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Dear Rarewomen Author,
Thank you for writing me a story. I hope you will enjoy writing it. I also hope that this list will help and not hinder you.
First, my squicks and and dislikes. Please no rape or torture. Or completely grim stories, though this canon does have grim parts. I'd just prefer it to not be relentless if you do choose to write sadness.
I don't mind AUs or crossovers, or holiday-fic for holidays that are canonical or could plausibly be canonical. Though if it's an AU there would be different rules. Any combination of the characters is cool, or even alone. Now onto fandoms. I wrote less for some of these than for others, because thanks to the years, I don't remember enough to offer more thoughts and prompts. But I requested W.I.T.C.H., Spellsong Cycle, and RomeoxJuliet for last Yuletide, so there is also my letter from that. I did take a bit of that letter for this one.
For W.I.T.C.H., any of these ladies being awesome, possibly in adventure! But not necessarily adventure.
Some things to throw out: Orube's time in college and on Earth in general, or her past with Luba; Cornelia's time with Elyon, or how she dealt afterwards when she essentially lost her best friend (and was in my opinion the only one not paired up with a special best friend, as Hay Lin and Irma and Taranee and Will were, though that doesn't have to mean much); Taranee's growing confidence and outgoing bold behavior. These are just things; I'm not going to be disappointed if you do something else.
In the Spellsong Cycle fandom, my thoughts head towards character studies and/or plot, particularly for the minor characters, which are all of these women except for Anna and Secca. Clayre was described with that interesting comment from an enemy about her being a traditional sorceress and solitary. I'd like to learn about how, if true, she came to be that way. How did she get where she was both politically and mentally/emotionally? Or you could focus on her training as a sorceress and growing up in the timeskip. She’s a minor character, so there’s a lot to fill in: childhood, time in Falcor as a fosterling, her position in Neserea before and after the war started. How lonely was she, and how much of it was chosen? How did she react to not being valued by her family and later underestimated by her enemies? What did she think of Anna throughout her life?
For Anna and Secca, filling in the time between books 3 and 4 would be cool, or Secca’s future as ruler of Defalk. How was it for Anna when she returned to Brill’s keep after stepping down as regent? She also spent time training sorceresses, raising Secca, and developing spells with her knowledge of science to help, including ways to assassinate people in order to prevent the massive bloodshed of her initial rule and Defalkan history before that. We know she hated killing and became ruthless in order to avoid that; we know Secca became this way as well. How was all this worked out? Or what of her romantic relationship with Jecks before he died? The way she and Jimbob worked with, against, and around each other after he became ruler? How would that be affected by Jecks and his death? There’s also her death. It happened suddenly and was a factor in the Sturinnese ramping up their efforts to conquer the continent. She had become old, and was found in the place where she contacted the daughter she had left on Earth, something she had kept doing throughout her life even though that shortened it. Secca didn’t think she had been murdered. But I remember a later scene in which one of her enemies spoke of her death and it seemed suspicious. What about Secca’s feelings for Anna, the first person who both loved her and effectively protected her from abuse? How exactly did her attachment and respect for Anna develop, and what did she feel when she first came to Falcor? How did her relationship to and understanding of power grow?
Essan’s witnessing and participation in the politics of the country would be interesting. How about a contrast between then and now, her growth as a smart politician? She’s a minor character, but her views help Anna understand and get along in Falcor. Essan has experienced various rulers and played politics under all of them.
Liende’s time between books 3 and 4, or her viewpoint on Anna and their whole situation during the first book could make a story. There’s also her experience following Anna, or her story before the first book. What was it like for her under two sorcerers? How did her views of society change and develop, and how did that influence her decisions?
In the case of RomeoxJuliet, I tend to favor character studies (angsty, fluff, etc.) but would still love a plotty fic and/or action adventure, especially with some character stuff. Femslash is good, gen is good, het is good. I know the canonical pairing is RomeoxJuliet, but it's really not my thing and there's quite a lot of that in the old fics. So if that's included, which is fair and would make sense depending on what you choose to write, I'd rather it not be important in the story, at least not as a focus. I’m fine with it as long as the story’s not about the pairing or about how much Juliet loves him. The same is true when it comes to Hermione’s one-sided love for Romeo. On to the prompt ideas.
For these women, backstory would work wonderfully. The relationships between Juliet and Cordelia and Emilia – and Cordelia and Emilia – are given enough attention to interest and give some emotional heft in the case of Juliet and Cordelia, but I would love to know about their time together before the main storyline, or their lives in general, along with filling in the time between when they settle in Mantua and when they go off to start the revolution. Juliet’s story arc apart from Romeo has much to do with her acting, her capacity to inspire and take a stand with more performance than killing, along with her lack of interest in vengeance or restoring the Capulets. Her narrative shows her failing when she tries to adjust to the weight on her by going down the path she’s exhorted to take, and becoming self-possessed and powerful when she decides what her approach will be. A story on that would be wonderful. Or an AU in which the tree situation didn’t require her sacrifice and she lived without the world ending?
What about Emilia’s life as an actress and the way she tries to use that position to connect with nobles or just have fun with men? What of her attraction to Juliet? How about Cordelia’s feelings as Juliet’s caretaker and closest friend, or something not about her and Juliet? For Hermione, how aware is she of the situation for people outside the nobility, and how does she use her own ability to maneuver in high society? What was her life like, and how did she feel about those rumors that the Duke murdered Mercutio’s father? We get some focus on her, but not much insight as to how this affects her views and actions.
Lady Ariel is a bit separate from the others, being older and a noble. Her house is the only one ruled by women and the Duke regards her with some respect as a fierce and intelligent politician. But she does have a backstory with the Capulets and Conrad. It’s interesting how she’s still in power despite that. So, how was it hidden, or how did she stay alive and a noble if it was known? How and why did she decide to help the vassals of Capulet and their last heir? What was life like for all of these women before, during, and after the main storyline?
For Alabaster, I loved the world and relationships between these ladies. Backstory and continuations of game endings would be great, or how they were before their lives intersected. I’ve only gotten a few endings so far – the Huntsman killed by Lilith at the beginning, Snow White never recovering after Lilith is exorcised, and a Snow White free of Lilith being taken to the safe place by the Huntsman – but you’re welcome to work with other endings as well, or go AU with some plot points!
The Chronicles of Morgaine keep us quite in the dark about Morgaine’s past before what is mentioned in the first book. While her mystery is fascinating, I wouldn’t mind some answers! There could also be stories about her experiences with the army that was lost and sent to Jhirun’s world, or during the times in the books when she is separated from Vanye, or after Exile’s Gate. The same goes for Jhirun. In her case, I was also sad that she stayed behind and gave up what she had dreamed of for so long. An AU in which she didn’t would be appreciated. But what went on after she chose to stay would also make for a good story; what she felt as she helped the last people live out their lives in a drowning world. Jhirun felt she didn’t have the courage to leave when she was walking towards the Gate after the rampaging and battling was over – how did she cope with that? Did she die content, or at least with some sort of peace?
Mansfield Park brought me back to Jane Austen nearly a decade after I had only read Emma – I can’t remember if I enjoyed that one the first time, but I did the second – and it’s my favorite Austen. I loved Fanny Price and her bravery in her steadfastness. She didn’t act like an obvious defiant or even lively heroine; in part because she didn’t have the confidence, due to the way she was abused, and in part because she didn’t have the privilege to do so, unlike the other young female characters featured in the story. But she still developed and respected her own opinions, even if she felt she had to keep them to herself much of the time. When it came to what was most important – and marriage was such a deciding factor in the whole rest of a woman’s life – she wouldn’t back down even if she suffered for it. The consequence was likely one that she had feared at other times in life, of being rejected at her new home and sent back to the one that had given her away to get rid of a burden. I appreciate that the book validated her way of thinking about life and people. A story of her childhood would be interesting although depressing, so it would be nice if that included happier moments like Fanny enjoying poetry or nature or Edmund, or letters from her brother William. Or her future after the book having the life she wanted, with Edmund, or more on her relationship with Susan Price. Or perhaps one day she got back into contact with Mary Crawford, or the Bertram sisters. What kind of relationship would they develop? For Susan Price, what was her life back at her original home before and during Fanny’s temporary return? How did she feel at Mansfield and find a place for herself in it? It would be interesting to note how she had both a different life than Fanny’s and a different situation upon coming to Mansfield, and how those elements interact with her similarities to Fanny in character and in her new role at the end of the story. As for the Bertram sisters, their relationship to each other could be a story. Maria was the one preferred by Mrs. Norris, and the first to marry – she was also the one preferred by the man they were both very attracted to, Mr. Crawford, even if from his point of view it was only due to Maria being engaged. How did they both feel about that, before and after he lost interest, and then again when he regained it after Maria was married? How did they relate during childhood and to Fanny, and when Maria invited Julia on her honeymoon? What did each think of the other or of themselves when Maria left with Crawford and Julia resorted to eloping with Mr. Yates? What did they think of Mrs. Norris and their parents? What were their lives after the end of the story? I felt for them both, Julia getting rejected and running off with someone she might not actually want out of desperation, and Maria being fooled twice even though she’d tried hard to be what she was supposed to be for the family and to protect herself. Alternately, was Maria really fooled or was she just that unhappy with Mr. Rushworth that she was willing to take a chance? Perhaps she really was happy living with Mrs. Norris and might have even left knowing what would happen. Or, maybe an AU in which she or Julia ended up with Crawford and got the upper hand over him in some way. Femslash with these characters could be enjoyable, though not what I’m mainly interested in. These are suggestions, not directions. As long as none of the women are bashed or, in Fanny’s particular case, invalidated with regards to her way of being and thinking about the world – because that is one my favorite things about the text – I’m fine with you writing what pleases you.
Thank you for writing me a fic. I appreciate it greatly.
Thank you for writing me a story. I hope you will enjoy writing it. I also hope that this list will help and not hinder you.
First, my squicks and and dislikes. Please no rape or torture. Or completely grim stories, though this canon does have grim parts. I'd just prefer it to not be relentless if you do choose to write sadness.
I don't mind AUs or crossovers, or holiday-fic for holidays that are canonical or could plausibly be canonical. Though if it's an AU there would be different rules. Any combination of the characters is cool, or even alone. Now onto fandoms. I wrote less for some of these than for others, because thanks to the years, I don't remember enough to offer more thoughts and prompts. But I requested W.I.T.C.H., Spellsong Cycle, and RomeoxJuliet for last Yuletide, so there is also my letter from that. I did take a bit of that letter for this one.
For W.I.T.C.H., any of these ladies being awesome, possibly in adventure! But not necessarily adventure.
Some things to throw out: Orube's time in college and on Earth in general, or her past with Luba; Cornelia's time with Elyon, or how she dealt afterwards when she essentially lost her best friend (and was in my opinion the only one not paired up with a special best friend, as Hay Lin and Irma and Taranee and Will were, though that doesn't have to mean much); Taranee's growing confidence and outgoing bold behavior. These are just things; I'm not going to be disappointed if you do something else.
In the Spellsong Cycle fandom, my thoughts head towards character studies and/or plot, particularly for the minor characters, which are all of these women except for Anna and Secca. Clayre was described with that interesting comment from an enemy about her being a traditional sorceress and solitary. I'd like to learn about how, if true, she came to be that way. How did she get where she was both politically and mentally/emotionally? Or you could focus on her training as a sorceress and growing up in the timeskip. She’s a minor character, so there’s a lot to fill in: childhood, time in Falcor as a fosterling, her position in Neserea before and after the war started. How lonely was she, and how much of it was chosen? How did she react to not being valued by her family and later underestimated by her enemies? What did she think of Anna throughout her life?
For Anna and Secca, filling in the time between books 3 and 4 would be cool, or Secca’s future as ruler of Defalk. How was it for Anna when she returned to Brill’s keep after stepping down as regent? She also spent time training sorceresses, raising Secca, and developing spells with her knowledge of science to help, including ways to assassinate people in order to prevent the massive bloodshed of her initial rule and Defalkan history before that. We know she hated killing and became ruthless in order to avoid that; we know Secca became this way as well. How was all this worked out? Or what of her romantic relationship with Jecks before he died? The way she and Jimbob worked with, against, and around each other after he became ruler? How would that be affected by Jecks and his death? There’s also her death. It happened suddenly and was a factor in the Sturinnese ramping up their efforts to conquer the continent. She had become old, and was found in the place where she contacted the daughter she had left on Earth, something she had kept doing throughout her life even though that shortened it. Secca didn’t think she had been murdered. But I remember a later scene in which one of her enemies spoke of her death and it seemed suspicious. What about Secca’s feelings for Anna, the first person who both loved her and effectively protected her from abuse? How exactly did her attachment and respect for Anna develop, and what did she feel when she first came to Falcor? How did her relationship to and understanding of power grow?
Essan’s witnessing and participation in the politics of the country would be interesting. How about a contrast between then and now, her growth as a smart politician? She’s a minor character, but her views help Anna understand and get along in Falcor. Essan has experienced various rulers and played politics under all of them.
Liende’s time between books 3 and 4, or her viewpoint on Anna and their whole situation during the first book could make a story. There’s also her experience following Anna, or her story before the first book. What was it like for her under two sorcerers? How did her views of society change and develop, and how did that influence her decisions?
In the case of RomeoxJuliet, I tend to favor character studies (angsty, fluff, etc.) but would still love a plotty fic and/or action adventure, especially with some character stuff. Femslash is good, gen is good, het is good. I know the canonical pairing is RomeoxJuliet, but it's really not my thing and there's quite a lot of that in the old fics. So if that's included, which is fair and would make sense depending on what you choose to write, I'd rather it not be important in the story, at least not as a focus. I’m fine with it as long as the story’s not about the pairing or about how much Juliet loves him. The same is true when it comes to Hermione’s one-sided love for Romeo. On to the prompt ideas.
For these women, backstory would work wonderfully. The relationships between Juliet and Cordelia and Emilia – and Cordelia and Emilia – are given enough attention to interest and give some emotional heft in the case of Juliet and Cordelia, but I would love to know about their time together before the main storyline, or their lives in general, along with filling in the time between when they settle in Mantua and when they go off to start the revolution. Juliet’s story arc apart from Romeo has much to do with her acting, her capacity to inspire and take a stand with more performance than killing, along with her lack of interest in vengeance or restoring the Capulets. Her narrative shows her failing when she tries to adjust to the weight on her by going down the path she’s exhorted to take, and becoming self-possessed and powerful when she decides what her approach will be. A story on that would be wonderful. Or an AU in which the tree situation didn’t require her sacrifice and she lived without the world ending?
What about Emilia’s life as an actress and the way she tries to use that position to connect with nobles or just have fun with men? What of her attraction to Juliet? How about Cordelia’s feelings as Juliet’s caretaker and closest friend, or something not about her and Juliet? For Hermione, how aware is she of the situation for people outside the nobility, and how does she use her own ability to maneuver in high society? What was her life like, and how did she feel about those rumors that the Duke murdered Mercutio’s father? We get some focus on her, but not much insight as to how this affects her views and actions.
Lady Ariel is a bit separate from the others, being older and a noble. Her house is the only one ruled by women and the Duke regards her with some respect as a fierce and intelligent politician. But she does have a backstory with the Capulets and Conrad. It’s interesting how she’s still in power despite that. So, how was it hidden, or how did she stay alive and a noble if it was known? How and why did she decide to help the vassals of Capulet and their last heir? What was life like for all of these women before, during, and after the main storyline?
For Alabaster, I loved the world and relationships between these ladies. Backstory and continuations of game endings would be great, or how they were before their lives intersected. I’ve only gotten a few endings so far – the Huntsman killed by Lilith at the beginning, Snow White never recovering after Lilith is exorcised, and a Snow White free of Lilith being taken to the safe place by the Huntsman – but you’re welcome to work with other endings as well, or go AU with some plot points!
The Chronicles of Morgaine keep us quite in the dark about Morgaine’s past before what is mentioned in the first book. While her mystery is fascinating, I wouldn’t mind some answers! There could also be stories about her experiences with the army that was lost and sent to Jhirun’s world, or during the times in the books when she is separated from Vanye, or after Exile’s Gate. The same goes for Jhirun. In her case, I was also sad that she stayed behind and gave up what she had dreamed of for so long. An AU in which she didn’t would be appreciated. But what went on after she chose to stay would also make for a good story; what she felt as she helped the last people live out their lives in a drowning world. Jhirun felt she didn’t have the courage to leave when she was walking towards the Gate after the rampaging and battling was over – how did she cope with that? Did she die content, or at least with some sort of peace?
Mansfield Park brought me back to Jane Austen nearly a decade after I had only read Emma – I can’t remember if I enjoyed that one the first time, but I did the second – and it’s my favorite Austen. I loved Fanny Price and her bravery in her steadfastness. She didn’t act like an obvious defiant or even lively heroine; in part because she didn’t have the confidence, due to the way she was abused, and in part because she didn’t have the privilege to do so, unlike the other young female characters featured in the story. But she still developed and respected her own opinions, even if she felt she had to keep them to herself much of the time. When it came to what was most important – and marriage was such a deciding factor in the whole rest of a woman’s life – she wouldn’t back down even if she suffered for it. The consequence was likely one that she had feared at other times in life, of being rejected at her new home and sent back to the one that had given her away to get rid of a burden. I appreciate that the book validated her way of thinking about life and people. A story of her childhood would be interesting although depressing, so it would be nice if that included happier moments like Fanny enjoying poetry or nature or Edmund, or letters from her brother William. Or her future after the book having the life she wanted, with Edmund, or more on her relationship with Susan Price. Or perhaps one day she got back into contact with Mary Crawford, or the Bertram sisters. What kind of relationship would they develop? For Susan Price, what was her life back at her original home before and during Fanny’s temporary return? How did she feel at Mansfield and find a place for herself in it? It would be interesting to note how she had both a different life than Fanny’s and a different situation upon coming to Mansfield, and how those elements interact with her similarities to Fanny in character and in her new role at the end of the story. As for the Bertram sisters, their relationship to each other could be a story. Maria was the one preferred by Mrs. Norris, and the first to marry – she was also the one preferred by the man they were both very attracted to, Mr. Crawford, even if from his point of view it was only due to Maria being engaged. How did they both feel about that, before and after he lost interest, and then again when he regained it after Maria was married? How did they relate during childhood and to Fanny, and when Maria invited Julia on her honeymoon? What did each think of the other or of themselves when Maria left with Crawford and Julia resorted to eloping with Mr. Yates? What did they think of Mrs. Norris and their parents? What were their lives after the end of the story? I felt for them both, Julia getting rejected and running off with someone she might not actually want out of desperation, and Maria being fooled twice even though she’d tried hard to be what she was supposed to be for the family and to protect herself. Alternately, was Maria really fooled or was she just that unhappy with Mr. Rushworth that she was willing to take a chance? Perhaps she really was happy living with Mrs. Norris and might have even left knowing what would happen. Or, maybe an AU in which she or Julia ended up with Crawford and got the upper hand over him in some way. Femslash with these characters could be enjoyable, though not what I’m mainly interested in. These are suggestions, not directions. As long as none of the women are bashed or, in Fanny’s particular case, invalidated with regards to her way of being and thinking about the world – because that is one my favorite things about the text – I’m fine with you writing what pleases you.
Thank you for writing me a fic. I appreciate it greatly.
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