In 2023 we ran an event called Finishing Months, where the goal was for writers and artists to finish old works. We liked it so much we decided to make it a biannual Thing. With 2025 somehow staring us in the face, that means it’s once again time to type “The End” and click “Complete” on some of those old WIPs collecting dust on your profile page.

Starting January 1, and running until the end of March, we’re asking writers and artists to complete any work or works started for an event* or to finish a longstanding WIP. (We're defining a longstanding WIP as a work that started posting on Elysian Fields prior to January 1, 2023.)

* NOTE: Finishing abandoned Secret Santa gifts, Mystery Month works, Drabblemania, or mini-event (such as Monster Mash) works that were not posted by their relevant deadlines do not count toward this event unless they also meet the “longstanding WIP” requirement.

Okay, so that’s the basic gist. But I know what you really want to know about: the awards! I mean, the deets!

When is Finishing Months 2025?

The event starts at 12:00 am on January 1, 2025 and ends at 11:59:59 pm on March 31, 2025.

What works qualify?

Any work started for any event* or any incomplete work that started posting on Elysian Fields before January 1, 2023.

* NOTE: Finishing abandoned Secret Santa gifts, Mystery Month works, Drabblemania, or mini-event works that were not posted by their relevant deadlines do not count toward this event unless they also meet the “longstanding WIP” requirement.

I’ve been working on something since before January 1, 2023 but it’s not on the site. Does my work qualify?

Unfortunately, we have no way to verify this, so we can’t allow unposted WIPs to qualify. The work must have started posting, on our site, before January 1, 2023 to be eligible for awards.

How do the Creator Awards work?

For creator awards, we’re once again offering Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards.

If you complete one qualifying work, you will get a bronze award. Complete two and you get silver. Three or more work completed will earn you a gold award.

I want a Commenter Award. How do I get one?

To qualify for the 2025 Finishing Months Commenter Award, you must have left at least FIFTY (50) comments of at least 15 words between January 1 and March 31 2025 on works that are a WIP at the time the comment is made.

Wait, was that confusing?

If the story is a WIP when you make the comment, it counts toward the commenter award, even if it’s marked complete before the end of the event.

You can track your completion for this award on the 2025 Finishing Months Comment Challenge page.

Won’t someone think of the Beta and Sensitivity Readers Award?

Betas and Sensitivity Readers can get the award by beta reading chapters posted during 2025 Finishing Months on qualifying works completed as part of the event. Beta work for chapters posted before January 1, 2025 does not qualify.

Tell me about the Artist Award.

You can get this award by creating a new banner for a qualifying work that is completed as part of the 2025 Finishing Months event, or by creating illustrations for a qualifying work (by you or another creator) that is completed as part of the event.

Okay, but how will you know who gets the Beta and Artist Awards?

You’re so smart! Did we plant you in the audience? We pulled the credits list on January 1, 2025 and plan to check again on April 1, 2025, but that will only tell us if you added a new beta or artist. We’re going to rely on you all, our creators, artists, and betas to tell us if an already-credited beta continued to work on a fic, or if the original banner artist created a new banner to celebrate the work’s completion (and we wouldn’t say no if you told us about any new betas or artists you’re working with). You can do so by filling out this Google Form for each person who should get an award. If you have more than one qualifying work, you will need to fill it out for each work. You will also need to fill it out for each person you worked with. In other words, one form per work per person who qualifies for an award.

Don’t forget! If you created art for your own work, please fill out a copy of the form for yourself as well so you get your shiny new award.

My work has a co-author, do we both get the Creator award(s)?

Yep! All co-authors will get credit toward the bronze, silver, and gold Creator awards.

Where can I find the works that are part of the event?

We have a 2025 Finishing Months event page! Works won’t appear here until they’re marked complete, so keep checking back!

How can I see which creators are getting an award?

Check the 2025 Finishing Months Creators page to see which authors have completed at least one work that is eligible for the award! 

Do I have to click anything on the Edit Story page? Is there an event icon for this?

Nope! There is no event icon and you don’t need to “opt-in” to this event on the Edit Story page like you would for one of our other events. We do everything on the back end for this one.

I think I should have an award but I’m not showing up on the commenter page or creators page/I didn’t get an award at the end of the month and think I should have one. What do I do?

If you think you should have an award but it’s missing from your profile, email us at elysianfieldsarchive@gmail.com with all the relevant details so we can verify. 

For creators, we need your username, links to the relevant works, and a brief sentence detailing how/why the work qualifies.

For commenters, please provide your username.

For artists, please provide your username and the qualifying works you created art for. Remember, you only get this award if you create a new banner or illustrations for a qualifying work by another creator that is completed during Finishing Months 2025.

For beta and sensitivity readers, please provide your username and the qualifying works you betaed. Remember, you only get this award if you betaed a completed work during the 2025 Finishing Months event (January 1, 2025-March 31, 2025). Beta work for chapters posted before January 1, 2025 do not qualify.

I have another question that isn’t answered here.

Ask away in the comments or email us at elysianfieldsarchive@gmail.com and we’ll answer as soon as we can!

--cawthraven and the Mods on January 02, 2025 12:28pm 6 Comments