Dear YPMW
Dear Yuletide Person Made of Win
First of all: Welcome! \o/ I am so excited to be participating in Yuletide again this year and I am thrilled to know that you are going to write something in one of these five tiny fandoms!
What follows below is me being very rambly and brainstorming like I was paid to do it. I love to be given specific prompts and plot ideas, myself, so I thought I'd write down a few ideas for you, too. But please remember that it is yours to take or leave as you wish. If you already have a great idea for a story, go for it! I am going to love it :)
My requests this year sort of fall under two main categories, so I am going to talk about those first.
1. Sports narratives:
Lately I've been very fascinated by sports fiction. I adore the great epic narratives that you can write in this genre - from the perspective of either one person, one team, or one nation - and which can unfold over a life time, a sports season, or one pivotal game. But I also completely love the tiny little moments that offer an insight into a particular niche of a certain type of sport. I am fascinated by the psychology and superstition that surround many sports. I would love to read about the many quirks, the determination, insecurities, self-discipline and and single-mindedness that one can imagine from a professional athlete. I am not actually majorly into one sport, since I am only in the flush of first love with the literary/media genre. So far I have flirted with hockey, football (soccer, overseas), and a random selection of Olympic disciplines. But I would love for you, dear Yuletide writer, to introduce me to whichever sport that you love, and whichever characters tickle your plot bunnies. I am loving being introduced to the regulations and technical terms and traditions of different sports through fiction.
Tropes that I enjoy: players fighting their way out of slumps, exploring team dynamics, exploring the personal dynamics for a player competing at high stakes and under pressure in a professional league, under-dog stories, people being brilliant at their profession but dumb about their emotions, personal rivalries (slashy personal rivalries in particular *g*), national competitors having to suddenly team up for the Olympics.
2. (Chosen) Family narratives:
Stories about families and chosen families are an old and very consistent love of mine. I love to read about family dynamics between siblingsand parents. But I also love to read about characters building their own (sometimes unconventional) families, characters who find people to love and trust outside the traditional family circle. I'd love to hear the characters' thoughts on the important relationships in their lives, I'd love to see them negotiate the relationships and hear them put words to it. I love it if fics are realistic, and I do not at all mind depictions of conflict and tension within families, but in the end I'm probably mostly looking for characters achieving their goals, finding their way to (or back to) each other, opposing obstacles, defying conventions, finding happiness together.
Okay, on to the actual requests!
This is where it starts (commercial):
I am fascinated by Meng Ling and Ben Watkins' relationship. They seem at once intensely competitive and almost playful with each other. Are they friends? Could they become friends? Are they attracted to one another romantically and/or sexually? If so, do they act on it? How did it affect Ben Watkins to be picked after Meng Ling in the draft? What has it been like for Meng Ling to uproot his life to go to America to play? What is it like for him to compete for China against the USA (and probably a lot of current team mates) at the end of the commercial? What cultural exchanges and/or misunderstandings could occur between the two characters?
Warrior (2011):
I would love to hear a story about what happens after the film. How do the brothers go on from there? Does Brendan keep all the money or does he offer Tommy some? If he does, then how does Tommy react? Will they continue fighting professionally? If they do, or if one of them does, then how do they do? If not, then what do they chose to do? Would Frank train Tommy and how would that affect the both of them (I have to admit here that I have a fondness for the idea of Frank being a positive force in Tommy's life ;))? I would love to see the brothers reflecting on their past lives and figuring out together how to move on from where it has left them. I could easily see Tommy as a queer character, and I'd absolutely love it if you chose to portray him as such - but I don't ship the brothers as a romantic pairing at all. I do, however, love the idea of Frank and Tommy together (and would love to see Brendan come to terms with them as a couple, too).
Enemy Mine (1985):
This is a recurring request from me and I have written about it in previous Yuletide letters (as well as written Enemy Mine fic for Yuletide twice). I would absolutely love a story set in the movie's time line, but if you're up for it I would also love to hear stories from alternative time lines, or post-movie fic, from right after the movie or set years down the line. I'd love for Jerry to live and for them to be a family of three, but I would also love to see Willis and Zammis' relationship down the line, or what if Jerry lived and had a second child? If you're up for the broad scope, I'd also love to hear more detail about Drac culture, history, biology - to hear in more detail about the war between Dracs and Humans, how it started and maybe how it is resolved. How Willis experiences Dracon when he goes there with Zammis. How humans and Dracs react to their relationship once they get off the desert planet that they're stranded on in the movie.
Olympics RPF:
I chose this fandom for the setting and not for one or two characters in particular. But I would love for you to tell me about the people and the sports that you are passionate about and I hope that something from my general comments on sports fiction can inspire you :)
Titanium (music video):
This story makes me want to learn more about the world that this boy moves through. Is he the only one with supernatural powers or is it a Marvel-like, mutant universe? When did his powers manifest and how did his parents react to it? What exactly can he do and to what degree can he control it? What will happen to him after the end of the video? Will he be accepted back into his community or will he have to travel far to find people like himself? Will he have to hide always? I would love to see him find people (maybe other runaways or a parental figure?) who can help him and who aren't afraid of him. I would just love to see him in some way move beyond what happens in the video.
And finally, a bit of general stuff:
It goes for all my Yuletide requests that I am just terribly, terribly curious to know more. I love being given explanations to how characters have become who they are, and how they think about the world and the people surrounding them. I love to see writers step outside of the show/film/book and make up their own stories and create OCs if they like. I like pre-canon and post-canon and AUs and curtain-fic stories. Basically, anything that you come up with to expand on the characters and the worlds that they move through is bound to make me fantastically happy and grateful! :)
I don't mind stuff that's a little angsty - I love UST and first-times. People hurt each other sometimes, by being oblivious, or thoughtless, or in denial and I love to read about that in stories, especially if everything turns out okay in the end. But character death, non-con, graphic violence, and untreated/unresolved intentional cruelty on a personal level (dishonesty, manipulation and betrayal, for example) makes me sad. I love to see the characters interacting and having an impact on each other in a positive way. Also, I'm not much into graphic sex if it doesn't play into a plot, but if it does play into the plot I wouldn't mind it at all :)
*Looks up* Whoops - these letters seem to get longer and longer with every year I participate... Congrats if you made it all the way through ;) Jokes aside, though, I hope my additional comments don't seem too specific or intimidating! I get carried away, but really I just love fic - and I can promise you that I am going to love whatever you choose to write! Most of all I want you to have fun with it!
I can't wait to see what you come up with! :)
Have fun and -
Happy writing!
First of all: Welcome! \o/ I am so excited to be participating in Yuletide again this year and I am thrilled to know that you are going to write something in one of these five tiny fandoms!
What follows below is me being very rambly and brainstorming like I was paid to do it. I love to be given specific prompts and plot ideas, myself, so I thought I'd write down a few ideas for you, too. But please remember that it is yours to take or leave as you wish. If you already have a great idea for a story, go for it! I am going to love it :)
My requests this year sort of fall under two main categories, so I am going to talk about those first.
1. Sports narratives:
Lately I've been very fascinated by sports fiction. I adore the great epic narratives that you can write in this genre - from the perspective of either one person, one team, or one nation - and which can unfold over a life time, a sports season, or one pivotal game. But I also completely love the tiny little moments that offer an insight into a particular niche of a certain type of sport. I am fascinated by the psychology and superstition that surround many sports. I would love to read about the many quirks, the determination, insecurities, self-discipline and and single-mindedness that one can imagine from a professional athlete. I am not actually majorly into one sport, since I am only in the flush of first love with the literary/media genre. So far I have flirted with hockey, football (soccer, overseas), and a random selection of Olympic disciplines. But I would love for you, dear Yuletide writer, to introduce me to whichever sport that you love, and whichever characters tickle your plot bunnies. I am loving being introduced to the regulations and technical terms and traditions of different sports through fiction.
Tropes that I enjoy: players fighting their way out of slumps, exploring team dynamics, exploring the personal dynamics for a player competing at high stakes and under pressure in a professional league, under-dog stories, people being brilliant at their profession but dumb about their emotions, personal rivalries (slashy personal rivalries in particular *g*), national competitors having to suddenly team up for the Olympics.
2. (Chosen) Family narratives:
Stories about families and chosen families are an old and very consistent love of mine. I love to read about family dynamics between siblingsand parents. But I also love to read about characters building their own (sometimes unconventional) families, characters who find people to love and trust outside the traditional family circle. I'd love to hear the characters' thoughts on the important relationships in their lives, I'd love to see them negotiate the relationships and hear them put words to it. I love it if fics are realistic, and I do not at all mind depictions of conflict and tension within families, but in the end I'm probably mostly looking for characters achieving their goals, finding their way to (or back to) each other, opposing obstacles, defying conventions, finding happiness together.
Okay, on to the actual requests!
This is where it starts (commercial):
I am fascinated by Meng Ling and Ben Watkins' relationship. They seem at once intensely competitive and almost playful with each other. Are they friends? Could they become friends? Are they attracted to one another romantically and/or sexually? If so, do they act on it? How did it affect Ben Watkins to be picked after Meng Ling in the draft? What has it been like for Meng Ling to uproot his life to go to America to play? What is it like for him to compete for China against the USA (and probably a lot of current team mates) at the end of the commercial? What cultural exchanges and/or misunderstandings could occur between the two characters?
Warrior (2011):
I would love to hear a story about what happens after the film. How do the brothers go on from there? Does Brendan keep all the money or does he offer Tommy some? If he does, then how does Tommy react? Will they continue fighting professionally? If they do, or if one of them does, then how do they do? If not, then what do they chose to do? Would Frank train Tommy and how would that affect the both of them (I have to admit here that I have a fondness for the idea of Frank being a positive force in Tommy's life ;))? I would love to see the brothers reflecting on their past lives and figuring out together how to move on from where it has left them. I could easily see Tommy as a queer character, and I'd absolutely love it if you chose to portray him as such - but I don't ship the brothers as a romantic pairing at all. I do, however, love the idea of Frank and Tommy together (and would love to see Brendan come to terms with them as a couple, too).
Enemy Mine (1985):
This is a recurring request from me and I have written about it in previous Yuletide letters (as well as written Enemy Mine fic for Yuletide twice). I would absolutely love a story set in the movie's time line, but if you're up for it I would also love to hear stories from alternative time lines, or post-movie fic, from right after the movie or set years down the line. I'd love for Jerry to live and for them to be a family of three, but I would also love to see Willis and Zammis' relationship down the line, or what if Jerry lived and had a second child? If you're up for the broad scope, I'd also love to hear more detail about Drac culture, history, biology - to hear in more detail about the war between Dracs and Humans, how it started and maybe how it is resolved. How Willis experiences Dracon when he goes there with Zammis. How humans and Dracs react to their relationship once they get off the desert planet that they're stranded on in the movie.
Olympics RPF:
I chose this fandom for the setting and not for one or two characters in particular. But I would love for you to tell me about the people and the sports that you are passionate about and I hope that something from my general comments on sports fiction can inspire you :)
Titanium (music video):
This story makes me want to learn more about the world that this boy moves through. Is he the only one with supernatural powers or is it a Marvel-like, mutant universe? When did his powers manifest and how did his parents react to it? What exactly can he do and to what degree can he control it? What will happen to him after the end of the video? Will he be accepted back into his community or will he have to travel far to find people like himself? Will he have to hide always? I would love to see him find people (maybe other runaways or a parental figure?) who can help him and who aren't afraid of him. I would just love to see him in some way move beyond what happens in the video.
And finally, a bit of general stuff:
It goes for all my Yuletide requests that I am just terribly, terribly curious to know more. I love being given explanations to how characters have become who they are, and how they think about the world and the people surrounding them. I love to see writers step outside of the show/film/book and make up their own stories and create OCs if they like. I like pre-canon and post-canon and AUs and curtain-fic stories. Basically, anything that you come up with to expand on the characters and the worlds that they move through is bound to make me fantastically happy and grateful! :)
I don't mind stuff that's a little angsty - I love UST and first-times. People hurt each other sometimes, by being oblivious, or thoughtless, or in denial and I love to read about that in stories, especially if everything turns out okay in the end. But character death, non-con, graphic violence, and untreated/unresolved intentional cruelty on a personal level (dishonesty, manipulation and betrayal, for example) makes me sad. I love to see the characters interacting and having an impact on each other in a positive way. Also, I'm not much into graphic sex if it doesn't play into a plot, but if it does play into the plot I wouldn't mind it at all :)
*Looks up* Whoops - these letters seem to get longer and longer with every year I participate... Congrats if you made it all the way through ;) Jokes aside, though, I hope my additional comments don't seem too specific or intimidating! I get carried away, but really I just love fic - and I can promise you that I am going to love whatever you choose to write! Most of all I want you to have fun with it!
I can't wait to see what you come up with! :)
Have fun and -
Happy writing!