dear yuletide author...
So I want to start with a massive thank you, and to say that despite appearances, I am not at all fussy about what I receive. Just enjoy yourself, Yuletide author, and I'm positive I'll love what you write for me. So on to the technical stuff:
Likes: getting-together stories, interesting dialogue, character development, relationship development, kissing (kissing is always lovely), the good kind of heartache, fluff can be fantastic if it's not over the top, fun and silliness, AUs, cross-dressing is a good kink, banter and bickering, friendships, families, backstory, whether relationship or individual character-based, it's all good, people getting along or not getting along at all. Gen, het, slash. Gratuitous literary, historical, or otherwise academic references. Basically anything interesting and in-character. Just enjoy what you write!
Dislikes: the usual non-con, dub-con, really out-there fetishy stuff, deathfic, I loathe anything that's out of character, excessive schmoop, unnecessary flowery language, and so on. I'm not a huge fan of porn for porn's sake -- I enjoy it thoroughly if it's in-character, or relevant to the story, or something like that. Just basically stay away from the kind of pwp where you can insert anyone's name in place of the characters' and it wouldn't make a difference (although hot in-character pwp is more than welcome). I sound a lot more fussy than I really am, really! I just like distinct, unique characters, you know? However you interpret them, as long as they're discernibly them.
As for the individual fandoms:
Tennis RPF
Roger Federer/Rafael Nadal/Marat Safin/Lleyton Hewitt
I am not at all fussy about what you choose to write, should this be your fandom. The pairing of my heart is Roger/Rafa (you can have a look at my fic masterlist to see the kind of things I write), but honestly, I adore them in all their representations: I love Rafa being in awe of Roger, I love Roger being intrigued by Rafa, I love them being ridiculous together (that video!), I love them being all angsty about their ~forbidden love. As for the other characters: pretty much all I want in life, that has, to the best of my knowledge, never been really thoroughly written, is a story about Roger and Marat's epic friendship. If this is written for me I think I will actually cry with happiness. Something real and imperfect, just like they are: those little moments on-court during huge Grand Slam matches where they'd just stop and share a joke, oh my heart. Sitting around chatting and catching up. Something that maybe focuses on how thoroughly different they are, and how their dynamics work together, would be absolutely amazing. There's so much potential for angsty, h/c bff stuff, and then that feeding over into those little lighthearted moments. It's just so diverse! I don't even know, I'll stop now. And Lleyton, same again, there's just so little written about him, and he's grown on me so much over the last few years. I love how he's matured and grown up, and anyone you choose to write him with, or even just something entirely about him, I'd read that in a second, too. I'd read anything, is what I'm trying to say, so feel free to ignore everything I've written, if you so choose. I think if you're part of the tennis fandom you'll understand what I'm getting at, so I trust you entirely.
Also, I've only listed four characters, but feel free to include others, if you feel you need to (or want to!)
28 Days
Gwen/Eddie/Gerhardt/Andrea
What I'm looking for here is anything that fleshes these characters out a little more. Backstory about anyone (Eddie in particular, but seriously, anyone) would be lovely. Post-canon stuff. Tell me about how Gwen and Eddie meet again (you can't tell me they don't). Tell me about the regular catch-ups between Gwen and Gerhardt (again, it's all canon in my mind). It doesn't have to be a romantic story, although that's more than fine too. I just love these characters so much, and I think there's so much potential for really fascinating, gorgeous stories.
RocknRolla
Handsome Bob/One-Two/Mumbles/Archy
I'm going to be utterly ordinary and say that I adore Handsome Bob/One-Two, but don't feel like you absolutely have to write me a story about them. If you do, I have to say I love the dynamic they have in the movie -- the unrequited factor, complicated by One-Two's genuine but (mostly? Something exploring that would be totally awesome too) platonic love for Handsome Bob. I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't feel like you have to write me a conventional love story. They're fucked up and hilarious and adorable, and I love them that way. I love how there's this inference in the movie that One-Two wants so much to be able to give Bob what he wants, and there are so many ways of exploring that, so many different angles. You can also stray away from the whole Handsome Bob/One-Two focus, if that's not your thing. I'm perfectly happy to read gen (or well, I guess less slashy gen, if that makes sense) about any or all of them being ridiculous and incompetent and hilarious in any way, shape or form. Handsome Bob-centric fic, backstory or post-canon or during the movie would also be fantastic.
Actor RPF
James Dean/Paul Newman
This is my totally self-indulgent, long-shot request. I'd be happy with the briefest little thing for this. An entire fic about pretty boys kissing! I don't care. I think especially because James as a character is so hard to pinpoint. If you feel like taking that on, that would be fantastic, and I'll be so impressed, but seriously, I'm so shallow when it comes to these two.
And that's pretty much it! Like I said, just enjoy what you write, have an awesome time with it, feel free to incorporate any or none of my likes, and I'm positive I'll love it. &hearts.