AFFA Competition Rules
These rules cover the basics of the AFFA Competition only. More detailed information is available in the AFFA Competition FAQ, and specific information such as Competition Dates will be supplied on a webpage for each year's AFFA Competition.
If you have any questions that you would like to have covered by the AFFA Competition FAQ feel free contact us via the Contact page.
Any and all queries, feedback, suggestions and comments regarding these AFFA Competition Rules are most welcome at any time.
If you wish to read the FAQ's... and we encourage it. CLICK HERE
These are the general rules governing the AFFA Competition. Information specific to a particular Competition, such as the actual competition dates, the Nominations Listing and Winners Listing can be accessed on the pages relevant for each year's Competition.
THE NOMINATIONS WINDOW
The first two weeks of the AFFA Competition are designated the 'Nominations Window'. Nominations may only be submitted using the *Nomination Form. Up to ten (10) Nomination per Category per person per Competition may be submitted.
For more details on Nominations see the Nominations Rules.
THE PREPARATION / READING WINDOW
The next three weeks of the AFFA Competition are designated the 'Preparation and Reading Windows'.No Nominations will be accepted during the Preparation and Reading Windows. Votes will only be accepted during the Preparation and Reading Windows under exceptional circumstances. (ie Only if you will not have access to the internet at all during Voting Window and organize to submit your votes prior with the AFFA Staff).
The Nominations Listing is posted within the first week of the Preparation and Reading Window. The week nominally devoted to 'Preparation' allows ample time for those authors and artists who are Nominated late in the Nomination Window a chance to either give or decline permission for their works to be included in that year's AFFA Competition. It also allows for the Nominations Listing, and the stories being hosted upon the AFFA Competition Website, to be finalized prior to the two week Reading Window.
If an Author/Artist declines permission for their work to be included, or fails to respond to the Request for their works to be included from the AFFA Staff, their work will be removed from the AFFA Competition for that year.
THE VOTING WINDOW
The final two week block of the competition is designated the 'Voting Window'. Voting Ballots may only be submitted using the *Online Voting Ballot Form. Only one (1) Voting Ballot per person per Competition may be submitted.
NO SELF VOTING.
For more details on Voting see the Voting Rules.
THE WINNERS LISTING
The 'Winners Listing' is posted as soon as possible after the close of the Voting Window. This is often within 48 hours of the close of the Voting Window.
In the event that two or more works receive an equal number of votes, and enough to be eligible for a First, Second or Third placement, they will be considered 'tied' and share in the accolade.
The creators' of the works which achieve a First, Second or Third placement can download a non-category-specific placement Certificate from the AFFA Website, if they wish.
THE CATEGORIES
The link to the current AFFA Competition Categories and their descriptions can be found on the on the left of this page.
THE AFFA BULLYING POLICY
If anyone is found, through an independent investigation by all AFFA Competition Staff, to be abusing or denigrating an Author, Artist or work based on the results or requirements of the AFFA Competition, the perpetrator will be issued with one official warning from the AFFA Competition Staff. If the perpetrator is found to offend a second time, they will be banned from participating in the Competition in any way for the following year, and possibly additional years at the discretion of the AFFA Staff. ie; they will not be able to Nominate, be Nominated, or Vote.
Anyone who abuses or denigrates AFFA Competition Staff in regards to any aspect of the Competition will be removed and banned from participating in the Competition in any way for that year, and possibly additional years at the discretion of the AFFA Staff. ie; they will not be able to Nominate, be Nominated, or Vote.
Abuse includes, but is not limited to:
- ANY coarse, derogatory or discriminatory language directed at a specific person or group of people,
- Any physical or emotional threats,
- Complaints arising from an inability to READ the rules of the AFFA Competition (misunderstandings of said rules excepted).
This policy is retro-active. It applies to all works, Authors, Artists and Staff that have participated in any AFFA Competition, in any way, at any time. This also includes Authors and Artists who have declined to have their works included in the Competition.
THE AFFA PLAGIARISM POLICY
In the event you suspect a work Nominated for a particular AFFA Competition has been plagiarized please contact the AFFA Competition Staff immediately. Include details such as the Title and Author/ Artist of the work you suspect has been victimized, and the Title and Author/Artist of the suspect work. The AFFA Competition Staff will contact the respective parties to investigate the claim. If a work IS found to be plagiarized; it, and every other work from the offending Author/Artist, will be removed from the AFFA Competition for the relevant year. The offending Author/Artist will also be banned from participating in the Competition for the relevant year. ie; they will not be able to Nominate, be Nominated, or Vote.
THE NOMINATIONS RULES
The first two week block of the Competition is the 'Nominations Window'. Nominations may only be submitted using the *Nomination Form. Up to ten (10) Nomination per Category per person per Competition may be submitted.
No self-nominating permitted.
Nominated works MUST be rated 'M', 'MA', 'R', 'NC-17' or equivalent.
Nominated works must include a clearly visible rating.
Nominated works must be related to a TMNT universe in some way.
Nominated works must reference an aspect of sexuality in some way. This does not exclude Non-Erotic Adult works.
Works that condone or encourage the degradation of Child Rights are not eligible to be Nominated. Works that explore the degradation of Child Rights in a realistic and responsible way are eligible. For the purposes of the AFFA Competition characters under the age of 13 are considered to be children. Concepts that are considered to degrade Child Rights, for the purposes of the AFFA competition, include but are not necessarily limited to:
- Pedophilia,
- Child molestation,
- Unreasonable sexual awareness attributed to a child,
- Child forced labor.
Nominated works must be consistent with the Category they are being Nominated for.
Stories with more than three (3) co-authors and/or contributors are not eligible for the AFFA Competition due to difficulty obtaining agreement for permission for use from multiple sources.
All Categories are open to written works published at any time prior to the start of the relevant AFFA Competition.
You do not have to Nominate a work for every Category. You may Nominate for as many, or as few, Categories as you wish. You may NOT Nominate your own works.
You may Nominate up to a maximum of ten (10) works per Category, if you wish. You may choose to nominate only one work, or none at all, for a given Category.
If possible please include a link for each work you Nominate, or a notation regarding where it is located. This makes it much easier for the AFFA Staff to track down the works and the authors/ artists. This increases the speed and chances of the AFFA Staff contacting the author/artist and getting the work included in the Competition.
If you are Nominating a multi-chapter story for a specific chapter please give a notation for, or link to, that specific chapter.
Works posted anywhere on the Internet may be Nominated.
Nominations submitted that do not comply with the AFFA Competition Rules will not be accepted into the competition. The AFFA Competition Staff reserve the right to refuse any nomination that they consider will place the AFFA Competition or Staff at risk of legal action and/or other adverse repercussions. You will be informed if your Nomination Submission is not accepted, and the reasons why will be given.
Only under exceptional circumstances, and subject to negotiation with the AFFA Staff, will Nominations Submissions be accepted after the close of the Nominations Window.
Under no circumstances will Nominations Submissions be accepted after the publication of the Nominations Listing.
THE VOTING RULES
The third two week block of the competition is the 'Voting Window'. Voting Ballots may only be submitted using the *Online Voting Ballot Form. Only one Voting Ballot per person per Competition may be submitted.
NO SELF VOTING.
You do not have to Vote for every Category. You may Vote for as many, or as few, Categories as you wish. Every Category upon the Online Voting Ballot Form has an option available to not submit a vote for that Category.
A maximum of one vote per Category per person will be accepted.
Voting Ballots that do not comply with the AFFA Competition Rules will not be accepted into the competition. You will be informed if your Voting Ballot is not accepted, and the reasons why will be given.
Under no circumstances will Voting Ballots be accepted after the close of the Voting Window.