Dear Yuletide Writer...

[savageseraph]

Dear Yuletide Writer,

First, let me say that I'm so happy to have you writing something for me that I don't get to see every day but wish that I did. Thank you in advance for that!

I know that my prompts lean toward the slashy and the sexy. I like slash, het (though not vanilla het), and femslash. If you’re writing either het or femslash, I like strong, capable women who own their own strength, intellect, and desire. Of course, I like that in men too. I like BDSM, though more in terms of power dynamics and less in terms of highly ritualized behavior.

However, I love interesting and complex characters and good stories above all else. Even when it comes to the sexy, the sorts of stories I like best are the ones that really get inside the characters’ heads, ones that go beyond the act itself and show how it impacts the characters or their relationship. If you want to see the sorts of things I write (and like to read), I'm also Savageseraph over at the Archive of Our Own.

This is not an exhaustive list, just some things that often tend to make me smile.



Dirty talk
The seductive power of language
Power exchanges/dynamics
Kink
Surrender (even against better judgement)
Smart, strong, capable characters
Temptation
Bondage
Angst (but not at melodramatic levels)
RPF where there’s some bleedover between actors and their characters
NonCon (usually just in FPF, unless the fic is an AU, but no AU’s for this Yuletide)
DubCon (I’ve no objections to this in RPF.)
Non-vanilla/traditional characters/situations
Explicit-rated fics (though I do like story and character with my porn)
High Passion/Sensuality/Stakes
Sexual Tension
Tension between resistance and surrender
An edge of darkness/danger
Intensity (physical, emotional, and/or situational)



While this shouldn’t be perceived as a critique of items in the list, these are things I would prefer not to receive in my Yuletide Fic.



Watersports/Scat
Hurt/Comfort
MPREG
A/B/O verse
Overly sentimental or cloyingly romantic fic, schmoop
Domestic fic/curtain fic
Crackfic/humor
Social issue/political fics
Characters behaving OOC for their canon
No AU’s for the fandoms this Yuletide
Weak female characters
Feminization of male characters
Angst that becomes overly emo
Woobie fics
Fluff
Character death



And now, a bit about the fandoms I've requested for this Yuletide exchange.




Yes, I love horror movies, and there are few things as wonderful as a really well made devil/demon movie/show/comic/etc. The only problem is that so few are well made. So one of my television delights has been the new series The Exorcist. For this fic, I’m all about the Tomas/Marcus. That ship has ALL THE THINGS that really ring my bells: temptation, seduction, forbidden acts, wickedness, penance/atonement. I’d be interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see two strong characters struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own inner demons, so much the better.





I’m a long-time DnD gamergirl, and this show makes me wish I had a regular party and campaign going on right now. For Yuletide, I’d adore a Matt/Liam fic, possibly one that has some bleedover from the game (characters, events, power dynamics, etc) into the relationship outside. It could carry those things forward, invert them. I’m flexible. I like scenarios where tension and rivalry between their characters bleeds over into an encounter between the actors and where there are some blurred lines between the actors and the roles they are playing. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other. I’m good with dubcon and kink, more than good. However, neither is strictly necessary. While it’s fine to acknowledge/mention Marisha in the fic, I’d prefer she play a small role if you must have her at all.





First let me just say that, like many folks, I have ALL THE LOVE for this movie. It made me feel happy and whole and strong, and just really fucking glad, they made a female superhero right. One thing that I loved about this movie is that the man was the love interest, the sidekick character. He’s the one who has to sacrifice for Diana’s arc to continue. I also liked how Diana could own her sexuality in the same powerful way she owns her fighting abilities and physical prowess. I’d be interested in seeing what happens in the room when the camera's fade to black. Or I’m fine with a dream sequence set in the present day about what Diana might have done/how she would have seen thing differently if she knew what she does now. I love to see two strong characters struggling between surrender and resistance and have a special love for pegging, but if that’s not your thing it’s not a requirement.





I don’t think I’m alone in saying that the panel of Grayson and Midnighter in nothing but towels is one that stuck with me well after reading the comic. And yeah, I’d love to see more Grayson/Midnighter fic out there in the world. You could set something within the comic run, or I’d be just as happy with something after and before the Rebirth series kick in. For this one, I’d love character-driven explicit rated slash. I’m fine with hard dubcon (or softer varieties) or none at all if that’s not your thing. I love to see alpha males (though not A/B/O alpha please) struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other. I love the tension between resistance and surrender.





The only thing that made me unhappy about this delightful summer series is how short its season was. I enjoyed the hell out of the storytelling, the small arc of the murdered girls and how it fed into the larger one of the Veil tearing open, and I loved that the narrative was so strongly character driven. Favorite characters are probably Lem, Fiji, Joe, and Olivia, though Manfred and Bobo definitely grew on me throughout the season. I’m really open for a lot with this fandom: show me Bobo and Fiji’s first time in a little more detail than the show could and really get inside their heads to show what’s happening there. Give me some hot Olivia/Lem that’s spiced with danger and wickedness. I’m more than up for some Fiji/Olivia (if you’re so inclined). While I know it’s a bit out of scope for my sign up, I wouldn’t mind Joe/Chuy or Lem/Manfred. As always, I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see two strong characters struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own inner demons, so much the better.



Having said that, I read and write and enjoy lots and lots of things that aren't really represented in my fics, so I don't want you to feel boxed in. Write what you really love, what inspires you, and it will show in the fic. If you have any questions, you could bounce them off my writing partner caras_galadhon.

I'm sure I'll love what you make for me, and I'm already looking forward to reading it!