Permission

Unlike some other collaborative universes you might have encountered, an author requires Permission to write PPC stories. This is so we can ensure that new stories are written well and in the spirit of the PPC.

The Permission process was started by Jay and Acacia, who asked people to email them before posting a spin-off, use their gadgets, follow their naming system for new stuff, include jokes and references, and try not to contradict PPC backstory. When Jay left, she passed the responsibility on to Miss Cam, GreyLadyBast, and Thalia Weaver, and the Permission Givers faithfully carry the torch to this day.

When can I get Permission?
There's no defined timeline for asking for Permission. You should wait until you understand how the PPC as a shared universe works, and until the community knows who you are. Some good markers to look for are:


 * If asked, you could say who your favorite non-TOS agent is, and give a solid reason why.
 * You've taken part in a range of different community activities on the Board or Chat, including discussions that aren't about your own plans for writing agents.
 * You can get through the Permission Self-Check without too much trouble and feel like you understand the gist of the PPC.
 * You feel you have a friend or two in the community.

How do I get Permission?
The Permission process isn't meant to be particularly difficult: all we really want is to check that you can write decently, that you're going to stick around, and that you understand what the PPC is all about. When you're ready (see above), start a thread on the Board and give us the following:

A Permission Giver should be along fairly soon to check out your request. They'll look at your agents, your writing (both SPaG/technical skill and how "PPC-ish" it feels), how well you fit into the community, and generally just whether you're prepared to contribute to the shared PPC universe we all love. Whether they grant Permission or tell you to do a bit more reading and writing practice first, they'll probably give you some concrit along with their decision. PGs are long-time members of the community who are widely trusted for their writing skill and understanding of the PPC universe, so make the most of the feedback you get! It comes from the heart.
 * Brief bios of your intended agents (200-400 words per agent, give or take). These should be the agent team you're looking to use in your main series. See below for more on what we're after, but basically this is so we can check they're not blatant, canon-breaking Suvians or grimdark evil.
 * A link to the first badfic your agents will take on and a paragraph or two about why you picked it. Don't just pick the story you hate most in the world—look for something that will make a good mission, and a good first mission (not always the same thing!). If you need help telling what sort of badfic makes a good mission, see the Mission Writing Guide.
 * If you don't want to spork badfic, that's fine! We love stories set in and around PPC Headquarters. Just give us a couple of paragraphs on what you plan to write instead of missions.
 * A sample of your writing—at least 600 words—that you feel represents how you'd write for the PPC. It can be something you've already written, or new for the occasion. It doesn't need to be PPC-related, but can be: some people have used interludes, cowrites, RPs, or the intro to their planned first mission. Make it as long as you want, but be aware that Permission Givers are busy folks—they might not read past the first couple of pages.
 * To make sure your sample is as good as possible, using a beta reader is highly recommended. You can ask for one on the Board or in the Chat. Be sure to give credit to anyone who betas for you!

And that's it! You only need to get Permission once. When you have it, you can write for whatever parts of the PPC you like.

If you have a question about the Permission process, check the Permission FAQ to see if it's answered there. If not, go ahead and ask on the Board.

Guidance: Profiles
A BRIEF bio for each character tells us relevant things we can't get from your writing sample.

An example character bio might look like one of these:


 * Narto Telyan


 * Narto was born in a world basically identical to ours, though they have a wider range of natural hair colours (and corresponding folklore about what they mean—green is for bravery and strength of heart, for instance). He's human, male, and when we meet him about seventeen years old. He has short ginger/orange hair (which represents innocence and adaptability), blue eyes, and is pretty short and scrawny. He's from Wales, though I don't expect that to come up.


 * He came to the PPC a couple of years ago looking for his sister, only to find she'd been killed a few years earlier. He stuck around, working in the Department of Implausible Crossovers, and when we meet him has just been transferred to DOGA for setting fire to Jareth's castle, the Labyrinth, and (for good measure) Mirkwood.


 * Narto is quiet—more than that, he's shy. He has no particular confidence in himself, and tries to avoid talking to people. He's rather uncomfortable with using weapons—hence his stint in IC—and has basically spent his entire time at the PPC acting like a junior agent. He is, however, rather more capable than he believes—something his new partner will try her best to draw out.


 * The missions are going to be from Narto's first-person POV, so his 'voice' will be fairly strong—and will also change over time as he develops.


 * Louise


 * Name : Louise. No surname. Call her Lou.


 * Species : Human female.


 * Home Continuum : World One.


 * Age : About eighteen.


 * Appearance : Strawberry-blonde hair and black-framed glasses, with brown eyes. She's a bit taller than Narto.


 * Powers : Lou has a special 'ability'/trait, the physical manifestation of which is that she occasionally talks to the ceiling (much to Narto's bemusement). It seems to give her low-level psychic powers (telepathy and foresight). I'd prefer to keep the surprise, but if you need to know, email me and ask.


 * Personality : Lou is... energetic. Not bouncy (though she can bounce), but always pressing forward to the next paragraph, the next scene. She is also highly unwilling to tolerate any 'foolishness' from Narto—such as uncertainty about what he should be doing, or hesitation to do it. She's rather taken him under her wing, in fact. She also claims to be pentapolar, 'like bipolar but more so'—though she may well have made that up.


 * History : Lou has just transferred to DOGA, though she's not telling from where—or why—or much of anything, really. She's well trained in weapons and PPC procedure, and seems to know her way around HQ, but apart from that, we—through Narto—know very little about her. Which, he suspects, is just the way she likes it.


 * Department : DOGA, like I said.

On-site Reading
These materials are here to help newcomers learn the basics of how the PPC works. Please use them! If you still have questions, you can always ask on the Board.


 * FAQ: For Newbies
 * Guide to the PPC
 * Mission Writing Guide
 * Slash-Sporking Guide

Off-site Reading
The only way to understand the PPC in depth is to read the stories people have written about it before you. Start here!


 * The Original Series by Jay and Acacia. This is, in fact, mandatory reading. It's the foundation of our canon!
 * An OFU or two, such as the Official Fanfiction University of Middle-earth (the original OFU!) or the Hogwarts Fanfiction Academy. They aren't exactly PPC stories, but this is where the concept of minis comes from, among other things, and they cross over with the PPC a lot. You'll get more PPC jokes if you read these.
 * Several different spin-offs set in the department(s) you want to write about. The Complete List of PPC Fiction, the Killed Badfic lists, and the various Continuum pages are good places to look for some that tickle your fancy.
 * Some stories about events in PPC history, so you know the Backstory.