The Coalies & Other Stories

[coalcube]

I will not read them in a Canon-Divergent AU.
I will not read them in Third Point-of-View.
Not in a Crossover! Not in Genfic!
Not in Shipfic! You let me be!

I do not like them in Fanart.
I do not like them even in the Fic of My Heart.
I will not read them in fic of my NOTP.
I do not like them with my OTP.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere!
I do not like my DNWs!

Sign-ups: Friday 16 October to Monday 26 October

Assignments out: between 26 & 28 October

Default deadline: Friday 11 December

Assignment Deadline: Friday 18 December
Collection Opens: Friday 25 December
Author Reveals: Friday 1 January, 2021

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Comments

Re: Has anyone seen the Mods' essay on DNWs?

[(Anonymous)]

This person arguing in favor of "DNW: OOC". Oooof.

https://yuletide-admin.dreamwidth.org/78677.html?thread=1547861#cmt1547861

Re: Has anyone seen the Mods' essay on DNWs?

[(Anonymous)]

"DNW: OOC is fair"

two seconds later, "Obviously you can't DNW bad or out-of-character writing across the board"

I think there's a fundamental difference in approach to writing DNWs and prompts that's evolved, and some people fixate on using their DNWs as a roundabout way to explain what they do want instead of just prompting for what they want. Rather than prompting for the kind of characterization they want, they tie themselves up in knots explaining what they don't.

Re: Has anyone seen the Mods' essay on DNWs?

[(Anonymous)]

I think there's a fundamental difference in approach to writing DNWs and prompts that's evolved, and some people fixate on using their DNWs as a roundabout way to explain what they do want instead of just prompting for what they want.

Yeah, I think that's part of the problem. I honestly think you're more likely to get the characterization you want by prompting certain scenarios or even just by rambling on about what you like about the canon than you are by DNWing something that's relatively open to interpretation like OOC or "A depicted as overly emotional".

Re: Has anyone seen the Mods' essay on DNWs?

[(Anonymous)]

cyrt

you're more likely to get the characterization you want by prompting certain scenarios or even just by rambling on about what you like about the canon than you are by DNWing something that's relatively open to interpretation

100% agree- focusing on what you want or how you interpret the characters you're requesting gives a potential author a place to start and build from.

It's like they heard about ODAO and took it to mean authors will ignore optional details, so they use their DNWs because those can't be ignored. Which brings us to the enforceable/unenforceable DNW climate we find ourselves in.

Re: Has anyone seen the Mods' essay on DNWs?

[(Anonymous)]

+100

One of my perma requests in non-Yuletide fandoms is a ship in a megafandom where there is a wide range of characterizations I see commonly in fandom. While there are certain fanon things I can easily DNW (such as making one of the characters non-con the other), most of what I dislike is way too subjective and vague to DNW. Instead, I positively explain how I see the characters and what I like in their relationship. So far, that has worked great -- not every fic I've gotten for them is amazing, but all hit the general characterization I like.

I know some people hate the "what I like about this ship" part of letters, but IME that rambling is maybe the most important key for getting what I want in fic.

Re: Has anyone seen the Mods' essay on DNWs?

[(Anonymous)]

NC

Instead, I positively explain how I see the characters and what I like in their relationship.
I try to do the same thing and it's worked well for me, too. In addition, as a writer I like this approach because reading positive examples and discussion can really get my imagination going.