Hi! *How* and *when* to submit on AO3 Collection Cestember 2025 isn’t entirely clear from faq/rules. It seems we can submit it anytime, but this seems strange when there’s a clear schedule and theme for each day?
Also, is CCNTUAW allowed?
How is pretty simple! You can use this button on the collection page:
Just make a New Work like usual and then in the “Post to Collections/Challenges” box start typing Cestember and Cestember 2025 will show up.
The “When” is tripping a few people up and I get why, it is a calendar event! The reason why we are so open is that we want people to still be able to add to the collection if their work takes longer than expected. We don’t want people to stress out if they aren’t perfectly on time. This (hopefully) creates an environment where we get longer incest works, more incest works (especially in smaller fandoms), and more satisfied creators.
Of course it is more beneficial posting on schedule. You will get to feel closer to the community by talking through prompts and post alongside other people, and posting with the same group every day. You are a part of the general event hype from readers! And, we are also planning (🤞) on posting a daily recap so you will be included in that as well! Overall, it’s more fun to post on schedule but it’s not required.
Is CCNTUAW (Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings) allowed?
We had a long discussion about this, and we asked a group of people about their thoughts too, which is why this answer took so long.
On the one hand we want you to have a lot of creative freedom, and on the other we know that just because a reader wants to read one taboo thing, doesn’t mean they want to read any taboo thing. Rule #3 also says “NSFW, other Dead Dove and dark content is welcome, but please tag them accordingly.”
What we decided on was: yes, you can use CCNTUAW. It is well known that CCNTUAW often contains dark content, and is a warning in of itself.
You also don’t have to use to use the AO3 tagging system for trigger/dead dove/nsfw/taboo warnings (if, for example, it would spoil a major plot point) HOWEVER they must appear somewhere in your work (for example in the End A/N or the beginning A/N with a dropdown). Use your best judgement as a community member for what is necessary to tag.
(Remember: Tags don’t just warn people, they draw people in.)
Hopefully this made sense! Sorry it took so so so long, it really was a long, thought out decision.
