Dear Once Upon a Fic author
Feb. 25th, 2024 11:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dolorosa_12Thank you for writing for me!
I'm pretty easygoing about what type of fic you want to write for me. I read fic of any rating, and would be equally happy with plotty genfic or something very shippy. I read gen, femslash, het and slash, although I have a slight preference towards femslash, het, and gen that focuses on female characters, and my requests and prompts in this exchange reflect that. Don't feel you have to limit yourself to the characters I specifically mention — I'm happy with others being included if they fit with the story you want to tell.
Feel free to have a look around my Ao3 profile, as it should give you a good idea of the types of things I like to read.
General likes
Found families and 'us against the world' dynamics
Human/non-human pairings
Relationships with power imbalances
Hurt/comfort and trauma recovery, especially in contexts where the relationship between the characters is somewhat fraught and complicated
Dark fairytales
Metamorphoses and transformations
Stories within stories
Ordinary human beings encountering/interacting with the supernatural and otherwordly, and vice versa
Stories that hinge on bargaining, diplomacy and exchange, and characters who are clever and perceptive about these things
Stories that make heroic the ordinary activities of everyday life, especially things considered 'women's work'
DNWs
Fusions and crossovers
Canon divergence and setting change AUs are fine, but I don't want any AU that fundamentally changes the rules of the universe in which the source material is set (so if the source material is a setting in which magic/the supernatural is real, or in which human beings interact with gods, I want this to be retained in any setting-change AU)
Incest
Omegaverse
Unrequested identity headcanons
Unrequested ships involving my requested characters (background pairings involving unrequested characters are fine though)
Death of requested characters
Several fandom-specific DNWs, which I will outline below
Fandom-specific prompts:
Cupid and Psyche (Metamorphoses - Apuleius)
Requested characters: Cupid (Metamorphoses - Apuleius) Psyche (Metamorphoses - Apuleius)
What I like about the story and characters
Stories about human beings in relationships with gods or other supernatural beings are among my favourite thing, and this particular story is an excellent example of this theme
The power imbalances inherent in the characters' relationship, the rules surrounding it, the risks if these rules are broken, the underlying sense of fear (Psyche's assumption that her husband is monstrous, the idea that the gulf between human beings and gods is so great that it renders the gods monstrous)
The various folkloric tasks and quests set by Venus to Psyche, particularly the journey to the underworld
Prompts I'd love to see
I'd really like to see fic that focuses on the power imbalances inherent to the characters' relationship — how to manage a relationship in which one character is human (and missing crucial information about her husband) and the other character is a god (and withholding crucial information about his nature to his human wife). If we matched only one one of the two characters, a fic that focused on their individual feelings about these issues would be great. I'd also really enjoy a fic that played up the differences in their natures after Psyche has first seen Cupid in his true form — she was given a prophecy that she would marry an inhuman 'monster,' so how does a god appear through human eyes? The story describes Cupid's true form as beautiful, but perhaps this beauty appears somewhat terrifying and monstrous to Psyche? The story also depicts Cupid as being exasperated by Psyche's boundless curiosity and disobedience — as a god he seems used to being obeyed, whereas Psyche has a typical human curiosity in the face of forbidding orders. It would be great to see fic that explored this inherent conflict at the heart of their relationship. I'd also be interested in fic covering Psyche's journey to the underworld and her meeting with Proserpine, from her perspective, Cupid's or both.
Fandom-specific DNWs
Although this story ends with Psyche being made immortal, I'd prefer your fic not to dwell on this aspect, as the main draw of this story/relationship for me is the fact that one character is human and the other character isn't.
The Iliad — Homer
Requested characters: Briseis, Chryseis
What I like about the characters and story
The utter destruction and horror wrought by war and the extremes of male honour culture, and the particular damage these things do to the women in the story.
The fact that Briseis and Chryseis are somewhat voiceless in canon, and the sense that they speak from the margins.
The sense of endurance and survival and strength of Briseis and Chryseis (and all the other women of the Iliad) in spite of all the monstrous things done to them
Prompts I'd love to see
I'd love to see either missing moments or futurefic that dug into either (or both) characters' state of mind. What do they feel about being enslaved, and how do they retain a sense of self? Is there a sense of solidarity among the enslaved women in the Greek camp, and what does resistance look like to them? Fic that explored different types of resistance would be very welcome, particularly if this resistance was entirely internal, confined to the characters' own thoughts. Other prompts that I'd be interested to see include either Briseis, Chryseis, or both women interacting with gods or other supernatural beings, or one or both characters trying to rebuild in the ruins of Troy after the war is over. Or they may have left Troy altogether — many of the women of Troy end up enslaved by the victorious rulers and taken back with them, and fic that explored the experiences of Briseis, Chryseis or both women in such a scenario would be really interesting to me. If you do choose to write fic about both my requested characters, I do ship the two of them together, but would be equally happy with either shipfic or gen.
Fandom-specific DNWs
I'm happy for characters such as Achilles and Agamemnon to feature in the fic, and for any degree of darkness and violence to be depicted in terms of their treatment of Briseis and Chryseis. What I don't want to see is any attempt to excuse their behaviour or for e.g. Briseis to think well of Achilles (although her preferring to be enslaved by him than Agamemnon is fine). I don't mind Achilles/Patroclus to be mentioned as a background pairing but I want the focus of any fic about Briseis to be about her experiences and interactions with other characters rather than e.g. her extended thoughts about the Achilles/Patroclus relationship.
Rumpelstilzchen | Rumpelstiltskin (Grimm)
Requested characters: Rumpelstilzchen | Rumpelstiltskin, Müllers Tochter | Miller's Daughter
What I like about the story and characters
The elements of bargaining, deals and exchange.
The way the miller's daughter is forced into a dangerous and impossible situation by the men around her (her father and the king) and finds a way out of it, within the limits imposed on her.
The magic and power of names.
Prompts I'd love to see
This canon only works for me if the miller's daughter is in on the bargain with Rumpelstiltskin from the very beginning — i.e. she's furious with her father and terrified by her situation and see Rumpelstiltskin as an ally rather than an antagonist. Fic that digs into this idea of the pair being allies (Rumpelstiltskin recognising the unfairness and danger of the miller's daughter's situation, the miller's daughter furious at the way she's being exploited, both characters appalled by a world which values gold more than their lives) would be great.
If we matched on a single character, I'd love to see fic that presented the fairytale from Rumpelstiltskin's perspective — why does his true name have such power, what do bargains/exchanges mean to him, and has he had past bad experiences of doing deals with humans? Solo stories about the miller's daughter could explore her feelings of being betrayed and trapped by her father and the king. Or maybe she's also known for being skilled at bargaining and deal-making, and sets about engineering a situation that will put those skills to use.
If you wanted to go in a shippy direction, I'd love to see a fic in which the two characters bonded over mutual admiration at each other's cleverness and resourcefulness. An interesting twist on the requirement to give up her firstborn child might be that said child is actually Rumpelstiltskin's (conceived willingly on the part of both characters).
Fandom-specific DNWs
Fic in which the miller's daughter thinks of Rumpelstiltskin as her antagonist. (It's okay if she starts out viewing him this way, but by the end of the fic I'd want her to think of him as an ally.) I also do not want fic in which the miller's daughter loves the king and is happy to marry him, or fic in which Rumpelstiltskin is an ordinary human being.
Tochmarc Étaíne
Requested characters: Étaín, Fúamnach
What I like about this story and characters
It's just really, really bizarre and weird, and jumps from point to point and character to character so abruptly that it feels like a bunch of unrelated stories stuck together.
As with the Iliad, I love the sense that there's this whole story about the two women happening below the surface of what is actually written down in the source material.
In canon, both women are somewhat voiceless, their motivations never explained, and Étaín acted upon rather than acting, and I love the sense of freedom and possibility this gives to fic writers.
The interaction between the otherworldly and human worlds — the barrier between both is thin, and permeable, with the supernatural constantly bleeding into the everyday world.
Prompts I'd love to see
If we match on both characters, I particularly want to see fic set during the point in canon when Midir brings Étaín into the otherworld to be his wife. In canon, Fúamnach is immediately jealous and transforms Étaín into a pool of water in a fit of rage. But what if, instead, the two women bond, and Fúamnach transformed Étaín to protect her and keep her away from Midir? Fic where the two have a sense of solidarity in the face of being brought into the otherworld against their will would be great — I've always felt Midir has a kind of ruthless acquisitiveness, and for the two women to recognise and resist this in whatever small ways they can would be great. I'd also be interested in fic that explored the otherworldly setting and focused on the strange inhabitants and landscape of the supernatural otherworld. If you wanted to pair up Étaín and Fúamnach and write shipfic I'd be delighted, but I'd be equally delighted with gen.
If we matched on just Fúamnach, I'd love to see fic focusing on her magical powers. Does Midir curtail these powers in some way? How do her powers work, and are there any other situations in which she's used them?
If we matched on just Étaín, fic that dug into the disorienting weirdness of her situation — an endless cycle of death and rebirth, appearing and reappearing after vast amounts of time have passed, travelling in and out of the otherworld, transformation into water, and into various types of animal — would be wonderful.
Fandom specific DNWs
Fic that portrays Étaín or Fúamnach as jealous of each other or competing for Midir's affections. I don't mind a focus on pairing both or either woman up with Midir as long as it's non-consensual. Other than the aforementioned Midir/Fúamnach or Midir/Étaín, I don't want to see any pairings for either woman besides Étaín/Fúamnach.
Don't feel you have to stick rigidly within the bounds of my prompts. As long as your fic is focused on the character or characters I requested, I will be thrilled to receive anything you write for me, as these really are some of my most beloved fandoms of the heart, and the existence of any fic for them will make me extremely happy.
I'm pretty easygoing about what type of fic you want to write for me. I read fic of any rating, and would be equally happy with plotty genfic or something very shippy. I read gen, femslash, het and slash, although I have a slight preference towards femslash, het, and gen that focuses on female characters, and my requests and prompts in this exchange reflect that. Don't feel you have to limit yourself to the characters I specifically mention — I'm happy with others being included if they fit with the story you want to tell.
Feel free to have a look around my Ao3 profile, as it should give you a good idea of the types of things I like to read.
General likes
DNWs
Fandom-specific prompts:
Cupid and Psyche (Metamorphoses - Apuleius)
Requested characters: Cupid (Metamorphoses - Apuleius) Psyche (Metamorphoses - Apuleius)
What I like about the story and characters
Prompts I'd love to see
I'd really like to see fic that focuses on the power imbalances inherent to the characters' relationship — how to manage a relationship in which one character is human (and missing crucial information about her husband) and the other character is a god (and withholding crucial information about his nature to his human wife). If we matched only one one of the two characters, a fic that focused on their individual feelings about these issues would be great. I'd also really enjoy a fic that played up the differences in their natures after Psyche has first seen Cupid in his true form — she was given a prophecy that she would marry an inhuman 'monster,' so how does a god appear through human eyes? The story describes Cupid's true form as beautiful, but perhaps this beauty appears somewhat terrifying and monstrous to Psyche? The story also depicts Cupid as being exasperated by Psyche's boundless curiosity and disobedience — as a god he seems used to being obeyed, whereas Psyche has a typical human curiosity in the face of forbidding orders. It would be great to see fic that explored this inherent conflict at the heart of their relationship. I'd also be interested in fic covering Psyche's journey to the underworld and her meeting with Proserpine, from her perspective, Cupid's or both.
Fandom-specific DNWs
Although this story ends with Psyche being made immortal, I'd prefer your fic not to dwell on this aspect, as the main draw of this story/relationship for me is the fact that one character is human and the other character isn't.
The Iliad — Homer
Requested characters: Briseis, Chryseis
What I like about the characters and story
Prompts I'd love to see
I'd love to see either missing moments or futurefic that dug into either (or both) characters' state of mind. What do they feel about being enslaved, and how do they retain a sense of self? Is there a sense of solidarity among the enslaved women in the Greek camp, and what does resistance look like to them? Fic that explored different types of resistance would be very welcome, particularly if this resistance was entirely internal, confined to the characters' own thoughts. Other prompts that I'd be interested to see include either Briseis, Chryseis, or both women interacting with gods or other supernatural beings, or one or both characters trying to rebuild in the ruins of Troy after the war is over. Or they may have left Troy altogether — many of the women of Troy end up enslaved by the victorious rulers and taken back with them, and fic that explored the experiences of Briseis, Chryseis or both women in such a scenario would be really interesting to me. If you do choose to write fic about both my requested characters, I do ship the two of them together, but would be equally happy with either shipfic or gen.
Fandom-specific DNWs
I'm happy for characters such as Achilles and Agamemnon to feature in the fic, and for any degree of darkness and violence to be depicted in terms of their treatment of Briseis and Chryseis. What I don't want to see is any attempt to excuse their behaviour or for e.g. Briseis to think well of Achilles (although her preferring to be enslaved by him than Agamemnon is fine). I don't mind Achilles/Patroclus to be mentioned as a background pairing but I want the focus of any fic about Briseis to be about her experiences and interactions with other characters rather than e.g. her extended thoughts about the Achilles/Patroclus relationship.
Rumpelstilzchen | Rumpelstiltskin (Grimm)
Requested characters: Rumpelstilzchen | Rumpelstiltskin, Müllers Tochter | Miller's Daughter
What I like about the story and characters
Prompts I'd love to see
This canon only works for me if the miller's daughter is in on the bargain with Rumpelstiltskin from the very beginning — i.e. she's furious with her father and terrified by her situation and see Rumpelstiltskin as an ally rather than an antagonist. Fic that digs into this idea of the pair being allies (Rumpelstiltskin recognising the unfairness and danger of the miller's daughter's situation, the miller's daughter furious at the way she's being exploited, both characters appalled by a world which values gold more than their lives) would be great.
If we matched on a single character, I'd love to see fic that presented the fairytale from Rumpelstiltskin's perspective — why does his true name have such power, what do bargains/exchanges mean to him, and has he had past bad experiences of doing deals with humans? Solo stories about the miller's daughter could explore her feelings of being betrayed and trapped by her father and the king. Or maybe she's also known for being skilled at bargaining and deal-making, and sets about engineering a situation that will put those skills to use.
If you wanted to go in a shippy direction, I'd love to see a fic in which the two characters bonded over mutual admiration at each other's cleverness and resourcefulness. An interesting twist on the requirement to give up her firstborn child might be that said child is actually Rumpelstiltskin's (conceived willingly on the part of both characters).
Fandom-specific DNWs
Fic in which the miller's daughter thinks of Rumpelstiltskin as her antagonist. (It's okay if she starts out viewing him this way, but by the end of the fic I'd want her to think of him as an ally.) I also do not want fic in which the miller's daughter loves the king and is happy to marry him, or fic in which Rumpelstiltskin is an ordinary human being.
Tochmarc Étaíne
Requested characters: Étaín, Fúamnach
What I like about this story and characters
Prompts I'd love to see
If we match on both characters, I particularly want to see fic set during the point in canon when Midir brings Étaín into the otherworld to be his wife. In canon, Fúamnach is immediately jealous and transforms Étaín into a pool of water in a fit of rage. But what if, instead, the two women bond, and Fúamnach transformed Étaín to protect her and keep her away from Midir? Fic where the two have a sense of solidarity in the face of being brought into the otherworld against their will would be great — I've always felt Midir has a kind of ruthless acquisitiveness, and for the two women to recognise and resist this in whatever small ways they can would be great. I'd also be interested in fic that explored the otherworldly setting and focused on the strange inhabitants and landscape of the supernatural otherworld. If you wanted to pair up Étaín and Fúamnach and write shipfic I'd be delighted, but I'd be equally delighted with gen.
If we matched on just Fúamnach, I'd love to see fic focusing on her magical powers. Does Midir curtail these powers in some way? How do her powers work, and are there any other situations in which she's used them?
If we matched on just Étaín, fic that dug into the disorienting weirdness of her situation — an endless cycle of death and rebirth, appearing and reappearing after vast amounts of time have passed, travelling in and out of the otherworld, transformation into water, and into various types of animal — would be wonderful.
Fandom specific DNWs
Fic that portrays Étaín or Fúamnach as jealous of each other or competing for Midir's affections. I don't mind a focus on pairing both or either woman up with Midir as long as it's non-consensual. Other than the aforementioned Midir/Fúamnach or Midir/Étaín, I don't want to see any pairings for either woman besides Étaín/Fúamnach.
Don't feel you have to stick rigidly within the bounds of my prompts. As long as your fic is focused on the character or characters I requested, I will be thrilled to receive anything you write for me, as these really are some of my most beloved fandoms of the heart, and the existence of any fic for them will make me extremely happy.