Rare Pair Exchange

Sign-Ups are now open! They will close on May 11th, 11:59PM EDT [ Countdown ] [ In your timezone ]

HELPFUL LINKS: | Tagset. | AO3 app | Exchange rules.

An AO3 account is required to participate. If you need an AO3 invite, please reach out to the mods via email.

Regarding requests:

• You can request a minimum of 3 unique fandoms with a maximum of 10 fandoms, with 1-10 ships and a choice of fiction, art, or both.


• There is a known bug with AO3 where the ship may be in the tagset but might not appear in the drop-down option. If that is the case, copy the ship from the tagset, paste it into the box (press enter afterwards), and AO3 should accept it.


• You can edit/delete your sign-up until the sign-up period closes. We will not be editing sign-ups when the sign-up period closes, so please make sure your sign-up contains the fandoms/ships you want and all the information your creator will need to create you a fanwork!


• If a sign-up does not include the required number of fandoms, it will be deleted when sign-ups close.


• Optional details can be added in the box provided. We encourage you to list your likes and do not wants and put prompts for your creator. This will give your creator a better picture of what you would/wouldn't enjoy.
  
  We strongly advise against using this as an opportunity to box your creator into making a specific type of work. (You risk having your sign-up deleted if you do this.)


• If you're requesting more than one ship, please do not express preferences for one fandom/ship over the rest in your optional details and/or letter. Your creator will be matching to any of the fandoms you select, so please make sure you request fandoms and ships you'd be happy to receive a fanwork for!


• Please make sure you list your do not wants (DNWs) clearly. We will not be upholding DNWs in the instance where one is violated if the DNWs are not clearly stated and are unreasonable. DNWs in letters will not be upheld if there is a violation in the fanwork you receive, so please ensure these are in the optional details of your sign-up.
  
  "Do not wants" are tropes, subjects, plots, etc. that you do not want to have incorporated into your gift because it would ruin your enjoyment of the work.
  
  Please avoid using defamatory language when expressing your dislikes and dealbreakers. What you dislike may be something someone else likes.


• If you're open to treats, please make a mention of this in the optional details of your sign-up. You're welcome to request only art and opt into fic treats and visa versa (as well as opt into both). You are also welcome to opt out of treats. Please remember stating you're open to treats does not guarantee you a treat.


• We also encourage you to write a letter to your creator if you wish to expand on your likes and prompts. This is optional and not at all mandatory. If you choose to create a letter, it must be completed by the time sign-ups close so you can to give your creator the maximum amount of time to work on your gift.


• All fandoms and ships requested and offered in this exchange must be chosen from the approved 2024 tagset.


• You will match based on one fandom, ship, and medium.


• If there aren't any offers that match your requests, you will go out for claiming as an initial pinch hit.


• Pinch hits will be posted after assignments are sent out.

Regarding offers:

• You must offer a minimum of 3 unique fandoms with at least 1 ship. You can offer a maximum of 10 offers and 10 ships per offer.


• You can offer a choice of art, fic, or both.


• You will be matched on one fandom, ship, and medium, so please review the requests carefully.


• If for some reason that you are not matched to what you offer, please contact the mods immediately. We will only change your assignment after they've been sent out if this occurs.


• You cannot swap assignments, so please ensure you offer what you are eager to create.


• Once sign-ups close, if there aren't any requests that match your offers, the mods will contact you at the email address associated with your AO3 account to see if there is anything else you can offer. If you do not reply within 24 hours, or there is nothing else you can offer, your sign-up will be deleted. Please check your email's junk/spam folders!

Regarding do not match requests:

• We accept do not match requests for this exchange and will accept them until sign-ups close.


• If you wish to not match to a participant, please email [email protected] letting us know your AO3 name, the AO3 name of the participant you would like not to be matched to, and what you would like us to do in the instance where you are their only match as a creator, you are their only match as a recipient, and you are a pinch hit. We don't need to know the reasons for this request. We'll do our best to uphold your request.


• Please do not use this as an opportunity to try and match to a specific creator.

A reminder about mandatory commenting on your assignment:

• Please be aware that if you sign up for this exchange, commenting on the fanwork you receive is mandatory for you to be able to participate in the next round.


• If you participated in our 2023 round and did not comment on your gift, you will not be able to participate in the 2024 round.

We may contact you if your sign-up breaks any of the above rules or is found to be in bad faith. We hold the right to delete your sign-up without warning if you act in bad faith. We want everyone to have fun enjoying their rare pairs!

If you have any questions or comments, you can either leave a comment here (anon is on, screening is not) or email the mods at [email protected]. Please allow us two business days to respond to you before following up.