Dear Yuletide Letter
Dear Yuletide Writer,
Firstly, thank you! You are ready to attempt to write something for me - and you share a tiny fandom with me. ♥
I am fully aware of the Yuletide mantra: optional details are optional! If you have come here with an idea you're already excited about, the chances are that I will love that, so write it! I like being told stories; I like not knowing what I'm going to get. Everything here is extra information in case you - like me - like to know these sorts of things about your recipient.
Me: my LJ is pretty open, especially fannish things and fic. Feel free to browse and wonder at my oddity. Links to my fic elsewhere is on a sticky at the top along with some recs posts - should you feel the need to engage in any seasonal stalking.
General likes: humour, sarcasm, wit, plot, crossovers, fun, adventure, playing about with cliches, friendship fic, mild shippiness, occasional fluff, interesting interactions between characters (I am fascinated by relationships of all kinds - how are they together? The ways they make each other better or worse, or just different from how they are with others, subtle, tell-tale things. Team dynamics, all those things, fade to black rather than graphic details).
General dislikes: character-bashing, things that are wildly OOC, PWP, hopeless angst. No explicit pr0n/graphic details of any flavour, no incest, dub-con etc., & I prefer mild het & femslash to m/m slash. Also would generally want no overly graphic/explicit descriptions of violence. I usually prefer no AUs (but there is an exception below - and I can be persuaded if you're set on something).
However, I'll take pre-shippiness of any sort, mild slash, and while I do generally prefer plot/humour to angsty fics, I don't mind having my heart broken from time to time. And if you feel the fic needs an explicit paragraph, I am a grown reader who can easily skip over it - and others may thank you. Whatever the story demands, really and however those particular characters would usually behave.
Importantly, don't panic. Please, write the story you want/need to tell rather than something you feel you have to write.
ETA: An additional note - where I have requested two characters/pairings, if you have any difficulty with that, I would be absolutely fine in all three cases with fic that focused on the female character.
1. 15th Century RPF
Henry VII, Elizabeth of York
Any exploration of Henry and Elizabeth and their relationship would be lovely - how you go from a marriage of political convenience (and, oh, sorry, just killed your Uncle, btw) to what seems to have been one of the more functional English royal marriages of the period.
I just want fic for them - there isn't any. I watched the BBC's 1972 historical drama The Shadow of the Tower about Henry VII this year and it got me thinking about them. I like reading about awkward relationships that people make work - and they're definitely that, from what I can see. I don't actually know much about the era really so I'm completely in your hands! (I'm not entirely ignorant, especially not after watching the serial recently but I've not studied his reign). Set me straight, explore your favourite incident/historical characters alongside them, AU-settings, whatever you like, as long as you explore that relationship in some way.
I do want the focus to be on Henry and Elizabeth here (especially Elizabeth), but I am happy for you to include any other relevant people you wish (bonus points for any of the women). I am fine with a realistic historical or you using your poetic license to the full. I'm happy to acknowledge that people can be very contradictory in reality and I don't need you to ignore or whitewash any unpleasant things Henry (or Elizbeth) may have been responsible for - unless you wish to for fic purposes (poetic license, as I said). Though I don't think I'd want an unrelievedly negative take. As for AUs, since there isn't any fic for them, I was thinking of historical fic - but I've seen some marvellous 'in other times/settings' for this kind of category, and 'what if's, so if you feel led that way, please, go for it! I'm sure I'd adore it. (If you should, though, a note on the fic to tell me is nice, because I can be very dim about that sort of thing when reading. Tell me up front and I'm happy.)
(This might be possibly relevant, so: I have no decided opinions about who killed the Princes in the Tower. If it comes up in your fic and you need to pin the blame on someone, I won't throw things.)
ETA: Looking back at this, I think I've written too much here: Basically, I watched one fictional version earlier this year and it made me really curious to see somebody else's take. So, please, do that, and have fun. (And I am not requiring anyone to be terribly romantic about Henry VII. Unless they want to be for any reason.)
2. Blake's 7
Dayna Mellanby, Del Tarrant
I love the idea of Tarrant/Dayna (blame Ultraworld, chiefly!) and would dearly like to see some fic for them. If you don't ship them, any exploration of the way you see their relationship as the newcomers on board the Liberator would be great, too.
Ever since Ultraworld, I've desperately wanted Dayna/Tarrant fic. Aliens nearly made them do it! Tarrant was prissy, Dayna was awesome and blew stuff up! And they seem to be semi-canon at some point early S4, maybe late S3. So - something! Anything! An episode tag, fluff, a mission, or angsty S4, or post GP where one or both survive, I don't mind. I like the way they don't seem to need words when they're together on missions, that Dayna thinks "I could kill you" is a chat up line, that Tarrant's less arrogant with Dayna. If you don't see them that way, that's fine - there isn't much gen fic about them together, either (that I can see), and everyone on this show has fascinating interactions with each other. Tarrant and Dayna teleport somewhere and Dayna Blows Stuff Up and Is Awesome (or whatever) would also be lovely. (Indeed fic focusing on Dayna's awesomeness would delight me anyway and you would meet the Chromatic Yuletide Challenge and maybe even Misses Clause as well.)
And basically, I love B7 to pieces and everything about it. I don't mind who else you include or don't include or which season you set it in. Or, frankly, if you find this prompt impossible and wind up writing stuff where Vila and Avon snark at each forever, or we visit an interesting colony or Servalan has a new outfit and a devious plan, I will not complain. But obviously Tarrant/Dayna would be very nice, thank you. And this is about the most concise I've ever managed to be in talking about B7 in a Dear Yuletide Writer. Because I love it, did I mention that?
As You Like It
Jaques
I just want more Jaques, really. When the Duke was begging him not to go at the end? So was I. So, more Jaques, in a missing scene, or some exploration of his hinted at backstory (where did he travel and why, and why is he so sad/determined to pretend to be sad?) or why he's randomly so set on going off at the end. Or, or - after about a year or so, he changes his mind and arrives at court to rain on everybody's happy ending. (Or, you know, whatever you think he should do.)
I liked him. I'm not sure from reading the play and the notes with it that I'm supposed to think he's the best person in it, so in case I have been unduly influenced by a particular performance, the version I saw was the BBC 1978 where he was played by Richard Pasco. (Yes, I know. My Yuletide this year is a celebration of 1970s BBC TV. I probably ought to apologise to you for that). It's here on YouTube if you did want to look. (It's old TV, but all filmed on location and with Helen Mirren, James Bolam and Angharad Rees.) As ever, please include as many of the other characters as you wish; I liked them all and probably Rosalind, Touchstone and Celia most, but really anyone is fine. It does occur to me that probably one of the things that most appeals is the contrast between all the Shakespeare Comedy characters and this determined pessimist/cynic, so if it can be managed, Jaques with any of the other characters would be best? But, really, I just liked Jaques and I'm sure I'll love anything you write with him in.
4.Poldark
Ross Poldark, Demelza Carne (Poldark)
I've been finally getting round to watching the 1970s series after reading the books years ago and rediscovering a teenage OTP in Ross and Demelza. Also 18th C West Country and historical shenanigans, yes, please.
Ross and Demelza are an odd pairing for me (the main characters, for a start, perish the thought) but I fell for them reading my Mum's copies of these books as a teen and seeing Angharad Rees and Robin Ellis in the roles has reawakened my fondness for them. They are kind of dodgy, I confess, but I love them anyway, and they fit the period - and the two actors have charmed me over any of the questionable aspects. (I think, looking at the first and last of these requests, I'm clearly displaying a bit of a thing for relationships where they start off for convenience's sake/apparently unequal - and then love comes after/the relationship becomes equal, or the power balance swings the other way.)
Anyway, I love the setting and period! Late 18th C West Country (Cornwall, but I love acknowledgement of the West Country as a very distinct part of England). I like that they include stories and characters from all classes and at least some nods to the realties of life then in between the romance/adventure/saga aspect. I know the books (by Winston Graham) too, so don't worry if you came with an idea for them from that - that's great! I would tend to prefer an earlier setting rather than later if possible. I just want more of Ross and Demelza turning out to be improbably and unconventionally happy and having adventures together. The series is quite shameless about 18th C cliches - smugglers, wreckers, Napoleonic spies, rioting over enclosures etc etc. You can go with any they missed or... I'll be honest, I'm feeling shallow. You could write Ross and Demelza go shopping in Truro. Or Ross and Demelza shock the neighbours by their unconventional marriage and don't care. Or that time a lone pirate buried his treasure near Nampara, or the other time where they got invaded by aliens after copper/tin, or when Lady Catherine de Bourgh visited Cornwall and was shocked and vowed never to go there again. Rescuing each other, with many bonus points for Demelza (so tiny and fierce!) having her own adventures/rescuing Ross. (Indeed, Demelza and any/all of the other women being awesome and Ross turning up somewhere at the end would be lovely.)
Or, you know, write me an interesting, perfectly in-keeping missing scene! I'm not really asking you to be cracky. I'm just... I want Ross and Demelza being themselves and as long as I can handwave the story into canon somewhere, I don't mind what you do beyond that. (I don't want an AU, though - as I said, I love the setting and the overall story, too.) Feel free to include any other characters you wish. (I couldn't find the series on YouTube, but here's a trailer for S1 - though with a weird lack of Demelza.)
So, basically:
1. Historical RPF! You would not believe how excited I am just at requesting this category.
2. Creaky old sarcastic cracky-yet-depressing awesome fandom of my heart! ♥
3. JAQUES. JAQUES.
4. Revived teenage OTP! 18th C! The West Country! *flails*
You are going to have to work hard not to please me - I chose requests I wanted equally quite carefully, please don't think otherwise. I hope my epic letter hasn't scared you - I hope you have fun writing something and I can't wait to read it.
Notes on availability: I'm really sorry - I meant to have a short fandom you could use as a fall-back, but I eliminated one during nominations and another during sign-ups. I don't think I can count any of these as easy, except perhaps Poldark, where you could get away with the first book or two (or the first half of the series if you can get hold of it). However, should you be having problems with the fandoms we matched on and wish to try, here are the details:
1. Henry VII and Elizabeth of York are historical people, so you should be able to find out things by use of libraries and Googling. (I just can't see Historical RPF as the easy way out, but if you're feeling brave, you can easily exceed my knowledge - and I did say I'd be happy with an interesting AU.)
2. Blake's 7 is on YouTube. It is (just) short enough to be an option (4x13 episodes in total) - and S3 alone would suffice for Tarrant and Dayna. (You can find S3 Ep1 here and the rest seems to be online there at the moment.) But it is, despite age and visual/sfx crackiness, surprisingly complicated, awesome and full of endless shades of grey, so not really the easiest thing to tackle as a newbie. (Also: don't Google it unless you want to be badly spoiled.)
3. I've given the link for the BBC As You Like It above (and I can see other full versions on YT as well) and the full text of the play is also online. Technically that makes it the shortest and easiest to pick up - it's not a long Shakespeare play, or a complicated tragedy. But Shakespeare! (Well, I would panic at the suggestion, anyway.)
4. Poldark doesn't seem to be on YouTube (though it is out on DVD). The books are easily accessible via libraries and second-hand shops (in the UK, anyway). You would only need the first couple of books and/or half of S1.
If you are panicking and looking for a way out - I love good crossovers and two handy go-anywhere fandoms with their own-built in excuses for crossovers that I love are Doctor Who (Old & New, though Old has the special place in my heart) and Sapphire & Steel. But you could use anything I mention that would fit something here! This isn't in any way asking you to do this - I have genuinely asked for the fandoms and requests I wanted. Only if you are stuck, there's no way I wouldn't adore something like that, too. (Random thought on writing this: you know how Jaques has travelled? And how relentlessly cheerful the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors are? Especially Eleven...)
PS. I will be away for Christmas. I usually have internet access, but it depends and I may not get the chance to read your story until I get back home (before New Year, though), so if I don't comment straight away, that's why. (It's too early for me to have the dates yet - gosh, Yuletide is so early!)
Firstly, thank you! You are ready to attempt to write something for me - and you share a tiny fandom with me. ♥
I am fully aware of the Yuletide mantra: optional details are optional! If you have come here with an idea you're already excited about, the chances are that I will love that, so write it! I like being told stories; I like not knowing what I'm going to get. Everything here is extra information in case you - like me - like to know these sorts of things about your recipient.
Me: my LJ is pretty open, especially fannish things and fic. Feel free to browse and wonder at my oddity. Links to my fic elsewhere is on a sticky at the top along with some recs posts - should you feel the need to engage in any seasonal stalking.
General likes: humour, sarcasm, wit, plot, crossovers, fun, adventure, playing about with cliches, friendship fic, mild shippiness, occasional fluff, interesting interactions between characters (I am fascinated by relationships of all kinds - how are they together? The ways they make each other better or worse, or just different from how they are with others, subtle, tell-tale things. Team dynamics, all those things, fade to black rather than graphic details).
General dislikes: character-bashing, things that are wildly OOC, PWP, hopeless angst. No explicit pr0n/graphic details of any flavour, no incest, dub-con etc., & I prefer mild het & femslash to m/m slash. Also would generally want no overly graphic/explicit descriptions of violence. I usually prefer no AUs (but there is an exception below - and I can be persuaded if you're set on something).
However, I'll take pre-shippiness of any sort, mild slash, and while I do generally prefer plot/humour to angsty fics, I don't mind having my heart broken from time to time. And if you feel the fic needs an explicit paragraph, I am a grown reader who can easily skip over it - and others may thank you. Whatever the story demands, really and however those particular characters would usually behave.
Importantly, don't panic. Please, write the story you want/need to tell rather than something you feel you have to write.
ETA: An additional note - where I have requested two characters/pairings, if you have any difficulty with that, I would be absolutely fine in all three cases with fic that focused on the female character.
1. 15th Century RPF
Henry VII, Elizabeth of York
Any exploration of Henry and Elizabeth and their relationship would be lovely - how you go from a marriage of political convenience (and, oh, sorry, just killed your Uncle, btw) to what seems to have been one of the more functional English royal marriages of the period.
I just want fic for them - there isn't any. I watched the BBC's 1972 historical drama The Shadow of the Tower about Henry VII this year and it got me thinking about them. I like reading about awkward relationships that people make work - and they're definitely that, from what I can see. I don't actually know much about the era really so I'm completely in your hands! (I'm not entirely ignorant, especially not after watching the serial recently but I've not studied his reign). Set me straight, explore your favourite incident/historical characters alongside them, AU-settings, whatever you like, as long as you explore that relationship in some way.
I do want the focus to be on Henry and Elizabeth here (especially Elizabeth), but I am happy for you to include any other relevant people you wish (bonus points for any of the women). I am fine with a realistic historical or you using your poetic license to the full. I'm happy to acknowledge that people can be very contradictory in reality and I don't need you to ignore or whitewash any unpleasant things Henry (or Elizbeth) may have been responsible for - unless you wish to for fic purposes (poetic license, as I said). Though I don't think I'd want an unrelievedly negative take. As for AUs, since there isn't any fic for them, I was thinking of historical fic - but I've seen some marvellous 'in other times/settings' for this kind of category, and 'what if's, so if you feel led that way, please, go for it! I'm sure I'd adore it. (If you should, though, a note on the fic to tell me is nice, because I can be very dim about that sort of thing when reading. Tell me up front and I'm happy.)
(This might be possibly relevant, so: I have no decided opinions about who killed the Princes in the Tower. If it comes up in your fic and you need to pin the blame on someone, I won't throw things.)
ETA: Looking back at this, I think I've written too much here: Basically, I watched one fictional version earlier this year and it made me really curious to see somebody else's take. So, please, do that, and have fun. (And I am not requiring anyone to be terribly romantic about Henry VII. Unless they want to be for any reason.)
2. Blake's 7
Dayna Mellanby, Del Tarrant
I love the idea of Tarrant/Dayna (blame Ultraworld, chiefly!) and would dearly like to see some fic for them. If you don't ship them, any exploration of the way you see their relationship as the newcomers on board the Liberator would be great, too.
Ever since Ultraworld, I've desperately wanted Dayna/Tarrant fic. Aliens nearly made them do it! Tarrant was prissy, Dayna was awesome and blew stuff up! And they seem to be semi-canon at some point early S4, maybe late S3. So - something! Anything! An episode tag, fluff, a mission, or angsty S4, or post GP where one or both survive, I don't mind. I like the way they don't seem to need words when they're together on missions, that Dayna thinks "I could kill you" is a chat up line, that Tarrant's less arrogant with Dayna. If you don't see them that way, that's fine - there isn't much gen fic about them together, either (that I can see), and everyone on this show has fascinating interactions with each other. Tarrant and Dayna teleport somewhere and Dayna Blows Stuff Up and Is Awesome (or whatever) would also be lovely. (Indeed fic focusing on Dayna's awesomeness would delight me anyway and you would meet the Chromatic Yuletide Challenge and maybe even Misses Clause as well.)
And basically, I love B7 to pieces and everything about it. I don't mind who else you include or don't include or which season you set it in. Or, frankly, if you find this prompt impossible and wind up writing stuff where Vila and Avon snark at each forever, or we visit an interesting colony or Servalan has a new outfit and a devious plan, I will not complain. But obviously Tarrant/Dayna would be very nice, thank you. And this is about the most concise I've ever managed to be in talking about B7 in a Dear Yuletide Writer. Because I love it, did I mention that?
As You Like It
Jaques
I just want more Jaques, really. When the Duke was begging him not to go at the end? So was I. So, more Jaques, in a missing scene, or some exploration of his hinted at backstory (where did he travel and why, and why is he so sad/determined to pretend to be sad?) or why he's randomly so set on going off at the end. Or, or - after about a year or so, he changes his mind and arrives at court to rain on everybody's happy ending. (Or, you know, whatever you think he should do.)
I liked him. I'm not sure from reading the play and the notes with it that I'm supposed to think he's the best person in it, so in case I have been unduly influenced by a particular performance, the version I saw was the BBC 1978 where he was played by Richard Pasco. (Yes, I know. My Yuletide this year is a celebration of 1970s BBC TV. I probably ought to apologise to you for that). It's here on YouTube if you did want to look. (It's old TV, but all filmed on location and with Helen Mirren, James Bolam and Angharad Rees.) As ever, please include as many of the other characters as you wish; I liked them all and probably Rosalind, Touchstone and Celia most, but really anyone is fine. It does occur to me that probably one of the things that most appeals is the contrast between all the Shakespeare Comedy characters and this determined pessimist/cynic, so if it can be managed, Jaques with any of the other characters would be best? But, really, I just liked Jaques and I'm sure I'll love anything you write with him in.
4.Poldark
Ross Poldark, Demelza Carne (Poldark)
I've been finally getting round to watching the 1970s series after reading the books years ago and rediscovering a teenage OTP in Ross and Demelza. Also 18th C West Country and historical shenanigans, yes, please.
Ross and Demelza are an odd pairing for me (the main characters, for a start, perish the thought) but I fell for them reading my Mum's copies of these books as a teen and seeing Angharad Rees and Robin Ellis in the roles has reawakened my fondness for them. They are kind of dodgy, I confess, but I love them anyway, and they fit the period - and the two actors have charmed me over any of the questionable aspects. (I think, looking at the first and last of these requests, I'm clearly displaying a bit of a thing for relationships where they start off for convenience's sake/apparently unequal - and then love comes after/the relationship becomes equal, or the power balance swings the other way.)
Anyway, I love the setting and period! Late 18th C West Country (Cornwall, but I love acknowledgement of the West Country as a very distinct part of England). I like that they include stories and characters from all classes and at least some nods to the realties of life then in between the romance/adventure/saga aspect. I know the books (by Winston Graham) too, so don't worry if you came with an idea for them from that - that's great! I would tend to prefer an earlier setting rather than later if possible. I just want more of Ross and Demelza turning out to be improbably and unconventionally happy and having adventures together. The series is quite shameless about 18th C cliches - smugglers, wreckers, Napoleonic spies, rioting over enclosures etc etc. You can go with any they missed or... I'll be honest, I'm feeling shallow. You could write Ross and Demelza go shopping in Truro. Or Ross and Demelza shock the neighbours by their unconventional marriage and don't care. Or that time a lone pirate buried his treasure near Nampara, or the other time where they got invaded by aliens after copper/tin, or when Lady Catherine de Bourgh visited Cornwall and was shocked and vowed never to go there again. Rescuing each other, with many bonus points for Demelza (so tiny and fierce!) having her own adventures/rescuing Ross. (Indeed, Demelza and any/all of the other women being awesome and Ross turning up somewhere at the end would be lovely.)
Or, you know, write me an interesting, perfectly in-keeping missing scene! I'm not really asking you to be cracky. I'm just... I want Ross and Demelza being themselves and as long as I can handwave the story into canon somewhere, I don't mind what you do beyond that. (I don't want an AU, though - as I said, I love the setting and the overall story, too.) Feel free to include any other characters you wish. (I couldn't find the series on YouTube, but here's a trailer for S1 - though with a weird lack of Demelza.)
So, basically:
1. Historical RPF! You would not believe how excited I am just at requesting this category.
2. Creaky old sarcastic cracky-yet-depressing awesome fandom of my heart! ♥
3. JAQUES. JAQUES.
4. Revived teenage OTP! 18th C! The West Country! *flails*
You are going to have to work hard not to please me - I chose requests I wanted equally quite carefully, please don't think otherwise. I hope my epic letter hasn't scared you - I hope you have fun writing something and I can't wait to read it.
Notes on availability: I'm really sorry - I meant to have a short fandom you could use as a fall-back, but I eliminated one during nominations and another during sign-ups. I don't think I can count any of these as easy, except perhaps Poldark, where you could get away with the first book or two (or the first half of the series if you can get hold of it). However, should you be having problems with the fandoms we matched on and wish to try, here are the details:
1. Henry VII and Elizabeth of York are historical people, so you should be able to find out things by use of libraries and Googling. (I just can't see Historical RPF as the easy way out, but if you're feeling brave, you can easily exceed my knowledge - and I did say I'd be happy with an interesting AU.)
2. Blake's 7 is on YouTube. It is (just) short enough to be an option (4x13 episodes in total) - and S3 alone would suffice for Tarrant and Dayna. (You can find S3 Ep1 here and the rest seems to be online there at the moment.) But it is, despite age and visual/sfx crackiness, surprisingly complicated, awesome and full of endless shades of grey, so not really the easiest thing to tackle as a newbie. (Also: don't Google it unless you want to be badly spoiled.)
3. I've given the link for the BBC As You Like It above (and I can see other full versions on YT as well) and the full text of the play is also online. Technically that makes it the shortest and easiest to pick up - it's not a long Shakespeare play, or a complicated tragedy. But Shakespeare! (Well, I would panic at the suggestion, anyway.)
4. Poldark doesn't seem to be on YouTube (though it is out on DVD). The books are easily accessible via libraries and second-hand shops (in the UK, anyway). You would only need the first couple of books and/or half of S1.
If you are panicking and looking for a way out - I love good crossovers and two handy go-anywhere fandoms with their own-built in excuses for crossovers that I love are Doctor Who (Old & New, though Old has the special place in my heart) and Sapphire & Steel. But you could use anything I mention that would fit something here! This isn't in any way asking you to do this - I have genuinely asked for the fandoms and requests I wanted. Only if you are stuck, there's no way I wouldn't adore something like that, too. (Random thought on writing this: you know how Jaques has travelled? And how relentlessly cheerful the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors are? Especially Eleven...)
PS. I will be away for Christmas. I usually have internet access, but it depends and I may not get the chance to read your story until I get back home (before New Year, though), so if I don't comment straight away, that's why. (It's too early for me to have the dates yet - gosh, Yuletide is so early!)