Dear AU Exchange Creator
Jun. 30th, 2022 06:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
themorikelifeFirst and foremost, I'm so excited that you are writing a fic for me! Please do not stress about this assignment in the slightest. I am looking forward to the fic you'll be writing.
I'm going to do something a little different with this exchange letter. Instead of explaining why I like certain ships or fandoms (which would just be repeating what I've said in previous letters), I'm going to explain why I chose the additional tags I chose (if I feel like an explanation needs to be given) and then offer prompts. If you would like to see previous letters for my general likes and dislikes, my sign up should have all that. This letter is meant to be a supplement.
Some tags have more explanations and prompts than others. That doesn't mean anything, just that I was feeling particularly inspired when writing that part of the letter. I want all prompts and AUs equally! If something doesn't have prompts under it, consider that permission to do whatever you want. If a tag does have a prompt under it, consider that permission to do whatever you want too. All this to say, everything here is a suggestion. Feel free to adhere or ignore as you seem fit.
This letter is going to be pretty long, so I apologize in advance for subjecting you to its length and odd organization. I'm putting all the additional tags behind cuts for your convenience.
[EDIT] Here are easy hyperlinks to all the prompts by fandom! (Links go comments on this post):
I'm going to do something a little different with this exchange letter. Instead of explaining why I like certain ships or fandoms (which would just be repeating what I've said in previous letters), I'm going to explain why I chose the additional tags I chose (if I feel like an explanation needs to be given) and then offer prompts. If you would like to see previous letters for my general likes and dislikes, my sign up should have all that. This letter is meant to be a supplement.
Some tags have more explanations and prompts than others. That doesn't mean anything, just that I was feeling particularly inspired when writing that part of the letter. I want all prompts and AUs equally! If something doesn't have prompts under it, consider that permission to do whatever you want. If a tag does have a prompt under it, consider that permission to do whatever you want too. All this to say, everything here is a suggestion. Feel free to adhere or ignore as you seem fit.
This letter is going to be pretty long, so I apologize in advance for subjecting you to its length and odd organization. I'm putting all the additional tags behind cuts for your convenience.
[EDIT] Here are easy hyperlinks to all the prompts by fandom! (Links go comments on this post):
- Hawkeye
- The Expanse
- The 100
- Crossover
- Arcane League of Legends
- The Locked Tomb Series
General Overview
There's a lot of creativity in Alternate Universes, and I combed the tagset for the tags that I found either the most inspiring to me or the most creative, in my very subjective opinion. I went with things that are unusual or creative (to me).
I love AUs because it allows an exploration of character. How does being a werewolf affect a particular relationship? What roles would characters have if they were transplanted in another universe? Do they have the same goals? Different goals? How does the author translate canon into a universe with different rules? Or the same rules but a different time period?
This is the beauty of fandom: the answers change depending on the creator! Fan creators are allowed to have fun doing what they want in their little sandbox.
So have fun, exchange writer! If you're not having fun, this is permission to default and write something else that brings you joy. :)1920s-Inspired Science Fiction AU
One of the things I always do when I browse a used bookshop is check for vintage or pulp sci fi novels written by women. We know names like Issac Asimov and Arthur C. Clark because they're the ones continually reprinted. But what about the women who weren't? The James Tiptree Jrs. and Leigh Bracketts and C.L. Moores. If you don't recognize those names, I can recommend a couple anthologies where they appear.
But anyway, retrofuturism is cool and I should really read more of it.
The Locked Tomb- Gideon is a pulpy hero a la Flash Gordon and Harrow or Cytherea is the maiden she must rescue
Crossover (Avasarala/Janeway)- Avasarala hires Janeway to handle a Star Trek-esque problem
- Janeway has to rescue Avasarala from space aliens and Avasarala is none too happy about it
Crossover (Any Doctor & Abed Nadir)- Veteran space adventurer Abed teams up with the legendary Doctor for a daring mission
- The Doctor needs help and the only person he can rely on is Abed
The 100- Bellamy and Clarke are adventuring partners
- Octavia escapes the confines of her life on a space station and starts an adventure of her own
The Expanse- An arc or scene from canon recreated in pulpy, pulpy goodness
- Amos rescues Avasarala and falls in love. Avasarala can't be more indifferent, but Amos' charms eventually get to her.
A Character Has the Same Role But Has Always Been a Cat
Genius. Hilarious. Peak humor. Chef's kiss. Yes.
The Locked Tomb- Gideon is the unwilling cavalier (familiar) for Harrowhark
- Harrow Nova is the cat and unwilling but determined familiar for Necromancer Gideon
- That one Twitter AU where Harrowhark is a modern day witch that gets cursed and Gideon is her mundane neighbor whom she hates but Gideon doesn't know the cat is Harrowhark and is actually really sweet.
Arcane League of Legends- Vi is the cat that Caitlyn follows to solve her case
- Modern day AU where Caitlyn is a scholarly sorceress and Vi is the gruff hedge witch. One of them gets cursed and the other takes care of them.
Hawkeye- Yelena is the cat. Kate is too much like a dog.
- Yelena is a cat and Kate is a dog and they're both strays and have an adventure in NYC. Bonus points if they save the world.
Omegaverse Regency Romance
Look, I love a good Omegaverse fic as much as the next person. But this? Combining two amazing things into one alternate universe? I love it. It's beautiful. I love the dichotomy between sex-heavy omegaverse and sex-negative Regency. How will you balance that? Will you? I'd love to see it!
I have a fondness for Regency romances so a good starting point would be to take the plot of your favorite Regency romance and make it omegaverse somehow. That sounds utterly delightful.- The Locked Tomb
- Arcane League of Legends
- Crossover (Rosalie/Elinor)
- Instead of being vampires, these two are alphas or omegas
- The 100
- Hawkeye
Age of Sail
I think this is the tag that best encompasses things like "Our Flag Means Death" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Black Sails" (note: I haven't seen Black Sails and I'm mostly on the fence about it). Take our characters and put them in an age with pirates, where crossing oceans was a dangerous endeavor but people did it anyway for colonialism or adventure or both.
The 100- Clarke stows away on Lexa's ship. Maybe they're exes?
- Clarke and Bellamy are captain and co-captain but no one on the crew can figure out which is which.
Crossover (Avasarala/Janeway)- Two badass captains find themselves on opposite sides of a conflict. Their knowledge of each other gives them each an advantage, but they are equally matched. Who surrenders? Who fights for the better cause?
- Two badass captains have it out for each other because they're exes with a long and tenuous history.
The Expanse- Avasarala is the political figure on a ship and Amos is a sailor that can read her when no one else can
- Holden is a pirate captain and Monica Stuart is a spoiled but spunky noble's daughter who ran away
- Camina and Naomi are experienced sailors. When they're both crewed up together, they bond over shared trauma in their pasts. Are they running from the same organization (The OPA)? Did they do similar things at different ports?
Character is the Ferryboatman Who Takes Souls to the Afterlife
This sounds like it's more for solo characters, so I'll leave it up to you to work in ship dynamics if you want to. Does the ferryman yearn for their lost love? Are they counting down to the day they can see their love again? If solo, how do they feel about ferrying souls? Do they meet their friends? Do they bond with the people they ferry? Offer advice for surviving the underworld/afterlife?
The Locked Tomb- Gideon is the ferryman but she led a long and lustful life and carries all her old lovers across the River
- Ferryman Harrowhark is surprised when her next passenger is Camilla, who wasn't supposed to die
The 100- Octavia grew up ferrying souls across the Styx and dreams of one day being mortal
- Bellamy made a deal to ferry souls. He didn't have to contront the consequences until Clarke appeared on his boat.
The Expanse- Holden is the ferryman and didn't expect to see Monica dead. How did she die? Is she forthright about it?
- Avasarala mourns the life she lost and finds something like solace in the lay-it-straight attitude of Amos the ferryman
Chuck Tingle-Style Story
Look, I am but a simple woman with simple needs and one of those needs is hardcore crack porn.- The Locked Tomb
- Arcane League of Legends
- Hawkeye (2021)
Circus/Traveling Carnival AU
"Water for Elephants" is an okay novel but I still think about it fondly. If you go this route, I'd like something that leans into the aesthetic and characters. I want a toxic environment but people still perform for fun. I want carnies that indulge in all the vices and people that don't trust everyone who first approach them. I think circuses are fun (despite their problematic elements) and I don't see enough of this kind of AU. Indulge yourself. If you are familiar with the circus arts and bring that into the fic, I am metaphorically throwing flowers at your feet.
The Locked Tomb- Harrowhark is a star performer and Gideon does grunt work tearing down and setting up and they have to keep their relationship a secret for some reason
- Harrow and Camilla are grunts trying to get on the stage.
- Cytherea is the veteran performer or master of ceremonies and Gideon is the runaway she manipulates to do her bidding
Arcane League of Legends- Vi is the veteran who shows naive Caitlyn the ropes, and introduces her to all sorts of vices
- Vi joins a new circus not realizing Sevika is a prominent figure. Sevika corrupts Vi, who resists but it feels so good to be bad!
- Caitlyn and Jinx are rival performers with lots of sexual tension behind the scenes. And then they're tasked with making a performance together.
The 100- Clark and Bellamy run away to join the circus and on the way find horrors they never imagined and their friendship is strengthened as a result
- Octavia leaves her sheltered life and joins the circus and it's much, much worse than what she imagined
- Lexa is the master of ceremonies and Clarke is the rebellious new performer who thinks she knows better than Lexa.
Dieselpunk
Steampunk is all well and good, but what about the age of cars and motorized vehicles. I think of the World Wars when I think if dieselpunk, and that includes all the fashion and aesthetic choices that go with it. Art Deco and Model T cars and trains and old timey etiquette!
Arcane League of Legends- Vi is a mechanic/cheuffeur for the Kiramman estate. Caitlyn is the spunky daughter of the matriarch and falls in love the more time she spends with Vi.
- Sevika navigates the criminal underbelly in a pulpy adventure.
Crossover (Rosalie/Elinor)- Rosalie and Elinor are heiresses and hate each other. But there's lots of sexual tension between them!
- Elinor is the daughter of a mob boss, and a boss in her own right. Rosalie made a name for herself in a rival gang and now wants out. Elinor may hold the key to do just that.
Hawkeye- Kate and Yelena are superhero vigilantes who team up sometimes
- Kate is the daughter of a socialite who discovers assassin Yelena at her mother's biggest party of the year.
The Expanse- The crew of the Roci are a small gang trying to make it in a world of gangsters.
Homeowner's Association
The potential for this! I want to see angry suburban housewives coming to terms with newfound lesbianism or bisexuality. I want to see her try to take down a "rebellious" home only to fall in love with its occupant. Is this really about the salacious lawn decorations? Or is it about something else? My love for this is entirely inspired by my mom's friend who has a lot of capital-O Opinions about her neighbor next door and the state of his lawn (as in, I find her bitching annoying and would like her to have a lot more empathy).- The Locked Tomb
- Arcane League of Legends
- Crossover (Avasarala/Janeway)
- Crossover (Rosalie/Elinor)
- Hawkeye
In-Universe Coffee Shop AU
The coziness of a coffee shop but the world dynamics of canon.
The Expanse- Holden the coffee lover opens a coffee shop and Monica Stuart is a regular he falls in love with.
- Amos is a barista and Avasarala is either the rich owner of his shop's company, which is a franchise, or a major politician who frequents his location.
The 100- Clarke gets a job at a coffee shop in TonDC to support Skaikru. Lexa is a regular there.
- Clarke and Bellamy: barista bros
- Octavia starts a coffee shop to distract from the death matches while living underground.
Arcane- Recently released on good behavior, Vi gets a job as a barista. Except this coffee shop is frequented by Enforcers, one of whom doesn't seem to like being a cop all that much.
- Jinx might be a horrible friend, but she's a wonderful boss at the coffee shop she runs.
- Sevika's reputation preceeds her, but if you work under her at the coffee shop she owns, she's actually a compassionate and empathetic boss.
Jedi AU
Outside of the original trilogy, some of my favorite Star Wars properties are ones that tell the stories of people unrelated to the Skywalker family. I am mostly interested in your take on the Jedi in their heyday during the Republic. Are they just as romanticized as they are made to seem? Are they legit legendary? Do people go entire lifetimes without running into one? (I am fascinated by the essay Luke Skywalker Can't Read by Ryan Britt which you can only find in his book (linked) Luke Skywalker Can't Read and other Geeky Truths. The evidence for illiteracy is very compelling!)
The Locked Tomb- Gideon is a Jedi and Harrowhark is the Sith that she keeps running into. Probably because they're secret lovers.
- Harrow and Camilla are Jedi Knights whose relationship takes a step in an unexpected direction after a particularly harrowing mission.
- Harrow is a politician and hires a Jedi (either Gideon or Camilla) to help solve her problem. The problem is less political and more personal (she's lonely)
- Jedi Knight Gideon discovers she's the long-lost daughter of a prominent Republic official.
Arcane League of Legends- Caitlyn is a Jedi Knight and discovers Force-sensitive Vi in the Outer Rim. The discovery throws Caitlyn for a loop because all Force-sensitive children in the known universe were supposed to be collected.
- Vi is a Jedi continually fighting her pull to the dark side. Sevika is a Sith lord compelling that switch. Then one day, Vi is left for dead on an Outer Rim planet and rescued by Sevika, who shows Vi the Jedi are not all what they seem
- Jedi Knight Caitlyn is haunted by something a Sith (Jinx or Vi) said once and hunts down that Sith. Along the way, she turns.
- Jedi Knight Caitlyn discovers she is the long-lost daughter of a prominent political family in the Republic.
Hawkeye (2021)- Yelena is a Sith. Kate is a Jedi Padawan. But Yelena doesn't want to be a Sith and Kate supports her journey to the Light Side.
- While on a mission, Jedi Knight Kate runs into trouble and gets some help from an unexpected source: Sith Lord Yelena.
Mecha
You can take this in so many different directions, all of which I'm excited about. To help with your inspiration, the mecha shows of my childhood are Gundam Wing, Gundam SEED, Robotech/Macross, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. Other cool shows to give you inspiration if you need it are Aldnoah.Zero, Escaflowne, Gargantia on the Verduous Planet, Knights of Sidonia, Candidate for Goddess, and Code Geass.- The Locked Tomb
- Arcane League of Legends
- The 100
- Hawkeye (2021)
One Character is Exploring an Uninhabited Planet but Keeps Finding Suspicious Hints
I find this concept both intriguing and romantic. Does the exploring character know there might be someone else there? Is the character on the planet intentionally hiding or leaving hints? This entire AU is a prompt by itself.- The Locked Tomb
- The 100
- Hawkeye
- Crossover (Any Doctor & Abed)
Phone Sex Operator AU
I have never seen this AU before and it sounds like something that should be a regular thing. Could also be the fandoms I write for. The point is I think this is a fun AU.
The Locked Tomb- Camilla calls the phone sex line on a dare and doesn't expect much. On the other end, Harrow surprises her by being decent conversation.
- Gideon quickly becomes the favorite operator for Cytherea
- Gideon and Harrow hate each other in real life, and they each have a secret. Gideon works as a phone sex operator, and Harrow's guilty pleasure is calling it. This is the story of them figuring out their favorite caller/operator is each other.
The Expanse- Avasarala calls the sex operator to blow off steam after a hard day. The person on the other side is Amos, whose nonchalance at everything provides a lot of relief.
- Naomi and Camilla spend their nights talking to other people for money. What they really want to do is fix up the salvaged ship they're living on.
Arcane League of Legends- Caitlyn has her favorite operator, not realizing it's actually her neighbor/roommate/best friend Vi.
- Sevika takes calls and flirts with girls and talks dirty in their ears. Is this just a regular job for her or does she truly enjoy it?
Regency-Inspired Science Fiction AU
Give me an aristocracy and put it in space and make these characters navigate (or fail to navigate) it and I will love you forever. Are the girls dressed in Jane Austen-esque dresses? Does everyone address each other by last name or title instead of first name? Is touching and physical intimacy a taboo? Give me all the juicy Regency stuff IN SPACE.
The 100- Clark and Bellamy lavender marriage
- Lexa is a titled woman in search of a bride. Too bad her heart seems to be set on low-born Clark.
Arcane League of Legends- Caitlyn is dissatisfied with her marriage prospects until she comes across Vi or Jinx, both of whom are working class citizens but delightful company
- Rake Sevika teaches her rakish ways to Vi, newly appointed as an adult in society
Robotech or Macross AU
This is one of the mecha shows of my childhood. As an adult, I can appreciate the conversation between culture as an entity of civilization and the way it cuts at the pseudo-fascism of imperialism. Also as an adult, giant robots are cool. Little thoughts, mostly excitement.
The Locked Tomb- Gideon is a pilot and Harrowhark is her best friend that rises to stardom. They yearn for each other but something is keeping them apart.
- Gideon is a pilot who falls for the charms of superstar Cytherea.
- Harrow is a scholar of cultural studies and Camilla is a pilot she asks to help her run an experiment.
Crossover (Avasarala/Janeway)- Avasarala is a politician and Janeway is the captain and they may clash professionally but they're a team in their personal lives.
Hawkeye- Kate is a new pilot unwillingly taken under the wing of jaded ace pilot Yelena.
- Ace pilot Yelena is living her best life as the cream of the crop, until her mantle is threatened by a transferred pilot that turns out to be her ex Kate!
Secret Agents but Identity Continually Blown Due to a Recognizable Butt
This is pure silliness and I would like you to embrace that.- Hawkeye
- Crossover (Rosalie/Elinor)
- Arcane League of Legends
Soukyuu no Fafner Fusion
Honestly, bless you if you know what the fuck this is. It's been years since I've seen this show and I'm starting to notice it in a lot of exchange tagsets lately. I liked this anime when I watched it forever ago. I liked the in-show angst of a bunch of kids coming to terms with taking on the responsibility of protecting their island (and their parents! Who should be protecting them!). I loved when Kazuki, their best pilot, ran away to see what was out in the world against the orders of everyone on the island. I think I was so-so on the ending, but you can't have it all. Anyway, take this idea and run with it.- The Locked Tomb
- The 100
- Hawkeye
Space Setting like that of Silver Millennium from Sailor Moon
I don't know if this is just me, but how the Silver Millennium Kingdom actually works is a mystery. Do they collect taxes? Who is the populace? Are the citizens happy with their ethereal rulers? Are the citizens of Mercury/Uranus/other planets given the same rights as the Moon? Or does each planet have some type of stereotype based on their sailor senshi?- The Locked Tomb
- The Expanse
- Hawkeye (2021)
Weird Adventures While Living Together in a Retirement Home
If you really think about it, retirement/nursing homes are sad places that signal the end of a person's life, and an end that they might not be emotionally ready for. I've had my fair share of nursing homes the past year or so, and I would like a story that finds the humor or sweetness of a nursing home. I'd like to see aged-up characters tricking the nurses and eluding activity directors and otherwise rediscovering a youthful spirit in an environment that manages their basic needs so they don't have to.
I know there are differences between a retirement home and a nursing home and a rehab center but to me they are all the same thing. So I use them interchangeably.
Arcane League of Legends- Sevika and Vi are new roommates and realize for the first time in decades that they make a really good team.
- Caitlyn and Jinx reunite over the bingo table. It seems the old rivalry is still strong, but it turns out it was all in good fun. They're best friends in old age.
- Longtime life partners Caitlyn and Vi have a lot of feelings about moving into a nursing home but the move rekindles their romance.
- Longtime law enforcement partners Caitlyn and Vi find romance in old age.
The Locked Tomb- Harrow and Camilla are widows who bond over similar experiences from different perspectives. Maybe they remind each other of their deceased spouses.
- Gideon is middle-aged and underwent a pretty intense surgery where she needs to recover in a rehab center. Cytherea is an older woman who knows Gideon's previously unknown heritage.
- After 50 years of not seeing the other, Gideon and Harrow are reunited in the same nursing home, where they recreate their explosive but short-lived romance of their youth. Only this time they have the wisdom of life experience on their side.
Crossover (Avasarala/Janeway)- Avasarala and Janeway run the illicit candy bar ring with all the residents. They argue over who is the brains of the outfit, but they agree on the same thing: Avasarala is the distraction while Janeway does the stealing.
Western/Wild West with Powers/Magic
I've heard the term "Weird West" and this seems to fit my definition of what that means. I haven't read a lot of westerns but I might be more open to them if they were 1) gay and 2) fantastical in some way.
The Locked Tomb- Gideon and Harrow are the best monster hunters in the business. No one knows it's because Harrow is a necromancer (illegal) and Gideon is the daughter of the Monster King.
- Camilla is a witch hunter looking for Harrow, a witch. Everyone thinks its because Harrow wronged Camilla in a big way. But it's really because they're in love.
- Gideon is an innocent and rugged cowgirl that falls under the spell of one Cytherea, a powerful sorceress.
Arcane League of Legends- Caitlyn tracked Jinx to a small mining town, supposedly to kill her, but really to make out.
- Vi is down on her luck and Sevika offers an opportunity she cannot refuse—taking part in a heist that will pay off her debts three times over.
- Caitlyn is a sorceress from out east and Vi is the rugged cowgirl she hires as a bodyguard when she arrives west.
- Caitlyn rides into town to investigate a werewolf problem and meets Vi, a bartender and the alpha of the local werewolf pack.
The Expanse- Amos tries to rob Avasarala who is a prominent sorceress. It seems like it's not going well for Amos, but Avasarala is charmed by his flirations.
- Naomi and Camina are mechanics at a trainyard. They're also girlfriends and werewolves.
Western - Mail Order Brides
To be quite honest, I saw this prompt in the Just Married Exchange and I've been thinking about mail order brides ever since. I find the concept fascinating. Why would someone order a mail-order bride in the first place? Are they that lonely? Do they have an ulterior motive? From the other side, what's the perspective of the mail order bride? Did she sign up to be assigned or was she forced? Is she hiding or running from something? This is largely a toxic thing in real life, but I would like you to lean into the sweetness of it—a bride falling in love with in her new home, or a farmer/pioneer needing an extra hand for help and fighting their feelings to make their new bride feel safe.- The Locked Tomb
- Arcane League of Legends
- The 100
- Hawkeye (2021)
All Prompts for The 100:
Date: 2022-07-21 02:25 am (UTC)