Dear Darkest Night Writer
Hi, thank you for writing for me! I hope this letter is useful.
Likes: Hurt/comfort, humour, friendship, romance, first time, established relationship, friends-to-lovers, family relationships, telepathy/empathy, cultural differences, canon-divergent AUs and fix-it fic, AUs that cross over with the canon universe, time travel
Dislikes: Character bashing, breakup of requested pairings, rape/non-con between requested pairings, threesomes, infidelity, asexual/aromantic headcanons, crack fic, first and second POV, explicit sex
Fandoms:
Chip's Challenge (Chip)
I love this game, but it could easily be horror from Chip's point of view, given everything he goes through. Banging his head against walls over and over, being burnt or drowned or being eaten by monsters, and if he dies he'll just be resurrected to do it all over again. And all just to get into a secret club!
Resurrection: How does Chip experience dying and coming back?
Freak Lab Accident: Most of the monsters are this, from Melinda's various experiments.
Time Loop: Any time it takes more than one try to complete a level.
Fandom specific notes: Feel free to include Melinda, but please no Chip/Melinda.
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Star Trek AOS (Spock, Spock Prime)
(Spock)
Spock is probably my favourite character in this fandom, and I'd love a fic that focuses on his issues, especially if it involves the aftereffects of Vulcan's destruction. I don't ship him with Uhura, so I'd prefer they be written as friends, even in gen. I also really like his friendships with Kirk and Spock Prime, and for pairings I like Kirk/Spock, but I'm fine with Spock/OMC or Spock having onesided feelings for Pike. Also, for the record, I take Vulcan body temperature as higher than human.
Coming Out: I imagine it would be extra hard given the need to repopulate the species. I'd love a fic where he figures it out when he's still in a relationship with Uhura and that's why they break up, but him not realising it out until afterwords works too.
Daddy Issues: Sarek and Spock's relationship might have healed a little in the wake of Amanda's death, but I bet there are still issues between them.
Hypothermia: It must be awful to have your preferred temperature be so much warmer than everyone else's, especially when you're trapped somewhere cold.
Internalized Homophobia: Given the situation, I can easily see Spock torn between his feelings and his need to take a wife and have little part-Vulcan babies. (Whether or not that's actually an issue is up to you.)
Parental Disapproval: Of Spock joining Starfleet, of his deciding to stay with the Enterprise instead of helping the colony, of his relationships... there are a lot of things Sarek could disapprove of.
Vomiting: Could be from illness or motion sickness or stress, I don't mind, as long as it has Spock throwing up and someone comforting him.
Xenophobia: Poor Spock has to deal with it from both sides.
Nightmares
Planet Destruction
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Psychological Trauma
Touch-Starved
Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
All of these are basically the same thing - Spock dealing with the loss of Vulcan and the trauma of feeling billions of deaths. There isn't nearly as much fic focusing on it as I'd like, and I'd love to see how he deals with it, and how he doesn't.
(Spock Prime)
Sole Survivor
Time travel - you changed the past and now your loved ones are unrecognisable
I think these two are pretty self-explanatory. I love Spock Prime, and I'd love to see him dealing with being stranded in an unfamiliar universe where everyone he knew is different. I like his friendships with Kirk and his younger self, but I'd prefer no pairings except (past) Kirk Prime/Spock Prime.
Fandom specific DNWs: References to STID (Beyond is fine), Tarsus IV, Winona being a bad person/mother, homophobia among humans.
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Star Trek TNG (Riker/Troi)
Their relationship is one of my favourite parts of the show. I love how they support each other and have fun together. If you want to include other characters, I especially like Data and Picard.
Alternate Universe - Canonical Dark AU: Any. Mirror Universe (see below), Yesterday's Enterprise, Borg Win... Whatever you pick I'm sure I'll enjoy it.
Bad Guys Win: I'm thinking Borg, but if you have another bad guy in mind, go for it.
Mirror Universe: We never get to see the TNG Mirror Universe in canon. What does it look like? How does Troi and Riker's relationship differ from the one we know?
-----
Star Trek TOS (Kirk/Spock, Kirk&Spock)
I love Kirk and Spock's relationship in all its forms. I love how supportive and affectionate they are of each other, and how Kirk is just about the only person who accepts Spock for who he is without trying to change him. I've split the tags by which version of the relationship they apply to, but most of them would work for either. Generally I prefer gen set during the series and slash set during the movies, but don't feel you have to stick to that if you have an idea that conflicts. Also, for the record, I take Vulcan body temperature as higher than human.
(Kirk/Spock)
Amnesia: I love fics about Spock slowly remembering Kirk and their relationship after Genesis, so anything like that would be great.
Coming Out: I like the idea of Spock coming to terms with himself and finding happiness with Kirk. (Especially since I see Kirk as someone who figured out he was bi very early and is totally fine with it, and I think the difference in their situations could be interesting.)
Internalized Homophobia: Maybe that's why he tried to attempt the kolinahr? I don't have a preference on whether Vulcan society is actually homophobic or Spock just thinks it is, but I'd prefer if human society wasn't homophobic. I like to think that by the 23rd century we'd be past that.
Mating Cycles/In Heat: Pon farr! This is my only exception to the 'explicit sex' DNW, but I'd be fine with non-explicit fic that just focuses on the feelings. I'd especially love established relationship pon farr fic, because it's so much rarer than the other kind, but any kind is great. My view of pon farr is of something that focuses more on the sex than anything violent - bruises and soreness are fine, but please don't have Kirk seriously injured.
(Kirk&Spock)
Conflicted Loyalties: Spock committing mutiny against Kirk to save Pike has always fascinated me.
Mindwiping: I'd love to see the fallout from Spock tampering with Kirk's memory in 'Requiem for Methuselah'. He's obviously trying to help, but I doubt Kirk would see it that way, especially given how he reacts to Sybok.
Wilderness Survival: I'd like to see the two of them stranded on some planet, trying to keep themselves alive, especially if one of them is ill or injured.
(Either)
Daddy Issues: Spock's issues with Sarek are blatant.
Hypothermia: Huddling for warmth!
Nightmares: Both Kirk and Spock have been through a lot of stuff that would cause nightmares.
Parental Disapproval: I can see Sarek disapproving about a lot of things - Spock's career, his friends, his relationship with Kirk... I'd love Spock standing up to him about it, or realising he doesn't need his father's approval. Or even Sarek slowly coming around like he does at the end of 'The Voyage Home'.
Starvation: I'm always looking for more fic about Kirk's time on Tarsus, and this seems like a perfect tag. Could be Kirk confiding in Spock after 'The Conscience of the King', or maybe something goes wrong on a mission and it brings back bad memories?
Vomiting: Could be from illness or motion sickness or stress, I don't mind, as long as one of them throws up and the other comforts them.
Xenophobia: Could be Spock being the victim of prejudice from humans (or Vulcans) or Kirk dealing with Vulcans or others looking down on him for being human.
I think that's everything, but if you have any questions feel free to ask. Thanks again!
Likes: Hurt/comfort, humour, friendship, romance, first time, established relationship, friends-to-lovers, family relationships, telepathy/empathy, cultural differences, canon-divergent AUs and fix-it fic, AUs that cross over with the canon universe, time travel
Dislikes: Character bashing, breakup of requested pairings, rape/non-con between requested pairings, threesomes, infidelity, asexual/aromantic headcanons, crack fic, first and second POV, explicit sex
Fandoms:
Chip's Challenge (Chip)
I love this game, but it could easily be horror from Chip's point of view, given everything he goes through. Banging his head against walls over and over, being burnt or drowned or being eaten by monsters, and if he dies he'll just be resurrected to do it all over again. And all just to get into a secret club!
Resurrection: How does Chip experience dying and coming back?
Freak Lab Accident: Most of the monsters are this, from Melinda's various experiments.
Time Loop: Any time it takes more than one try to complete a level.
Fandom specific notes: Feel free to include Melinda, but please no Chip/Melinda.
-----
Star Trek AOS (Spock, Spock Prime)
(Spock)
Spock is probably my favourite character in this fandom, and I'd love a fic that focuses on his issues, especially if it involves the aftereffects of Vulcan's destruction. I don't ship him with Uhura, so I'd prefer they be written as friends, even in gen. I also really like his friendships with Kirk and Spock Prime, and for pairings I like Kirk/Spock, but I'm fine with Spock/OMC or Spock having onesided feelings for Pike. Also, for the record, I take Vulcan body temperature as higher than human.
Coming Out: I imagine it would be extra hard given the need to repopulate the species. I'd love a fic where he figures it out when he's still in a relationship with Uhura and that's why they break up, but him not realising it out until afterwords works too.
Daddy Issues: Sarek and Spock's relationship might have healed a little in the wake of Amanda's death, but I bet there are still issues between them.
Hypothermia: It must be awful to have your preferred temperature be so much warmer than everyone else's, especially when you're trapped somewhere cold.
Internalized Homophobia: Given the situation, I can easily see Spock torn between his feelings and his need to take a wife and have little part-Vulcan babies. (Whether or not that's actually an issue is up to you.)
Parental Disapproval: Of Spock joining Starfleet, of his deciding to stay with the Enterprise instead of helping the colony, of his relationships... there are a lot of things Sarek could disapprove of.
Vomiting: Could be from illness or motion sickness or stress, I don't mind, as long as it has Spock throwing up and someone comforting him.
Xenophobia: Poor Spock has to deal with it from both sides.
Nightmares
Planet Destruction
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Psychological Trauma
Touch-Starved
Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
All of these are basically the same thing - Spock dealing with the loss of Vulcan and the trauma of feeling billions of deaths. There isn't nearly as much fic focusing on it as I'd like, and I'd love to see how he deals with it, and how he doesn't.
(Spock Prime)
Sole Survivor
Time travel - you changed the past and now your loved ones are unrecognisable
I think these two are pretty self-explanatory. I love Spock Prime, and I'd love to see him dealing with being stranded in an unfamiliar universe where everyone he knew is different. I like his friendships with Kirk and his younger self, but I'd prefer no pairings except (past) Kirk Prime/Spock Prime.
Fandom specific DNWs: References to STID (Beyond is fine), Tarsus IV, Winona being a bad person/mother, homophobia among humans.
-----
Star Trek TNG (Riker/Troi)
Their relationship is one of my favourite parts of the show. I love how they support each other and have fun together. If you want to include other characters, I especially like Data and Picard.
Alternate Universe - Canonical Dark AU: Any. Mirror Universe (see below), Yesterday's Enterprise, Borg Win... Whatever you pick I'm sure I'll enjoy it.
Bad Guys Win: I'm thinking Borg, but if you have another bad guy in mind, go for it.
Mirror Universe: We never get to see the TNG Mirror Universe in canon. What does it look like? How does Troi and Riker's relationship differ from the one we know?
-----
Star Trek TOS (Kirk/Spock, Kirk&Spock)
I love Kirk and Spock's relationship in all its forms. I love how supportive and affectionate they are of each other, and how Kirk is just about the only person who accepts Spock for who he is without trying to change him. I've split the tags by which version of the relationship they apply to, but most of them would work for either. Generally I prefer gen set during the series and slash set during the movies, but don't feel you have to stick to that if you have an idea that conflicts. Also, for the record, I take Vulcan body temperature as higher than human.
(Kirk/Spock)
Amnesia: I love fics about Spock slowly remembering Kirk and their relationship after Genesis, so anything like that would be great.
Coming Out: I like the idea of Spock coming to terms with himself and finding happiness with Kirk. (Especially since I see Kirk as someone who figured out he was bi very early and is totally fine with it, and I think the difference in their situations could be interesting.)
Internalized Homophobia: Maybe that's why he tried to attempt the kolinahr? I don't have a preference on whether Vulcan society is actually homophobic or Spock just thinks it is, but I'd prefer if human society wasn't homophobic. I like to think that by the 23rd century we'd be past that.
Mating Cycles/In Heat: Pon farr! This is my only exception to the 'explicit sex' DNW, but I'd be fine with non-explicit fic that just focuses on the feelings. I'd especially love established relationship pon farr fic, because it's so much rarer than the other kind, but any kind is great. My view of pon farr is of something that focuses more on the sex than anything violent - bruises and soreness are fine, but please don't have Kirk seriously injured.
(Kirk&Spock)
Conflicted Loyalties: Spock committing mutiny against Kirk to save Pike has always fascinated me.
Mindwiping: I'd love to see the fallout from Spock tampering with Kirk's memory in 'Requiem for Methuselah'. He's obviously trying to help, but I doubt Kirk would see it that way, especially given how he reacts to Sybok.
Wilderness Survival: I'd like to see the two of them stranded on some planet, trying to keep themselves alive, especially if one of them is ill or injured.
(Either)
Daddy Issues: Spock's issues with Sarek are blatant.
Hypothermia: Huddling for warmth!
Nightmares: Both Kirk and Spock have been through a lot of stuff that would cause nightmares.
Parental Disapproval: I can see Sarek disapproving about a lot of things - Spock's career, his friends, his relationship with Kirk... I'd love Spock standing up to him about it, or realising he doesn't need his father's approval. Or even Sarek slowly coming around like he does at the end of 'The Voyage Home'.
Starvation: I'm always looking for more fic about Kirk's time on Tarsus, and this seems like a perfect tag. Could be Kirk confiding in Spock after 'The Conscience of the King', or maybe something goes wrong on a mission and it brings back bad memories?
Vomiting: Could be from illness or motion sickness or stress, I don't mind, as long as one of them throws up and the other comforts them.
Xenophobia: Could be Spock being the victim of prejudice from humans (or Vulcans) or Kirk dealing with Vulcans or others looking down on him for being human.
I think that's everything, but if you have any questions feel free to ask. Thanks again!