Archive of Our Own

Welcome to the Strike Fic Exchange! This is a casual prompt meme for fans for the Cormoran Strike books and TV show to share ideas and stories.

I was inspired by the classic Porn Battle, but have modified it into a Prompt Meme to fit the needs and preferences of the fandom. (For example, it's no longer focused on smut.) Here you will be able to leave prompts for any type of fic you'd like to read, so long as it's set in the world of Cormoran Strike.

I hope you find something to spark your interest!

Q: What are the guidelines for sending in prompts?
A: I detail those right on the Prompt Form page, so head over there to find out more! It's not super complicated, I promise.

Q: How long do prompt fills need to be?
A: As long as you want them to be! Traditional Porn Battle prompt fills were short, often just a few hundred words. Don't feel pressured to write anything lengthy for your prompt fills, just write as much as you need to in order to tell the story you want to tell. It's a gift you're giving, not a task being demanded of you.

Q: Can I claim more than one prompt at a time?
A: You can, but it's rude to claim too many at once. Better to claim one or two, fulfill them, then move on to the next. Prompts can be filled more than once, so you won't miss out on them. Don't be greedy.

Q: So... how do I claim and fulfill a prompt?
A: It's simple! To claim a prompt, just click "claim." That's it. Now it's yours!
To post your prompt fill, the easiest method is to go directly through the claims page to post your fic. Don't post it first! It's much more complicated, though still doable.
To Fulfill: Open your Claims page. You can find it in the left-hand side-bar of most internal Ao3 pages, or you can see your claims by clicking "My Claims" in the left-hand side-bar of this very page on desktop, or at the top of the page on mobile. Then just click "Fulfill" on the prompt you're ready to post! The regular New Post form will appear, with all the info filled in for you so that it will automatically post as a prompt fill. Very easy like I said. Nothing to fear!

Q: What if I claim a prompt then decide not to write it?
A: Don't worry, it happens. Follow the same steps as above for fulfilling, but click "Drop Claim" instead. Come back for another prompt when you're ready!

Q: If I send in a prompt (or five, or ten) do I then have to write something in exchange?
A: No, it's not a one-to-one requirement! Some people are lurkers with good ideas, some people write stories and have a hard time overcoming writer's block until they're prompted. It all comes out even in the end.

Q: How are the tags available chosen?
A: I have a tagset built for this prompt meme, so that the prompts can be sorted into useful categories but to keep prompts from becoming too specific. The point of a Porn Battle or prompt meme is to keep things open to the writer's (or artist's, or vidder's) interpretation.

Q: Artists? Vidders? Does that mean you can fulfill prompts with things that aren't fic?
A: Of course! Back in the Olden Days of exchanges, people used to make fanvids, icon sets, fanart, fanmixes, lots of non-fic things! Ao3 can't host most of those, but you are more than welcome to embed and share them as prompt fills.

Q: If someone has already written a fill for a prompt, does that mean I can't write anything for it?
A: Prompts can be filled as many times as you like! But please try to branch out and make sure that other people's prompts are also being filled. It's not fun to watch the same people fulfill each other's prompts and leave others out.

Q: Do I have to include the Additional tags in my prompt fill? I do/don't want to write Smut/Angst/Fluff!
A: They're not required, but common sense rules apply. The "No" tags are more important that the rest, in this regard; if a prompt marked No Smut, and you write several hundred words of PWP, that's a bit rude, don't you think? Whereas if the prompt is marked Fluff and you throw in some smut, that's not an offence.

Q: I've never done this before and I'm nervous! What if I mess up?
A: You're not alone! Lots of people learn new skills every day, and most of them are nervous too. I promise that this Prompt Meme is full of lovely, kind people who want to know what you have to say. I'm sure you can do it! And if you mess up, that's alright, just message me and we'll figure it out. You're not going to break anything. Go for it!

If you have any questions not answered here, you can find me on tumblr at lemon-verbena-writes.tumblr.com and ask me there. Anonymous questions are enabled, so you don't need an account to send me a message.

1. This Prompt Meme is run in good faith and requires you to also engage in good faith, and to use your common sense. Be kind, polite, and respectful of each other's wishes. This fandom has been entirely lovely to be a part of, and let's keep it that way for everyone!

2. Follow the guidelines stated in the Prompt Form and in the FAQ.

3. Enjoy yourself!