflake family for ages now but I learn something new each year, so it's a new challenge each time. I can't wait to get reacquainted with the other old timers and meet some new, fun fandom faces. LET'S DO THIS!! ♥ ♥ ❤ ❤

Queer_scribbling: Hello, I'm Briar. I've participated in the Snowflake Challenge the past few years, but this is my first time helping out as a mod. For me, this challenge is a welcome reprieve from the doldrums of winter, and I hope the sense of community - lurkers, likers, commenters, and more - will help all of us to start 2024 on a high note.

Summerstorm: Hi! I'm Lix, and I'm back as a Snowflake mod after a few years off. These days, my fandom participation is mostly reading fic, playing ttrpgs (new this year! because I finally got good meds! I use a calendar now entirely to keep track of games?), and screaming on Discord about actual play shows, but I care a lot about those three things. Fandom is a load-bearing pillar of my life, and honestly I don't know what I'd do without it.

Pebble_in_a_lake: Hello! I'm pebble, a lifelong sci-fi and comic book fan. I've participated in snowflake challenge several years now, but this will be my first time pitching in as a volunteer. I love the fun and positivity it brings to the community each year as everyone shares their love for their different fandoms. Whether you're participating, commenting, or lurking, I hope you all have a very fun time. :D

Spikedluv: Hello to all returning and new Snowflakes! I love Snowflake and I’m thrilled to be part of the group bringing Snowflake to you again this year. The best thing about this challenge is that it reminds me of all the great things about fandom. The feeling of community. The comments and feedback. The squee that comes with discovering new fandoms and new fic and new friends. And while Snowflake only lasts for one month, these are things we can take with us into the rest of the year. As I’ve said previously, Snowflake has taught me that I need to be the change I want to see in fandom and gets me pumped up to go forth and be a more active participant.

Seleneheart: I love Snowflake because it is such a marvelous way to start the New Year - to know that I''m not a lone voice crying out in the wilderness, that there's hundreds of people who love fandom and they are all right here!

This is my sixth time to be a mod for Snowflake, and every single year I've come away with new friends, new ideas, and new connections with old friends. Some people I see all the time during the year, and some I see only during [community profile] snowflake_challenge - all of you warm my soul. I can't wait to get started!

Pronker: Hello there, I'm Pronker (DW, FFN, tumblr, twitter, theforce.net and AO3) and this is my second time modding in seven years' participating in the best challenge ever. :) I love to launch a new year with fellow fans' enthusiasms and creativity. Favorite fandoms: Hogan's Heroes, Penguins of Madagascar, Star Wars, Constantine, Greek Mythology, Star Trek TOS, Laredo, and my very first one, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. See you soon!

Dizzydrea: Hi everyone! I'm Dizzydrea on DW and AO3. I've been in fandom for over 20 years, so I've seen some stuff. I only found out about Fandom Snowflake a few years ago, but I look forward to participating each year, though this is my first year as a mod. I'm a writer, up to about 50 fandoms now. I read a lot, too, and I like to comment as a way of paying it forward. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with this year.

Cornerofmadness: Hi everyone! I'm excited to be back for another round of Fandom Snowflake. I'm Cornerofmadness on DW/LJ/AO3. I've been around fandom for decades, since the paper zine days of the 80s and 90s and been in online fandoms for more than twenty years so I've seen a lot, the good and the bad. I think that's the thing I like best about this challenge is we see so much of the good here. I'm probably best known in the Buffyverse, Fullmetal Alchemist, Prodigal Son and now The Owl House but I've had a toe in many fandom waters and hope to dip them into many more.

Vriddy: Hi! I'm Vriddy, a huge fan of Fandom Snowflake since I discovered it a couple of years ago and very excited to be part of it from the volunteer side for the first time this year! I'm mainly in anime fandoms at the moment, and looking forward to sharing all kinds of fannish joy with everyone this month. Such a wonderful way to start the year, I hope you all have a great time, too!

Tellshannon815: Hi again, back for another round of Snowflake, looking forward to seeing what you all come up with, discovering new fandoms, and hopefully making some new friends!

Turps: Hi, I'm Turps and I've been taking part in Snowflake since the very beginning and joined in as a mod a few years ago, and enjoyed the process so much I'm back for more.

Snowflake always gets my fannish year off to a great start, but what I love the most is how low-pressure it is. Some years I've managed to complete every challenge, and others only a couple. Sometimes I've done a challenge but not linked at the comm, and that's fine.

I've made some good friends due to Snowflake Challenge, but also see and read posts from people I only see once a year, and I love that. It's like meeting old friends who I have a quick natter with before heading off into the virtual distance, and I'm looking forward to doing that again.

As you can see the challenge means so many things to the mods, and to everyone who has participated before, and will hopefully also be meaningful to anyone joining us for the first time this year. You’ll find us all wading through comments, welcoming everyone, answering questions, keeping the peace, so if you need anything, don't hesitate to flag one of us down.

Tomorrow starts the first of the fandom challenges, so hope you all are ready for some fun times! Feel free to do any challenge that strikes your fancy (or all of them), or leave a comment on someone else’s challenge response at anytime.

[snowflakechallenge]

Fandom Snowflake Challenge #15

Introduction Post* Meet the Mods Post * Challenge #1 * Challenge #2 * Challenge #3 * Challenge #4 * Challenge #5 * Challenge #6 * Challenge #7 * Challenge #8 * Challenge #9 * Challenge #10 * Challenge #11 * Challenge #12 * Challenge #13 * Challenge #14 * Challenge #15

Remember that there is no official deadline, so feel free to join in at any time, or go back and do challenges you've missed.

It can be fun (or at least informative) to look back on the past year, and see how it fits together (or doesn't). In that spirit, we at Snowflake challenge are joining the rest of the Internet by once again borrowing the Spotify Wrapped! meme.

Challenge #15 Fandom Snowflake Challenge's 2023 Fandom Wrapped!    Your top 5 fandoms for 2023 were:    Your top 5 fandom spaces (Discord, Twitter, etc.) in 2023 were:    The top 5 things you did to contribute to fandom in 2023 were:    Your top 5 most appreciated fandom contributions were: Bonus questions:    Your fandom personality in 2023 was: (i.e. Fandom Eeyore, Twitter Refugee, Discord Party Animal, etc.)    In 2023, you discovered: (that you adore hockey RPF, but you hate the Liberty Mutual emu, etc.)    Your fandom home in 2023 was: (Bluesky, Mastodon, Middle Earth, lying in my bed, with a good book, etc.) Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

What qualifies something for a top five slot, you might be wondering? That's up to you.

Fandom contributions may include (but are not limited to) beta-reading, commenting, crafting, creating vids--watching vids--reccing vids, going to cons, organizing those cons, making icons, making bigger icons, playing games, creating games, recording podfic, listening to podfic, writing reviews, writing fic, etc., etc., etc.

You can explain your answers or post them without comment/context. As with the actual Spotify Wrapped!, the meaning of some of the questions is open to interpretation. Be creative. Be silly. Have fun with this.

(FYI. Did you know that people who aren't satisfied by their Spotify Wrapped! can make a fake version and post it instead? I didn't. Does that mean that Snowflake participants could post a fake Fandom Wrapped!, instead of just skipping this challenge? Or, maybe you could have your favorite characters write their own versions? Would that count for challenge #11, too? Maybe it would...)

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: On January 31st, we will post the First Annual Fandom Snowflake Wrap-Up Poll, where you will get the opportunity to give feedback on this year's challenges.

Check out the comments for all the awesome participants of the challenge and visit their journals/challenge responses to comment on their posts and cheer them on. (And because we were gifted with paid time for the month of January, you can search comments! So don’t forget to list the fandom(s) in your comment so people can search for it.)

And just as a reminder: this is a low pressure, fun challenge. If you aren't comfortable doing a particular challenge, then don't. We aren't keeping track of who does what.

[snowflakechallenge]

Fandom Snowflake Challenge #14

Introduction Post* Meet the Mods Post * Challenge #1 * Challenge #2 * Challenge #3 * Challenge #4 * Challenge #5 *Challenge #6 * Challenge #7 * Challenge #8 * Challenge #9 * Challenge 10 * Challenge 11 * Challenge 12 * Challenge 13*

Remember that there is no official deadline, so feel free to join in at any time, or go back and do challenges you've missed.

I love how Snowflake inspires fans to leave their comfort zones and fly away from the mother ship. Fic readers discover writing talents, soon to be followed by illustrating fics, even sketching doodles from their own stories to show all the in-between steps of Loki shapeshifting into a mare. (It's canon!) So today is the day to spread your wings.

Challenge #14 Try something new. Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

Do you read fic? Then how about writing a little 'missing moment' scene, such as the day after Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn describes his ever-eager Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi as merely competent in Phantom Menace? Dip a toe into a community related to your interest to share insights, write a ship/fandom/character manifesto or just plain gab. If you listen to podcasts, explore one in a new fandom.

How about making icons or vids? Feeling fannish broadens horizons, so remix your own fic, bake that Death Star cake, crochet an awesome Kermit The Frog cap or write an unpopular character. You'll get creative juices flowing in cosplaying or planking to the tune of I'm Just Ken.

Extra added attraction: anything you do may be used for Challenge #11, Create A Fanwork!

As for me, I am a mod for the first time ever on the internet. *insert echo effect*

Check out the comments for all the awesome participants of the challenge and visit their journals/challenge responses to comment on their posts and cheer them on. (And because we were gifted with paid time for the month of January, you can search comments! So don’t forget to list the fandom(s) in your comment so people can search for it.)

And just as a reminder: this is a low pressure, fun challenge. If you aren't comfortable doing a particular challenge, then don't. We aren't keeping track of who does what.

[snowflakechallenge]

Fandom Snowflake Challenge #3

Apologies for the delay...

Introduction Post* Meet the Mods Post * Challenge #1 * Challenge #2 Remember that there is no official deadline, so feel free to join in at any time, or go back and do challenges you've missed. Imagine there's a fairy godmother (or a fairy at the bottom of your garden), who's out there just looking for little wishes to grant! Or, more prosaically, that an unnamed challenge (can't imagine which one!) is going to have a future prompt about creating things and/or granting wishes, and all kinds of people are going to be looking for ideas for things to make. You never know what could happen! Challenge #3 Create a wish list of fandom things (podfic, graphics, playlists, canon recs translations, research help, vids, sky's the limit!) that you'd like to receive. Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so. The items in brackets are mere suggestions, as I'm sure you can all think of more creative ideas for fandom things to put on a wish list, but consider it a starting point, a prompt, if you will. One thing, three things, fifteen things, however many you like!

My (very biased) favourite part of this challenge is granted wishes showing up throughout the rest of the fest. Someone made me a whole fanvid once! (No, I'm still not over that being cool. I will never be over that being cool.) Tip: If you're asking for things related to specific fandoms, mention the names of those fandoms when you comment here, to help out with people finding things. Check out the comments for all the awesome participants of the challenge and visit their journals/challenge responses to comment on their posts and cheer them on. (And because we were gifted with paid time for the month of January, you can search comments! So don’t forget to list the fandom(s) in your comment so people can search for it.) And just as a reminder: this is a low pressure, fun challenge. If you aren't comfortable doing a particular challenge, then don't. We aren't keeping track of who does what.

(If you want us to reblog your response here at our Tumblr, we’re tracking: snowflakechallenge2024.)

[snowflakechallenge]

Fandom Snowflake Challenge #13

Introduction Post* Meet the Mods Post * Challenge #1 * Challenge #2 * Challenge #3 * Challenge #4 * Challenge #5 *Challenge #6 * Challenge #7 * Challenge #8 * Challenge #9 * Challenge 10 * Challenge 11 * Challenge 12 *

Remember that there is no official deadline, so feel free to join in at any time, or go back and do challenges you've missed.

One of my favourite things about fandom is screaming, "Did you see that amazing thing?" to someone, and having them scream back at you (hopefully positively) that they have now! Sometimes, it's about the canon itself, but a lot of the time it's about fanworks our community has made. In that spirit, today is the day to sing the praises of our fellow fans' hard work and creativity (or shitposting instead of sleeping, one of those).

Challenge #13 Make a rec list! Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

You can include three or three hundred links to any kind of fanwork that strikes your fancy: art, crafts, fic, filk, gifsets, icons, layouts, manifestos, meta, multimedia mixes, picspams, playlists, podfic, vids & whatever else strikes you as having been pretty darn cool. Make the list themed if you like, or the last three things you made heart eyes over. Include fandoms big or small or only you and that one other person.

I totally encourage people to include a note of why they liked the thing, but linking to them with accompanying emoji and exclamation marks also works. (But please double check that if you're linking to LJ or DW, it's not to a locked post.)

Tip: When you post your link here, it helps to indicate what fandoms you're including in your list, so that other folk can find your recs more easily.

Check out the comments for all the awesome participants of the challenge and visit their journals/challenge responses to comment on their posts and cheer them on. (And because we were gifted with paid time for the month of January, you can search comments! So don’t forget to list the fandom(s) in your comment so people can search for it.)

And just as a reminder: this is a low pressure, fun challenge. If you aren't comfortable doing a particular challenge, then don't. We aren't keeping track of who does what.