zelempa | Dear Yuletide Writer

Yuletide! This is my first one. I am excited.

About me: I am essentially a slash writer, relatively new to fandom (last year or two). My "big" fandoms are Stargate Atlantis and The Sentinel. I'm a big fan of manly emotion and established friendship blossoming into love.

Some thoughts on the things I asked for: You can absolutely do anything in these fandoms that the muse asks you to; I'm really very flexible and I'd rather you write a good story that you enjoy than follow my lame lines of thought. However, if you're stuck for ideas or need to narrow it down, hopefully something I said or am about to say will spark something for you.

It's a mixed bag, so I'm guessing only one of these applies to you.

How I Met Your Mother
This is my favorite show on right now. I love the humor, the heart, and the clever, carefully thought-out use of flashbacks and timeline jumping. Barney is obviously my favorite character (is there anyone who has a different one?) followed closely by Robin. Essentially I like the things about her that are Barney-like: her confidence, her simultaneous sophistication and juvenile sense of humor. (Though I'm annoyed with what I perceive as sexism in her character/the writing in the most recent episode (to date, the one where they go a restaurant and Robin is angry at her father for instilling in her all the qualtiies that I like most about her, whining, "That's not what girls DO!"). I don't know if you're willing or able to rehabilitate her for me, but I'd be forever grateful.)

Barney/Robin is probably the only het couple I'm clamoring to read about (and quite possibly the only CANON couple). I consider their relationship oddly slashy; possibly because Robin is traditionally manly in a lot ways that I like; possibly because they were friends first; possibly because their tryst caused so many weird freak-outs. Their relationship feels transgressive and I find that sexy.

This should not be taken to mean that I would not appreciate a story involving other characters, or which is not Barney/Robin, because I'd love anything. Slash would be great (Barney/Ted? Marshall/Pretentious!College!Ted?) as would a canon-couple or a gen story. Go for it!

Doogie Howser, M. D.
I love cheesy high-school shows with Very Special Episodes concerning Issues Faced By Today's Youth. I like medical shows. And I like boring shows where not much happens to nice people. DHMD contains all these things, with adorable awkward-teen NPH to boot. There's also this weird, slashy undercurrent of sexuality running through the whole series which both attracts and repels me. I have to admit at least some of my enjoyment of the show originates in its very cringeworthiness. You can feel free to play that up (or not).

One thing that would be nice abut slash for a teen show is that these guys are the age at which they really would be discovering their sexuality. And, let's face it, there's plenty of canon to work with.

Not that I demand slash. Again, whatever strikes your fancy.

Baby-Sitters Club

Did I request this? Don't remember. [to be edited]

Merchant of Venice (Antonio/Bassanio)
These guys are totally my Shakespeare OTP. I love how into each other they are (or appear to be). The language they use with each other is so epic and intense and deeply, physically passionate. Antonio does seem to be more into it, and I'm open to readings of Bassanio ranging from "totally awesome sexy perfect loving partner" to "immature bastard using rich perv for his money." In terms of style, obviously, you have some choices to make. I like Shakespeare's verse, but it's clearly hard to replicate, so (luckily) I'm also really into cross-genre remixes and parody. The sky is the limit! Go nuts! (You... you aren't here for this one, are you?)

Yuletide Writer: I hope that was helpful to you. Thank you so much for signing up and for taking the time to consider my goofy requests. I am sure you will come up with something great and I will enjoy reading it. Have fun writing, and I'll see you on the other side!

Sincerely,
zelempa.