Dear Yuletide Person Made of Win
Nov. 17th, 2011 10:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
exeterlindenWelcome, YPMW!
Here's me brainstorming :) I love to be given specific prompts and plot ideas, so I thought I'd give you some as well - but they are yours to take or leave as you wish. I am so excited to read your story, and I am going to love it, regardless.
Emmerdale
What I wrote: I love Aaron and his bumbling but loving and dedicated makeshift family. The writers have been really hard on him lately, and I am craving some fic with just a little bit of happiness for the poor beggar. I loved his relationship with Jackson, their banter and the way Aaron had to struggle to show his affection and how Jackson stayed patient with him through it all. But I'd be just as happy with curtain-fic showing us a glimpse into the cohabitation of Aaron and Paddy, or future-fic showing us where Aaron might be some years down the road. Anything happy, anything showing us Aaron getting and giving affection and learning to trust the people around him - and moving on from his self-destructive behaviours - would fill my heart to the brim with happiness :)
Additional info: This story could be set anywhere in the canon timeline, with the one caveat that I must admit that the storyline about Jackson's suicide is a very, very dark place that I don't ever have to revisit :S Other than that, I love everything about Jackson and Aaron's relationship, and I would looove to see 'missing scenes' of them being alone together and Aaron letting his guard down a little, admitting to himself what Jackson is to him, and letting himself be as affectionate and intimate as he can be. I would love it if you didn't gloss over Aaron's many short-comings – he's a right little bastard, but that's part of why I love him :) I really, really like it when people don't let Aaron get away with his BS, though. I love when Aaron mans up and takes responsibility for his actions. Paddy and Aaron's relationship makes me blubber like a baby – I love everything about them, especially those little moments where Aaron actually manages (in his own, roundabout way) to express how important Paddy is to him. (I heard this quote, somewhere, by a teenage boy talking about his foster mom: "She loved the hate right out of me." Well, that pretty much sums up Paddy and Aaron's relationship to me ♥) I love Chas learning through trial and error to be a mother to her son. I love Paddy and Chas worrying and working together to help Aaron, and I would love to see them rewarded for all their work by having Aaron be in a happy and stable place in his life. I love that he is finally getting help, and would love to see how his life might have improved a couple of years down the line, with counseling, antidepressants, loving support, etc.
ETA: I'll add a link tosunsetmog's fantastic primer, because I pretty much agree with everything they say, and because it'll take you to some vids of the most pivotal scenes from Aaron's biggest storylines. Also, funny snark and pretty pictures...
The World's Wife - Carol Ann Duffy
What I wrote: I loove the concept and the execution of the premise in this collection of poetry, and it just left me wanting more. More witty and cynical and snarky stories told by all the wives speaking with their own voices. Be it poetry or prose, I'd just love to see you build on the premise of this book.
Additional info: I love the humour, sarcasm, raw emotion and gender critique of Duffy's poetry. My favourites of The World's Wife are: Queen Kong, Mrs Quasimodo, Delilah and Mrs Beast, but even more than hearing about existing characters, I would love to see more women, fictional or historical, be given a voice to tell their side of the tale. Off the top of my head, here's a list of women it would be cool to hear from: Tarzan's Jane, all the women in history about whom we hear next to nothing (the Roman soldier's wife, for example), some of the eighties movies heroines who never got to do anything but scream (Willie from Temple of Doom, anyone?), the sexily dressed sorority girl who always has to die in horror movies, the tragic belles of old country songs, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty... the list could go on forever. I would really love anything building on the premise of this book.
ETA: Here are some links to the poems 'Queen Kong' and 'Mrs Lazarus', to any curious passerbys unfamiliar with the book *waves*.
The Station Agent
What I wrote: When this movie ended, I really had the feeling that they set Olivia, Fin and Joe up to be a family unit, and I'd love to see that explored. How would it go if they stayed together, lived together, maybe even had a child together? What if the little girl, Cleo, needed a safe and calm place to go to, and Olivia's house happened to be that place? How would their relationships change and evolve over the years? Who would take which roles in their relationship? I wouldn't at all mind a little romance, Olivia/Fin and/or Joe/Original Character, but gen is just as good :)
Additional info: I love the unassuming, gentle tone of the film. I love all the little conflicts and their quiet resolutions. And I love Olivia, Fin and Joe together. I would love to see them portrayed as a family unit, and see them interact with each other, the local community and their surroundings, the nature and the trains. I would love to be offered little tidbits of their previous lives. I have this thing for Olivia deciding to have another child, and for them to raise that child together. I think Olivia/Fin would be a wonderful pairing, with an equally loved and loving Joe as their platonic life partner (I incidentally have this idea that Joe could have a wonderful relationship with Emily the librarian...), or none of them could be involved sexually, it's all up to you. I'd just love to see where life might lead them, and how their threesome would evolve over time. I'd love for them to have a happily ever after together in Newfoundland, with a shared home, shared responsibilities and joys and lots of love and affection (and children! and pets! /shameless domesticity-kink). I would love it if they were a little surprised themselves at how well this works out, would love to see them negotiating the relationship and figuring out how to define themselves to each other and the people around them ;)
ETA: Just to clarify: Eventhough I wrote that I would prefer if Joe was not sexually involved with either Olivia or Fin, I would love their threesome to be physically affectionate and comfortable with each other. I would be all over all three of them snuggling, hugging, basking in the sun, skinny dipping from the dock, etc...
A little bit of general stuff
I think you may have guessed by now that I'm not really looking for angsty death-fic this year *g* I love it if fics are realistic, and I do love a little bit of conflict and tension, but I think this year I'm mostly looking for characters being vindicated, achieving their goals, opposing obstacles and finding happiness.
Another thing that all of my requests have in common this year, is that I am just terribly, terribly curious to know more. Anything that you come up with to expand on these characters and 'verses – character studies, backstories, future-fic, original characters - is bound to make me fantastically happy and grateful! :)
My other yuletide letters are tagged here, if you would like to see what I have requested previous years. All the general stuff pretty much still stands.
I can't wait to see what you come up with! :)
Have fun and -
Happy writing!
Here's me brainstorming :) I love to be given specific prompts and plot ideas, so I thought I'd give you some as well - but they are yours to take or leave as you wish. I am so excited to read your story, and I am going to love it, regardless.
Emmerdale
What I wrote: I love Aaron and his bumbling but loving and dedicated makeshift family. The writers have been really hard on him lately, and I am craving some fic with just a little bit of happiness for the poor beggar. I loved his relationship with Jackson, their banter and the way Aaron had to struggle to show his affection and how Jackson stayed patient with him through it all. But I'd be just as happy with curtain-fic showing us a glimpse into the cohabitation of Aaron and Paddy, or future-fic showing us where Aaron might be some years down the road. Anything happy, anything showing us Aaron getting and giving affection and learning to trust the people around him - and moving on from his self-destructive behaviours - would fill my heart to the brim with happiness :)
Additional info: This story could be set anywhere in the canon timeline, with the one caveat that I must admit that the storyline about Jackson's suicide is a very, very dark place that I don't ever have to revisit :S Other than that, I love everything about Jackson and Aaron's relationship, and I would looove to see 'missing scenes' of them being alone together and Aaron letting his guard down a little, admitting to himself what Jackson is to him, and letting himself be as affectionate and intimate as he can be. I would love it if you didn't gloss over Aaron's many short-comings – he's a right little bastard, but that's part of why I love him :) I really, really like it when people don't let Aaron get away with his BS, though. I love when Aaron mans up and takes responsibility for his actions. Paddy and Aaron's relationship makes me blubber like a baby – I love everything about them, especially those little moments where Aaron actually manages (in his own, roundabout way) to express how important Paddy is to him. (I heard this quote, somewhere, by a teenage boy talking about his foster mom: "She loved the hate right out of me." Well, that pretty much sums up Paddy and Aaron's relationship to me ♥) I love Chas learning through trial and error to be a mother to her son. I love Paddy and Chas worrying and working together to help Aaron, and I would love to see them rewarded for all their work by having Aaron be in a happy and stable place in his life. I love that he is finally getting help, and would love to see how his life might have improved a couple of years down the line, with counseling, antidepressants, loving support, etc.
ETA: I'll add a link to
sunsetmog's fantastic primer, because I pretty much agree with everything they say, and because it'll take you to some vids of the most pivotal scenes from Aaron's biggest storylines. Also, funny snark and pretty pictures...The World's Wife - Carol Ann Duffy
What I wrote: I loove the concept and the execution of the premise in this collection of poetry, and it just left me wanting more. More witty and cynical and snarky stories told by all the wives speaking with their own voices. Be it poetry or prose, I'd just love to see you build on the premise of this book.
Additional info: I love the humour, sarcasm, raw emotion and gender critique of Duffy's poetry. My favourites of The World's Wife are: Queen Kong, Mrs Quasimodo, Delilah and Mrs Beast, but even more than hearing about existing characters, I would love to see more women, fictional or historical, be given a voice to tell their side of the tale. Off the top of my head, here's a list of women it would be cool to hear from: Tarzan's Jane, all the women in history about whom we hear next to nothing (the Roman soldier's wife, for example), some of the eighties movies heroines who never got to do anything but scream (Willie from Temple of Doom, anyone?), the sexily dressed sorority girl who always has to die in horror movies, the tragic belles of old country songs, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty... the list could go on forever. I would really love anything building on the premise of this book.
ETA: Here are some links to the poems 'Queen Kong' and 'Mrs Lazarus', to any curious passerbys unfamiliar with the book *waves*.
The Station Agent
What I wrote: When this movie ended, I really had the feeling that they set Olivia, Fin and Joe up to be a family unit, and I'd love to see that explored. How would it go if they stayed together, lived together, maybe even had a child together? What if the little girl, Cleo, needed a safe and calm place to go to, and Olivia's house happened to be that place? How would their relationships change and evolve over the years? Who would take which roles in their relationship? I wouldn't at all mind a little romance, Olivia/Fin and/or Joe/Original Character, but gen is just as good :)
Additional info: I love the unassuming, gentle tone of the film. I love all the little conflicts and their quiet resolutions. And I love Olivia, Fin and Joe together. I would love to see them portrayed as a family unit, and see them interact with each other, the local community and their surroundings, the nature and the trains. I would love to be offered little tidbits of their previous lives. I have this thing for Olivia deciding to have another child, and for them to raise that child together. I think Olivia/Fin would be a wonderful pairing, with an equally loved and loving Joe as their platonic life partner (I incidentally have this idea that Joe could have a wonderful relationship with Emily the librarian...), or none of them could be involved sexually, it's all up to you. I'd just love to see where life might lead them, and how their threesome would evolve over time. I'd love for them to have a happily ever after together in Newfoundland, with a shared home, shared responsibilities and joys and lots of love and affection (and children! and pets! /shameless domesticity-kink). I would love it if they were a little surprised themselves at how well this works out, would love to see them negotiating the relationship and figuring out how to define themselves to each other and the people around them ;)
ETA: Just to clarify: Eventhough I wrote that I would prefer if Joe was not sexually involved with either Olivia or Fin, I would love their threesome to be physically affectionate and comfortable with each other. I would be all over all three of them snuggling, hugging, basking in the sun, skinny dipping from the dock, etc...
A little bit of general stuff
I think you may have guessed by now that I'm not really looking for angsty death-fic this year *g* I love it if fics are realistic, and I do love a little bit of conflict and tension, but I think this year I'm mostly looking for characters being vindicated, achieving their goals, opposing obstacles and finding happiness.
Another thing that all of my requests have in common this year, is that I am just terribly, terribly curious to know more. Anything that you come up with to expand on these characters and 'verses – character studies, backstories, future-fic, original characters - is bound to make me fantastically happy and grateful! :)
My other yuletide letters are tagged here, if you would like to see what I have requested previous years. All the general stuff pretty much still stands.
I can't wait to see what you come up with! :)
Have fun and -
Happy writing!
(no subject)
Date: 2011-11-17 10:02 pm (UTC)Also, did you get the cross-posting to work?
(no subject)
Date: 2011-11-17 10:52 pm (UTC)The cross-posting seems to be working now - thank you so much for your help. Also, I managed to correct some rich text posting error using the sheet of html tags you wrote down for me \o/ I feel very internet savvy now ;)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-11-18 09:27 am (UTC)