Dear Yuletide Santa
Nov. 13th, 2009 04:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
brigdhHello!
I love you already. You may feel free to ignore this letter, or to pick and choose any details you like and discard others. You are writing me a story! That's really all that matters.
I've written several meta posts about the sort of things that I love in stories. You can use these for inspiration, if you like:
My Top 10 Story Kinks
My favorite 'cool bits'
What I look for in OTPs
If you're interested, my own stories are collected here.
In general: I really admire any story that can do plot and/or humor well, because I personally am bad at those things. On the other hand, I also like character studies, poetic language, angst, or introspection, which is why I write them. I like dark themes and happy endings (though probably not in the same story). I like fun stories, but not fluff. I like nuances (hmm, that is probably the worst request ever. I like it when authors complicate things?). Do not feel obligated to include Christmas (or whatever fantasy-equivalent winter holiday is appropriate to the fandom), but if you want to, feel free. My dislikes include OOC, even for the sake of humor. I'm not terribly fond of lots of sap or schmoop. I don't like songfic? Man, dislikes are hard. In short, I will almost certainly have forgotten what I requested by December, and will be pleased with any story you write. Thank you in advance!
True Blood
Characters: Lafayette Reynolds/Tara Thornton
This request is definitely Lafayette *or* Tara, not Lafayette/Tara (although, hmmm, if you can come up with some way to make that work, feel free). I'd love a story exploring either of these characters' backstories, or what their lives are like when they're not dealing with vampires. Or tell me about how they deal with supernatural creatures that we haven't seen on the show! Feel free to pair either of them with any other character and write a story about that, as well. Lafayette/Eric? Hot. Tara/Sookie? Hot. Tara/Jason? I could see it. Etc. A friendship story would be deeply appreciated as well, and again this could be friendship between Lafayette and Tara, or between one of them and another character. In terms of tone, I'm open to pretty much anything: comedy is awesome, PWP is fun, dark and angsty makes my day, plotty action stories are totally amazing, etc. Something dealing with race in the True Blood universe would be cool, if you're interested it that. I
'm not actually very into the Sookie/Bill relationship, so I'd prefer if the story didn't focus on that, but please do write what you enjoy. P.S. If you cannot think of anything with either Tara or Layafette, I would also enjoy an Eric/Godric story. Historic emo slash for the win!
RPF - Heian Japan
Characters: Murasaki Shikibu/Sei Shonagon
OMG, if this is the fandom we were matched on, I am already so impressed with you! I would love something dealing with a relationship between Murasaki and Sei Shonagon. Hate-sex: totally hot. Not-so-hatey sex: I love it. Friendship: yes, please. Even a single encounter between them, just one chance conversation, would make me squee. A series of snarky notes sent between the two of them, in the form of poetry, would be basically my favorite thing ever, though I know it would take some pretty impressive writing skills to pull off. But I believe in you, Yuletide Santa! Really, anything with these characters will make me happy. I'm also very interested in court life and daily life in Heian Japan, so any details about that in the story would be very welcome.
Sarah Waters - Fingersmith
Characters: Maud/Sue
Eeee, Fingersmith! Yay! I would love any kind of Maud/Sue story. The only caveat I have with this fandom is in the interpretation of the characters. I realize that everyone sees characterization differently, but these two women have some seriously dark and disturbing things in their backstories. Please don't erase that just to give them a random happy ending (though happy stories are totally welcome). I'm not requesting an emo or angsty story (though if that's what you want to write, please do!). Just please don't erase these women's personalities. I like them because they're pretty fucked up, you know? I hope that didn't scare you. Optional details are optional! In terms of stories, something set after the book, showing what their life is like would be wonderful, as would a missing scene from the time when Sue was pretending to be a maid. A sex scene would be highly approved of, but don't feel obligated. Also, if you really don't feel like writing slash, a friendship story between the two would also be nice. The two playing cards: sexy. Dance lessons: sexy. Something involving the library of porn: definitely sexy. I would be so excited to get a story with these characters!
Michael Chabon - Gentlemen of the Road
Characters: Amram/Zelikman
Hooray! I adore this book so much. I love its lush purple prose, and if you are capable in writing in that style, I will love you forever (if you're not, don't worry about it; I couldn't do it either). I would really adore a slash story between Amran and Zelikman, with or without a sex scene. If you do not like slash, something about their friendship would also be very cool. I'd love a story about another adventure of theirs on the road, particularly if it involved some cool twist like the one at the beginning of the book. I do adore thieves and conmen. P.S. (this is in reference to all of the requests): I will be posting a 'Dear Santa' letter in my LJ around the time assignments go out, if you would like more information. Don't feel obliged, however. I am already very happy by the fact that you're writing one of these fandoms!
I love you already. You may feel free to ignore this letter, or to pick and choose any details you like and discard others. You are writing me a story! That's really all that matters.
I've written several meta posts about the sort of things that I love in stories. You can use these for inspiration, if you like:
My Top 10 Story Kinks
My favorite 'cool bits'
What I look for in OTPs
If you're interested, my own stories are collected here.
In general: I really admire any story that can do plot and/or humor well, because I personally am bad at those things. On the other hand, I also like character studies, poetic language, angst, or introspection, which is why I write them. I like dark themes and happy endings (though probably not in the same story). I like fun stories, but not fluff. I like nuances (hmm, that is probably the worst request ever. I like it when authors complicate things?). Do not feel obligated to include Christmas (or whatever fantasy-equivalent winter holiday is appropriate to the fandom), but if you want to, feel free. My dislikes include OOC, even for the sake of humor. I'm not terribly fond of lots of sap or schmoop. I don't like songfic? Man, dislikes are hard. In short, I will almost certainly have forgotten what I requested by December, and will be pleased with any story you write. Thank you in advance!
True Blood
Characters: Lafayette Reynolds/Tara Thornton
This request is definitely Lafayette *or* Tara, not Lafayette/Tara (although, hmmm, if you can come up with some way to make that work, feel free). I'd love a story exploring either of these characters' backstories, or what their lives are like when they're not dealing with vampires. Or tell me about how they deal with supernatural creatures that we haven't seen on the show! Feel free to pair either of them with any other character and write a story about that, as well. Lafayette/Eric? Hot. Tara/Sookie? Hot. Tara/Jason? I could see it. Etc. A friendship story would be deeply appreciated as well, and again this could be friendship between Lafayette and Tara, or between one of them and another character. In terms of tone, I'm open to pretty much anything: comedy is awesome, PWP is fun, dark and angsty makes my day, plotty action stories are totally amazing, etc. Something dealing with race in the True Blood universe would be cool, if you're interested it that. I
'm not actually very into the Sookie/Bill relationship, so I'd prefer if the story didn't focus on that, but please do write what you enjoy. P.S. If you cannot think of anything with either Tara or Layafette, I would also enjoy an Eric/Godric story. Historic emo slash for the win!
RPF - Heian Japan
Characters: Murasaki Shikibu/Sei Shonagon
OMG, if this is the fandom we were matched on, I am already so impressed with you! I would love something dealing with a relationship between Murasaki and Sei Shonagon. Hate-sex: totally hot. Not-so-hatey sex: I love it. Friendship: yes, please. Even a single encounter between them, just one chance conversation, would make me squee. A series of snarky notes sent between the two of them, in the form of poetry, would be basically my favorite thing ever, though I know it would take some pretty impressive writing skills to pull off. But I believe in you, Yuletide Santa! Really, anything with these characters will make me happy. I'm also very interested in court life and daily life in Heian Japan, so any details about that in the story would be very welcome.
Sarah Waters - Fingersmith
Characters: Maud/Sue
Eeee, Fingersmith! Yay! I would love any kind of Maud/Sue story. The only caveat I have with this fandom is in the interpretation of the characters. I realize that everyone sees characterization differently, but these two women have some seriously dark and disturbing things in their backstories. Please don't erase that just to give them a random happy ending (though happy stories are totally welcome). I'm not requesting an emo or angsty story (though if that's what you want to write, please do!). Just please don't erase these women's personalities. I like them because they're pretty fucked up, you know? I hope that didn't scare you. Optional details are optional! In terms of stories, something set after the book, showing what their life is like would be wonderful, as would a missing scene from the time when Sue was pretending to be a maid. A sex scene would be highly approved of, but don't feel obligated. Also, if you really don't feel like writing slash, a friendship story between the two would also be nice. The two playing cards: sexy. Dance lessons: sexy. Something involving the library of porn: definitely sexy. I would be so excited to get a story with these characters!
Michael Chabon - Gentlemen of the Road
Characters: Amram/Zelikman
Hooray! I adore this book so much. I love its lush purple prose, and if you are capable in writing in that style, I will love you forever (if you're not, don't worry about it; I couldn't do it either). I would really adore a slash story between Amran and Zelikman, with or without a sex scene. If you do not like slash, something about their friendship would also be very cool. I'd love a story about another adventure of theirs on the road, particularly if it involved some cool twist like the one at the beginning of the book. I do adore thieves and conmen. P.S. (this is in reference to all of the requests): I will be posting a 'Dear Santa' letter in my LJ around the time assignments go out, if you would like more information. Don't feel obliged, however. I am already very happy by the fact that you're writing one of these fandoms!
