I'm a bit surprised that this is going on still, but as I've mentioned before, an OTP is your preferred pairing between two canon characters from the same fandom, and the definition is around twenty years old. It's not about being your favorite pairing, or how popular said pairing is. I bring this up not because someone still thinks I'm wrong, but because one of the official judges replied to someone asking about using an OC for the contest, and they said since it is an OTP, the answer is no. So I've got a question for people.

If OC pairings aren't allowed for an OTP contest, then why would a crossover pairing?

Both pairings are going to be favorite pairings, so that obviously isn't the definition of the pairing. I'm also going to argue here that in regards to the "true" part of "one true pairing", one could actually argue that an OC pairing is more "true" then a crossover pairing, as the OC is created specifically for the given fandom, and while created by a fanfic writer still exists within that fandom specifically, although only existing because the writer willed it. The canon characters from another fandom still don't exist in that fandom without an intervention of the fanfic writer of some kind.

In other words the point here I'm trying to make is that it's really not fair to think that ones crossover pairing would be an exception, where as an OC pairing will not. Being fair is a part of the contest – following the prompt, writing within the word limit within the given time (on rare occasions someone who didn't finish will win, but it's an issue of quality over quantity – not updating again until the contest is judged), and making sure the story is new. Using the brackets is important, 'cause it means people can read your story.

Anyways... I'm looking forward to reading the entries for this contest, because it specifically deals with conflict for a given pairing, something I love, but many shirk away from because they want everything to be soft and fluffy. Anything goes, but if you're looking for an idea... here are some.

By the way, I should also add here that it is possible to have more then one OTP. You can have an OTP for every fandom, or even multiple OTP for a given fandom. For example, all of the canon pairings for Bleach as of now are my OTP – though for one of the pairings, Kaien/Miyako, I also like Kaien/Ikumi where Ikumi is Miyako's reincarnation, but for me Ikumi and Miyako are the same person in these stories. (It's also a crack pairing, if you can't tell.)

One of the characters in the OTP is caught cheating.

If you decide to go this route, I suggest not pulling a double standard where the girl is allowed to get away with cheating, but the guy is not. Another double standard to avoid is where another girl forces herself on the guy, and he's not really cheating, and he's treated like he was through the entire story. (It's a bit different if she apologizes at the end.) In fics I see the girls recognized as being victims a lot quicker then others.

One of the characters is dying, or a family member is dying, dead and/or comatose.

Handle character death with care. The judges haven't exactly been favorable towards character death in the past, but this contest allows for room. Death is a sensitive subject, which carries with it an emotional level. It's also something that needs to be done realistically. Please for goodness sakes don't pull what the series Kimi ga Nozomu Eien did. Said Anime is – well, if you follow it's example you're sure to have a piece with a ton of emotional drama, but you won't have a very realistic piece. Miscarriage falls under this as well, it's a subject that needs to be handled with tact, but in a realistic manner.

The pairing deals with a child who is special needs – either they are physically ill, a preemie, and/or dealing with what is considered to be a disability.

Do your research please. Please also keep in mind that having a disability is not the end of the world for a person. Someone with dyslexia can still learn to read and write well – I have. Having autism doesn't mean the person can't live a normal life, let alone be successful. Those are misconceptions, so again, do your research.

Long Distant Relationships...

Distance makes the heart grow fonder, or it never lasts. This one is simple, and I actually don't have much advice beyond this. It is almost never, ever done, and I think the idea that long distance relationships don't work has thus become a misconception. In the old days this was done all the time, long distant relationships.

Be wary of...

Taking a conflict in canon that already exists for your OTP, and reusing it. The best way to put it is, if you're reusing a canon element, then you've got to do it bigger, and better. You've also got to make it unique to you, and DON'T PLAGIARIZE!

P.S. You're still not allowed to write fanfiction for already existing fanworks, as it's supposed to be your own work. Aka... Minecraft Diaries and After are the ones that come to mind.

3/14/2016 - An OTP is a pairing between two canon characters, but if your pairing contains three characters then it is an OT3. While it is true that you can use a love triangle, and your big change amounts to having someone cheat on another person, there is a difference between a mutual love triangle, and one where cheating is going on. Also please keep in mind that it should actually be in character for the characters to be in a love triangle, and in many cases an OC would actually be a better choice, and in fact this is one of the places the use of an OC is a good idea.