![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Dear AU Fest 2023 Creator,
Hey, if you got one of my prompts, then let me just say – thanks! And I’m looking forward to what you create. If you want a few more details, then I’ve got some for you, but I’m trying to leave things as open as possible, so I hope none of this stifles your creativity.
I’ll admit, I’m not into full-on explicit sex. I don’t need – or in most cases, want – to know the play-by-play. What I want is emotional exploration and connection, bonding and growth. If you want to put an E rated scene in there, go for it, but please make the majority of the fic about the characters and their emotional/psychological interactions.
Likes – Strong alpha men that are wrapped around the fingers of the women they love. Protective men and women with sass. Dark, edgy characters who use that to protect the innocent and light. And I’m into women who are kickass – especially if it’s NOT in the physical sense. Give me the geniuses, the wise women, the counselors, or the homemakers who know it is the heart of the house that pulls the strings.
I have a MAJOR competence kink.
You don’t have to include this, but if it is up your alley, I really like multiple levels of relationships. While I don’t like breakup/cheating fics, I enjoy seeing various levels of relationships. So . . . characters A & B are in a strong romantic relationship, but when character B has a particularly tough day, they go cuddle with character C or characters A, B, & C are a closed triad, but character A has a strong platonic relationship with character D. Outsiders are sure they’re dating or having sex, but they’re not – and the other characters don’t have any jealousy. (And yes, they may even share a bed, but it’s purely for sleep, cuddling, comfort – not sex.) I enjoy romance, but I also truly enjoy explorations of all levels of love – romantic, platonic, familial, etc.
General Likes:
Deep characterization
Happy endings – or hopeful at the very least
Ratings: G, T, or M
Fluff
Domestic/slice of life
Found family
Hurt/comfort
Pregnancy/kids – except MPREG
Character bonding
World building
If you go the A/B/O route on any of the potential fandoms, I really prefer a study on the dynamics to the whole rutting/heat thing.
General Dislikes -
1st or 2nd person POV
Anti-religion/Religion bashing
Major character death – unless part of reincarnation or afterlife AU
Unhappy endings
Breakup/cheating/infidelity fics
MPreg
RPF – Using the FBI, NYPD, etc. is fine, but please don’t use CNN, MSNBC, Fox, etc. and definitely no real people.
Current politics or political issues
Now for some fandom thoughts . . .
Lord of the Rings –
Aragorn & Faramir & Boromir – I love the potential for platonic bonds here and there just isn’t enough fic out there in my mind. If Boromir had lived, what would Minas Tirith have looked like? Especially since he – technically – should become steward.
Hobbit –
Thorin/Original Female Hobbit – I would love to see the rebuilding of Erebor and how that would happen with a Hobbit at his side. One who is NOT Bilbo. Though I do enjoy the platonic connection between Thorin and Bilbo – especially if he shows back up at Erebor with Frodo in tow.
Harry Potter –
Remus Lupin/Narcissa Black – Okay, so one of my new favorite AU’s for HP is Narcissa deciding NOT to go Death Eater. I also enjoy the idea of her and Remus. What would the world have been like if they’d been the ones to raise Harry, maybe? Or maybe it was Sirius? No matter who raises Harry, I’d love to see how you think it might have changed the world for him to be raised by someone other than the Dursleys.
Silmarillion –
Aulë/Yavanna – my favorites among the Valar! I see him as the Great Smith, and the creator of the Dwarves. She is the Green Lady, creator of the Hobbits. It seems such a lovely balance for them. I am all kinds of open to seeing anything that explores them and their interactions with their people.
Thor –
Clint Barton/Darcy Lewis – This is my original OTP for Marvel, so I’m always going to ask for them somewhere. In this case, I especially love seeing them in fantasy AU’s – especially modern urban fantasy. If you’ve ever had a plot bunny for this kind of thing that you’d like to write, then go for it!!
Hawkeye –
Clint Barton & Kate Bishop or Clint Barton/Kate Bishop – I’d like to see something with them as he helps her learn to become the hero. And something building on the partnership. While I actually kind of like Laura, I’d prefer this not be the family thing, but that I’ll leave up to you. (I mean, it could work – especially given that Kate’s mom proved to be a villain.) Also, if you want to write this in a different type of world AU (alien, fantasy, sci fi, whatever) that’s cool too. Please keep Clint’s hearing loss!!
Hopefully I’ve given you something to play with!
Thank you,
Caiti
Hey, if you got one of my prompts, then let me just say – thanks! And I’m looking forward to what you create. If you want a few more details, then I’ve got some for you, but I’m trying to leave things as open as possible, so I hope none of this stifles your creativity.
I’ll admit, I’m not into full-on explicit sex. I don’t need – or in most cases, want – to know the play-by-play. What I want is emotional exploration and connection, bonding and growth. If you want to put an E rated scene in there, go for it, but please make the majority of the fic about the characters and their emotional/psychological interactions.
Likes – Strong alpha men that are wrapped around the fingers of the women they love. Protective men and women with sass. Dark, edgy characters who use that to protect the innocent and light. And I’m into women who are kickass – especially if it’s NOT in the physical sense. Give me the geniuses, the wise women, the counselors, or the homemakers who know it is the heart of the house that pulls the strings.
I have a MAJOR competence kink.
You don’t have to include this, but if it is up your alley, I really like multiple levels of relationships. While I don’t like breakup/cheating fics, I enjoy seeing various levels of relationships. So . . . characters A & B are in a strong romantic relationship, but when character B has a particularly tough day, they go cuddle with character C or characters A, B, & C are a closed triad, but character A has a strong platonic relationship with character D. Outsiders are sure they’re dating or having sex, but they’re not – and the other characters don’t have any jealousy. (And yes, they may even share a bed, but it’s purely for sleep, cuddling, comfort – not sex.) I enjoy romance, but I also truly enjoy explorations of all levels of love – romantic, platonic, familial, etc.
General Likes:
Deep characterization
Happy endings – or hopeful at the very least
Ratings: G, T, or M
Fluff
Domestic/slice of life
Found family
Hurt/comfort
Pregnancy/kids – except MPREG
Character bonding
World building
If you go the A/B/O route on any of the potential fandoms, I really prefer a study on the dynamics to the whole rutting/heat thing.
General Dislikes -
1st or 2nd person POV
Anti-religion/Religion bashing
Major character death – unless part of reincarnation or afterlife AU
Unhappy endings
Breakup/cheating/infidelity fics
MPreg
RPF – Using the FBI, NYPD, etc. is fine, but please don’t use CNN, MSNBC, Fox, etc. and definitely no real people.
Current politics or political issues
Now for some fandom thoughts . . .
Lord of the Rings –
Aragorn & Faramir & Boromir – I love the potential for platonic bonds here and there just isn’t enough fic out there in my mind. If Boromir had lived, what would Minas Tirith have looked like? Especially since he – technically – should become steward.
Hobbit –
Thorin/Original Female Hobbit – I would love to see the rebuilding of Erebor and how that would happen with a Hobbit at his side. One who is NOT Bilbo. Though I do enjoy the platonic connection between Thorin and Bilbo – especially if he shows back up at Erebor with Frodo in tow.
Harry Potter –
Remus Lupin/Narcissa Black – Okay, so one of my new favorite AU’s for HP is Narcissa deciding NOT to go Death Eater. I also enjoy the idea of her and Remus. What would the world have been like if they’d been the ones to raise Harry, maybe? Or maybe it was Sirius? No matter who raises Harry, I’d love to see how you think it might have changed the world for him to be raised by someone other than the Dursleys.
Silmarillion –
Aulë/Yavanna – my favorites among the Valar! I see him as the Great Smith, and the creator of the Dwarves. She is the Green Lady, creator of the Hobbits. It seems such a lovely balance for them. I am all kinds of open to seeing anything that explores them and their interactions with their people.
Thor –
Clint Barton/Darcy Lewis – This is my original OTP for Marvel, so I’m always going to ask for them somewhere. In this case, I especially love seeing them in fantasy AU’s – especially modern urban fantasy. If you’ve ever had a plot bunny for this kind of thing that you’d like to write, then go for it!!
Hawkeye –
Clint Barton & Kate Bishop or Clint Barton/Kate Bishop – I’d like to see something with them as he helps her learn to become the hero. And something building on the partnership. While I actually kind of like Laura, I’d prefer this not be the family thing, but that I’ll leave up to you. (I mean, it could work – especially given that Kate’s mom proved to be a villain.) Also, if you want to write this in a different type of world AU (alien, fantasy, sci fi, whatever) that’s cool too. Please keep Clint’s hearing loss!!
Hopefully I’ve given you something to play with!
Thank you,
Caiti
