Dear Yuletide Writer
Dear Yuletide Writer,
Thanks so much for offering to write in one of these fandoms! I love them all and I very much look forward to whatever you come up with. These prompts are merely meant as suggestions; if you have an idea of your own, please go ahead and use it, for I want you to have fun. I only ask that you refrain from including any of the elements on my "not keen on" list.
Things I like: Backstory, gap fillers, things set pre-/post-canon, fix-it AUs, complicated relationships (romantic/sexual or otherwise), complex power dynamics, character studies, repression, awkwardness, details that flesh out the characters' everyday lives (about food, for instance), seeing canonical characters/events from different POVs.
Things I'm not so keen on: Dubcon/noncon, graphic violence, character bashing, Stockholm Syndrome, "modern AU" (for lack of a better term -- I really love the original setting of these canons), prostitution if treated in an eroticised or light-hearted way, kidfic (though stories about the canon characters' childhoods are more than welcome). I'm okay with period racism/sexism/homophobia if it's relevant to the story.
Affinity -- Sarah Waters (Ruth, Selina)
I love this book for its atmosphere, its suspense, its fascinating characters. I've always been intrigued by the Ruth/Selina relationship, and I'd absolutely love to see it explored in fic. Post-canon (in Italy, or several years down the road), during Selina's imprisonment (maybe epistolary fic?), during the beginnings of their relationship... Any setting would be great. Please don't make it too fluffy; I'd like something that matches the darkness of the canon, if you're comfortable with that. Also, please don't make Selina the innocent victim of Ruth's wiles: as far as I can tell, they're both manipulative individuals, and Selina is responsible for her own actions. She may or may not have had feelings for Margaret -- I like the ambiguity of this -- but not enough to refrain from doing what she did. Whether she regrets that or not is up to you. I just want to know more about her, and Ruth, and that twisted, passionate relationship that they have.
Earthsea -- Ursula K. Le Guin (Seserakh)
I really liked Seserakh as a character when I read The Other Wind, and I'd love to learn more about her childhood in Kargad, if that's something that interests you, or her later life. While I like her and Lebannen both, I must admit I wasn't entirely convinced by their romance in the book, so if you want to develop their relationship a bit, that would be awesome! Or you could pair them both off with other people, or no one at all, just as you like. If you want to write about her relationship with her father, that would be really interesting, too.
Emily of New Moon -- L.M. Montgomery (Elizabeth Murray)
Aunt Elizabeth has always been my favourite character, I think. She's stern and not always fair, but there's just something about her I love -- some sense that deep down, there's a lingering insecurity, and that's why she's clinging so fiercely to her authority and her traditions. I'd love to read a story exploring her relationship with her father, or with Aunt Nancy (is there a specific reason as to their animosity, apart from their obvious differences?), or with her siblings, particularly Laura. Or... Did Elizabeth ever fall in love? Did he or she love her back? (I'm totally open to the possibility of gay!Elizabeth.)
A confession, though: I never read the third Emily novel as a kid, because it wasn't published where I'm from, and, well, I haven't got around to it as an adult. Therefore, while I'm spoilt as to the main stuff that happens, I'd prefer the story not to hinge on elements from that book.
Notre-Dame de Paris -- Cocciante/Plamondon (any)
I requested "any" here and I really mean it, and if you want to bring the characters who weren't nominated too, then feel free! I've really come to love this musical and basically anything based on it would make me happy. I should say, though, that I haven't read the book (yet) and so I'd prefer it if the fic doesn't draw too heavily upon it in terms of characterisation, plot lines, etc. (I'm fine with details from the book being used, if that's something you want to do.)
Some more specific ideas, so as not to be too vague: anything about the Frollo-Quasimodo relationship, Fleur-de-Lys character study (there seems to be some dissonance between the way she looks at herself and her anger/aggression, which is expressed through her desire to get Esmeralda hanged), Gringoire's thoughts about the way the story ended (maybe he runs into Fleur-de-Lys and Phoebus post-canon?), Frollo's reaction to learning that Quasimodo loves Esmeralda... Anything, really. (Just no requited Frollo/Esmeralda, please.)
Anyway, I hope this was helpful, and that you'll have fun! <3
Best,
Miss M.
Thanks so much for offering to write in one of these fandoms! I love them all and I very much look forward to whatever you come up with. These prompts are merely meant as suggestions; if you have an idea of your own, please go ahead and use it, for I want you to have fun. I only ask that you refrain from including any of the elements on my "not keen on" list.
Things I like: Backstory, gap fillers, things set pre-/post-canon, fix-it AUs, complicated relationships (romantic/sexual or otherwise), complex power dynamics, character studies, repression, awkwardness, details that flesh out the characters' everyday lives (about food, for instance), seeing canonical characters/events from different POVs.
Things I'm not so keen on: Dubcon/noncon, graphic violence, character bashing, Stockholm Syndrome, "modern AU" (for lack of a better term -- I really love the original setting of these canons), prostitution if treated in an eroticised or light-hearted way, kidfic (though stories about the canon characters' childhoods are more than welcome). I'm okay with period racism/sexism/homophobia if it's relevant to the story.
Affinity -- Sarah Waters (Ruth, Selina)
I love this book for its atmosphere, its suspense, its fascinating characters. I've always been intrigued by the Ruth/Selina relationship, and I'd absolutely love to see it explored in fic. Post-canon (in Italy, or several years down the road), during Selina's imprisonment (maybe epistolary fic?), during the beginnings of their relationship... Any setting would be great. Please don't make it too fluffy; I'd like something that matches the darkness of the canon, if you're comfortable with that. Also, please don't make Selina the innocent victim of Ruth's wiles: as far as I can tell, they're both manipulative individuals, and Selina is responsible for her own actions. She may or may not have had feelings for Margaret -- I like the ambiguity of this -- but not enough to refrain from doing what she did. Whether she regrets that or not is up to you. I just want to know more about her, and Ruth, and that twisted, passionate relationship that they have.
Earthsea -- Ursula K. Le Guin (Seserakh)
I really liked Seserakh as a character when I read The Other Wind, and I'd love to learn more about her childhood in Kargad, if that's something that interests you, or her later life. While I like her and Lebannen both, I must admit I wasn't entirely convinced by their romance in the book, so if you want to develop their relationship a bit, that would be awesome! Or you could pair them both off with other people, or no one at all, just as you like. If you want to write about her relationship with her father, that would be really interesting, too.
Emily of New Moon -- L.M. Montgomery (Elizabeth Murray)
Aunt Elizabeth has always been my favourite character, I think. She's stern and not always fair, but there's just something about her I love -- some sense that deep down, there's a lingering insecurity, and that's why she's clinging so fiercely to her authority and her traditions. I'd love to read a story exploring her relationship with her father, or with Aunt Nancy (is there a specific reason as to their animosity, apart from their obvious differences?), or with her siblings, particularly Laura. Or... Did Elizabeth ever fall in love? Did he or she love her back? (I'm totally open to the possibility of gay!Elizabeth.)
A confession, though: I never read the third Emily novel as a kid, because it wasn't published where I'm from, and, well, I haven't got around to it as an adult. Therefore, while I'm spoilt as to the main stuff that happens, I'd prefer the story not to hinge on elements from that book.
Notre-Dame de Paris -- Cocciante/Plamondon (any)
I requested "any" here and I really mean it, and if you want to bring the characters who weren't nominated too, then feel free! I've really come to love this musical and basically anything based on it would make me happy. I should say, though, that I haven't read the book (yet) and so I'd prefer it if the fic doesn't draw too heavily upon it in terms of characterisation, plot lines, etc. (I'm fine with details from the book being used, if that's something you want to do.)
Some more specific ideas, so as not to be too vague: anything about the Frollo-Quasimodo relationship, Fleur-de-Lys character study (there seems to be some dissonance between the way she looks at herself and her anger/aggression, which is expressed through her desire to get Esmeralda hanged), Gringoire's thoughts about the way the story ended (maybe he runs into Fleur-de-Lys and Phoebus post-canon?), Frollo's reaction to learning that Quasimodo loves Esmeralda... Anything, really. (Just no requited Frollo/Esmeralda, please.)
Anyway, I hope this was helpful, and that you'll have fun! <3
Best,
Miss M.