Equestria Daily' unfair bias - A quick rant · 8:34pm Nov 13th, 2013
So this isn't something I typically do, creating blog posts to rant about something that happened to me that I feel is completely unfair. So hopefully the fact that I'm actually resorting to this little rant blog post will be an indication on just how angry I am at this situation.
So Equestria Daily rejected my fic. Okay, so what? Well, it's not so much the rejection that bothers me, but the 'reasoning' behind it.
The fic that I sent in was Diamond Tiara Likes Anime. I first sent this in in Feburary, and got the following response:
"Thank you for your submission. However, due to issues with comma use, hyphen/dash confusion, and capitalization, it cannot be forwarded to the pre-readers. This does not count as a strike.
All the best,
The EqD Team"
Fair game, the qaulity wasn't up to scratch. So a few months later, I asked a friend of mine if they could go over it and clean it up. You may notice if you go back to it now, thanks to the wonderous efforts of one Mager Blutooth, that the fic is looking a lot nicer. So I sent it in again, and after a good month of waiting, this is what I got:
"Thank you for your submission to Equestria Daily, but I'm afraid I can't recommend it for posting on the blog at this time. I've included a truncated list of my reasons for this decision, though please bear in mind that this is not meant to be a comprehensive review, and as such there may be additional issues with the story that are not listed here.
• adherence to show canon, namely the existence of computers, chat programs, anime itself, etc.
• portrayal of canon characters, namely Diamond Tiara
• over-reliance on chat messages and textspeak in lieu of dialogue or narrative
• at times, a schizophrenic narrator (read as: Diamond talks out loud to herself more than is normal or narratively efficient)
In fairness, I don't expect a comedy to concern itself primarily with accurately portraying the show's canon, but at the same time, throwing in this kind of technology is a very jarring leap from what we know to exist in Equestria, not to mention the premise (and the characterization of DT it necessitates) is a pretty huge stretch in and of itself. Given that many of these problems are virtually impossible to fix without invalidating the story you're telling to try, this one might be better left on FIMFiction.
Regardless, if you do wish to resubmit, this is your first strike out of a possible three.
- Pre-reader (/\)"
... Let's just highlight those 'reasons' again, shall we? One at a time:
• adherence to show canon, namely the existence of computers, chat programs, anime itself, etc.
So basically, because my FANFICTION is going just outside the show's established canon, it is rejected? Well, for starters that is kinda what fanfiction is all about. Expanding or going beyond the show's established canon and using some IMAGINATION to create a story based AROUND the show, not IN it.
Furthermore, if this is a rule they have on EQD, then explain why fics like these were accepted but not mine:
*http://www.equestriadaily.com/2013/01/story-compiler.html (ALSO COMPUTER-BASED)
*http://www.equestriadaily.com/2013/11/story-mares-of-tomorrow.html (Remember that episode where steampunk was canon?)
*http://www.equestriadaily.com/2013/10/story-necromancers-ambition.html (Or necromocy?)
*http://www.equestriadaily.com/2013/11/story-promised-land.html (We all remember when Twilight became a dude, right?)
And let's not forget certain popular fics, such as Past Sins and Out in the Cold (the latter of which contained MAGIC FUTA THREESOME - pretty sure that is NOT canon)
• portrayal of canon characters, namely Diamond Tiara
I can only interpet this in two ways: They don't like that I used a canon character, or they don't like how I portrayed her.
So basically, they do not like that I portrayed Diamond Tiara in a way that differs from their own views of her. They do not like that I took an original route that differs from the fandom's perceived image that she is a bitch-queen who tortues fillies and goes psycho when Silver Spoon disagrees with her. They don't like that I tried to portray a pony in a positive light, or that I tried to show Diamond Tiara as an innocent kid with interests outside of teasing the CMC, which btw, is CANON. We've seen her do other things, like talk to Silver Spoon and Alula in Hearts and Hooves Day, or take part in a talent show in that talent show episode (title escapes me right now).
You wanna talk about fics where a canon character's portrayal is different from fandom views?
*http://www.equestriadaily.com/2012/12/story-exit-through-canterlot-new-part-13.html
Need I really say anything about this one?
• over-reliance on chat messages and textspeak in lieu of dialogue or narrative
While I do use these, I would hardly call it 'over-reliance', nor can I see why it would be a problem. I've seen fics on EQD that make use of diary entires or letters in lieu of narrative to tell parts of the story, and the chat messages fit in with the whole scenario of the story. They're on their computers chatting with each other. It's still DIALOGUE. What, am I suppsoed to narrate each individual key type that Diamond Tiara presses, and make note of the silence whilst she's waiting a response each time?
• at times, a schizophrenic narrator (read as: Diamond talks out loud to herself more than is normal or narratively efficient)
This isn't even a thing. Diamond Tiara isn't even the narrator, and she doesn't talk out loud to herself all that much. And even if she did... why exactly would that be a problem? Again, I've seen plenty of fics on EQD where ponies have a little internal monologue or start mumbling something to themselves whilst they're in thought. An example of this would also have been nice, but y'know, whatever.
So in short, what I got from this email is that basically, after seeing that I had cleaned up the qaulity (or rather, a friend cleaned it up for me. Thanks again Mager :) ), they decided to just make up whatever crap they could to prevent a story where Diamond Tiara was seen in a positive light and, according to many of my readers here on fimfiction.net, was 'likeable', from being accepted onto their site.
Now, again, if they had rejected me with legitimate reasons, I would have been totally cool with that. I would have maybe cleaned it up a bit more and tried again, maybe not. But when they just have a strong bias against the main character and decide to use bullshit to reject the fic because of it, that's where I draw the line. Not only is it rude to me, it was also rude to my proofreader, who had taken time out of his life to go over this fic and clean it up, when all along it was a pointless endevour to begin with. Their first email made it seem as though there were hope, but apparantely there was never any hope for a fic where the character acts in a way that they personally don't like.
So there's my not-so-little rant on the whole EQD bullshit bias rejection incident. Sorry about this. Again, I don't usually rant, but quite frankly this whole affair just pissed me off. If they were never going to allow DT Likes Anime, they should have said so in that first rejection email. Would have still been annoyed, but at least then I wouldn't have wasted someone else's time cleaning it up so that I could resubmit it.
Quick note: I am NOT bashing any of the fics I used as examples in this blog post. I have not read all of them, and I do not hate ANY of them (I actually love Past Sins and like Out in the Cold), I'm just using them as examples because they're there, that's all.
Calm down man. You just got a bad pre-reader.
EQD is a bit overrated if you ask me anyways.
What the flying turkey-baster landing in a microwave oven last sunday during church service?
Those reasons are bullshit, especially the portrayal of DT one, as given the amount of her personality we see in canon (not much) any fic featuring her will have to take creative liberties with the source material.
The more EqD experiences like this that I read, the more I'm convinced there's only one answer:
derpicdn.net/img/view/2013/11/13/471940.jpg
Don't get so worked up over it. The prereaders on EQD are such assholes that there's pretty much only three ways you can get a fic there: a) kiss their asses like crazy, b) make a fic that is absolutely drop-dead amazing, the best of the best of the best, or c) make a decent fic that fits the prereader's preferences.
Oh... well I'm disappointed. That story is one my favorites from you and spawned Diamond Tiara likes Dating Sims, which is also funny.
1505766
Firstly, I fucking love your name. Secondly, I agree.
I have seen plenty of these. In one of Lynked's stories, they said 'blue bird' was incorrect and other stupid things like that. And that the pacing was to fast, but it was suppose to be a journal, so that was intentional (though it wasn't too bad).
Those reasons are complete shit.
The arcade games from Hearts and Hooves Day? Twilight's equipment from Feeling Pinkie Keen (my personal favorite)? Or the medical equipment from Read It and Weep? Unless they are talking about super futuristic Doctor Who Gallifreyan teir tech (I am assuming it is talking about computers and internet and the ilk (haven't read it, but I have to now)), they should go rewatch the show.
Yeah, I'll stop. EqD is overrated, anywho. If I can help you with this in any way, let me know.
1505791
The fact that you actually get the reference puts you on a fairly short list. (Or at least it would be fairly short if I had actually been taking down names.)
Thanks!
We all know that EQDs pre-readers sometimes has biased opinions, and sometimes judge to quickly and harshly on some stories. Unfortuntly they are in the right to do so since its Seths site, and his site alone. He and the others on the site has that right.
Its unfortunate that EQD has gotten so much input in who is going to be succesful in this communtaty, and for that Im thankful that sites like Fimfiction exist.
I think it's been pretty well established by this point that EqD only posts stories that their prereaders like, and have no problem drumming up bullshit to lock out things they don't like.
I'd be more bent out of shape by this if EqD was actually any way relevant to pony fanfiction as a whole, but that hasn't been the case since at least late 2011. Getting into the feature box has more attached prestige, and that's generally considered to be a flawed system run by a porn-obsessed robot.
It's a shame that they strung you along like that, but you're hardly the first person this had happened to. I think the best revenge here is living well: every good story that gets published that doesn't end up on EqD only deepens their irrelevancy.
This review was so laughable, I decided to review the review. The review itself, not your story, is what needs tlc.
While I have not been on EQD in months because of this kind of garbage, my experience has been that it is not so much the character they hate as creativity. Anything other than a simple one-shot is almost guaranteed to be rejected for essentially nothing more than having a story, and one-shots are screened purely on grammar. This means a huge number of amazing stories are rejected on stupid shit like this while some really pitiful excuses for stories make it through.
I have been wondering why anyone still submits work to them for ages because this is what happens every single time, yet I keep seeing these kinds of posts.
1505801
I have three copies of the 6 original books and two of the seventh (Elric at the End of Time), as well as the Chronicles of Korum, The Land Leviatian, and more of Moorcock's books. He is amazing (R.A. Salvatore is my favorite author, though).
1505803
I kinda disagree with you.
You are saying they are in the right because they have the power. That is like saying government officials raising taxes on the little people are in the right because the President is the President of the United States. Just because they can doesn't mean it is right. I know that probably isn't how you meant that, though.
1505815
i.imgflip.com/26hg.jpg
1505861
foe reel dough
Ah, Equestira Daily... yeah. It's bullshit. I had two of my own fics rejected.
1505846 yeah well, its not exactly like that. What i meant though is that EQD could be considered and is infact Seths property, he owns it and he calls the shot, more or less.
I atleast think thats how it is.
I've given up on EqD. I see the dumbest stuff end up there, while some of the best fics on this site get rejected for bullshit reasons. (Also, the technology is jarring? Fallout equestria anyone? Apparently all the stuff in there isn't "jarring" enough.)
*sighs*
I never read stories on that site, and I have no intention to do so.
The more I read stuff like this from Equestria Daily, the more I dislike the site.
Just submit it over at Canterlot's Finest.
...
......
I don't even.
This is all I have to say about this.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2013/1/20/218221__safe_pinkie+pie_zero+punctuation_yahtzee_retarded_artist-colon-komppu.png
Re-submit as is. Mention that the prereader who read it previously was biased against you for personal reasons and ask for a re-evaluation. The things he/she/it cited as reasons for denial are not EQD rules but the pre-reader's own personal preferences.
Hell, I got a fic with Snowflake toting a huge machine gun and smoking a cigar through to EQD, and the fic is nothing but bad language, cursing and Ahnoldisms.
It is clear that either this person is new to the job of pre-reading for EQD, or that they have some personal issues with the story. Either way, contact his superior directly and ask if these are actually proper reasons for blocking a fic. Also remember that the pre-readers don't work together, they're all individuals who just grab stories as the get them and work on them solo. I've gotten some really awesome and in-depth analysis and help from pre-readers there. I've also gotten a few assholes who just didn't like the premise and decided to bash it for no reason. It's THEIR personal opinion, not of EQD.
I do think EQD is a biased shithole of double standards and innercirclejerking, but that's beside the point here. Contact the guy responsible for the story submissions directly and ask if this is kosher.
I don't get the appeal of EqD anyway. Why would you want to hang out in Canterlot, so full of overdressed, self-important, snot-nosed unicorns, when you can hang out here with the calm, sensible folks of Manehattan?
EQD can take their biased list of rules, turn it sideways....
...AND STICK IT STRAIGHT UP, THEIR CANDY ASSES!
That is so
ed, it's not even funny.
What else could one expect from the faglords at EQD?
Whoa, so they don't even have a system for someone to skim through to verify the complaints levied against a story? Hell, even I hunt down any fics taken out of group that wasn't previously shown to other mods and myself. I'd volunteer for that job, they barely have 200 fics up there at a time. I'd just have to ask them not to hand me any fics from the group I help out with just to avoid accusations of bias.
If there is some sort of test to take, I'd take it.
And yeah, that not fitting canon stuff is code for "That's not how I see Diamond Tiara. No one will see this story if I have anything to say about it!" in my opinion.
Computers and tv shows in My Little Pony? Not on HIS watch. Unless you're the authors of Compiler and Only Human!
But, I guess it really is possibly a bad pre-reader. iJab did bring good news saying that their story would make the front page but needed one minor correction or two before it'd be allowed in. I hope they weren't just joshing him around, I'll have to ask them how that's going.
I just wish people would just read the story for what it is and leave their own personal bias out. If they enjoy the fic, and it is grammatically sound, why not let it through? If it's formatting, it wouldn't be hard to combine chapters to make it a bit lengthier. Course, I'm just trying to understand his reasoning, since he never once replied about the one possible complaint he made that could of held some credibility. Mainly, that schizophrenic thing he mentions.
If you had a reputation to hold, a friend you been blowing off from discovering the thing you seem to always make fun of others for and hoping that friend doesn't dump you on the spot for lying to them all that time and being a NERD/GEEK, if you could be calm and collected during those moments in a stoic fashion then I don't know what to say. To me, acting a bit high strung is perfectly normal. I talk to myself all the time when its so quiet and I can't focus so well. It helps you remember things and stay on track of things when stuff gets complicated. Most just do it with their inside voice, but many others just say it out.
Anywho, sorry for typing your eyes out. I just wish there was some actual communication. No one has sent an email in over a week now.
1505900 Fallout Equestria is just 'grandfathered in', along with every other conceivable story that slaps the title of Fallout Equestria onto itself that has been made since and ever will be.
For more up to date stuff that they can't use to make up excuses for themselves, look towards that IT porno with Twilight going to an all IT school to learn about Computers and how Male dominant it is, singling her out and making the other introverted types feel really awkward they can't make naughty tech jokes or what have you. Instant Messaging? Check. Computers all the rage? Check.
But hey, I can totally understand the anime thing at least, I mean it isn't like they have a story that focuses on making cartoon shows and other sitcoms or anything that would imply TVs are the norm and its the easiest and most used means of entertainment or anything, right?
Oh, yeah, guess that IS a thing. Let me welcome you to the Lauren Faust pony parody of Only Human! Bonbon basically works at Hasbro, and Lyra plays essentially Lauren Faust trying to pitch her idea to a bunch of studios. They all just keep rejecting her. Now, it isn't quite that, it's very much reimagined ponified version of how that sort of thing could happen in Equestria, only you're Lyra instead of Faust.
And that is ONLY HUMAN! :3
And yes, lesbian ponies are a go in that fic! (It wouldn't be a Lyra and Bonbon story without them two being shipped! :D)
But yeah, as much as I could point out recent stuff that doesn't "Adhere to canon" I just frankly don't have that kind of time or interests.
1505803 Seth hasn't been in charge of the fiction stuff for a long time now. That stuff is fully run by the pre-readers. According to him he "has no idea how they do things" apparently.
I won't say much else, but for the most part Seth doesn't really read fiction. It'd have to be something awfully special to get his attention. Not to defend EQD or anything, and I have no honest idea if he's telling the truth, but he's been pretty cool over the years and I have no reason not to trust him. He isn't a saint, but he's been pretty cool.
I have only been to EQD to read Fallout Equestria. I never went back after I found Fimfiction. EQD is an over rated piece of shit that needs to just go away and disappear into nonexistence, because they are now obsolete.
Don't worry too much about it, you have fans here that appreciate your work. Myself included, so fuck the pompous jackoffs at EQD and write for the fun of it.
"I hath spoken"
1506250
And after that, if they still wanna bitch about it, then in front of the millions-
AND MILLIONS!!!!
of Trixie's fans, Trixie is gonna take her size 6 1/2 hoof, turn it sideways, AND SHOVE IT UP THEIR CANDY ASSES!
And if those jabronies still wanna talk smack, Trixie is gonna take her hoof and smack those lips right off their faces, and have em kiss her great and powerful ass!
IF YOU SMEEEEEELELELELELEL!
WHAT TRIXIE.
IS.
COOKING!
If I were you, I'd take this well-made rant and post it to them.
Maybe one of the 'staff' of ED is a bit of a douchebag and took pleasure in bashing your fic.
Don't give up!
This crime against good fanfics cannot be left un-judged
Dude. Never visit EqD again. You're too fucking awesome for those little bitches. Their useless brains just couldn't take it.
I don't even read fanfiction on EqD. I mainly go for the art.
1506123
I'd get mugged in Manehattan
1506069
Oh? I honestly had no idea (still not entirely sure) on how the fanfic department works over at EQD. I guess I could keep trying then... Stil got two strikes left, after all
1507168
I still go there for news. News is always good.
1506743
As I said, it's more the bias and the fact they got my hopes up with the first rejection making it sound like I still had a shot that annoyed me most.
Of course, after my friend went through all of that trouble to help me tidy the fic up I would like it to have actually been for something, not just so it can get rejected due to unfair bias. Also, there's another reason for wanting to get this particular fic on there: any chance of minimising the DT hate and having the fandom potentially see her in a more positive light is always worth pursuing
Canon?
If they are so bloody concerned to staying aligned to canon, then they can just go and purge any stories that haven't updated to fit that standard.
I suppose fanfiction like Progress would have to go.
It used the inaccurate fanon version of Luna, nothing like show canon at all!
Same with In the Eyes of Another Pony.
Pfft. The issue itself is so vexing that I decide to write a thread article out of spite on this very issue.
The thread itself has been deleted, so I cannot directly link you to the thing itself.
Luckily, I managed to download the whole thing before it was taken down.
Here is the first starting comment for the thread that was formerly on the Author Support group.
Needless to say, the following responses were anything but a positive reaction to my ramblings.
Caustic would be the nice way to describe how most of the responses were to my thread. I suppose you could say that I have become disillusioned to the point of thinking "Why the hell do we even keep fanon if everyone is just going to ditch it in favor of canon?"
Here is a nice response that I got from a dude named TheDrunkenJinjo.
In essence, the purpose of that thread was a desperate grasp at any strong logical argument for going against canon.
Again, needless to say again, I got my wish in the excess.
Now if only I can only figure out how to post the rest of the page I downloaded to be available to the masses.
1507350 Yeah you should. They have three strikes for a reason. I think (personal thought, not a fact) that they want to reduce personal bias in the approval process.
I think it's safe to conclude that the guys over at EQD are total assholes.
1505814 sounds like somepony has a grudge.
Holy cow there's a lot of EQD hate here.
1515972
It's not so much a grudge as an enduring bafflement. They're just not relevant to permitting fanfiction when Fimfic moves as fast as it does, and given the continuous stream of people complaining about nonsensical rejections and prereader bias, I don't get how anyone could see getting on to EqD as something to be impressed by or to strive for. Yet a lot of people still think that getting past the prereader gauntlet will help them promote their story and mark it as one of the fandom's best, and I can't ever seem to figure out how they came to believe that.
Your fics make me smile.
It's blog posts like these that keep me going.
Maybe they are just being polite and letting you down gently?
Consider taking some of your points here: Twilight Snarkle's "What did EqD pre-readers do wrong this time" thread.
(Joke made with all the love in the world lest the Almighty Power Of The Goddess Equestridaily Herself strikes me down.
)
You know, and I mean know, that anyone that uses the word truncated like that unironically is a total, steaming douche.
God damn, this guy's a special type of asshole isn't he. Love the way he outright says your story is a problem, as if that's totally objective.
And this is why Equestria Daily will never be as good as Fimfic
While I have read a bit of your story, and I personally do not find it in my interests, I can agree that it is pretty dang decent, and definitely worthy of being posted there. My views on it don't matter, and neither should the pre-readers: It SHOULD be an unbiased process, but we all know that isn't going to happen.
Wait wait wait wait. I'm sorry but I didn't read all of your rant, though I can guess that whatever you said was fair, but Equestria Daily denied your fic because it used computers.
static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20081119170753/thatguywiththeglasses/images/b/bb/CleanNC.jpg
So I guess they'll be taking down all those Fallout Equestria fanfictions they love oh so dearly because they not only have computers in them, but guns, and a bunch of other technology never mentioned in the show. Well that's good to know.
I ran into the same exact problem with my Two Sides of Daring Do fanfic. Rejected for obviously subjective reasons that weren't even explained well.
I've kind of lost faith in EQD myself.