magpiemountains: a small owl-faced creature in a hooded cloak offers a pomegranate-like fruit on a platter in a tempting, servile manner. this is a goblin from an illustration of Christina Rosetti's Goblin Market poem. (Default)
[personal profile] magpiemountains
Hallo, Yuletide Author!

1. You're wonderful. Let's start with that. Thank you so much for writing for me!

2. Do please write away at will and/or whim! I love these fandoms and have Strong Opinions about them, but I'm always happy to discover new ideas and perspectives! that's the beauty of fandom, really- it's such a collaborative, communal approach to constructing a world and then rolling around in it in luxurious glee. so as always, optional details are optional, particularly if you have strong feelings of your own about these fandoms.

3. I'm new to Yuletide, so apologies beforehand if I do or say something I shouldn't! If you're an exhaustive kind of researcher, I am also on tumblr and, obviously, A03, but my interactions on both sites have very little relevance to the fandoms I've requested below.

4. THE CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT ARE AS FOLLOWS:

REQUEST 1: AS YOU LIKE IT - Rosalind, Orlando, Celia
REQUEST 2: THE CHANGEOVER - Laura Chant, Sorenson Carlisle
REQUEST 3: JUPITER ASCENDING - Jupiter Jones






REQUEST 1: AS YOU LIKE IT - Rosalind, Orlando, Celia


So I shrieked when I saw this was an option because YES, FUCK YES, FAVOURITE PLAY YES. I will happily take any iteration of this. Modern adaptations! Alternate universes! Elizabethan-era idyllic pastoral comedy! a poor farming community during the Great Depression! Monsoon season in Hong Kong in 2016! Space politics! Wellington! Pirates! Do a Kenneth Branagh and set it in the middle of Feudal Japan (but with less racism)! Did I mention modern adaptations? (There’s this fantastic clip from a version on youtube by the RSC, directed by Maria Aberg- the Rosalind/Orlando chemistry there is a thing of beauty.) That’s the thing about Shakespeare- he’s endlessly, wonderfully adaptable. It’s a joy.


CHARACTER-RELATED PROMPTS:

Firstly, I don’t believe there’s enough Rosalind/Orlando flirting and falling in love out there in fandom, so that’s something I’d like very much. I’m particularly interested in the way they go about it in-text- Rosalind and Orlando are clearly massively attracted to each other from the get-go, but Rosalind (who is brilliant and bright as fuck) tests and questions him as Ganymede to try and see if there’s any depth there, to see if this is something she can trust. I particularly like that dynamic (again, the RSC has these videos on youtube from the modern adaptation by Maria Aberg, where the actors talk about the characters, and I kind of agree with their interpretation of this).

this is largely because I’m not a fan of love-at-first-sight as a valid, lasting attachment- infatuation at first sight, attraction or lust at first sight, sure, but love? You don’t know what this person is like when they’re bored or hungry or angry, what they’re like with their parents, their friends, the way their mind works, what makes them tick, what turns them on, where their boundaries are, what their baggage is. That’s substantial, that’s who they are, and if you don’t know who they are, I’d argue you can’t really know if this is something you can trust. And I’d argue that that’s what Rosalind’s trying to figure out in the play. your mileage may of course vary, but as you can see I’m a fan of friends-to-lovers type themes, or stories where people get to know each other first.

and then there’s the bizarre disguise-aspects of the play. I mean- when does Orlando figure out that Ganymede is actually Rosalind? does he ever figure it out before the big reveal? is he dumb? is it an in-joke between them? is Orlando attracted to Ganymede? (my opinion: yes.) why the hell doesn’t he recognise it’s her, outside of the incredibly obvious theatrical convention? is he extremely short sighted? is he wearing a giant hat the entire time that keeps him from seeing? is it his emo fringe?

There’s also certainly not enough Rosalind & Celia being epic siblings, learning to be shepherds and living ordinary lives, learning to cook and manage a small business and being crochety with each other and taking care of each other in very different circumstances than the politically and emotionally treacherous but luxurious environment of the court. Would it be more of a giant learning leap for them, or more of a freedom, given the absence of a brooding and murderous king? how does Celia feel about leaving everything and going into the middle of nowhere for her cousin? and then there’s the bizarre gender switching of Rosalind learning to be a boy most of the time. did she have much contact with boys in the court? does she drop it when she’s at home or keep it up all the time?


THINGS I LIKE:

1. happy endings! family feels! domestic/pastoral fluff and people pottering around the house!

2. AUs! crossovers! bizarre tropes! clever women! snark!

3. people falling in love! hijinks! slow burn! pining! all the pining!

4. but also, like, the complex psychological interactions of the characters’ contexts and histories and personalities that can cause conflict or sadness or silence or simply resignation, because people are messy and you can’t always fix things with a completely happy ending, even though mostly we’d all like to. like- how do both Orlando and Rosalind cope with the extreme class differences between them, given that Orlando was raised badly? does Orlando feel inadequate or insecure? how does Celia deal with having a father who both loves her and yet makes someone she loves so miserable? all the male authority figures in Rosalind’s life have been either absent or dangerous- how does that affect the way she deals with Orlando? I mean, this stuff is going on underneath all the pastoral frolicking of the main plot, which is why it’s so damn fascinating.


THINGS I'D RATHER NOT:

1. probably no Celia/Rosalind, I love their sibling-type relationship.

2. I’m also not hugely interested in the more transgender identity-questioning aspects of Rosalind’s crossdressing, but if it’s something you’re particularly passionate about, by all means have at it.

3. I don’t know if this needs to be said or not, but I’m also not particularly interested in porn without plot (I’ll take smouldering romantic shenanigans over sex any day), although I'm not opposed to well-placed sex in fiction.

in the end, though, Shakespeare is everybody’s bicycle. feel free to ignore everything I’ve said, particularly if you have strong feelings of your own about these characters and this bizarre play. I will likely enjoy the fuck out of whatever it is you write, because FUCK YES SHAKESPEARE.







REQUEST 2: THE CHANGEOVER - Laura Chant, Sorenson Carlisle



SOME THOUGHTS ON THE STORY:

So! I love the Laura/Sorenson interactions in the original story, the subtlety of it, the slyness- and also the fact that despite being billed 'a supernatural romance', Sorenson isn’t reaaaaally Laura’s main focus. For me, it reads like she's far more interested in saving her brother, in the everyday of her mother and her family and growing up, in her mother's relationship and in becoming a witch, and Sorenson just kind of grows into her messy, busy life as she's busy doing everything else. She likes him, he's interesting, but he's not the primary focus of her life, the way she seems to be his, and in the narrative that's seen as good and healthy. He doesn't define or occupy most of her concentration or headspace- most of her narrative worry is fixed on her love for her brother, her worry over her mother. Her life is full of many, many aspects in a way his isn't, and she's fundamentally healthy in a way he isn't just yet.

I also love the juxtaposition of Laura’s normal, messy everyday family upbringing with the weirdly, elegantly creepy witchiness of Sorenson’s family and his what the hell awful past. I mean, clearly, Sorenson is fairly messed up, and the narrative makes no attempt to minimize that, and in fact- a good point that some blogger made- both the narrative and Laura disapprove of his flaws and act to correct them.


PROMPTS:

In the narrative, Sorenson begins to learn to be human again. I'd be interested in seeing how that continues, as he keeps learning what it is to be an everyday person, learning how to exist in the world that Laura occupies so easily and readily with her strong attachments and everyday warmth, learning boundaries and how to interact with people. I'd love to see Sorenson having actual friends outside of Laura. I'm also fascinated by their relationship! What are Sorenson and Laura like when they’re in university, or when they're adults, or whatever? Their different histories and their continued interactions with and strong attachments to their absurdly different families has to have some kind of impact on their relationship, on the people in their lives, on the way they carry on the everyday business of eating and buying groceries and growing up and paying the bills and so on. I mean, there's the basic class difference between them, without even starting on the witchy powers thing. So I'd love glimpses into their lives- how they get along and don't, how they are together, how they deal with magic, with Sorenson's history and his hangups, and so on.


THINGS I LIKE:

1. domestic, everyday moments! people pottering about and making tea. fluff. also romance. but also reality- the conflicts and the difficulty it takes to reconcile two very different people. relationships that may be complex and imperfect, but also hopeful.

2. growth, hurt/comfort, good things, recovery. I love fics about the process of learning to be human and learning how to function in everyday society after significant trauma, with all the small joys and setbacks and support and encouragement it takes. it's actually my favourite reading niche. owlet's 'This, You Protect' is a good example of this with Bucky Barnes, coffee, toasted sandwiches and an old people brigade.


THINGS I'D RATHER NOT:

1. I don't really have anything huge for this! I'd prefer that you avoid making this into a dark!fic of d/s porn without plot, but I'm not intrinsically opposed to the appropriate use of either darkness or sex, given that the source material contains both a) trauma and b) romance.

2. Not a rather-not but more of a preference- this fandom I think works better in canon settings than in AU form. But again, your mileage may vary, and I may just be particularly unimaginative on this front, so if you find something you think really brings out the characters well, by all means!







REQUEST 3: JUPITER ASCENDING - Jupiter Jones



SOME ENTHUSIASTIC PROMPTING:

WORLDBUILDIIIIIIING.

Jupiter owns actual bits of the galaxy! She's a reincarnation of a space empress! She has scheming adult children! There are GIANT SPACE BUSINESS EMPIRES OUT THERE with COMPLEX SOCIAL CUSTOMS and SPACE POLITICS and SPACE SOCIO-ECONOMICS and their own MYTHS AND HISTORY and DIFFERENT SPECIES and fucking hell, this is an anthropologist's wet dream. I would love it if you wrote me a fic where Jupiter has to navigate her galactic empire and handle her reincarnated children and space boyfriend and figure out space politics/economics/administration while still being a person with a family on earth (Aleksa is badass). I would also love small snippets or aspects of or glimpses into that, because a sprawling intergalactic monster featuring all those aspects is a bit of a big ask.

It's just that they've given us SO MUCH TO WORK WITH. SO MANY DETAILS. SO MANY QUESTIONS. What on earth (or off earth) are family dinners and family relations like? Does she have to actually mother her scheming space children (please god yes, that would be hilarious)? How the hell does she run Earth? Is there stuff she needs to do, forms she needs to sign, little grey creatures she needs to direct? Is it possible for her to lose Earth? Can she get more than just Earth? How do the space police work? Are there space firemen? Can she hire her own mercenaries and take over her children's businesses? Would she? Is there SPACE TV? Can she go on SPACE FAMILY FEUD? Bonus points for including Aleksa, because family. All the family. All the familial relationships and arguing and loyalty and bitching and complaining and love and resentment and misunderstandings and backstabbing and affection, ever.

extra-bonus points for a Christmas family dinner where Balem, Titus and Kalique are made to sit down and eat with Jupiter, Caine, Aleksa, Vladi and the rest of the cleaning company clan. With mandatory presents afterwards.


THINGS I LIKE:

1. family! people who love each other and take care of each other and are loyal to each other, even if they piss each other off on a daily basis. clan! people working out their relationships. people communicating!

2. worldbuilding! all the normal, everyday details of a standard functioning society- myths, urban legends, entertainment industries, cultural differences, fashion, art, literature, protests, libraries, public spaces, environmental protection, religions, public transport, mental health problems, fine dining and fast food, sleep, medical issues, law, bureaucracy, supermarkets, cultural taboos, toilets, hygiene- except IN AN ENORMOUS AND BIZARRE SPACE UNIVERSE. fuck yes. do they even have people to clean toilets in space? do they even use toilets in space? surely if they've developed regeneration formulas, they must've eradicated pooping. is that even possible?

3. domestic, warm and comforting fic. things that end (more or less) happily! and even if there is angst and drama, there's hopefulness and recovery.


THINGS I'D RATHER NOT:

1. I'm not hugely interested in a Jupiter/Caine relationship-centred fic! I don't mind the ship and it is my standard if I ship anything in this world (so it's not really a 'rather not', but I wasn't sure where else to put it), but it's not anywhere near as interesting as the worldbuilding and social politics of this amazing universe Jupiter Ascending dropped into our laps. but if you feel strongly about it, by all means!

2. Jupiter/Balem, Jupiter/Titus or Jupiter/Kalique as an approved ship. I'd much rather the I AM YOUR REINCARNATED MUM perspective, frankly (even if Balem's relationship with his mother in the film does seem... sketchy). Otherwise, please no rape, incest or endless porn without plot.




AND THAT'S IT.

So. in summary:

THINGS I'D GENERALLY RATHER NOT HAVE: unmitigated cruelty, humiliation without restoration, horror without eventual hope. pages of detailed descriptions of sex without any particular plot. rape as an excuse or as wallpaper. endless torture. the primary narrative voice of a character who is genuinely, disturbingly psychopathic and has neither remorse nor kindness nor pity for others in them (I read a Hannibal fic once where Will was also a murderer and it was well and chillingly told and I felt sick afterwards from being in his head. so: no).

THINGS I LIKE IN GENERAL: stylistically, I have an absurd love for tropes and AUs of all kinds. I love soulmate tropes! daemons! genderswaps! even A/B/O fic! I love twisting canon into bizarre and probably screamingly uncomfortable shapes! is everyone suddenly in Harry Potter? Yes! I'll buy it! is everyone suddenly recast in Beauty and the Beast? give me more! has everyone entered a reality baking competition? YES PLEASE. but I do also love canon- in particular, I love domestic fluffy slow quiet glimpses into relationships and people. I love stories of people who've been through hell being comforted and supported and loved and slowly recovering, making friends and learning to be human. I love anything, really, except for unmitigated darkness and cruelty without recovery or hope of reconciliation at the end. if you want a summary of my reading preferences in general, it's basically "Avengers: The Civil War never happened, and everyone remained friends and sat around the Avengers tower eating delicious food and having snuggles and learning to be human and being kind to each other and recovering from their individual massive cases of PTSD, please, give these guys a break, they've been through so much". 


And that's it. I'm done. I'm exhausted. That was a lot of enthusing.

Dear Yuletide Author, I hope you love whichever fandom we've been matched on as much as I do, or find something else here that you love! Most of all, I hope you have the most fun while writing- feel absolutely free to throw my prompts out the window if you're gripped by something that you enjoy much more! Thanks for being awesome, thank you so much for writing for me, and I'll catch you in a few weeks :).
This account has disabled anonymous posting.
If you don't have an account you can create one now.
HTML doesn't work in the subject.
More info about formatting

Profile

magpiemountains: a small owl-faced creature in a hooded cloak offers a pomegranate-like fruit on a platter in a tempting, servile manner. this is a goblin from an illustration of Christina Rosetti's Goblin Market poem. (Default)
the magpie said

October 2022

S M T W T F S
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526 272829
3031     

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jun. 15th, 2025 10:59 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios