Conventions and convictions · 2:17am Nov 1st, 2015
I'm attending Can-Con this weekend, a minor Canadian writer's convention here in Ottawa. It's a lot of fun, and it's always great to meet fellow authors. I'm not doing any book pitches at this one, but I have friends who are, and I wish them luck in selling their work.
The whole thing got me thinking, though. Several weeks ago I got a PM from Themaskedferret asking me to talk about the authors who got me into the fandom. Now, I just sat on that idea for a while because I didn't really know what to say. I came by the fandom itself in a roundabout way, being introduced to it all essentially through things I read on TVTropes. I don't know exactly which trope got me interested in pony fanfiction, but I'm certain it was from one of those rabbit-holes that I was introduced to my first ponyfic.
Fanfiction in any popular fandom is like a sea of bobbing, venomous jellyfish. No matter how carefully you slip into the water, you're going to get stung. Now, each one has a different kind of sting to it, the wrong one will kill the whole fandom for you, most will just be painful, but others are a much more mellow buzz, and a rare few are like a shot of cocaine: addicting and powerfully exciting. When you take to fanfiction with a filter, such as the madlings that collectively run TVTropes, you can usually avoid the bad ones, and the killers are clearly marked. That's the reason I've never read such staples of the fandom such as Cupcakes or Rainbow Factory. Instead my early attention was directed to stories such as The Games We Play, Sunshine And Fire, or Cold in Gardez's The First Light Of Dawn. There were others, of course. Many that I'm still very fond of, but these three immediately stick out in my mind, for different reasons.
I've written fanfiction before –a splash of DBZ when I was 15, a touch of Buffy a decade ago, etc– but I had no intentions of getting into writing for the MLP fandom. At least, not until I came across AestheticB's Ponies Make War. That was the first ponyfic that really, really grabbed my attention and had me hooked. More, it sparked off a seed of an idea. One that would combine with some thoughts I was having after reading the stories I've previously mentioned, as well as watching the second season of the show. A seed that would eventually grow into Harmony Theory.
I've read much more since then. Some good. Some bad. Some I'm always been meaning to write a blog about, if only to try my hand at reviewing something (but, like many things, I never found the time to do). This, though, was the progression that led to me deciding to write for this fandom. Writers influence each other, provide sustenance for each other. With their work, yes, but sometimes with their mere presence. The mere concept of some stories has given me ideas I would never have thought of on my own, and I don't even have to read a word of the story itself (but, of course I do). Here's a salute to all the other writers, readers, commenters and editors I've had the privilege to entertain and be entertained by. It's all for you, as it's all for me.
Until next time, I hope you all enjoy what I've written!
What.
All those are is a pair of junky shock pieces from a time when almost nothing existed.
Mm, The Immortal Game is my favorite pony fanfiction ever, and it's the one that really led me to get as involved in this site as I am. Here's to you, Shar, for Harmony Theory, Fallen World, Lavender Unicorn Syndrome, and many more to come.
It's always very interesting to see how people go into writing MLP fan fiction. I can honestly say that you have inspired me more than any other fan fiction writer. Harmony Theory, and your sheer dedication to it, encouraged me to try my hand at MLP fan fiction. None of my stories have made it any farther than the first chapter, but I hope that one day I'll be able to proudly present one on this site. I adore your writing and I really like you as an author. I hope I don't sound too sappy, but I don't believe I say this enough.
"The Games We Play" is one of my all time favorites. That story is great in so many ways.
3511900 Yeah, too bad the fandom drove AA to AA.
It was certainly a fun ride and one of the earlier fics I read. Back when the fandom was fresh and new and everything was exciting.