BBC MERLIN REVERSE BANG

The 2025-2026 BBC Merlin Reverse Bang brings together artists and writers to create new works for the fandom. Fandom artists will create art, and fandom writers will create a story based off of that art. Come join the fun!

FAQs

What is the BBC Merlin Reverse Bang?
A traditional “bang” (or big bang) involves fandom writers creating a story and fandom artists creating fanart based off of that story. A reverse bang is the opposite! Fandom artists will create art, and fandom writers will create a story based off of that art and the artists’ concept for the fic.How will artists and writers collaborate with each other?
Artists will create art based on an original concept. Writers will choose which art to work with through anonymous claiming. Writers will then create a fic based on the art and concept that they claimed.This reverse bang is meant to be a true collaboration, and writers & artists must be in frequent communication with each other during the duration of the fest. The fic must be based off the art, and some of the art may need to be based off the fic. If you don't want to collaborate with another creator, this might not be the fest for you! (And that's okay!)What should the collaboration look like?
Some options: If you’re a writer who outlines before writing, share your outline! If you don’t outline, share snippets as you draft! The main point is to be in touch with your partner on a regular basis. This is to ensure the artist can complete the other half of their work based on your fic. This is also to ensure the fest is enjoyable for all and that the artists are getting fics truly based off their original concept. We recommend trying to come up with a communication plan once you've been matched so that you both have the same expectations for the partnership!Is there a dedicated community space for the reverse bang participants?
You can join us on Discord in the Tavern server (18+ only). When you join (or if you’re already a member there), don’t forget to ask for the Reverse Bang role to gain access to our exclusive channels. (Channels will only be available after sing-ups open on August 3rd.)What kind of “art” is allowed?

If you make a different kind of art and would like to participate, please reach out to the mods so we can get your medium added to our list!What kind of content is allowed?
All pairings and ratings are allowed, as long as your creations are BBC Merlin-centric and properly tagged and/or warned for! Participating minors (under 18) may not create explicit art/fic or partner with someone creating explicit art/fic. RPF (Real-Person Fiction) will not be accepted for this Reverse Bang.What are the minimum final requirements to participate as an artist?

What are the minimum requirements to participate as a writer?
Writers will be required to write a fic of at least 7,500 words to accompany the art. There is no maximum limit. Your fic must be inspired by the concept and art created by your partnered artist. Your fic must be completed at the time of posting and posted in completion (posting cannot be spread out over multiple days or weeks).Can I post a Work-in-Progress or post my work in pieces over a longer span of time?
No, WIPs will not be allowed for this fest. All works must be completed at the time of posting. All works must be posted in completion on their designated posting day.As an artist, can I submit art for more than one concept?
Artists can submit art for up to 3 concepts! Each concept will require 2 completed pieces of art fort posting. For example, this means a traditional artist could create 2 pieces for their first concept & writer collaboration, and then also create an additional 2 pieces for a second concept & writer collaboration. This artist would create a minimum of 4 pieces.As a writer, can I write a fic for more than one concept?
No - writers can sign up to partner with 1 artist. This is to ensure as many writers as possible are able to participate.As an artist, do I have to allow my art/concept to be claimed more than once?
Absolutely not! This will be completely optional and up to you. We fully understand that letting your concept be claimed more than once likely means more work for you, which is why it’s not mandatory. If you think you’d be up for the challenge, though, we do encourage it!Where will the fic and art be posted?
All fic will be posted on AO3 to the BBC Merlin Reverse Bang collection: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/bbcmerlinreversebang.
Art can also be posted to AO3 in several ways:

If it is the artist’s preference, art can be posted exclusively to Tumblr, in which case the writer will include a link to the Tumblr post somewhere in their AO3 fic post. The official BBC Merlin Reverse Bang Tumblr account will reblog any Tumblr-only art posts.Is my work required to be beta’d?
Yes, both fic and all visual art are required to be reviewed by a beta prior to posting. We will have a public list of volunteer betas for your convenience. Please note that the betas on our list are not obligated to accept your requests and are allowed to decline requests for any reason.Can I sign up as both an artist and a writer?
If you are confident you can complete both sets of requirements within the allotted time, you are welcome to sign up as both an artist and a writer.Can two artists or two writers collaborate?
No - everyone will participate as an individual.Does my work have to remain anonymous?
Art needs to be anonymous until after writer claiming and all participants are matched. This is to encourage writers to claim based on the art/concept alone and not the artist or their reputation. Anonymous means that you do not share your work’s title, theme/main ideas, plot/concept, or any art snippets or previews before the writer claiming happens. This includes on social media sites, in Discord servers, or in any other fandom spaces.However, after claiming has been completed, artists and writers are free to share snippets or previews of their in-progress work (such as on Discord) as long as they do not share the whole work until posting.Can my art or fic also be used to fill a Bingo square, Tavern round, or be part of some other fest or challenge?
Yes, as long as the mods of the other fest or challenge are open to cross-posting, you can use your reverse bang as a fill or entry for anything else. However, if you are a writer, your first priority should be to base your fic on the art and artist's concept.

_{If you have any additional questions not answered on our carrd pages,
please contact the mods at [email protected] or send us an ask on tumblr!}

Info & Rules

The 2025-2026 BBC Merlin Reverse Bang brings together artists and writers to create new works for the fandom. Fandom artists will create art, and fandom writers will create a story based off of that art.To learn more about the fest, including final requirements for art & fic, please see our FAQs. See below for detailed information on collaborations.

Artists and writers will collaborate with each other after writer claiming. During this process, the artists’ draft work & concept will be posted anonymously for the writers to preview. Writers will then decide which art/concept they would like to work on and they will “claim” that art.Artists will have until Sunday, November 1, 2025 to complete the minimum amount of art required for writer claiming. At that point, 50% of the final requirements will be due. On or before November 1, artists will have to submit:

In addition to their draft work, artists will also submit the concept for the fic they would like to accompany their art. Artists will also be able to specify preferences such as pairings, ratings, genres, eras, and content they like or do not want. They will also be able to indicate whether their art & concept can be claimed by more than one writer.From November 3-7, the artists’ draft work and concepts will be on display for writers to preview and decide what they want to claim. Please note that, until claiming is over, art must remain anonymous. Artists will be able to publicly speak about their work after all submissions have been claimed and revealed.Claiming will open on Saturday, November 8th. Claiming will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. If a writer is not available at the time of claiming but still wishes to participate, they can ask a friend to complete the claiming process for them (claiming by proxy).After claiming, writers will begin to work on a fic based on the artist’s art, preferences, and concept. Both writers and artists will have until February 22, 2026 to complete and finalize their work. All fics and visual arts must be reviewed by a beta before posting.

_{If you have any additional questions not answered on our carrd pages,
please contact the mods at [email protected] or send us an ask on tumblr!}

Schedule

Note that there are 2 post-claiming check-ins for all participants. For writers, we recommend being 1/3 of the way through your creation by the first check-in and 2/3 of the way through your creation by the second check-in. If aiming for the 7.5k minimum word count, this means being at 2.5k for the first check-in and at 5k for the second check-in.

_{If you have any additional questions not answered on our carrd pages,
please contact the mods at [email protected] or send us an ask on tumblr!}

Betas

All words and visual art are required to be beta'd prior to posting for the 2025-2026 BBC Merlin Reverse Bang.Here is where you can find an alpha or beta for your fic or art. Please remember that these folks are volunteers and that they can decline to work with you at any time and for any reason.Alphas are like cheerleaders - they can help cheer you along in your progress, brainstorm, provide positive feedback/encouragement, and read/look at early drafts of work you wouldn’t normally share with a beta.Betas are like editors - they will look at your completed drafts to offer feedback on anything that might be able to be improved. You are not required to make any changes suggested by your beta.Some alphas & betas on our list have chosen to keep their contact information private. If you are interested in working with one of these folks, please reach out to the mods via email or tumblr ask to receive their contact information privately.When you reach out to a potential alpha or beta, please be sure to let them know:

If your work contains explicit content, please double-check that your prospective alpha or beta is comfortable with that content before contacting them. Do not solicit partnership or feedback from anyone under 18 if your work contains explicit content.

Check our our list of alphas and betas HERE!!You will be able to filter or sort the gallery to show only alphas, only betas, only those willing to work on art, only those willing to work on fic, etc!If you're interested in working with someone who choses not to include public contact information, please reach out to the mods to get their private contact information!

NOTE FOR ALPHAS & BETAS: If at any point you would like to be removed from our list, or if changes are needed in your information, please contact the mods at [email protected] or send us an ask on Tumblr.

_{If you have any additional questions not answered on our carrd pages,
please contact the mods at [email protected] or send us an ask on tumblr!}

SIGN-UPS

_{If you have any additional questions not answered on our carrd pages,
please contact the mods at [email protected] or send us an ask on tumblr!}