#queengenweek2023

What does Gen mean?

Gen, short for “general,” is a term used in fanfic communities to refer to works of fanart that are platonic: they explore bonds of friendship rather than bonds of romance. There may be some form of romance in the background, but the main focus should be on the non-romantic relationship between the characters. Gen fanart celebrates the friendship between characters.

Mind AO3's Gen tag and policies for further instructions.

With help from last year's event post, refer to this amazing resource on asexual/aromantic characters and how to give them substance! This is an ASPEC safe space and consciously inclusive.

Who and what is welcome?

Everyone who wants to celebrate the platonic friendships in and around Queen is welcome! All gen-oriented works of art are welcome, which include but are not limited to:

Fanfiction

Other forms of literature (poetry)

Visual art (traditional or digital)

Moodboards

Playlists

Photo edits

If you prefer so, you can stay anonymous during the event. Both AO3 and Tumblr have options to post anonymously. You can use this quick guide on how to post anonymously on AO3. If you want to upload to Tumblr anonymously, you can DM us, and we will share your contribution on your behalf. You can also submit any questions you have about the event to us with the ask-button or DM function.

Prompts?

To help you get going, we’ve come up with different prompts for each day of the event. You are free to use them, improve them, combine them, mix and match them, or do whatever you feel like with them: creativity is key!

Day 1: Thursday 15 June

Lyric: I'd better go to bed and have an early night

Childhood friends

Growing apart

Cult classic: The Outsiders

Looking back at memories

Day 2: Friday 16 June

Quote: “The group tends to be the most stable family we’ve got.” B.M.

Police encounter

Getting lost in a strange city

Cult classic: Spirited Away

Facing a fear

Day 3: Saturday 17 June

Lyric: Take heart, my friend, we love you/Though it seems like you’re alone

Family/marriage problems

Revealing a secret

Cult classic: The Lord of the Rings

Getting a tattoo together

Day 4: Sunday 18 June

Quote: “Not too bad for four ageing Queens.” F.M.

Best Man speech

Teaching each other instruments

Cult classic: Hangover

House fire

More rules?

If you've participated in fandom events before, you probably know the drill by now. If you still have questions on what to keep in mind when creating and/or consuming, please refer to the detailed additional rules we have set up for PolyWeek this year. In short, mind the following:

Support creators.

Tag your work appropriately.

Do not engage with hateful feedback.

Do not supply negativity.

Do not interact with NSFW/18+ content if you're a minor.

We encourage you all to participate, contribute, consume, and support the event if you feel you want to! It's a safe space for all, no need to feel shy about creating. We wish you all the luck, inspiration and fun in the world and hope to see you there!