Void in the Coal Cellar

[heavensqueen]

Use this post for all other exchanges till Yuletide 2016

Comments

Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

http://archiveofourown.org/collections/chocolatebox2015/profile

Sign ups just closed, with the final total ending at 294!

Matching is currently running. All requests are visible: http://archiveofourown.org/collections/chocolatebox2015/requests

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

I signed up for this one because ShipSwap was too far away and I wanted to keep the good yuletide buzz going, but the 300 word count kind of scares me. I usually write longer stuff (I mean, not epic, but more than 1000), and I had no idea how to even prompt for stuff that short!

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Prompting for something that short is tough. General troupe lists seem good, likes/dislikes, mentioning character traits or actions you'd liked explored is also a good tactic. Ttry not to be specific in a way that requires a lot of set up.

Like "House is an asshole, I'd love to see someone shut him down" seems like it could done in 300 words. But "House is an asshole, I'd love it if you explored how season three could have gone if he'd learned from his mistakes with regards to how he treats his team" seems way too big for 300 words. Though it could be done. Maybe phrasing it differently would work "My favorite season is the third season, anything dealing with the team where House acting like an asshole ends up backfiring" might be better.

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, I had major issues writing my letter. I didn't want to come off as demanding in terms of plot and word count, but every prompt I came up with seemed to require more than 300 words... I did the best I could, tried to strike a decent balance, so hopefully it turned out okay.

As for writing, I know there's no way I'll be able to write a fic that's just 300 words -- I'll be satisfied if I can keep it around 3000, heh. Part of the reason I signed up for this is to try and get myself to write shorter stuff for once, so we'll see how that goes!

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Whoo!

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Ha, now I'm getting paranoid about my letter, so coal is still doing its job! :D

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

I didn't even link mine, and I'm usually on the first page for yuletide. It feels less needed when the requests are out there for anyone to see!

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Just realized I'm technically matchable to astolat.

I don't think I'd mind, she seems to like our shared ship the same way I like it. But it was a surprise while I was looking through the requests.

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Assignments are out!

I have a hint of offer regret, but I think I'll be okay.

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Me too, but thankfully my recip also wanted art, so I artsed and am now done. I still feel like I should give them a ficlet, though.

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Decided not to sign up, there's one character that I'm really itching to write about more than anyone else right now and the ship mostly being requested with him isn't what I'm after. Saw a pinch hit in a different fandom that's calling my name, though, so fingers crossed! :)

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

I matched to someone I defaulted on recently. Not this time, recip! No pinch hit for you.

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Lord, this is going to end up being an epic for a very, very tiny fandom. I hope my recip wasn't counting on a short gift because there's no way.

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

I matched to someone on two different fandoms! Excellent!

...and have absolutely no details except a link to a placeholder letter. Boo. Well, with 300 words, it's not like I need to spend a lot of time on planning, but if I don't see anything there within a few days, I'll just write what I feel like. No rush yet.

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

I so exited for this!

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

I am going to write you the CUTEST FIC, recipient.

THE CUTEST.

And maybe a treat.

Re: Chocolate Box - Letters!

[(Anonymous)]

Letters with nice prompts you'd like to see filled. Or perhaps just prompts from the requests summary.

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

No one to treat in the fandoms I know. All the prompts are shit. :(

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

My recipient has finally updated their journal! ...with comments about a different exchange, and their letter for this one is still a placeholder. God damn it. Just give me a sentence or two about either of the canons I matched on, so I know which side of the contentious fandom divides you fall on for the interpretation of various characters!

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Heeroluva's love of kinky shit is calling to me once again. Maybe this time I'll actually give in and write them some PWP.

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Dear person I'm treating, I hope you like this AU even if it's not exactly the AU you prompted but at least it's in the same ballpark? I really loved your letter and all your ideas about our otp but I just couldn't make your version of this particular trope work I'm sorry!

/probably unnecessary angst

Re: Chocolate Box - Letter recs

[(Anonymous)]

Solicit recs by genre/trope/kink here!

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

I wrote one scene on my fic (and it's more than my personal 1k minimum). It's a perfectly fine scene and it would work for a fic. I don't know if I have the motivation to write more?

Re: Chocolate Box - Success!

[(Anonymous)]

I've not only posted my fill already, I've written three treats, and I'm eyeing prompts for more. Whatever strange magic this that's infected me, I like it.

Re: Chocolate Box

[(Anonymous)]

Fuck it, I'm starting over. It'll be just like Yuletide!