Dear Yuletide Santa
Yes, I know most of you won't care, but someone out there probably will...
Dearest, most awesome Yuletide Santa,
First of all: EEEEEEEEEE!!!!! <3!!! Thank you so much for the time and effort you'll be putting into this. Every year, Yuletide gets a little more exciting and scary and wonderful. I am even now looking at my signup sheet to divine what fandom of mine meshes with what you offered to write. I think it's only fair to let you know about the things that I adore -- as well as the things that squick me -- and hopefully this will help you out in the frenzy of "OMGWTFAMIGOINGTOWRITE?!" that most Yuletiders seem to be going through right now.
First off, I'm very sorry if this happens to be something you like, but I really am not a fan of slash, or slashy undertones. (Sometimes, if they're very subtle and in line with canon and accepted characterization, I'll buy into it, but most of the time I just don't believe slashy pairings.) Also not a fan of the m-preg or non-con, and hard-core BDSM kinda scares me a little (however, I do maintain a little bit of kink is good for the soul, and handcuffs, blindfolds, and the like are definitely hot -- even "fake" non-con [when it's an agreed-upon part of a "game," for instance] -- what squicks me would be the hard-core stuff that tilts over into humiliation and outright pain). After having said all of this, do I really have to say that I'm okay with a smutty story? No? Okay then. That said, I don't want to make you uncomfortable, so if you're not all about the smut? Totally fine.
Non-smut related dislikes -- OOC'ness, grand declarations of love (which might fall under OOC'ness), overly graphic gore.
I don't really have a preference as far as comedy/fluff/drama/horror/angst goes. I tend to be a bit of an angst-hound, and anything that can make me cry is all right by me, but I'm also a closet romantic who will roll around in smurshy fics (but in small doses -- too much rots my teeth *grin*). Looking back at my requests, there are two fandoms with canonically established couples (Darcy/Lizzy and Peter/Harriet) and two fandoms with what I'll call "wishful thinking" pairings (Jin/Fuu and Dream/Nuala). Nine times out of ten (though here it's more "two times out of four") I am all about the canon pairings. If you are writing about the latter two fandoms... well. Let's just say I'd really, really appreciate it if you were able to humor me. :)
Happy endings are marvelous, but if the fic wants to end on a bittersweet note or whatever, that's totally cool.
Christmas or wintertime themes would be great (because I live in a tropical hell so-called paradise very warm climate, I love things that feel "Christmasy" around the season -- it helps me to forget that it's icky and humid outside), but again, I understand that sometimes you just can't make something fit.
What do I love? Good grammar, sensory imagery, emotional complexity. Snappy, witty dialogue is my drug of choice. Plot is good too. (Speaking of witty dialogue, if you happen to be writing a Sandman fic, I forgot to mention in my sign-up sheet that I adore Matthew. Love him. So much. So don't feel like he can't make an appearance just because he's not listed. :D)
I hope this was helpful!
Good luck, and thank you in advance!
Niamh
Dearest, most awesome Yuletide Santa,
First of all: EEEEEEEEEE!!!!! <3!!! Thank you so much for the time and effort you'll be putting into this. Every year, Yuletide gets a little more exciting and scary and wonderful. I am even now looking at my signup sheet to divine what fandom of mine meshes with what you offered to write. I think it's only fair to let you know about the things that I adore -- as well as the things that squick me -- and hopefully this will help you out in the frenzy of "OMGWTFAMIGOINGTOWRITE?!" that most Yuletiders seem to be going through right now.
First off, I'm very sorry if this happens to be something you like, but I really am not a fan of slash, or slashy undertones. (Sometimes, if they're very subtle and in line with canon and accepted characterization, I'll buy into it, but most of the time I just don't believe slashy pairings.) Also not a fan of the m-preg or non-con, and hard-core BDSM kinda scares me a little (however, I do maintain a little bit of kink is good for the soul, and handcuffs, blindfolds, and the like are definitely hot -- even "fake" non-con [when it's an agreed-upon part of a "game," for instance] -- what squicks me would be the hard-core stuff that tilts over into humiliation and outright pain). After having said all of this, do I really have to say that I'm okay with a smutty story? No? Okay then. That said, I don't want to make you uncomfortable, so if you're not all about the smut? Totally fine.
Non-smut related dislikes -- OOC'ness, grand declarations of love (which might fall under OOC'ness), overly graphic gore.
I don't really have a preference as far as comedy/fluff/drama/horror/angst goes. I tend to be a bit of an angst-hound, and anything that can make me cry is all right by me, but I'm also a closet romantic who will roll around in smurshy fics (but in small doses -- too much rots my teeth *grin*). Looking back at my requests, there are two fandoms with canonically established couples (Darcy/Lizzy and Peter/Harriet) and two fandoms with what I'll call "wishful thinking" pairings (Jin/Fuu and Dream/Nuala). Nine times out of ten (though here it's more "two times out of four") I am all about the canon pairings. If you are writing about the latter two fandoms... well. Let's just say I'd really, really appreciate it if you were able to humor me. :)
Happy endings are marvelous, but if the fic wants to end on a bittersweet note or whatever, that's totally cool.
Christmas or wintertime themes would be great (because I live in a tropical hell so-called paradise very warm climate, I love things that feel "Christmasy" around the season -- it helps me to forget that it's icky and humid outside), but again, I understand that sometimes you just can't make something fit.
What do I love? Good grammar, sensory imagery, emotional complexity. Snappy, witty dialogue is my drug of choice. Plot is good too. (Speaking of witty dialogue, if you happen to be writing a Sandman fic, I forgot to mention in my sign-up sheet that I adore Matthew. Love him. So much. So don't feel like he can't make an appearance just because he's not listed. :D)
I hope this was helpful!
Good luck, and thank you in advance!
Niamh