Admin: Challenge 3 closed; Challenge 4 - idfic - open!

[hope]

That's it! Time to smash the ESP pendants, turn off the subetheric resonator and stuff the Pride bunting back in the drawer. We're all done with the Spectrum Challenge. Thank you to all those who played.

You can find the stories by clicking the challenge:spectrum tag. New challenge coming right up.

Challenge 4: Idfic

The definition of idfic is a slippery thing; it's all about pressing our buttons and channeling our dreams. Sometimes it's not even connected to a particular 'theme' or plot device, but just the way a story is able to tap into the reader's hindbrain and make all their secret fantasies come true!

As seasoned readers, we reckon there are a handful of buttons the Torchwood fandom seems to like to push in particular, and we've had a go at listing them below. In other fandoms, you might interpret some of these as 'crack' prompts or cliches, but in Torchwood I think we're all in agreement that just about anything goes. We potentially have all of time and space to play with after all, thanks to the Rift, the TARDIS and Jack's wriststrap.

And remember, idfic does not have to equal badfic. Cliches are cliches for a reason -- there's something about them that speaks to us and makes us yearn.

Our list of possible idfic prompts should give you at least one thing to sink your teeth into, but what you do with it beyond that is up to you -- whether you write a clever cliche parody, an utterly serious and compelling idfic, or bring something new to the table by turning the trope on its head.

• secret past


• unexpected separation


• genderswap / bodily transformation / de-ageing


• curtainfic / domesticity


• vampires, werewolves & angels, oh my!


• accidentally in love / marriage of convenience


• pon farr / aliens made them do it / sex pollen


• eternity / immortality / best friends forever


• romantic misunderstandings / clueless


• proposal / marriage / weddingfic


• kidfic / 'preg


• unrequited love


• gossip / overheard


• heartfelt declarations


• public displays of affection / caught in the act


• trapped in an inescapable situation (desert island, cave, prison, etc)

Got any more? Leave a comment and we'll add them.

You have two weeks to exorcise all your idfic longings -- this challenge will close Sunday 5th July. So get writing!

Please drop by and give us more prompt suggestions for future challenges. You can comment over on the prompt post.

Comments

[james]

I am telling myself sternly that I shall not write a single story which uses all of the items on that list. *is stern*

I'll let you know if I or my Evil Brain wins.

[hope]

I just literally cackled in glee at the thought.


No pressure or anything...

[james]

Luckily I don't feel obligated to write the 'vampires/werewolves/angels' item, because that's my next epic.

However, I do have a plot for a story which combines at least two of the above...

[james]

So, uh.. it's perfectly OK if my "flashfic" is over 5,000 words?

[hope]

O yes. More than ok :D

[taffimai]

Oooh, cliches! How about:

Turned into a kid (part of genderswap / bodily transformation)
Stuck in a cave
Prison / labor camp

[hope]

Oooh, yes!! *adds*

[taffimai]

The de-aging one is by no means an attempt to inspire bunnies for Small Fry: Torchwood. *whistles innocently*

[be_a_rebel]

Quick question, if I want to post my fic on livejournal as well do I have to wait until the challenge closes or is it fine if I post it there before then?

[hope]

That's totally fine. Just as long as you're writing the fic in response to the challenge (i.e. not finding an older fic and thinking "hey, this fits the bill!), and posting about it over here too (you can link to the story if you prefer), we're happy!