Only two more stories are missing, but I think we can already “wrap it up”. I’ve been talking to both authors and they are working on their stories and they will come in the following days.
But now, the moment everyone has been waiting for (you have been waiting for this moment right? … Right?!): The list of everyone’s submitted and received tags, as well as a link to all finished stories:
I hope you enjoyed this Secret Santa (Secret Satan). I know I did. I think the complete shuffling of the tags created some interesting “prompts”. And looking at the tag combinations, I think three tags are the perfect amount for this type of shuffle.
But enough clapping myself on the back. If you have any feedback, let me know.
I will host another Secret Santa next year, so see you then at the latest, though for those not on the discord, feel free to join us there. We’re having fun times on the server. That is, in fact, where the Secret Santa idea originated.
@Cockatrice! Thank you so much for organizing all this! It was an amazing experience and I’m already thrilled to repeat next Christmas!
Also, thanks for sharing the file with all the info related to the tags. I struggled a little with the combo Mr Secret Satan gave me, so I got an “Ah! So it was you who asked for that tag!!” feeling after reading who was behind the ones I got Not going to blame them, though, since it was fun to look for ways to fit all three together. I love that I ended up writing something I would otherwise never consider.
I’m still not sure about the random tags formula, though. I kind of wished that the story I wrote was a gift to one fellow writer as a whole, instead of the result of part of the wish lists of three different people. But at the same time the potential chaos that comes from getting random combinations of tags is on itself a lot of fun! I love that part.
Well, there’s practically a whole year ahead until the next edition, so that’s definitely a debate we can leave to our future selves
So summarizing: Great experience. Would do it again. Thank you for everything!!
I kind of wished that the story I wrote was a gift to one fellow writer as a whole, instead of the result of part of the wish lists of three different people.
This is not the first time someone is saying that and I am currently entertaining the idea to do just that for next Secret Santa. I’m a little bit worried of people having to familiarize themselves with another writer. If you don’t know who you write “for” you can go crazy and there’s no wrong, but when you know who you write for there’s always this worry “Will they like it? Am I using their kink right?” Etc. But as you said, it’s a debate we can be having, haha.
This was my first time participating and i assumed somebody would make a story based on the three specific tags i put in, not that they would mix and match. Ngl, At first i was Upset. However, after seeing the three stories my tags went too, I’m so amazed that i had a small part in all three of these amazing stories that i don’t mind at all now. If i can, I’m definitely signing up again next year!
First I want to thank @Cockatrice for all the work you put in organizing and coordinating this.
I had a ton of fun and there’s such spoils that came out of it. Loved so so many of the stories.
For my two cents I loved this format, I think having the tags mixed and matched created a fun challenge and resulted me in seeing tropes that I really liked across three separate stories that varied in ways I couldn’t expected. Had my three been together I fear it could’ve been too constricting.
I think the mixing is better. Because it’s not fair to put that much flavor onto the doorstep of someone who might be unfamiliar with where your tags are coming from. It stops entrants “rigging fences” with their three tags (if you get me).
Another idea is just submit one tag and it gets “tripled” as in, sent to three people so everyone’s “one tag” gets three uses.
Let’s say if instead of me putting in Wholesome, Daddy Bear, ObjectTF, I only put in Daddy Bear, aand that gets tripled, At the end of the challenge I would have three Daddy bear tagged stories to read, each with different “Other two” tag combinations.
Another possibility for mixed-up submissions is a mad-libs style game, where everyone submits two characters, a sex act, and a location, the submissions are mixed up, and then the challenge is write stories based on that prompt.
An ORC BUTT-FUCKS a JOCK in a COURTROOM
A SLEAZY SALESMAN EDGES an INNOCENT PREACHER in a BARN
A SUPERHERO WITH POWERS OF INVISIBILITY RIMS a REINCARNATION OF BUDDHA on the EIFFEL TOWER, and etc.
I love these ideas, but I feel they are closer to exercises/games for writers’ workshops rather than ways of interchanging presents.
Still, I’d love to see these being brought into fruition! Maybe a new channel in the writer’s corner in the Discord Server could hold exercises like these from time to time. That would be motivating, and maybe it would result in some interesting outcomes.
Not going to blame them, though, since it was fun to look for ways to fit all three together. I love that I ended up writing something I would otherwise never consider.
)