Yuletide Letter 2020
Oct. 25th, 2020 05:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sea_changedAfter a number of years of Yuletide hiatus and several more of just writing treats, I'm (re)taking the plunge, as it were, and signing up officially. Thank you very much to my assigned writer--I'm very much looking forward to receiving your fic, and I'm sure it will be wonderful! I've included some basic guidelines as well as some ideas and prompts below, if you might find it helpful as you write.
As I put in my AO3 notes, my DNWs across fandoms are vomit and animal death. I'm all right with most things that are commonly put on DNW lists, so if you feel that it fits in the story you want to write and can be done well, go ahead. I should also note, as I've exclusively requested historical fandoms with gay or at the very least gay-adjacent characters, that I don't mind if you include period-appropriate homophobia.
I tend to be more into bittersweetness than outright tragedy, or tragedy that might not seem like tragedy to those outside of it. I love complicated characters engaged in complex relationships with one another. I am also of course perfectly all right with happiness, especially complex and sometimes difficult but nonetheless true happiness. I am not much for straight-up fluff. I would also prefer no scenery-changing AUs (space, high school, paranormal, etc.), though canon-divergent AUs would be perfectly all right. I am also a massive history nerd, so if you know something about canon era for any of my requested fandoms and want to flaunt it, I'd be delighted.
Finally, while I assume this is something people who write for Yuletide generally know, I'd like to make clear that Character/Character pairings--with the slash--are meant to be romantic and/or sexual, while Character & Character pairings--with the ampersand--are meant to be platonic.
On to individual fandoms:
Society of Gentlemen - K.J. Charles
Characters: Silas Mason, Dominic Frey, Zoë Shakespeare, Richard Vane
As I clarified in my AO3 notes, you don't have to include all requested characters! That would be quite the fic; though if you have an idea and want to run with it, be my guest. As I said in the notes, I'm happy with ship fic, I'm happy with gen, I'm happy with gen with a shippy background, I'm happy with ship fic with a gen background. Pairings I would love from my assortment of requested characters: Dominic/Silas, Dominic/Silas(/Jon/Will), Silas & Zoë, Silas & Zoë (& Jon/Will), Zoë (& Jon), Richard & Dominic, Richard/Dominic, Dominic & Zoë, Richard (& Philip and/or Eustacia).
I love this series with my whole stupid heart; I love the main characters and the side characters, I love all the complex relationships within the Ricardians and connecting them to all their various other friends and family members. I love the setting and the care Charles takes with it and its complexities, from large political issues to small quirks of language and speech. I love that everyone feels like a real person, and that their happy endings take work and compromise and will clearly continue to do so in the future.
Dominic/Silas is my be-all, end-all ship from the series; I love them in every stage of their relationship, I love when they love each other and when they can't stand each other, I love that they can talk to each other and hear each other and be heard by the other. I love their sharp edges and the places where they will never truly fit together, and I love that they care for each other enough and enjoy being around each other enough that they make it work anyway. I would love either pre- or post-series fic for them (or during the series, if you can find a pocket of canon to slip it into), with whatever ratio of porn you'd like, from 100% to 0%; all I would request is that their characters and relationship stands front and center regardless of the sex to other activities ratio.
I would also love fic about them and Jon and Will! Sex is great here as well, of course, and I would love an exploration of the complicated dynamics between all of the characters, in bed or out. What about when Dominic takes over for David as flashman during A Gentleman's Position? Or post-series fic where something happens to one of them and the others have to work together in his absence?
Silas's relationship with the Shakespeares and Will is also super interesting to me, regardless of Dominic's involvement. I would love fic about Silas and Zoë; I love them together in Seditious Affair, and would love further exploration of their friendship at any stage, from when they were kids through postseries. (Maybe something set around when Peter was born, and Zoë asking Silas to be godfather?) The same goes for Silas and Zoë and Jon and Will, in any combination; I'd love to see how their relationships have all evolved of the thirty-ish years they've known each other, and how they'll continue to evolve in the future. Silas's relationship with all of them seems like it has a very solid foundation, but Silas also is very much a lone wolf, and won't ask for help--how does that affect their friendships?
The Shakespeare siblings' relationship is also one I'm extremely interested by, and I would adore fic about Jon and Zoë at any stage of their lives. What were they like as kids? How has their relationship evolved as they've grown older? When Jon and Will got together? When Zoë got married and had Peter? How will it evolve after the series's end?
I would also love fic that focuses on Zoë individually, which might include the relationships I've mentioned but doesn't focus exclusively on them; I'd love to know about her relationship with her son and how it evolves, with her husband, with of course Jon and Will and Silas, but also with the other people she works with at Millay's, with other people in her life we never even hear about in the series itself.
And then, of course, there's Richard and Dominic. They are, perhaps somewhat regrettably, my second-favorite relationship of the series; I love how attached to each other they are, how much they love each other and how much they manage to hurt each other without even trying (though also, on occasion, when they do try). I would love fic about their complicated post-breakup, pre-series relationship; I'd love pre-series fic when they're still together, either happily or not.
And finally: I've love fic about Richard and his family. Him and Philip, him and Eustacia, him and both of them, him and his nieces and nephews--all would delight me. It sounds like his relationship with Philip evolved a lot since they were kids--what was that process like? How did he and Eustacia come to trust and care for each other? How do he and Philip deal differently with their childhoods and the memories of their parents?
Portrait de la jeune fille en feu | Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Characters: Héloïse, Marianne
I love both of them so dearly, and I really liked the slow, contemplative feel of the film. I hesitate to say "domestic," but that's sort of what I mean, too--I loved them cooking, Sophie's embroidery, them helping with the birth of the child. It felt like a very female movie, if that makes sense, not only in the absence of men but in its preoccupations and events and pace during the main section. It was so much about crafting and creating things--practical, like them cooking and helping to deliver the baby, and beautiful, like Marianne's painting and drawing and Héloïse's music. I really loved that about it, and I would love if something of that were included in the fic.
I also of course loved the two of them, and the world they created for themselves. I would love fic about them just existing in that world, re: what I said above about the quiet, domestic feel of the film. That said, I also really appreciate both their prickliness, and Héloïse's distrust of Marianne at first, and I don't necessarily want fluff for them, or a smoothing-out of their edges--bittersweetness is definitely encouraged here.
I also love this film because I'm a huge nerd about the eighteenth century, so any and all period detail is highly encouraged!
The Bedlam Stacks - Natasha Pulley
Characters: Raphael
As I said in my AO3 notes, I am more than happy for you to include other characters and ships; I singled out Raphael as my requested character because I didn't to limit options. I care very deeply about Merrick/Raphael, in whatever form and however you interpret it. I also am really interested in Harry/Raphael, again in its various possible forms. So go to town on ship fic, if that's you're thing; though I'd also be really interested in gen, in fic about Raphael and the people of New Bethlehem (most especially Inti, though also just the town and its people in general), or fic about Raphael and Martel and the complexity of everything that's going on there. I would also love any combination of the above--a mix of romance and gen, and/or fic about Raphael over time, etc.
I adore the writing and the feel of this book; it gives such a lovely and specific atmosphere. I also really love the historical-science angle--historical botany, the Wardian cases and greenhouses, taking cuttings and plant nerdery--so including aspects of that in the fic would be lovely. I am most iffy on this book in terms of its treatment of Raphael as an Indigenous character, in that it doesn't, much--so if you have the time and inclination to do research here, I would really love fic that touched in some way on Raphael as Quechua. (The Quechua language is also really fascinating and I love the bits of it that show up in canon, so if you'd like to include some Quechua in the fic I'd be delighted.) I'm interested in the way Raphael himself seems to reject his Quechua identity in some ways (though again, I'm never sure the extent to which this is an intentional character choice for him or Pulley being not the most culturally sensitive)--especially in the conversation he has with Merrick towards the end of the book somewhat disparaging the Quechua language, in almost the same terms as Martel does early on.
I would be interested in future fic, in flashback fic, in fic set during canon (if you can find anywhere to slip it in). I love the world Pulley has built with this book, so go wild!
I've written the most here about Society of Gentlemen because I requested the most characters, with the most possible relationship combinations--but do know that I'd be equally delighted with any of the fandoms I've requested, so please do write whatever you'd most like to write! Thank you again, and happy Yuletide!
As I put in my AO3 notes, my DNWs across fandoms are vomit and animal death. I'm all right with most things that are commonly put on DNW lists, so if you feel that it fits in the story you want to write and can be done well, go ahead. I should also note, as I've exclusively requested historical fandoms with gay or at the very least gay-adjacent characters, that I don't mind if you include period-appropriate homophobia.
I tend to be more into bittersweetness than outright tragedy, or tragedy that might not seem like tragedy to those outside of it. I love complicated characters engaged in complex relationships with one another. I am also of course perfectly all right with happiness, especially complex and sometimes difficult but nonetheless true happiness. I am not much for straight-up fluff. I would also prefer no scenery-changing AUs (space, high school, paranormal, etc.), though canon-divergent AUs would be perfectly all right. I am also a massive history nerd, so if you know something about canon era for any of my requested fandoms and want to flaunt it, I'd be delighted.
Finally, while I assume this is something people who write for Yuletide generally know, I'd like to make clear that Character/Character pairings--with the slash--are meant to be romantic and/or sexual, while Character & Character pairings--with the ampersand--are meant to be platonic.
On to individual fandoms:
Society of Gentlemen - K.J. Charles
Characters: Silas Mason, Dominic Frey, Zoë Shakespeare, Richard Vane
As I clarified in my AO3 notes, you don't have to include all requested characters! That would be quite the fic; though if you have an idea and want to run with it, be my guest. As I said in the notes, I'm happy with ship fic, I'm happy with gen, I'm happy with gen with a shippy background, I'm happy with ship fic with a gen background. Pairings I would love from my assortment of requested characters: Dominic/Silas, Dominic/Silas(/Jon/Will), Silas & Zoë, Silas & Zoë (& Jon/Will), Zoë (& Jon), Richard & Dominic, Richard/Dominic, Dominic & Zoë, Richard (& Philip and/or Eustacia).
I love this series with my whole stupid heart; I love the main characters and the side characters, I love all the complex relationships within the Ricardians and connecting them to all their various other friends and family members. I love the setting and the care Charles takes with it and its complexities, from large political issues to small quirks of language and speech. I love that everyone feels like a real person, and that their happy endings take work and compromise and will clearly continue to do so in the future.
Dominic/Silas is my be-all, end-all ship from the series; I love them in every stage of their relationship, I love when they love each other and when they can't stand each other, I love that they can talk to each other and hear each other and be heard by the other. I love their sharp edges and the places where they will never truly fit together, and I love that they care for each other enough and enjoy being around each other enough that they make it work anyway. I would love either pre- or post-series fic for them (or during the series, if you can find a pocket of canon to slip it into), with whatever ratio of porn you'd like, from 100% to 0%; all I would request is that their characters and relationship stands front and center regardless of the sex to other activities ratio.
I would also love fic about them and Jon and Will! Sex is great here as well, of course, and I would love an exploration of the complicated dynamics between all of the characters, in bed or out. What about when Dominic takes over for David as flashman during A Gentleman's Position? Or post-series fic where something happens to one of them and the others have to work together in his absence?
Silas's relationship with the Shakespeares and Will is also super interesting to me, regardless of Dominic's involvement. I would love fic about Silas and Zoë; I love them together in Seditious Affair, and would love further exploration of their friendship at any stage, from when they were kids through postseries. (Maybe something set around when Peter was born, and Zoë asking Silas to be godfather?) The same goes for Silas and Zoë and Jon and Will, in any combination; I'd love to see how their relationships have all evolved of the thirty-ish years they've known each other, and how they'll continue to evolve in the future. Silas's relationship with all of them seems like it has a very solid foundation, but Silas also is very much a lone wolf, and won't ask for help--how does that affect their friendships?
The Shakespeare siblings' relationship is also one I'm extremely interested by, and I would adore fic about Jon and Zoë at any stage of their lives. What were they like as kids? How has their relationship evolved as they've grown older? When Jon and Will got together? When Zoë got married and had Peter? How will it evolve after the series's end?
I would also love fic that focuses on Zoë individually, which might include the relationships I've mentioned but doesn't focus exclusively on them; I'd love to know about her relationship with her son and how it evolves, with her husband, with of course Jon and Will and Silas, but also with the other people she works with at Millay's, with other people in her life we never even hear about in the series itself.
And then, of course, there's Richard and Dominic. They are, perhaps somewhat regrettably, my second-favorite relationship of the series; I love how attached to each other they are, how much they love each other and how much they manage to hurt each other without even trying (though also, on occasion, when they do try). I would love fic about their complicated post-breakup, pre-series relationship; I'd love pre-series fic when they're still together, either happily or not.
And finally: I've love fic about Richard and his family. Him and Philip, him and Eustacia, him and both of them, him and his nieces and nephews--all would delight me. It sounds like his relationship with Philip evolved a lot since they were kids--what was that process like? How did he and Eustacia come to trust and care for each other? How do he and Philip deal differently with their childhoods and the memories of their parents?
Portrait de la jeune fille en feu | Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Characters: Héloïse, Marianne
I love both of them so dearly, and I really liked the slow, contemplative feel of the film. I hesitate to say "domestic," but that's sort of what I mean, too--I loved them cooking, Sophie's embroidery, them helping with the birth of the child. It felt like a very female movie, if that makes sense, not only in the absence of men but in its preoccupations and events and pace during the main section. It was so much about crafting and creating things--practical, like them cooking and helping to deliver the baby, and beautiful, like Marianne's painting and drawing and Héloïse's music. I really loved that about it, and I would love if something of that were included in the fic.
I also of course loved the two of them, and the world they created for themselves. I would love fic about them just existing in that world, re: what I said above about the quiet, domestic feel of the film. That said, I also really appreciate both their prickliness, and Héloïse's distrust of Marianne at first, and I don't necessarily want fluff for them, or a smoothing-out of their edges--bittersweetness is definitely encouraged here.
I also love this film because I'm a huge nerd about the eighteenth century, so any and all period detail is highly encouraged!
The Bedlam Stacks - Natasha Pulley
Characters: Raphael
As I said in my AO3 notes, I am more than happy for you to include other characters and ships; I singled out Raphael as my requested character because I didn't to limit options. I care very deeply about Merrick/Raphael, in whatever form and however you interpret it. I also am really interested in Harry/Raphael, again in its various possible forms. So go to town on ship fic, if that's you're thing; though I'd also be really interested in gen, in fic about Raphael and the people of New Bethlehem (most especially Inti, though also just the town and its people in general), or fic about Raphael and Martel and the complexity of everything that's going on there. I would also love any combination of the above--a mix of romance and gen, and/or fic about Raphael over time, etc.
I adore the writing and the feel of this book; it gives such a lovely and specific atmosphere. I also really love the historical-science angle--historical botany, the Wardian cases and greenhouses, taking cuttings and plant nerdery--so including aspects of that in the fic would be lovely. I am most iffy on this book in terms of its treatment of Raphael as an Indigenous character, in that it doesn't, much--so if you have the time and inclination to do research here, I would really love fic that touched in some way on Raphael as Quechua. (The Quechua language is also really fascinating and I love the bits of it that show up in canon, so if you'd like to include some Quechua in the fic I'd be delighted.) I'm interested in the way Raphael himself seems to reject his Quechua identity in some ways (though again, I'm never sure the extent to which this is an intentional character choice for him or Pulley being not the most culturally sensitive)--especially in the conversation he has with Merrick towards the end of the book somewhat disparaging the Quechua language, in almost the same terms as Martel does early on.
I would be interested in future fic, in flashback fic, in fic set during canon (if you can find anywhere to slip it in). I love the world Pulley has built with this book, so go wild!
I've written the most here about Society of Gentlemen because I requested the most characters, with the most possible relationship combinations--but do know that I'd be equally delighted with any of the fandoms I've requested, so please do write whatever you'd most like to write! Thank you again, and happy Yuletide!
