Dear Yuletide 2025 Writer Letter

[rynling]

Dear writer,

Thank you so much for offering to write a story for me for Yuletide. I appreciate you!

I love atmospheric storytelling and worldbuilding, and what I want more than anything is the opportunity to spend more time in the fictional worlds that have captivated me. I’m equally delighted by slice-of-life, romance, and horror, and I also adore nonfiction meta essays and narrative concept sketches. Please feel free to dig as deep (or as lightly) into canonical lore and speculative theories as you like. I love all characters equally, and I’m happy to watch you follow your faves as your story guides you.

I know that what you create will be wonderful, and I’m looking forward to reading your work.

Some fandom-specific interests:

Silksong

I love everything about this game: every character, every heartbreak, and every haunted corridor and hidden corner of Pharloom. It would be lovely to see the characters relaxed and happy, but I’d also be delighted to join them in their suffering. Also, I’d love to learn more about this world – how it works, as well as how it stopped working. And, most importantly: does Hornet ever get to pet the creatures?

Final Fantasy XII

I love the strange and complicated world of Ivalice, and I’m interested in the stories of its characters before, during, and after the events of the game. Whether they’re enjoying regional cultures, exploring ancient ruins, or navigating tricky political situations, I’m excited to see these characters shine. I’m fascinated by the darker aspects of the game, and I’m especially intrigued by the Nabreus Deadlands and the Necrohol of Nabudis, as well as what it might be like to navigate such ruined places – but I’m equally happy to spend time in the sun, in the cities, or in quiet moments.

Although I’ve put “no crossover AUs” on my DNW list, please feel free to take a broad historical view and connect FFXII with the other games set in Ivalice.

Earthsea

I recently reread the first four books in the Earthsea Cycle, and I was entranced by the understated worldbuilding. I’m keen to know more details about this world, its history, and how its cultures have been shaped by various magical systems. My favorite character is Tenar, and I’m especially fascinated by her time in the Undertomb – and by the mysteries presented by the existence of the Nameless Ones. I love the ruins of ancient civilizations, especially when they’re underground. That being said, I’d be delighted to read about any and all characters, and I’m happy to visit anywhere you’d like to explore across the many islands and waters of Earthsea.

Pentiment

Thank you for joining me in the beautiful town of Tassing! I’m looking forward to exploring the daily life of this village and its abbey at all stages of their history. I’m a fan of all the game’s characters, and I’m fascinated by their interpersonal dramas. Although it’s not necessary to include these characters in your story, I have a soft spot for Baltas, and it might be fun to follow his interactions with Gnaziu, Werner, and/or Magadalene. I don’t have much background knowledge about European history or religion, but I’d love to learn.

I’m totally okay with:

- comedy
- tragedy
- horror
- romance
- worldbuilding
- literary writing
- nontraditional formats
- experimental storytelling

~ as well as ~

- shipping
- queer sexuality
- canon deviation
- original characters
- personal headcanons
- plot-thin comfort food
- creepypasta fan theories

I’d prefer not to see:

Porn without plot
I love sex and romance and sensuality! That being said, I’m more interested in the M-rated end of the spectrum.

Extended scenes of violence or assault
It’s totally okay if violence is depicted, discussed, or implied. And action scenes are fine! This just isn’t the sort of thing I’m particularly interested in.

AUs that take place in a completely different setting
I’m talking about things like Hogwarts AUs, Star Wars AUs, and other types of crossovers. As long as it’s in the same universe, though, the degree of canon deviation is completely up to you.

Explicit childhood sexuality
Hard pass. I know this is difficult to quantify, but please use your best judgment.

Character bashing
It’s always fun if characters in a story don’t like each other, and of course it’s fine if a story has a villain. I also love the darkness potentially hiding in character personalities. Still, I’m not interested in writing that exists entirely to make the argument that a certain character is “bad.”

That being said: Nuanced character studies of horrible people are very welcome.

Thanks for understanding!