Update: An Unusual One-Shot Is On The Way · 5:06pm Sep 23rd, 2012
Blog Number 8: Flitter and Cloudchaser Edition
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic - Season 2 Episode 22 - Hurricane Fluttershy [HD]*
*In case you're wondering why this video is here, it's here for two reasons. The first is that it's a reference to the episode in which Flitter and Cloudchaser appear, which is relevant to the blog subject. The second is simply because I wanted an excuse to do more than post a load of words again. Blogs look dull as a wall of text, there are functions up there, and I wanted an excuse to try them out.
Plus it's one of my favourite episodes. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were at their best here.
After the unhappy last blog edition, I think I should write something more positive. So I'll get this out of the way: firstly, the fic that's coming up is not the final product. I wish it was, but while I have seen this upcoming one-shot proofread and reviewed (so technically it should be fine), some plot additions and expansions may occur. Secondly, I again can't guarantee much else, though I'm coming back to Cutie Mark Espionage Agency and hopefully will be in the swing of things before Hallowe'en or -- to be cautious -- Christmas.
Aside from that, there is good news. I have a one-shot coming up to add to my collection. It's different from what I usually do, and the story is rather modest; it can be summed up as a brief bit of characterization for Flitter of Flitter and Cloudchaser fame. While the twins have little to no real canon personality, I was intrigued enough by one or more parallels with those ponies that did have, and by the twins' prominence when Fluttershy was having her social trouble, to write a fic and flesh it out more. I like exploring little details like that.
Also, the National Pony Writing Month results should be arriving on Equestria Daily soon. Although unfinished, Didgeridoo was submitted all the same and may appear on there. I'm looking forward to it. It's nice to see your effort become a tangible result.
On an unrelated note, I hear the third season will be coming late October. I'm really looking forward to it, but vis-a-vis writing fanfics, I'm in a bit of a conundrum. On the one hand, it'll be great to see what the team behind MLP:FiM will take the series, and after Season 2 they've got a big act to follow. On the other hand, bits of treasured fanon are likely to go obsolete if any of those lovely gaps in the ponyverse are filled in. Part of the reason I'm reluctant to write (and it is a bit silly of me, really) is that I'm not sure I'd like to be superseded by canon. All of a Fluttershy was one of my fics that fell victim to such updates (for instance, in that story the Apple farm was around since Celestia's time and there was a long line of farmers who owned it), and it does feel a little dated and quaint when reread.
Perhaps I should just bite the bullet? Story is what counts at the end of the day, and it can't be worse than having nothing to show for all my um-ing and ah-ing. It would be interesting in its own right, even if it is canonically incorrect.
Anyway, that'll do for now. Impossible Numbers out.
Statistics
New Stories?: One on the way. Didgeridoo also counts, but unofficially
Story Count: 11
My Total Story View count: 6,476
Age: 40 weeks, 5 days
My Follower count: 37
My Followed count: 51
To partially quote what I said to psychicscubadiver in a comment on Veil of Thoughts: "In fanfiction, only about 1/2 the fics written use the canonical depiction of the Princesses, Elements, and the Elements' relation to the bearers. Just like how more than 1/2 depict Nightmare Moon as a fusion of 2 entities rather than one corrupted entity. There is a huge amount of artistic license taken with the historical canon of Equestria in fics."
I would say that the story, characters and ideas you develop are what matter. If they are contrary to canon, that does but a bit of pressure on them to be compelling enough to overlook the discrepancy.
Like if you're going to have Nightmare Moon be 2 entities, and the only reason is to use the "Nightmare" as your villain, you need to come up with a very good portrayal or unique concept for the "Nightmare".
For instance, I follow a fic where Luna and The Nightmare, are the same entity, but have split into 2. Luna is now incorporeal with limited magical influence on the world around her, and Nightmare is now possessing a plushie of herself, with specialized magic.
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To partially quote what I said to psychicscubadiver in a comment on Veil of Thoughts: "In fanfiction, only about 1/2 the fics written use the canonical depiction of the Princesses, Elements, and the Elements' relation to the bearers. Just like how more than 1/2 depict Nightmare Moon as a fusion of 2 entities rather than one corrupted entity. There is a huge amount of artistic license taken with the historical canon of Equestria in fics."
I would say that the story, characters and ideas you develop are what matter. If they are contrary to canon, that does but a bit of pressure on them to be compelling enough to overlook the discrepancy. Like if you're going to have Nightmare Moon be 2 entities, and the only reason is to use the "Nightmare" as your villain, you need to come up with a very good portrayal or unique concept for the "Nightmare".
I think we're pretty much of the same mind, then, but there's a line drawn somewhere and the main question is where. Only, for examples, I've got my eye on the Lunaverse and Fallout: Equestria subcommunities, which seem to be doing well despite the strong deviations from canon (the latter mostly in tone and style, since I don't know about any outright canon contradictions in it). On the other hand, Past Sins splits the fandom straight through the middle.
I get the gist that a reason for deviating needs to be solid, though, and it is understandable.
For instance, I follow a fic where Luna and The Nightmare, are the same entity, but have split into 2. Luna is now incorporeal with limited magical influence on the world around her, and Nightmare is now possessing a plushie of herself, with specialized magic.
Whoa, that must be one heck of an oddball fic.
I hope it's good?
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Lunaverse is great, but I'm really waiting for the Crisis "movie" installment.
Fallout is not something I partake of. Some of it is undoubtedly well written, but the setting is the post apocalyptic future of canon Equestria. And that's just not for me. I view post apocalyptic settings the was many view clop/gore/HiE fics.
As for that fic I mentioned, it's pretty bizarre. It's a Harry Potter crossover too, by http://www.fimfiction.net/user/Harry%20Leferts. Most of his stories are... uniquely eccentric.
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Lunaverse is great, but I'm really waiting for the Crisis "movie" installment.
I found out about it via TVTropes, and then traced it to this site. I've had Longest Night, Longest Day in my reading list for a while, so it's probably about time I gave it a read. I started Boast Busted (but then stopped; I decided I wanted to tackle the prequel first, as it seemed more appropriate), and the writing was certainly good. It might turn out to be the first fic to make fanon-Trixie interesting for me.
BTW, what's the Crisis "movie" you mention? Is it a planned Lunaverse fic or a different kind of project?
Fallout is not something I partake of. Some of it is undoubtedly well written, but the setting is the post apocalyptic future of canon Equestria. And that's just not for me. I view post apocalyptic settings the was many view clop/gore/HiE fics.
You and me both. I did try out the original to see what all the fuss was about (I otherwise wouldn't have read it), but all it did was remind me of why I avoid that sort of thing in the first place. I never got past the first few chapters.
As for that fic I mentioned, it's pretty bizarre. It's a Harry Potter crossover too, by http://www.fimfiction.net/user/Harry%20Leferts. Most of his stories are... uniquely eccentric.
Hm... I usually don't go in for crossovers or human stories, but then Whip and Wings turned out to be far more fun to read than I had expected, so I wouldn't say "never".
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Yeah, Crisis is a planned Lunaverse fic "Crisis On Two Equestrias" It involves Canonverse's Trixie and Lunaverse's Twilight just crapping things up horribly.
As for the Harry Potter one. It's kind of amateurish. It's nowhere on the caliber of the gold standard for direct crossovers by psychicscubadiver's and Chengar Quordath's Dresden Files crossovers. And if you haven't read or watched at least the first harry Potter book/movie, most of the fic's point will be lost on you. But NMM as a plushie, just bickering and yelling at everyone is incredibly enjoyable.
That Neon Genesis one by the same author is pretty insane too, but totally useless if you haven't seen it.
Crossovers are pretty much my favorite thing ever, so I will enjoy most that are written well enough.
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Well, I just finished The Ballad of Echo the Diamond Dog. Interesting fic, to say the least. In a good way, though.
Might look into the HP one, just for the NMM. Still undecided, though. As I haven't seen Neon Genesis Evangelion, I'll pass that one.
Yeah, Crisis is a planned Lunaverse fic "Crisis On Two Equestrias" It involves Canonverse's Trixie and Lunaverse's Twilight just crapping things up horribly.
Intriguing...