Dear Yuletide Writer

[rebecca2525]

OMG, you are writing in one of my tiny fandoms! For me! I love you already! Please, please, please: have fun with your assignment! I don't expect you to read my mind, and I don't want you to write something you feel unenthusiastic or even uncomfortable about. Really, every fic in my teeny tiny fandoms is a win! Yuletide is for fun and the collective squee, and I'm already overjoyed that you like one of my fandoms enough to offer to write for it! (So many exclamation points. Can you tell I'm excited?)

I don't have any triggers and I am very hard to squick, but I'd rather the fic does not contain (m)preg, death of canon characters, non-con involving canon characters, or overly kinky sex. (Unless it's a canon event. Everything that's canon is fair game!) Other than that, go wild!

Okay, so if you already have an idea for your fic, that's great! Stop reading this letter, forget about my request details and go write; I can't wait to see what you come up with! :D In case you do want some inspiration, though, here's what I have to say about my fandoms:

19th Century RPF: Oscar Wilde

I adore Wilde's humour, his wit, is intellect, his frivolity, his way with words. I find his comedies so funny and quotable, it's ridiculous. Wilde must have been quite a charmer and very entertaining! To a certain extend, he was putting on an act in public, and I find it fasctinating to find out what he actually meant, or what was just him being facetious. It's interesting, for example, that he was deliberately building a reputation as a bad student, as someone who doesn't put much effort into his work, as someone who doesn't care about how is work is received, when in fact, the contrary was true.

Then there is, of course, Wilde's doomed affair with Lord Alfred Douglas. They loved each other, they hated each other at times, and I'm not quite sure that they were good for each other, but yet they could never part for good. And finally Wilde's trials and conviction; the fact that societey was willing for the longest time to turn a blind eye to Wilde's not-so-discreet sexuality only to drop him like a hot potato when there was evidence... Sometimes I wish I could reach back in time to give Wilde a hug an assure him it's not him who's done anything wrong. (Don't mistake this for me asking for happy fic though; I'm fine with whatever you want to write!) Story ideas

Whether you want to stick to the facts, indulge in what-if's, go all literary geek or history geek-that's all fine with me!

Of the gen variety: The time after Wilde's imprisonment: How did he come to terms with what happened? What were his thoughts on the society that shunned him, the conviction, his life before? I know De Profundis covers some of this, but I find it very tiresome. :( ~*~ Something surrounding one of his works? Where did he get the inspiration, what was the writing process, how was it received, how was the premiere, what did he have to say about it? Could one write Wilde into one of his works? ~*~ Is there any (meta) fic potential in his quotes? E.g. "It is a very sad thing that nowadays there is so little useless information" or "If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all" ...

Of the shippy variety: I'd love to see more about Wilde's relationship with Robbie Ross. What was the very beginning like, for example? ~*~ Sometimes I find it hard to imagine what Wilde saw in Alfred Douglas, but it's clear that there must have been something. I'd love to see that explored. ~*~ I wouldn't mind at all if you gave Wilde a happy ending after the imprisonment with Robbie. (Or maybe even a matured Alfred. I can imagine such a relationship would be quite different from what it was in earlier years.)

Crossover potential: I'd love to see Wilde talking to people, being all witty and charming. Anyone you think might be interesting! ~*~ Wilde actually met Arthur Conan Doyle IRL... :D ~*~ Or what if Wilde met Sherlock Holmes? They were both geniuses and full of themselves, but yet so very different. Gen or shippy fic are both fine with me. ~*~ And just on the teeny tiny off-chance you've heard of him, there's some cross-over potential with Hugo von Hofmannsthal (see my other request.)
Availability

I heartily recommend the movie Wilde with Stephen Fry and Jude Law. It's very very beautiful and a great introduction to Wilde's person. Add to that Wilde's Wikipedia page and his Wikiquotes page, and you are all set. Of course there's lots more to be found online; Youtube has several biographies, for example.

Albion (Video Game): Drirr

I love the plot with its twists and the detailed world of Albion. I especially like the tropic Nakiridaani with all those exotic plants and animals, and the Iskai. I can spend hours walking around there, looking at stuff and talking to people! (Glow-in-the-dark flora & fauna! Buildings that are actually shaped out of living plants! Iskai magic! The Formers' guildhouse!)

I picked Drirr because I love his funny moments and his impulsiveness, because I'm fascinated with all things Iskai, and because I always have him as the party leader (Iskai see better in the dark, and next to Tom, I can see him in that role.) As far as I'm concerned, though, he doesn't have to take a central role in your story, or any role at all. Other favourite characters of mine are Sira (again, Iskai, and a bad-ass magician!) and Rainer (because he's a scientist and I'm a science geek; I'm probably the only person who was actually sad when he left the party.) But other characters are fine too, especially if it's team fic or more general fic about the world and its cultures. I'm really not picky in this fandom! As for ships, I like the idea of Rainer/Drirr; there's some banter going on between them that just pings the right way for me.
Story ideas

Of the gen variety: What about the time after the shuttle crash that Rainer spent with the Iskai, before Tom regained consciousness? What was the first contact like, how did Rainer learn the Iskai's language and culture? Maybe Rainer and Drirr already met during that time? ~*~ What happens after the game ends? What do the individual player characters do, or how do the humans from the Toronto cope? Will Drirr go back to his old life or will he stay in contact with his new friends? ~*~ How is growing up on Nakiridaani like? Maybe something about Drirr's past? ~*~ Some good old adventure fic? Maybe you can squeeze in a little side quest, or maybe the party continues to roam around together after the game ends? ~*~ Is there more to tell about the old Formers' guildhouse/Agrim?

Of the shippy variety (just in case you'd like to try Drirr/Rainer): Maybe there's shyness, awkwardness, misunderstandings, conflicts, wonder because of their different cultures and physiques? ~*~ Getting closer during a quiet night around the campfire? (I imagine that must be a little awkward, what with the lack of privacy...) ~*~ Do Iskai kiss? Hug? Dance? ~*~ An Iskai's tail is practically a tentacle third arm and hand. I'm just saying...
Availability

Albion is abandonware and as such downloadable in various places, and there are walkthroughs, transcripts, videos etc. It's a very long game, but you don't have to finish it in order to write fic for me, as many of my story ideas refer to places and characters you meet early on in the game. I've collected some resources here.

Brandstetter - Joseph Hansen: Dave Brandstetter

I adore Hansen's evocative writing style and how he creates atmosphere. He has so lively descriptions of landscapes, architecture, interior design, fashion, people. I love especially when he does bleak places, and I have a soft spot for the late 60s/early 70s anyway... That the stories are mainly not about action, but more unagitated whodunnits about people, and ordinary people at that, is a big plus in my eyes. Hansen is amazing with characterisation and dialogue, and I always want to find out more about all the people involved.

Another thing to love, of course, is Dave himself. I like his calmness, his confidence, his patience, how he on the one hand comes across as unintrusive and lets people talk, but on the other hand doesn't shy away from telling his opinion or prodding. He can also be quite badass if the situation calls for it. I especially adore how he is at peace with his sexuality even when most people around him aren't. I'm very open to shipping Dave with other people, canon characters or original characters, as long as they are male. I wouldn't want seeing him breaking up with Cecil though, so if Cecil somehow gets in your way, please let it be in an alternative universe where Dave/Cecil never happened.
Story ideas

Of the gen variety: I always wonder about Dave's relationship with his father. They seem to be getting on very well, but they are both people who don't talk much and who put their work above everything else. Were there conflicts in the past? Especially seeing Carl's list of very young ex-wifes... ~*~ Was Dave always so self-secure with his sexuality, or how did he come to terms with it? ~*~ How did Dave's father find out about Dave being gay, how did he take it? The only fragment we get in canon is: Dave's father said, "You're full of surprises." / Dave said, "I kept waiting for you to guess." I sometimes wonder if Carl takes Dave's homosexuality seriously of if he thinks it's just a phase. ~*~ Dave's father once thought that Dave was in love with his wife du jour and thus divorced her-so he didn't know Dave was gay then? Why didn't Dave tell him then? He seemed to like his then-step-mother. ~*~ In the last novel, Dave's friend from school is writing about his friends and juicy details from their past-what was he going to write about Dave? ~*~ I love case fics, too, but I'm afraid I can't suggest anything; go you if you'd like to write one!

Of the shippy variety: Dave/Doug: I know that this relationship isn't meant to be, but I'd still love to see more about the very beginning. What about their first dates, for example? ~*~ Doug's POV of their first meeting during the case? ~*~ How was Dave's first relationship, or his first date, or his first sexual encounter? ~*~ Does Dave introduce his boyfriends to his father?
Availability

Overall, there are twelve short standalone novels, each a quick read. Still in print is for example the Complete Brandstetter. Alas, I haven't seen any ebook versions so far. Mind that you don't have to read all of the books in order to write for me. The first book alone should give room enough for fic, and I don't mind (accidental) AUs for any of the books you don't know!

Literary RPF: Hugo von Hofmannsthal

I LOVELOVELOVE Hofmannsthal's poems and prose. He has such an amazing way with words that really touches and fascinates me. I have to admit though that I don't know much about his later works (his dramas and librettos) since his direction of work and his views about it changed quite a bit.

What I find interesting is Hofmannsthal latent bisexuality and how that influcenes his work. Hofmannsthal was aware of his homoerotic feelings and accepting of them as long as they weren't acted on beyond flirtation and affectionate friendships. Most notably is probably his ambivalent relationship with Stefan George: on the one hand Hofmannsthal was fascinated by him and happy to have found a kindred spirit, on the other hand he was overwhelmed by George's pushiness and dominance. And although their friendship didn't last, Hofmannsthal and George could never stop thinking about each other. Then there are Edgar Karg von Bebenburg and Georg von Franckenstein, with whom Hofmannsthal had more harmonious and affectionate relationships.
Story ideas

Whether you want to stick to the facts, indulge in what-if's, go all literary geek or history geek-that's all fine with me! I should perhaps note that German's my native language, so feel free to write in German, or include German bits.

Of the gen variety: Hofmannsthal was very young when he wrote his first poems. How was he as a boy? Did he feel different from his contemporaries or even lonely? When did he start writing? Whom did he show his first attempts? ~*~ Maybe you can base something around one of his works? Where did the inspiration come from? Is it very personal? What could the writing process have been like? ~*~ Why did he give up on poetry, symbolism, aestheticism? Did something happen, did he 'grow out' of it, did he ever look back? Maybe there's something in the Chandros letter that can be worked into a fic?

Of the shippy variety: Hofmannsthal's first encounter with Stefan George in Vienna seems to have been brief, but intense. What happened? ~*~ Again, maybe you can base a story on one of their poems, where its inspiration came from, how it was received by the other? ~*~ Were there ever any conflicts about how far they were going to take their relationship? Did they have different expectations? ~*~ I'd equally love to hear about Hofmannsthal's relationships with Edgar Karg von Bebenburg or Georg von Franckenstein, it's just that I have less material on those two and thus find it harder to come up with useful prompts. They seem to have been much more hamonic and even sweet. ~*~ What about pairing Hofmannsthal with an original male character? Maybe in Hofmannsthal's boyhood before he met George for the first time?

Crossover potential: Oscar Wilde (see my other request). Hofmannsthal did read his work and essays, and Wilde's ideas about art were very close to young Hofmannsthal's. What would it have been like if they had wrote each other or met in person? Is there potential for friendship or a romantic relationship? ~*~ Hofmannsthal followed the proceedings of Wilde's trials very closely. What were his thoughts? Did Wilde's conviction influence his own life?
Availability

Unfortunately, there isn't all too much about Hofmannsthal to be found online, and often it's in German. I've collected some resources in another post.

General Likes/Disklikes

If you want to see what other fandoms or stories I like, or what I write (not much!), have a look at my fic and bookmarks on AO3, at my sticky post, and at last year's letter.

The following is a brainstormy collection of things I tend to like. Please take this as a possible source of inspiration; I'm not suggesting that your fic should contain any of these (some wouldn't even make sense for my requests...) or can't contain anything else.

• romance
• humour
• action/adventure/casefic/mystery/...
• plot
• banter/snark/witty dialogue
• flirting
• first touches/first kisses/first times (not necessarily as in sex, but especially as in 'getting together')
• dancing
• all variations of "they are forced to do it but secretly want it anyway": aliens made them do it/mate or die/mistletoe/truth or dare/bets/sex pollen/drunk fic/under the influence/undercover as gay/having to share a bed/...
• using each other's titles as a playful endearment/developing an own, unconventional language (verbal or not) in which to declare each other's appreciation or love
• coming to terms with things: one's past, one's feelings, ...
• competence/people being good at their job
• outsider POV: someone else's view on my favourite characters or relationships
• matchmaking
• other people realising the epic love or friendship before the pairing/thinking they're together or should be
• feels like an episode/episode related (missing scene, post-ep, casting a new light upon canon events)
• bittersweet/melancholy atmosphere
• beautiful prose
• geeky/nerdy/techy stuff
• uniforms/formal attire; hiding behind
• UST/becoming aware of one's feelings/trying to suppress one's feelings and failing
• best buddies or colleagues (with or without slowly becoming lovers)/acting like a married couple/knowing how to handle each other's quirks/settling into routines
• relationships (as friends or lovers) that seem mismatched, unbalanced or unlikely at first glance, but aren't or work out against all odds
• a silly premise
• open or ambiguous ending
• happy ending
• meta

I don't mind Christmas fics at all, though being an Atheist, for me Christmas is more about family time than religious stuff.

There are also a few things which I normally don't care much for, but which aren't deal-breakers: darkfic, AUs of the "they are vampires/in high school/in another century" variety, genderswap, extremely fluffy fluff with fluff on top.

I'm going to allow anonymous comments on this post, so feel free to ask me questions!
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