Fest: Yuletide Letter 2014
Oct. 17th, 2014 08:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
argentum_lsDear Yuletide Writer:
First of all, thank you so much for signing up! We already have at least one fandom in common, which is the important part. It's like cake. Cake is my favorite part. I hope the rest of what follows is just frosting.
I'm trying something different with my letter this year. Rather than providing specific prompts for my fandoms, I'm going to detail a couple of my favorite tropes and what I like in stories in general. If you prefer sentence prompts, feel free to plumb any of my other exchange letters, ask me, or hit up htbthomas, who both knows my tastes and knows how to keep a secret.
Overall, what I like in a story is plot; that is, I want something to happen. Beyond that, the reins are pretty loose. I like h/c and whump, angst, drama, humor, casefic, action/adventure, and romance. I'm open to gen, het, slash, poly—though I do have some fandom-specific preferences, which are listed below. I love pairings and I also love strong friendship and (pseudo)parent-child relationships. Ratings from G to hard-R are great. Crossovers are fantastic, though not anything I ever expect. I prefer canon based stories or canon-divergent AUs, and I prefer third-person storytelling, though I don't care if it's in past or present tense.
TROPE WANTS:
One of my favorite tropes is Trapped!, perhaps because it offers so many potential interpretations that all boil down to the same thing. This can be the characters getting stuck in an avalanche, cave-in, snow storm, hurricane, or any other disaster inspired reason that they have limited resources to deal with and no ability to simply walk away from. Likewise, characters being captured or held hostage, regardless of whether it's physical or psychological bondage that's keeping them there, can be a great way to show how characters act under pressure and/or to bring out sides of their personalities that we don't normally see. Other interpretations are for the characters with an alternate shape to get stuck in their alternate form, or for characters who don't normally have an alternate shape to get stuck in another body (bodyswap, with or without the swap part), to get stuck in the wrong time, to get stuck out-of-sync with everyone else (such as in an alternate universe or on a ghostly plane), or to simply get stuck in circumstances they'd never, ever choose to be in (such as the awkward meet-the-other-family dinner, being a participant in the talent show, or in a vehicle with a person they don't like).
Combine Trapped! with Secret Identity and you're golden. Somehow, the bad situation can only be solved by application of their supernatural state—which would lead to revealing their state to someone who Should. Not. Know.—or the mere circumstances of the entrapment cause the supernatural state to, itself, become the problem, such that the characters have to go to lengths to prevent the supernatural state from manifesting (e.g. if a character teleporting is what will set off the bomb, or stress triggers the powers to act in unusual or extreme ways, such as the character not being able to stop using his super-strength ), or the character needs to hide the manifestation of their powers/state that is triggered by something else in the situation (e.g. needing to come up with excuses for why she keeps disappearing to turn into a mermaid), which may require relying on someone who has not yet proven their reliability.
For extra fun, up the tension by throwing in Running Out of Time, Unexpected Allies, Lying by Telling the Truth*, or inversions of any of these or other tropes.
Other things I like:
Outsider POV
Characters talking about their superpowers/superstate in a way that provides insight into what it means for them.
Friends with Benefits
When two characters believe they're talking about the same thing, but aren't.
Real world situations (parental-dating, high school is hard, starting college/moving out) complicated by the supernatural
Clever or unusual uses of a character's powers.
*Such as when a character tells the truth about his/her secret in such a way that she/he knows won't be believed. TV Tropes supplies Sarcastic Confession for this, though I prefer when it's played straight.
If you're interested in doing a crossover, any live-action show I've written about is fair game. For sake of ease, Yuletide eligible fandoms I'd be open to include: American Gothic, Being Human (US), The Flash, Forever, Forever Knight, The Greatest American Hero, H2O: Just Add Water, The Invisible Man (TV 2000), Jake 2.0, The Listener (TV), Mako Mermaids, My Secret Identity, The Nine Lives of Chloe King, The Pretender, The Tomorrow People (1973), The Tomorrow People (1992), The Tomorrow People (2013), Tower Prep, V (2009), and VR.5. While I'm not usually a fan of fusions, I'd also totally be open to a fusion of any of my requests with Shadowrun.
DO NOT WANTS:
Crack, non-canon AUs (including A/B/O, mpreg, and genderbends), non con, permanent main character maiming or death, PWPs, E or NC-17 rated sexual material, extreme jealousy, character assassination/bashing, torture!porn (e.g. the Saw movies), incest, trans headcanons.
FANDOMS:
Tomorrow People (1973), (1992), (2013)
The Tomorrow People is my first fandom. This is the fandom that I bonded with the hardest and that, arguably, set into place all of my favored tropes. The very idea of children and teenagers with something more to offer the world, yet who have to hide what they are from the world for their own safety, speaks powerfully to me. I love that the characters are thrust into situations that they don't have the experience to deal with, yet have the responsibility to take on because their powers make them the only ones who can solve the problems. I love how they are forced to rely on each other, and how although their powers separate them from their family and friends, the Tomorrow People still consider themselves part of the world at large. I also love how they continually have to grapple with the question of whether they are superior to or better than the people they're descended from, and how often the answer is “only in some ways.”
In all cases with these shows, you're welcome to use any other canon character besides those requested or OCs who fit the world.
1973
Elizabeth, Stephen
The dynamic these two introduced is really interesting and was never explored on the show. First, there's Elizabeth, a person who was technically too old to become a TP, yet did. She was a trainee teacher taken rather violently out of the role she chose for her life and forced into another. We know she eventually went on to serve in the Galactic Fed. In the meantime, did she return to the classroom? Meanwhile, there's Stephen, who starts as Elizabeth's student, then becomes her teacher on account of being the more experienced (if only slightly) Tomorrow Person. I'd love to know how this dynamic was challenged in the various settings the two would have had to interact in.
Ships: Elizabeth/OC and Stephen/OC are fine. I'd prefer if you not ship amongst the canon characters.
1992
Any
I like all the characters here for different reasons. Adam has the mystery past and do-gooder attitude. Lisa brought some reluctance to the whirlwind "yay!superpowers" attitude everyone else had, plus she ended with a strong reason to be suspicious of the whole deal. Ami was both level-headed and prone to over-excitement, like any real teenager. Jade has the stupid bravery and nosiness. For all that they saved the world on a fairly regular basis, we don’t know much about them as people. For this show, I’m curious to learn more about who they are when they’re not saving the world, or who they are when their brand of saving the world isn’t the right answer.
Ships: Not for this group, please.
2013
Stephen, Luca, Astrid
For all its flaws, the 2013 show brought us a new generation of characters with the problems of the modern world. Further, while the other versions of the show limited the TP experience to a small and fixed group of people--which is easy to teach and monitor--this one throws the doors open to myriad people, many of whom aren't good people. This would completely change the overall TP experience. For these characters, I'm interested in how being, potentially becoming, or knowing about the TP (as relevant to the character in question) changes how they deal with the kinds of conflicts normal teens have. The Stephen & Astrid friendship is one of my favorite things ever, especially after Astrid learns about the TP. Having a non-TP voice (the Sap Best Friend) is good for the TP, and Astrid is excellent in that role. I also think there's incredible untapped potential in the Stephen & Luca brotherly relationship because of how it erases any ability for Stephen to compartmentalize his world into TP time and home time. Luca on his own interests me, as well, especially in regards to how he deals with his impending legacy.
You may treat this character selection as an "or" request.
Ships: Stephen/Astrid, Stephen & Luca
All canon ships are also welcome, as are any other combinations of characters, provided you avoid incest and leave anyone older than John or younger than Luca out of the mix.
Also, if you happen to know any of the other versions of the TP, you're welcome to adapt or plunder storylines for this group. I have a headcanon that the Stephen Jameson of the 1973 series is Marla Jameson of the 2013's father. Use it, if you want. Or not.
H2O: Just Add Water
Any
What I love about this show is the girl-centricness of it. One of my favorite little scenes is when Cleo and Rikki are trying to cheer Bella up and they tell her that there’s always one thing that will make them happy. Bella assumes it’s swimming. Then the camera cuts to them finishing a shopping trip. They’re mermaids, but they’re girls first, and they aren’t ashamed of that. They’re also tough, vulnerable, smart, fallible, self-reliant, and occasionally needy—just like real girls.
I love how the girls are friends in an honest way. They support each other and look out for each other, but they don’t always get along. There’s tension and bad moods and the occasional overly-cutting remark. Rikki and Bella have an interesting big sister-little sister relationship, complete with rebellion and exasperation, and all the girls had their moments where they didn’t especially like their found family. Yet they will always be the first ones there for each other.
I'd love to know more about the little daily problems that their relationship with water creates for them: going to the beach with friends, surprise rain storms, leaky faucets, routine hand-washing, etc. I'm also curious about how the mermaid thing factors into their real life relationships such as the ability to make or maintain new friendships, or their relationships with their parents or siblings.
Ships: I didn't nominate any of the boys, but if you want to write 'ship fic, have at it! Canon relationships are excellent. If you prefer to go femslash, pick a pairing and make it happen.
Mako Mermaids
Any
Confession: While I like mermaids and the show's connection with H2O, I don't like how the entire plot hinges on the characters refusing to tell each other things, which just escalates problems that should have been easily resolved. That said, what I do like is the friendships and the identity porn. I'm such a sucker for Zac and Cam's relationship and even what happens to it at the end of the first season. Nixie is my favorite of the mermaid trio because of how practical she is. And Evie manages to hold her own despite everyone around her lying through their teeth at her. Also, the mer-stuff. Which is why I'm thoroughly spoiled for season 2 and I'm counting the weeks until I can suffer through every darn episode of it, hoping that the characters finally start to talk to each other.
I would be asking for friendship fic with Cam. But, given how the season ended, I think end-of-friendship fic may be the better call. The two have been friends forever, and then Cam betrayed Zac. Where does Zac go next? How does he deal with still having to cross the same paths at school, in life saving duty, and around town with a person whom he can no longer trust and yet who knows his greatest secret?
If you're looking for something shippier, I'd be interested in a story exploring Zac and Evie's relationship now that she's in the know. Would she want to become a mermaid? Does she feel left out that she isn't one? Would they incorporate the mermaid side into their physical explorations? How?
Likewise with Cam and Nixie now that she knows that he knows. Nixie's expressed some desire to keep her legs, and Cam has outright tried to become a merman. Would they be interested in changing places? How far would each of them be willing to go to get what they want?
Ships: Zac/Evie, Cam/Nixie, Zac & Cam
My Secret Identity
Andrew, Kirk, Cassie
One of the things I really liked about MSI was that the show was a real world/real high school setting. Andrew had powers, but there was no reason for the powers: no super villains, no prophecy, no great mission. Andrew so desperately wanted to be a superhero, and all he could really manage to be was an awkward teenager with teenage issues and the ability to float, run really fast, and be strong (which were just as often the problem as they were the solution). The police weren’t clamoring for his help, he didn’t masquerade as a vigilante (nor did it go very well when he tried), and the newspapers and public had no knowledge that a superhero lived among them. There’s a great metaphor in all this about the person we are inside and the person we’re allowed to show to others.
Another thing I really liked was how much Andrew fanboyed his own powers. While Ultraman was only mentioned in the first season, I loved that the character even existed. Andrew delighted in being able to do what he could do, and who could blame him? (Well, Dr. J could and did, but that’s beside the point.) Though Andrew did eventually mature a little and calm down (and what did happen to his comic book collection?), I don’t think he ever truly lost the wonder.
Andrew and Kirk are an interesting relationship because they're old friends who don't know much about each other. I think about who I was at 7 and who I was at 16 and how many friendships fell away for good reasons in the intervening years, and it really makes me wonder what makes this friendship tick and why both guys assumed their friendship should just pick up where it left off. Cassie, meanwhile, is only in three episodes, but it's clear that she and Andrew have also known each other casually a long time. Her world is the school newspaper and keeping tabs on the local gossip; how soon until she starts to notice that there's more going on under her nose than one would expect to find?
I do ask that the fic be set with Andrew in the 14-20ish age bracket. Him being a teenager/young adult and dealing with the powers is what interests me. If you want to update the year of the setting, that’s fine. I have no particular attachment to 1988-1992. However, I’m not ready for him to grow up and have a family, even if I did.
Ships: Bring it.
I want to make this as easy for you as possible. If you have a different idea for a story that you think I'd like, go for it! Thank you again for signing up.
First of all, thank you so much for signing up! We already have at least one fandom in common, which is the important part. It's like cake. Cake is my favorite part. I hope the rest of what follows is just frosting.
I'm trying something different with my letter this year. Rather than providing specific prompts for my fandoms, I'm going to detail a couple of my favorite tropes and what I like in stories in general. If you prefer sentence prompts, feel free to plumb any of my other exchange letters, ask me, or hit up htbthomas, who both knows my tastes and knows how to keep a secret.
Overall, what I like in a story is plot; that is, I want something to happen. Beyond that, the reins are pretty loose. I like h/c and whump, angst, drama, humor, casefic, action/adventure, and romance. I'm open to gen, het, slash, poly—though I do have some fandom-specific preferences, which are listed below. I love pairings and I also love strong friendship and (pseudo)parent-child relationships. Ratings from G to hard-R are great. Crossovers are fantastic, though not anything I ever expect. I prefer canon based stories or canon-divergent AUs, and I prefer third-person storytelling, though I don't care if it's in past or present tense.
TROPE WANTS:
One of my favorite tropes is Trapped!, perhaps because it offers so many potential interpretations that all boil down to the same thing. This can be the characters getting stuck in an avalanche, cave-in, snow storm, hurricane, or any other disaster inspired reason that they have limited resources to deal with and no ability to simply walk away from. Likewise, characters being captured or held hostage, regardless of whether it's physical or psychological bondage that's keeping them there, can be a great way to show how characters act under pressure and/or to bring out sides of their personalities that we don't normally see. Other interpretations are for the characters with an alternate shape to get stuck in their alternate form, or for characters who don't normally have an alternate shape to get stuck in another body (bodyswap, with or without the swap part), to get stuck in the wrong time, to get stuck out-of-sync with everyone else (such as in an alternate universe or on a ghostly plane), or to simply get stuck in circumstances they'd never, ever choose to be in (such as the awkward meet-the-other-family dinner, being a participant in the talent show, or in a vehicle with a person they don't like).
Combine Trapped! with Secret Identity and you're golden. Somehow, the bad situation can only be solved by application of their supernatural state—which would lead to revealing their state to someone who Should. Not. Know.—or the mere circumstances of the entrapment cause the supernatural state to, itself, become the problem, such that the characters have to go to lengths to prevent the supernatural state from manifesting (e.g. if a character teleporting is what will set off the bomb, or stress triggers the powers to act in unusual or extreme ways, such as the character not being able to stop using his super-strength ), or the character needs to hide the manifestation of their powers/state that is triggered by something else in the situation (e.g. needing to come up with excuses for why she keeps disappearing to turn into a mermaid), which may require relying on someone who has not yet proven their reliability.
For extra fun, up the tension by throwing in Running Out of Time, Unexpected Allies, Lying by Telling the Truth*, or inversions of any of these or other tropes.
Other things I like:
*Such as when a character tells the truth about his/her secret in such a way that she/he knows won't be believed. TV Tropes supplies Sarcastic Confession for this, though I prefer when it's played straight.
If you're interested in doing a crossover, any live-action show I've written about is fair game. For sake of ease, Yuletide eligible fandoms I'd be open to include: American Gothic, Being Human (US), The Flash, Forever, Forever Knight, The Greatest American Hero, H2O: Just Add Water, The Invisible Man (TV 2000), Jake 2.0, The Listener (TV), Mako Mermaids, My Secret Identity, The Nine Lives of Chloe King, The Pretender, The Tomorrow People (1973), The Tomorrow People (1992), The Tomorrow People (2013), Tower Prep, V (2009), and VR.5. While I'm not usually a fan of fusions, I'd also totally be open to a fusion of any of my requests with Shadowrun.
DO NOT WANTS:
Crack, non-canon AUs (including A/B/O, mpreg, and genderbends), non con, permanent main character maiming or death, PWPs, E or NC-17 rated sexual material, extreme jealousy, character assassination/bashing, torture!porn (e.g. the Saw movies), incest, trans headcanons.
FANDOMS:
Tomorrow People (1973), (1992), (2013)
The Tomorrow People is my first fandom. This is the fandom that I bonded with the hardest and that, arguably, set into place all of my favored tropes. The very idea of children and teenagers with something more to offer the world, yet who have to hide what they are from the world for their own safety, speaks powerfully to me. I love that the characters are thrust into situations that they don't have the experience to deal with, yet have the responsibility to take on because their powers make them the only ones who can solve the problems. I love how they are forced to rely on each other, and how although their powers separate them from their family and friends, the Tomorrow People still consider themselves part of the world at large. I also love how they continually have to grapple with the question of whether they are superior to or better than the people they're descended from, and how often the answer is “only in some ways.”
In all cases with these shows, you're welcome to use any other canon character besides those requested or OCs who fit the world.
1973
Elizabeth, Stephen
The dynamic these two introduced is really interesting and was never explored on the show. First, there's Elizabeth, a person who was technically too old to become a TP, yet did. She was a trainee teacher taken rather violently out of the role she chose for her life and forced into another. We know she eventually went on to serve in the Galactic Fed. In the meantime, did she return to the classroom? Meanwhile, there's Stephen, who starts as Elizabeth's student, then becomes her teacher on account of being the more experienced (if only slightly) Tomorrow Person. I'd love to know how this dynamic was challenged in the various settings the two would have had to interact in.
Ships: Elizabeth/OC and Stephen/OC are fine. I'd prefer if you not ship amongst the canon characters.
1992
Any
I like all the characters here for different reasons. Adam has the mystery past and do-gooder attitude. Lisa brought some reluctance to the whirlwind "yay!superpowers" attitude everyone else had, plus she ended with a strong reason to be suspicious of the whole deal. Ami was both level-headed and prone to over-excitement, like any real teenager. Jade has the stupid bravery and nosiness. For all that they saved the world on a fairly regular basis, we don’t know much about them as people. For this show, I’m curious to learn more about who they are when they’re not saving the world, or who they are when their brand of saving the world isn’t the right answer.
Ships: Not for this group, please.
2013
Stephen, Luca, Astrid
For all its flaws, the 2013 show brought us a new generation of characters with the problems of the modern world. Further, while the other versions of the show limited the TP experience to a small and fixed group of people--which is easy to teach and monitor--this one throws the doors open to myriad people, many of whom aren't good people. This would completely change the overall TP experience. For these characters, I'm interested in how being, potentially becoming, or knowing about the TP (as relevant to the character in question) changes how they deal with the kinds of conflicts normal teens have. The Stephen & Astrid friendship is one of my favorite things ever, especially after Astrid learns about the TP. Having a non-TP voice (the Sap Best Friend) is good for the TP, and Astrid is excellent in that role. I also think there's incredible untapped potential in the Stephen & Luca brotherly relationship because of how it erases any ability for Stephen to compartmentalize his world into TP time and home time. Luca on his own interests me, as well, especially in regards to how he deals with his impending legacy.
You may treat this character selection as an "or" request.
Ships: Stephen/Astrid, Stephen & Luca
All canon ships are also welcome, as are any other combinations of characters, provided you avoid incest and leave anyone older than John or younger than Luca out of the mix.
Also, if you happen to know any of the other versions of the TP, you're welcome to adapt or plunder storylines for this group. I have a headcanon that the Stephen Jameson of the 1973 series is Marla Jameson of the 2013's father. Use it, if you want. Or not.
H2O: Just Add Water
Any
What I love about this show is the girl-centricness of it. One of my favorite little scenes is when Cleo and Rikki are trying to cheer Bella up and they tell her that there’s always one thing that will make them happy. Bella assumes it’s swimming. Then the camera cuts to them finishing a shopping trip. They’re mermaids, but they’re girls first, and they aren’t ashamed of that. They’re also tough, vulnerable, smart, fallible, self-reliant, and occasionally needy—just like real girls.
I love how the girls are friends in an honest way. They support each other and look out for each other, but they don’t always get along. There’s tension and bad moods and the occasional overly-cutting remark. Rikki and Bella have an interesting big sister-little sister relationship, complete with rebellion and exasperation, and all the girls had their moments where they didn’t especially like their found family. Yet they will always be the first ones there for each other.
I'd love to know more about the little daily problems that their relationship with water creates for them: going to the beach with friends, surprise rain storms, leaky faucets, routine hand-washing, etc. I'm also curious about how the mermaid thing factors into their real life relationships such as the ability to make or maintain new friendships, or their relationships with their parents or siblings.
Ships: I didn't nominate any of the boys, but if you want to write 'ship fic, have at it! Canon relationships are excellent. If you prefer to go femslash, pick a pairing and make it happen.
Mako Mermaids
Any
Confession: While I like mermaids and the show's connection with H2O, I don't like how the entire plot hinges on the characters refusing to tell each other things, which just escalates problems that should have been easily resolved. That said, what I do like is the friendships and the identity porn. I'm such a sucker for Zac and Cam's relationship and even what happens to it at the end of the first season. Nixie is my favorite of the mermaid trio because of how practical she is. And Evie manages to hold her own despite everyone around her lying through their teeth at her. Also, the mer-stuff. Which is why I'm thoroughly spoiled for season 2 and I'm counting the weeks until I can suffer through every darn episode of it, hoping that the characters finally start to talk to each other.
I would be asking for friendship fic with Cam. But, given how the season ended, I think end-of-friendship fic may be the better call. The two have been friends forever, and then Cam betrayed Zac. Where does Zac go next? How does he deal with still having to cross the same paths at school, in life saving duty, and around town with a person whom he can no longer trust and yet who knows his greatest secret?
If you're looking for something shippier, I'd be interested in a story exploring Zac and Evie's relationship now that she's in the know. Would she want to become a mermaid? Does she feel left out that she isn't one? Would they incorporate the mermaid side into their physical explorations? How?
Likewise with Cam and Nixie now that she knows that he knows. Nixie's expressed some desire to keep her legs, and Cam has outright tried to become a merman. Would they be interested in changing places? How far would each of them be willing to go to get what they want?
Ships: Zac/Evie, Cam/Nixie, Zac & Cam
My Secret Identity
Andrew, Kirk, Cassie
One of the things I really liked about MSI was that the show was a real world/real high school setting. Andrew had powers, but there was no reason for the powers: no super villains, no prophecy, no great mission. Andrew so desperately wanted to be a superhero, and all he could really manage to be was an awkward teenager with teenage issues and the ability to float, run really fast, and be strong (which were just as often the problem as they were the solution). The police weren’t clamoring for his help, he didn’t masquerade as a vigilante (nor did it go very well when he tried), and the newspapers and public had no knowledge that a superhero lived among them. There’s a great metaphor in all this about the person we are inside and the person we’re allowed to show to others.
Another thing I really liked was how much Andrew fanboyed his own powers. While Ultraman was only mentioned in the first season, I loved that the character even existed. Andrew delighted in being able to do what he could do, and who could blame him? (Well, Dr. J could and did, but that’s beside the point.) Though Andrew did eventually mature a little and calm down (and what did happen to his comic book collection?), I don’t think he ever truly lost the wonder.
Andrew and Kirk are an interesting relationship because they're old friends who don't know much about each other. I think about who I was at 7 and who I was at 16 and how many friendships fell away for good reasons in the intervening years, and it really makes me wonder what makes this friendship tick and why both guys assumed their friendship should just pick up where it left off. Cassie, meanwhile, is only in three episodes, but it's clear that she and Andrew have also known each other casually a long time. Her world is the school newspaper and keeping tabs on the local gossip; how soon until she starts to notice that there's more going on under her nose than one would expect to find?
I do ask that the fic be set with Andrew in the 14-20ish age bracket. Him being a teenager/young adult and dealing with the powers is what interests me. If you want to update the year of the setting, that’s fine. I have no particular attachment to 1988-1992. However, I’m not ready for him to grow up and have a family, even if I did.
Ships: Bring it.
I want to make this as easy for you as possible. If you have a different idea for a story that you think I'd like, go for it! Thank you again for signing up.
