bookplayer's Blog Index · 7:36am Aug 30th, 2016
This index covers every blog I've written since I joined the site that I think people might want to read or reference. Some of it is outdated, but most of these contain some kind of good or useful information. If there's something you remember that seems to be missing, let me know!
Feel free to comment on older blogs. If I don't respond, it's either because I don't have anything to add or I'm busy, not because the blog post was old.
Below the break everything is divided into the following topics, with series of blog posts or specific subgroups at the bottom of the relevant topic:
On Writing
On Shipping
On MLP and MLP Fandom
On General Fandom Subjects
On Writing:
The AK Yearling Society For Original Writing- An invitation to and invite-only FiMfiction group for people interested in producing original fiction, and an explanation of why it's invite-only.
bookplayer states the obvious - in which I give myself (and anyone else who needs it) a lecture on what a writer can control.
To the reviewers and the reviewed- Writing advice for reviewers, about how to make authors want to hear from you, and for writers on when you should consider ignoring a review.
Tell, Don't Show. Yes, you read that right- Examples of some times where showing isn't the best thing for your story (no matter what EqD might tell you.)
How to Win Friends (And Influence Ponies?)- On why you should be writing blog posts, too.
The Writing Skill that Nobody Talks About- How to sell out in a way that's worthwhile.
Know What You're Writing: A Guide to Story Forms- Different story forms and how they affect plot and technique.
What Makes a Character? My Personal Answer- Spoilers: It's personality.
Working Backstage on Writing- Keeping your preferences and limits as a writer in mind when planning stories
Fan Fiction vs. Original Fiction: Ultimate Death Battle- Differences between writing fanfiction and original fiction, and why neither is "better."
The Curtains Are Never Just Blue- How details are important as more than just pretentious symbolism.
Five Mistakes In Story Structure I See Way Too Often- Common problems writers encounter in designing and writing stories.
Character Voices, or bookplayer Doesn't Know When To Stop Talking- Everything I've figured out about how to write characters with distinctive voices.
Productivity Tips for a Figment of My Imagination (And You)- Ways to deal with different reasons you aren't writing.
It Doesn't Matter Who Started It: On Author Responses to Criticism- The practical truth for writers about how to take unwanted or unhelpful criticism.
The Writer's Toolbox series: A series pointing out ideas and inspiration for writers to consider.
Original Explanation
Addressing the Reader
"Can they?" vs. "Will they?"
Simple and Complex Emotions
Unexceptional Exceptions
My Own Most Used Tools (Part 1)
The Inefficient Method of Novel Writing: How I wrote my first novel and you can too... someday... maybe...
Some People Are Not Writers (Yet), And That's Okay
The Inefficient Method of Novel Writing (Part 1)
The Inefficient Method of Novel Writing (Part 2)
Episode Breakdowns for Writers: How episodes of MLP that I didn't like can show us how to write better things.
What We can Learn From Where Friendship Games Went Wrong
Agency and Character Development in Crusaders of the Lost Mark
What We Can Learn From Where Applejack's "Day" Off Went Wrong
On Shipping:
The Gone With the Wind approach to shipping - Where I explain why I really don't like FlutterDash, and am not nuts about RariJack, and list the ships I do like and why.
The one thing all romance/ship fics need to have - in which I discuss the importance of talking about stuff in a relationship.
How to recruit people to a ship- Where I admit that any ship can work, and explain how.
The intangible character in a romance- What if the ship itself is a character? Some thoughts on a different way of looking at ship fics.
Similarities and Differences in Shipping- A sequel to “The Gone With the Wind Approach to Shipping,” that goes into how various kinds of similarities and differences are important.
Bookplayer’s Guide to Shipping Etiquette- My guidelines for what to post where, when it comes to the controversial subject of shipping.
Pride and Prejudice and Ship Fics - How to write an exciting love story when you have the characters tagged
So... Shipping. What's Up With That?- a breakdown of why shipping is a thing and the different ways people come to it.
A Personal Experience: One Reason I View Shipping the Way I Do- Some things I've learned about romance in my life.
Shipping and Canon (Not Cannons. That Would Be Cooler.)- Why canon is important to shippers, even though their ships are not canon.
Ships, Character Growth, and Unfortunate Implications- Examining the difference between character growth and "changing for love."
Your Views on Romance- Why no one will every agree on shipping, and why a lot of people hate specific ships or romance fics.
The One Pony She Would Talk To-- Using ship fics as a springboard for filling in backstory in the form of secrets one would tell a lover.
Romance Fic Ideas: Exes and Crushes- Reasons it's fun to explore ex-lovers or crushes in a romance story.
5 Tips for Avoiding Alien Shipping Syndrome- Actual things you can do or not to do make sure you're avoiding common romance writing pitfalls.
Invisible Chores in a Relationship- How a relationship is affected by emotional and intellectual strength and weakness.
How X is the Most Romantic Ship: How different combinations of characters are uniquely suited to different kinds of romance stories.
FlutterDash
RariJack
SpikeBloom
AppleDash
TwiJack
TwiDash
RariDash
AppleShy
The MLP:FIM Shipping Survey (2013):
Shipping Survey Results: Round 1- The Ships!
On MLP and MLP Fandom:
You like a girl show and that is SO AWESOME! - In which I compare ponies to classic girls book heroines.
My unsolicited thoughts on Rainbow Dash being gay - In which I rant against people who insult other people for thinking that Dash is/isn't gay, and give my own view on the subject based on Dash's personality.
A thought about Twilight's change I haven't seen a million times before- My opinion on why Twilight might have needed wings.
My Probably Incorrect Unified Magical Headcanon- A take on magic in Equestria that tries to take into account and explain everything we know from canon about magic and history.
Names for OCs and Background Ponies- A collection of pony names taken from paint chips. Paint colors make great pony names.
The Importance of Pony Subcultures- a discussion of tribe based subcultures, and possible degrees and effects of those.
How to Be Good at FiMfiction- How to develop friendships and connections that provide you with writing resources to draw on.
Why You Should Be Good at FiMfiction (And Why I Care)- A follow-up to the above; how I think our shared resources and connections are building some important literary minds of our generation.
Moonshine, and Why I Like Humanized Fics (Sometimes)- My views on why pony-shaped-ponies aren't always the way to go.
Parents and Foals- Something cool I've noticed the show does with the Apple family.
Thoughts About Story Tags- A tongue in cheek rundown of how I see tagging on FiMfiction.
Album Review: It's a Pony Kind of Christmas- What it says on the tin.
Why You Might Think Season Five (Or One, or Two, or Four) Was The Best Season of MLP- An analysis of season long trends in MLP.
Why Rainbow Dash is the Best Protagonist- Why Rainbow Dash's character hits so many sweet spots in telling stories about her.
Writing Magic in Equestria- How to use and develop new spells, rituals, and magic locations in Equestria.
MLP and the Hugos- Written for the 2016 Hugo voters; an analysis of MLP and the episode that was nominated, The Cutie Map.
Who Is...?- I asked different fanfic writers a series of questions about each character. These were their answers.
Twilight Sparkle
Rarity
Applejack
Pinkie Pie
Rainbow Dash
Fluttershy
Applejack
Why Applejack is Awesome and Deserves More Fanfic- Where I outline how many interesting things there are about Applejack, so that people stop saying she's boring.
For the Record: Applejack Can Be Gay and have Foals- I explain it, for the people who don't seem to get it.
How Applejack is a Strong Female Role Model- Some unique things about Applejack that you don't see a lot in female children's show characters.
Can You Take the Mare Out of Sweet Apple Acres?- What connects Applejack to Sweet Apple Acres and how you could realistically relocate her.
On General Fandom Subjects
My thoughts on canon, fanon, and Word of God- Um, what it says on the tin.
Fanfic News That Doesn’t Affect MLP Yet- My reaction to news that Amazon.com is going to start legally selling certain kinds of fanfic.
Some Things to Consider When Talking About Children's Fantasy Stories- A suggestion that childrens fantasy often has to be viewed from a different perspective.
Social Justice Warriors and Assholes: Why They Both Need to Be Ignored- The difference between useful conversations and ideological warfare.
Objectivity and Semantics- An important consideration when considering the word "good."
Defining the Fantasy Genre- What makes a story "fantasy."
Darling, You Know Better Than to Trust a Pack of Cards- A unique thing that sets Fantasy stories apart.
Random Stuff I Like: Posts where I try to convince you to like things that I like.
Why You Should Read (Or Reread) Little Women
Why Survivor is an Awesome Game and not Lame Like You Probably Think It Is
Pierside: Posts about my original fiction novel. Available from Oloris Publishing, Amazon.com, Smashwords, or through most bookstores.
From Pierside to Pony: Reasons MLP fans might want to check out my book
Pierside, Magic, and Me
Information on how to subscribe to my blog Patreon or donate through Paypal.
And finally, a big thank you to my subscribers. As of August 2016: bats, diremane, First_Down, sopchoppy, Bradel, stormgnome, jlm123hi, Ultiville, Singularity Dream, JetstreamGW, Noble Thought, horizon, Sharp Spark, Applejinx, Mermerus, Super Trampoline, Quill Scratch, Peregrine Caged, blagdaross, Scramblers and Shadows, BlazzingInferno, Merc the Jerk, LegionPothIX, and Themaskedferret.
I need to do one of these at some point. And post my reviews spreadsheet.
Anyway, handy! Thank you for posting an updated one of these.
Now you need to link to it from the profile page, or it will eventually get lost. :)
4181671
Already done! It actually replaced an older version from about two years ago... it's much harder to do something about it getting outdated.
4181732
I just add posts to mine the moment they go live as part of the whole render-post-commit-push routine. :)
4181758
That would make sense, but I do a lot of personal/news item posts that I don't really need to archive (stuff like pictures of my kid, letting people know I'm participating in something, or signal boosts for stories.) So it's hard for me to get into that habit when most of the time I don't need to worry about it. But you're right, I should try to do that.
But who will index the indices?
Hi, I'm not certain, but I don't think the 'How X is the Most Romantic Ship' for FlutterDash is going to the right place? Which is sad, since I'm really enjoying reading the others
5059697
Sorry about that! I noticed it myself sometime recently, and thought "I will fix that when I get on my laptop this evening." Well... Spoilers! I didn't!
But here is the correct link: How FlutterDash is the most romantic ship in MLP.
And... Um... I'll fix the link in the blog when I get to my laptop this evening...?
5059707 Thanks! It was a really interesting read!