DYSON’S HANDY GUIDE TO PROMPTING

So, there’s a fest coming and you have no idea what you want?  Here are some tips for awesome prompting!

1) Pick your pairing!  (Obviously you have the main pairing chosen, since this will most likely be for a fest, or fic or art involving two (or more) characters.  But, do you also have a secondary pairing you wouldn’t mind seeing?  Or a pairing you DON’T want?  This is your prompt, so feel free to be specific.

2) Pick your genre!  Do you like canon!characters?  Alternate Universe?  Schoolfics?  Age-disparity?  Creature fics?  Established relationships?  This is a great place to start.  If you like them all, be sure to mention that.  Hate vampires?  Mention that, too!

3) Pick your scenario!  Do you like your characters locked in a closet?  Magical bonding?  Forced to work on a team?  Trapped together?  Working together?  Competitors?  Teammates?  On opposing teams?  Friends?  Ex-friends?  Ex-lovers?  Friends conspiring to get them together?  Friends conspiring to break them up?  Lost in the wilderness?  Think of your favourite fics and then concoct a situation you would like to see more of.  Or think of that fic that didn’t quite go where you wanted it to.  Request a similar thing with a twist.

4) Word prompts!  This is where you can really give the author some bunnies.  The pairings, genres, and scenarios have all been done before, but have they been done with KUMQUATS?  Sometimes a single word can cause plot-bunnies to explode.  Have trouble thinking of appropriate words?  

Try this site:  RANDOM WORD GENERATOR

Or this one:  WORDSWARM

Or this one:  YET ANOTHER RANDOM WORD GENERATOR

I usually try to include at least five prompts.  Make sure to note that they are only for inspiration and don’t necessarily have to be included - sometimes the author can’t fit them all in, or they won’t work with their particular bunny.  But often those words create the bunny, so it’s good to add them.

5) Squicks and dislikes.  Don’t forget to add things you don’t want to see.  If bearded characters make you run away screaming, be sure to mention it.

That’s all I can think of at the moment.  HAVE FUN!!!!