Dear Yuletide Writer
Dear Sweet Yuletide Writer,
First of all, you are awesome! Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in the honorable tradition of Yuletide. At the very least, you can know that we have similar tastes in one tv show, which by my math makes us practically besties. :)
Don't tell anyone, but the sad truth is that I am super-easy. :) Write a story that you enjoy writing and I'm sure I'll love it and enjoy reading it. In an effort to help, I'll tell you my general likes/dislikes and also give a few prompts for the requested fandoms.
But above all, have fun. If you find that the suggestions feel like a burden, then ignore them and write something that interests you. True passion shines through and makes a story special.
I like...
angst, UST, longing looks, long-repressed feelings that explode one day, kid fic, teamy goodness, well-done hurt/comfort, AUs, roads not taken in canon, zombies, wacky road trips, old friends, handsome strangers, ghost stories cross-overs (Leverage, SPN up to S5, Veronica Mars, Jericho, Graceland, Nashville, Sons of Anarchy, Friday Night Lights, The Big C, Orange is the New Black), crazy decisions that are right even though they seem so very wrong, 2nd person narratives, porn that reveals more than just naked bodies, unreliable narrators, opening your presents on Christmas Day rather than Christmas Eve, and long deep slow kisses that last three days.
I do not want..
passivity, first-person narration, incest, non-con, non-canon slash, porn without plot, child death or grevious injury, and misusing the words less and fewer.
See, I told you I was easy. Now, the prompts...
True Detective - I love the characters in this show. I also love the banter-y but difficult and tense relationship between Rust and Marty. I'd love to see a conversation between Rust and Audrey, either during her tearaway teenage days or after the S1 finale. I think they're kindred spirits, in a way, and I'd love Audrey to get a chance to talk about what's going on in her head. Gen is preferred for a conversation in the past. A conversation after S1 could be gen or shippy, but I'd hope that Rust would put up some resistance at first because of the age/stage in life differences.
Fargo - If there's a running thread through all the shows I love, it's the characters. Fargo is no exception here and I gravitate toward the emotional center of the show: Gus and Molly (and Lou and Greta). I'd love a scene from the courtship of Gus and Molly. (Again, you're completely absolved from the "write all the characters" rule.) How does Lou welcome Greta into the family and help her adjust to a new school? How does Lou help Greta welcome home the new baby? Or how about a future fic with Greta getting married or coming to Lou for boy advice or a hunting trip to bond or really just about anything - I love them
Nashville - Ideally, I'd love something super angsty and smutty with Liam and Scarlett. I'd also be down with Juliette getting advice from Rayna or some adventures in parenting with Deacon and Maddie. (It feels like Maddie is WAY overdue for a massive teenage rebellion.)
Friday Night LIghts - You are completely released from the "write every character requested" rule. I love Tim Riggins, especially angry S1 Tim. Not so keen on Tim/Lyla but I do love the S1 Tim/Tyra trainwreck and am intrigued by the Tim/Julie combo. I also really loved Tim's attempt to be a big brother and a friend to Becky. I also love the Taylors. How did Eric and Tami meet? What happens to Julie after S5? As I read this back, I'm not seeing much in the way of promptage. I think it's because I love the show, but it's been slipping away from me since it ended. Anything you could do to bring it back will be much appreciated.
Portlandia - You're released from the "write every character" rule. What special activities do the "Put a Bird On It" people get up to? What happens when Alexandra and Carrie accidentally visit the Women and Children First bookstore? I love this show - I'm sure I'd love whatever you come up with. I'm not very good at prompting. I'll warn you that I've not seen the latest season yet.
Orange is the New Black - My goodness, how I love the awesome characters in this show. I'd really be happy with anything I'd love a character study of any character. I can't stop thinking about Miss Rosa - was that kid really cured of his cancer? What if he went to visit Miss Rosa? I'd eat up a friendship caper featuring Poussey and Taystee, Red giving mothering advice to Daya, or Crazy Eyes and Pennsatucky ending up in a talent show together because no one will partner with them. If you want to get Halloween-y, something like Miss Rosa coming back as a ghost or the inmates telling ghost stories during the storm/power outage would delight me.
ETA: So, I've learned now that since I selected All for OINTNB, I should have given prompts for all the characters. Apologies! First, here are some general prompts that can apply to any character in OINTNB (or some of them can be used in any fandom really):
First times - first days in prison, first kisses, first loves, first days on the outside
Future fic - where do these women end up? what is it like to leave a regimented existence and go into a place with few supports?
Holidays - Christmas, Birthdays, Halloween, Easter - I'm interested in how inmates carry on traditions and what they do with the memories that might surface during holidays.
Backstories - I think nearly all the characters have some backstory expounded, but I'd love different scenes or moments in their old lives.
5+1 (As in Five times X happened and 1 time it didn't) is a tried and true format - I'd eat any 5+1 with a spoon. (And it doesn't have to be 5 +1, it could be 3 or 7 or whatever works for you.)
Song fic - I don't even need to know the song. (But if you're a fan of The National, you literally cannot go wrong with any of their songs.)
And now here's the character-specific prompts for anyone that I missed the first time around:
Alex - What's it like to be back in Litchfield? What's her backstory? How did she get into drug dealing? What first attracted her to Piper? It's clear sometimes that Piper sees herself as a victim of Alex, but how does Alex view her own crimes and what does she think about having involved Piper?
Gloria - What's it like to replace Red? When does Gloria miss her children the most? Anything involving Santeria would be much appreciated.
Janae - Tell me more about Janae's no good boyfriend who got her arrested. How does she feel about him now? What happened to him? Or tell me about yoga - how does yoga feel after Janae's history as a track star? What does Janae like about yoga?
Lorna - Can you shed light on her accent? Did she move around a lot as a kid? What was that like? How did she end up with Nicky? What does Nicky know or suspect about Christopher?
Nicky - Picking up from where S2 left off, what happens with the heroin? What is that like, to have your nemesis/old love right within reach. Or tell me about how Nicky helps Red during her recovery from her injuries.
Piper - Wow, if I were Piper, I'd spend a lot of time wondering how I became such a train wreck when I thought all of that was well behind me. Have her tattoos been explained? I know she has at least one and I don't remember what it means. (Also, you can always make up tattoos. I love them and their meanings.)
Sister Ingalls - Tell me about a time that Sr Ingalls was tempted while she was a new, young "bride of Christ". Or tell me about Sr Ingalls' disillusionment with the Church. Or tell me about the time that Sr Ingalls was sent to teach at a parochial school. (I went to Catholic school for 13 years and have both fond and terrified memories of nuns. I can't imagine world-questing Sr Ingalls would be satisfied in a classroom.)
Sophia - I'd love to hear more about Sophia and how she struggles to maintain a relationship with her son. Bonus points for something that involves a sweet scene with her giving advice about how to deal with girls when her son is a teenager/college-aged adult. (Seems like Sophia would be uniquely placed to give this kind of advice.)
First of all, you are awesome! Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in the honorable tradition of Yuletide. At the very least, you can know that we have similar tastes in one tv show, which by my math makes us practically besties. :)
Don't tell anyone, but the sad truth is that I am super-easy. :) Write a story that you enjoy writing and I'm sure I'll love it and enjoy reading it. In an effort to help, I'll tell you my general likes/dislikes and also give a few prompts for the requested fandoms.
But above all, have fun. If you find that the suggestions feel like a burden, then ignore them and write something that interests you. True passion shines through and makes a story special.
I like...
angst, UST, longing looks, long-repressed feelings that explode one day, kid fic, teamy goodness, well-done hurt/comfort, AUs, roads not taken in canon, zombies, wacky road trips, old friends, handsome strangers, ghost stories cross-overs (Leverage, SPN up to S5, Veronica Mars, Jericho, Graceland, Nashville, Sons of Anarchy, Friday Night Lights, The Big C, Orange is the New Black), crazy decisions that are right even though they seem so very wrong, 2nd person narratives, porn that reveals more than just naked bodies, unreliable narrators, opening your presents on Christmas Day rather than Christmas Eve, and long deep slow kisses that last three days.
I do not want..
passivity, first-person narration, incest, non-con, non-canon slash, porn without plot, child death or grevious injury, and misusing the words less and fewer.
See, I told you I was easy. Now, the prompts...
True Detective - I love the characters in this show. I also love the banter-y but difficult and tense relationship between Rust and Marty. I'd love to see a conversation between Rust and Audrey, either during her tearaway teenage days or after the S1 finale. I think they're kindred spirits, in a way, and I'd love Audrey to get a chance to talk about what's going on in her head. Gen is preferred for a conversation in the past. A conversation after S1 could be gen or shippy, but I'd hope that Rust would put up some resistance at first because of the age/stage in life differences.
Fargo - If there's a running thread through all the shows I love, it's the characters. Fargo is no exception here and I gravitate toward the emotional center of the show: Gus and Molly (and Lou and Greta). I'd love a scene from the courtship of Gus and Molly. (Again, you're completely absolved from the "write all the characters" rule.) How does Lou welcome Greta into the family and help her adjust to a new school? How does Lou help Greta welcome home the new baby? Or how about a future fic with Greta getting married or coming to Lou for boy advice or a hunting trip to bond or really just about anything - I love them
Nashville - Ideally, I'd love something super angsty and smutty with Liam and Scarlett. I'd also be down with Juliette getting advice from Rayna or some adventures in parenting with Deacon and Maddie. (It feels like Maddie is WAY overdue for a massive teenage rebellion.)
Friday Night LIghts - You are completely released from the "write every character requested" rule. I love Tim Riggins, especially angry S1 Tim. Not so keen on Tim/Lyla but I do love the S1 Tim/Tyra trainwreck and am intrigued by the Tim/Julie combo. I also really loved Tim's attempt to be a big brother and a friend to Becky. I also love the Taylors. How did Eric and Tami meet? What happens to Julie after S5? As I read this back, I'm not seeing much in the way of promptage. I think it's because I love the show, but it's been slipping away from me since it ended. Anything you could do to bring it back will be much appreciated.
Portlandia - You're released from the "write every character" rule. What special activities do the "Put a Bird On It" people get up to? What happens when Alexandra and Carrie accidentally visit the Women and Children First bookstore? I love this show - I'm sure I'd love whatever you come up with. I'm not very good at prompting. I'll warn you that I've not seen the latest season yet.
Orange is the New Black - My goodness, how I love the awesome characters in this show. I'd really be happy with anything I'd love a character study of any character. I can't stop thinking about Miss Rosa - was that kid really cured of his cancer? What if he went to visit Miss Rosa? I'd eat up a friendship caper featuring Poussey and Taystee, Red giving mothering advice to Daya, or Crazy Eyes and Pennsatucky ending up in a talent show together because no one will partner with them. If you want to get Halloween-y, something like Miss Rosa coming back as a ghost or the inmates telling ghost stories during the storm/power outage would delight me.
ETA: So, I've learned now that since I selected All for OINTNB, I should have given prompts for all the characters. Apologies! First, here are some general prompts that can apply to any character in OINTNB (or some of them can be used in any fandom really):
First times - first days in prison, first kisses, first loves, first days on the outside
Future fic - where do these women end up? what is it like to leave a regimented existence and go into a place with few supports?
Holidays - Christmas, Birthdays, Halloween, Easter - I'm interested in how inmates carry on traditions and what they do with the memories that might surface during holidays.
Backstories - I think nearly all the characters have some backstory expounded, but I'd love different scenes or moments in their old lives.
5+1 (As in Five times X happened and 1 time it didn't) is a tried and true format - I'd eat any 5+1 with a spoon. (And it doesn't have to be 5 +1, it could be 3 or 7 or whatever works for you.)
Song fic - I don't even need to know the song. (But if you're a fan of The National, you literally cannot go wrong with any of their songs.)
And now here's the character-specific prompts for anyone that I missed the first time around:
Alex - What's it like to be back in Litchfield? What's her backstory? How did she get into drug dealing? What first attracted her to Piper? It's clear sometimes that Piper sees herself as a victim of Alex, but how does Alex view her own crimes and what does she think about having involved Piper?
Gloria - What's it like to replace Red? When does Gloria miss her children the most? Anything involving Santeria would be much appreciated.
Janae - Tell me more about Janae's no good boyfriend who got her arrested. How does she feel about him now? What happened to him? Or tell me about yoga - how does yoga feel after Janae's history as a track star? What does Janae like about yoga?
Lorna - Can you shed light on her accent? Did she move around a lot as a kid? What was that like? How did she end up with Nicky? What does Nicky know or suspect about Christopher?
Nicky - Picking up from where S2 left off, what happens with the heroin? What is that like, to have your nemesis/old love right within reach. Or tell me about how Nicky helps Red during her recovery from her injuries.
Piper - Wow, if I were Piper, I'd spend a lot of time wondering how I became such a train wreck when I thought all of that was well behind me. Have her tattoos been explained? I know she has at least one and I don't remember what it means. (Also, you can always make up tattoos. I love them and their meanings.)
Sister Ingalls - Tell me about a time that Sr Ingalls was tempted while she was a new, young "bride of Christ". Or tell me about Sr Ingalls' disillusionment with the Church. Or tell me about the time that Sr Ingalls was sent to teach at a parochial school. (I went to Catholic school for 13 years and have both fond and terrified memories of nuns. I can't imagine world-questing Sr Ingalls would be satisfied in a classroom.)
Sophia - I'd love to hear more about Sophia and how she struggles to maintain a relationship with her son. Bonus points for something that involves a sweet scene with her giving advice about how to deal with girls when her son is a teenager/college-aged adult. (Seems like Sophia would be uniquely placed to give this kind of advice.)