Today is International Fanworks Day 2016

As we mentioned last month, the OTW will be hosting events for International Fanworks Day again this year across all timezones.

1. Feedback Fest: Everyone who creates and shares fanworks loves hearing from the people who enjoyed it, so we’re hosting a Feedback Fest to celebrate the works that we love. Participate by leaving a comment to our Feedback Fest post with either your recs, or a link to your post elsewhere with your recs (use the #IFDFest tag!). Share what you love about fanworks while encouraging others to leave feedback, too. You may even win a gift.
2. Short fanworks challenge: Get out your tablet, your laptop, or your phone and create a short fanwork on the following topic:What does your favorite character—or your favorite pairing—get fannish over? For example:
   • What happens when Hetalia’s Axis Powers and Allied Forces compete in League of Legends?
   • Has Kermit the Frog ever cosplayed as Yoda?
   • What happens when the Avengers take a break from civil war and instead take an afternoon to fan squee over Hamilton?

   Post your haiku, drabble, drawble, short vid, audio work or other format on February 15th and tag it #IFDShare on tumblr, Facebook, Dreamwidth, or wherever you fan. And if you post it on Archive of Our Own, tag it with the International Fanworks Day 2016 tag.

   Keep it safe-for-work, and we may give you a signal boost!

3. What Fanworks Mean to Me: In December, we sent out a call for essay contributions about what fanworks mean to you. We’ve distributed guest posts through OTW News with some of the results. But if you missed your chance to participate, #IFDShare is also for meta! Let people know how you feel and help spread the International Fanworks Day celebrations.
4. Fan Activism: The OTW’s Legal Committee has long worked to protect fanworks. They recently asked for stories from fans worldwide on how notice and takedown is impacting fandom. Have you, or anyone you know, been the subject of a takedown notice? What did you do about it? How did it feel? Have you had a fanwork of your own removed, or has a work you loved been removed? Please submit information you have by February 28. Help the OTW let governments around the globe know that fanworks are important to you!
5. Games and Fan Chat: We’re hosting a 35-hour party in the OTW’s Public Discussion chatroom. Join us and take part in scheduled games, or chat and share fanworks with fellow fans.All times below are in UTC. Click the link to see the time in your timezone
   • February 14th
   • 18:00 – Linkee — Claudia Rebaza (OTW Communications), host
   • 19:30 – Poetry Round Robin — C. Ryan Smith (OTW Development & Membership), host
   • 21:30 – Lyrics Round Robin — C. Ryan Smith (OTW Development & Membership), host
   • 22:45 – Scattegories — Curtis Jefferson (OTW Volunteers & Recruiting), host
   • February 15th
   • 01:15 – Trivial Pursuit — Claudia Rebaza (OTW Communications), host
   • 03:01 – Cards Against Humanity – Heidi Tandy (OTW Legal) and Mark Oshiro (Mark Does Stuff), hosts
   • 06:00 – 20 Questions — Sarah Remy (OTW Communications), host
   • 07:01 – Character Association — ashleyhasahat (OTW Communications), host
   • 08:00 – First and Last — ashleyhasahat (OTW Communications), host
   • 08:45 – That’s Life — ashleyhasahat (OTW Communications), host
   • 10:30 – Sounds Like — Janet Vandenabeele (OTW Communications), host
   • 12:00 – That’s Life — Janet Vandenabeele (OTW Communications), host
   • 13:30 – Lyrics Round Robin — C. Ryan Smith (OTW Development & Membership), host
   • 15:00 – Poetry Round Robin — C. Ryan Smith (OTW Development & Membership), host
   • 16:30 – Scattegories — Curtis Jefferson (OTW Volunteers & Recruiting), host
   • 18:00 – Three Degrees — Curtis Jefferson (OTW Volunteers & Recruiting), host
   • 19:30 – Linkee — Sarah Remy (OTW Communications), host
   • 21:00 – That’s Life — Sarah Remy (OTW Communications), host
   • 22:30 – 20 Questions — Claudia Rebaza (OTW Communications), host
   • 23:30 – Three Degrees — Claudia Rebaza (OTW Communications), host
   • February 16th
   • 01:30 – That’s Life — Janet Vandenabeele (OTW Communications) & Angel F. (OTW Translation), hosts
   • 02:30 – Three Degrees — Janet Vandenabeele (OTW Communications) & Angel F. (OTW Translation), hosts
   • 03:01 – Cards Against Humanity — Kirsten Korona and Janita Burgess (OTW Communications), hosts

   There will be 4 games offering prizes of a packet of OTW merchandise, which includes a nylon carry-all, stickers and magnets. To keep things manageable the chat room has a 50-person limit at any one time, so if you’re unable to get in for one event, do try another.

6. We also want to hear from you about other celebrations taking place today. Here are some we know about
   1. GleeBlast 2016 is encouraging every Glee writer or artist to help blast AO3 with as much new Glee fandom material as possible! Write, draw, mix, or vid something special from Glee fandom and post it to AO3 today.
   2. In our events announcement post, a fan suggested drawing an F on your index fingernails to signal your participation in fandom to fellow fans today.

   Leave us a comment here to tell us about what your fandom communities are hosting!