Gaming for a gift (asshole method): Pick 1 english language, nostalgiac, short, or big-for-yuletide fandom you want.
Pick 2 very long, non-english, non-western canons with no english translation available. the less-common the language, the better (ie basque > spanish for this). Nominate 4 characters no one in their right mind would request together or from disparate periods. Watch the signup summary page and swap out your small-fandom requests if any offers appear.
You may run amok of bucket lists.
Read your failure story and comment enthusiastically even if you have no idea what it's about.
Gaming for a gift (non-asshole method):
Pick 1 fandom you really want a gift in. ideally small enough to pick up if your writer matches to something else. Request no more than 2 characters.
Pick your next 2 requests from among the nichiest, smallest, hardest-to-write-for fandoms you'd be happy to receive a gift in. Request 4 characters for each, ideally characters no one in their right mind would request together, or characters from disparate time periods (ie, if dragonriders of pern: Menolly, Moreta, Debera, Kitti Ping Yung)
Gaming for a recipient Watch letters and offer only what they've requested, only with the characters they've requested. If they request "any," on a fandom, replace that offer with an unrequested fandom. Watch the signups summary; if a request for that fandom turns up, replace your offer with a different unrequested fandom.
How to game
Pick 1 english language, nostalgiac, short, or big-for-yuletide fandom you want.
Pick 2 very long, non-english, non-western canons with no english translation available. the less-common the language, the better (ie basque > spanish for this). Nominate 4 characters no one in their right mind would request together or from disparate periods. Watch the signup summary page and swap out your small-fandom requests if any offers appear.
You may run amok of bucket lists.
Read your failure story and comment enthusiastically even if you have no idea what it's about.
Gaming for a gift (non-asshole method):
Pick 1 fandom you really want a gift in. ideally small enough to pick up if your writer matches to something else. Request no more than 2 characters.
Pick your next 2 requests from among the nichiest, smallest, hardest-to-write-for fandoms you'd be happy to receive a gift in. Request 4 characters for each, ideally characters no one in their right mind would request together, or characters from disparate time periods (ie, if dragonriders of pern: Menolly, Moreta, Debera, Kitti Ping Yung)
Gaming for a recipient
Watch letters and offer only what they've requested, only with the characters they've requested. If they request "any," on a fandom, replace that offer with an unrequested fandom. Watch the signups summary; if a request for that fandom turns up, replace your offer with a different unrequested fandom.