Dear Yuletide Writer
Dear Sweet Yuletide Writer,
Thank you so much for participating in my favorite holiday tradition. Also, please allow me to compliment you for A.) your exellent taste in fandoms B.) your willingness to write outside your comfort zone C.) both. We at least have some matching interests in TV or film, so that practically makes us besties in my book.
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. First, some general prompts that would apply to any of my TV fandoms:
'71 (film) - Any character - In general, for this fandom, I'd love to see either future-fic or character-study that takes place during the night depicted in the film. I so wanted to nominate that Loyalist kid who helps Gary get to the pub, but IMDB just had him down as Loyalist kid and I didn't want to be a problem child for the tag wranglers. The relationship that interests me most is Gary and his brother. I'd love to know what happens to them. I'd love to know if Gary ever thinks of the Loyalist kid. (I'd go crazy for a ghost-ish story about the Loyalist kid.) I'm also interested in what happens to Brigid - how does she fare with the IRA? Does she try to make an escape from Belfast? Does she have any regrets about what happened that night?
The Big C (tv) - Any character - I love these people, and I just want more stories about them. I love how awkward and sarcastic Adam is. I love the way Cathy and Sean are such siblings. I love how Andrea is so comfortable in her own skin. I'd love a cross-over with S1 FNL in which the Jamisons move to Dillon (maybe for another clinical trial), and Eric recruits Adam for the football team, maybe as a kicker. Alternatively, a little darker AU in which both of Adam's parents die and Sean becomes his guardian and they go hobo-style on the road, ending up in Dillon. Or, for a Sons of Anarchy cross-over, I can totally see S1 Cathy going to California for some 'live your life' moment and running into S1 Jax.
UnREAL (tv) - Dr Olive Goldberg, [Faith,] Madison, [Quinn,] Rachel - I'd love backstory here, particularly between Rachel and her mom. I'm also fascinated by her relationship with Quinn. Madison is such a fresh-faced cypher - what's her story? What is she looking for? Is she craftier and more jaded than her wholesome appearance indicates? [The signup form wouldn't let me pick Faith or Quinn. I love them both and don't mind if they make an appearance. And Faith, lovely awesome becoming-her-true-self Faith - I'd love to know what happens to her next.]
Orange is the New Black - Poussey, Taystee, and So-So - I honestly didn't think that OITNB would still be eligible as a small fandom, so that's why I didn't nominate. I have the biggest, craziest crush on Stella, so if she were to sneak into the story, I would not mind at all! I'm interested in seeing what happens between Poussey and So-So - the season finale seemed to indicate that they were starting a relationship. How does Taystee feel about that? Does she ever feel threatened or replaced? I'm also curious about where these women end up. what is it like to leave a regimented existence and go into a place with few supports? I also think about 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. And of course, I'd love different scenes or moments in their old lives.
So, hopefully something in this letter has sparked your plot bunnies into action. I truly believe above all that optional details are optional, and the gift of a story of any kind is precious beyond all measure and reason. Thank you for your kindness and creativity!
Best of luck,
flb
Thank you so much for participating in my favorite holiday tradition. Also, please allow me to compliment you for A.) your exellent taste in fandoms B.) your willingness to write outside your comfort zone C.) both. We at least have some matching interests in TV or film, so that practically makes us besties in my book.
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. First, some general prompts that would apply to any of my TV fandoms:
- A natural or manmade disaster strikes and characters must work together to save themselves and others
- AU - The Zombie Apocalypse strikes - what is life like and how do the characters manage?
- Wacky roadtrip, a la "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles"
- Character backstories - I love a good backstory!
- The road not taken...what happens when a character makes a different decision than in canon. How does the story (and more importantly, the character) change as a result of the decision.
- First times - first kisses, first loves, first day of school/prison/the army/whatever
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.)
'71 (film) - Any character - In general, for this fandom, I'd love to see either future-fic or character-study that takes place during the night depicted in the film. I so wanted to nominate that Loyalist kid who helps Gary get to the pub, but IMDB just had him down as Loyalist kid and I didn't want to be a problem child for the tag wranglers. The relationship that interests me most is Gary and his brother. I'd love to know what happens to them. I'd love to know if Gary ever thinks of the Loyalist kid. (I'd go crazy for a ghost-ish story about the Loyalist kid.) I'm also interested in what happens to Brigid - how does she fare with the IRA? Does she try to make an escape from Belfast? Does she have any regrets about what happened that night?
The Big C (tv) - Any character - I love these people, and I just want more stories about them. I love how awkward and sarcastic Adam is. I love the way Cathy and Sean are such siblings. I love how Andrea is so comfortable in her own skin. I'd love a cross-over with S1 FNL in which the Jamisons move to Dillon (maybe for another clinical trial), and Eric recruits Adam for the football team, maybe as a kicker. Alternatively, a little darker AU in which both of Adam's parents die and Sean becomes his guardian and they go hobo-style on the road, ending up in Dillon. Or, for a Sons of Anarchy cross-over, I can totally see S1 Cathy going to California for some 'live your life' moment and running into S1 Jax.
UnREAL (tv) - Dr Olive Goldberg, [Faith,] Madison, [Quinn,] Rachel - I'd love backstory here, particularly between Rachel and her mom. I'm also fascinated by her relationship with Quinn. Madison is such a fresh-faced cypher - what's her story? What is she looking for? Is she craftier and more jaded than her wholesome appearance indicates? [The signup form wouldn't let me pick Faith or Quinn. I love them both and don't mind if they make an appearance. And Faith, lovely awesome becoming-her-true-self Faith - I'd love to know what happens to her next.]
Orange is the New Black - Poussey, Taystee, and So-So - I honestly didn't think that OITNB would still be eligible as a small fandom, so that's why I didn't nominate. I have the biggest, craziest crush on Stella, so if she were to sneak into the story, I would not mind at all! I'm interested in seeing what happens between Poussey and So-So - the season finale seemed to indicate that they were starting a relationship. How does Taystee feel about that? Does she ever feel threatened or replaced? I'm also curious about where these women end up. what is it like to leave a regimented existence and go into a place with few supports? I also think about 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. And of course, I'd love different scenes or moments in their old lives.
So, hopefully something in this letter has sparked your plot bunnies into action. I truly believe above all that optional details are optional, and the gift of a story of any kind is precious beyond all measure and reason. Thank you for your kindness and creativity!
Best of luck,
flb