Welcome to the third round of Hey, Sweetheart, the event where we challenge you to use the pet name “sweetheart” in fic or art!

Years ago, someone told me that I couldn’t write Jim Kirk calling Spock “sweetheart.” Instead of getting upset, I dedicated an event to it! Today, Hey Sweetheart is an all-fandoms fest.

<aside> 💕 EVENT UPDATES 2/2: AO3 and Squidge collections are open! I won’t start approving works until the 11th, but you can get your drafts ready.

1/8: The prompts are here! The sign-up form is open! The page is updated!

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🗓️ EVENT DATES February 11-14, 2024

<aside> 💌 Submit your work to our 2024 list (the form will open on February 11th!)

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<aside> <img src="/icons/compose_pink.svg" alt="/icons/compose_pink.svg" width="40px" /> Sign up

can’t remember if you signed up? check the list

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<aside> <img src="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" alt="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" width="40px" /> Rules

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<aside> <img src="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" alt="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" width="40px" /> Daily prompts

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<aside> <img src="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" alt="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" width="40px" /> Posting Info

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<aside> <img src="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" alt="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" width="40px" /> FAQs

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<aside> <img src="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" alt="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" width="40px" /> Questions

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The challenge:

<aside> <img src="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" alt="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" width="40px" /> In fic: Have a character call someone else “sweetheart” as a pet name. No sarcasm, please! It can be an accident or in anger, but they should mean it.

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<aside> <img src="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" alt="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" width="40px" /> In art: Use the word in a piece of art. You can stylize it as a design element, or it can appear as a pet name in a speech bubble.

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Daily prompts

optional!

The daily prompts are suggestions to give you ideas. Use them along with the “sweetheart” prompt in any combination. Stick to the four for a specific day, work with just one category (e.g. settings), or mix and match. You can also skip.

You do not have to post any prompt on a specific date!

<aside> 💕 Key: 👭 Ship type | 🗺️ Setting | 💍 Object | 💕 Action/trope

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February 11

👭 Soulmates

🗺️ Castle

💍 A book

💕 Arranged marriage (bonus: not to each other) or re-encounter/reunion

February 12

👭 Star-crossed lovers

🗺️ A shack somewhere

💍 Flowers

💕 Outlaws or on the run

February 13

👭 Friends to Lovers

🗺️ Beach or club

💍 Sunglasses

💕 Fake relationships or didn’t know they were dating

February 14

👭 Enemies/rivals to lovers

🗺️ Forest or garden

💍 A calendar or planner

💕 Hanahaki or mutual pining

Rules

• The pet name “sweetheart” must be included in the work:
  • For fic, a character must call another character “sweetheart.” No sarcasm, please.
  • For art, the word may be stylized as a design element or used in speech. If a character is speaking, as with fic “sweetheart” must be used as a pet name.
• The daily prompts are optional and can be used along with the “sweetheart” prompt however you like (or not at all).
• Everything you post for the event should be new OR unpublished WIPs.
• Anyone 14 years or older is welcome to join. If you will be under 18 at posting, please keep your rating from G to Teen!
• All fandoms and all ships are welcome. Gen too!
• Original works are also welcome.
• Works can be in any language.
• Create one thing or 30.
• Sign-ups stay open through the end of posting, so you can join at any time!
• There are no penalties if you can’t finish. You don’t even have to tell us.
• We have no content restrictions, minimums, or maximums! All genres, tropes, AUs, etc. are welcome. Do whatever you want! Write MCD. We don’t care.

<aside> <img src="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" alt="/icons/heart-outline_pink.svg" width="40px" /> Every year, I get questions about this, but I mean it: we don’t tell you what you’re allowed to write. If you ask me whether you’re permitted to do something, I’m going to screencap this little box and send it to you with a hug.

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Posting

We’re no longer able to invite works into AO3 collections, so be sure to add yours! If it doesn’t appear in the drop-down, paste the collection name into the field and hit enter.

Post any time from February 11th through the 14th!

Share your work(s) on the site(s) of your choice: bluesky, twitter, tumblr, ao3, etc.

If you’re using daily prompts, it doesn’t matter what day(s) you share your fills.

On AO3: collection sweetheart2024

On Squidge: collection sweetheart2024

Bsky & Twitter: tag #heysweetheart and @ficwip

Tumblr: tag #hey sweetheart and @ficwip

And the final step...

After you post your work, submit the link to us! Once we receive it, we will approve your work into the AO3 collection and boost you on social.

If you’re creating multiple works for the fest, please submit them individually. If you skip this step, you won’t officially be included in the event. We use a central list since people post across 4+ sites. This is how we prevent chaos.

Get our promo graphic template on Canva

Totally optional to use. Maybe it’ll save you some time! You can also copy/paste our logos out of it.