Answers from the Q & A · 7:04am Oct 28th, 2018
Dear Bronies and Pegasisters,
I figured that it's about time that I come around to answering the questions given last week. Once again, I'd like to thank you guys for following me and here's to hoping that I will still produce more interesting stories for those who read them.
But anyway, let's get straight to the questions. And I have to say, there's a good size amount here, as well as some thought provoking ones so let's get started.
Cloudy Arrow asks:
which mlp character would you snuggle[?]
Easy! It would be this guy right here.
Man, the guy is adorkable.
Kamen-Zero asks:
I actually have a couple of questions, if you don't mind.
By all means, ask away!
Question the First: What exactly inspired you to start writing fanfics for MLP? Or just writing in general, if that's easier.
Ya know, I didn't start to write fanfics right off the bat. If anything, before I discovered the fandom I was writing short stories in general, and even a novela. I guess the simple fact was that I fell in love with stories be it from books or the cartoons I've watched. But ever since I gained the encouragement to write since the 4th grade, I did quite a bit of trial and error to see what types of stories just clicked. To be honest, finding this fandom was a lifesaver for my creative writing because I honestly thought that my own (and pardon the pun) inkwell had run dry. But once I found MLP, and the creations the fandom had produced with comic dubs, fan animations, fan fictions even, I've decided to give it a try and, well, it stuck ever since. Almost never did my creativity run dry.
Question the dos: What would be your advice to someone who is trying to write a story, yet can't seem to figure out how to start/word it? A dumb question I know, but let's just say... I know a guy, that totally isn't me, who could use an answer to that question >_>;
In that case, I'll humor you. To be honest, it's rather difficult to say since I have been writing since I was probably around 11 years old. But I guess with every story I've ever written, I came up with three simple rules.
Rule #1: Write a story the kind of story that you yourself want to read. From personal experience, I write the stuff I did because of the interests I had at the time that I wanted to write about. In some cases, I research the things that I think would be necessary to know such as when I did with my Beethoven story. Yet, even if you know what you want to write about, the most important thing you must have is to have passion about writing it. After all, if you are not invested in it, why should your audience.
Rule #2: Always remember that the first moments of your story are vital. While giving your readers a set up is necessary, the way you want to get your story going is, apart of establishing where, when and what is happening, there must be a quotation from a character or action to be started off within the first five paragraphs. I myself tend to get easily board and rarely read on if the first five, ten, fifteen paragraphs are nothing but explaining what's going on. To quote from my favorite book of all time, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," in which I think is essential for any story: "What is the use of a book without pictures or conversations?"
Rule #3: Is that just as trying to figure out how to start a story is good, you also need to know when to end it. In other words from my favorite book. "[You] Begin at the beginning, go on until you get to the end, then stop." While I technically make up most of the stories as I go, at least I have a vague idea how long they ought to be.
MLPGal asks:
who ate my cheese cake?(that was not me, a friend hacked my account) how long have you been writing?
Let's see, since I've estimated that I have been writing since I was 11, and I'm 25 years old, that would mean that I have been writing for...14 years now. Huh... I've realized that I have been writing for so long that I simply haven't noticed how long it's been.
Marshal asks:
What's your credit card number, expiration date, and three numbers on the back?
42.
His Holiness TheVClaw asks:
Congrats on the 500 followers!
Why thank you!
I guess my question would be... if you had the opportunity to re-write an episode of MLP to improve on any flaw or missed opportunity, what would it be?
Ooh, now this one is quite the challenge, ain't it? While there are a few that come to mind such as giving more additional hesitation for the Crystal Ponies when Thorax was introduced for the first time or give Stygian (aka, the Pony of Shadows) more development as a character and his motivations, there is one that comes to mind: The season opening to "School Daze." If I was on the writing staff in which time wasn't the issue, I would think that I would show the school being constructed, as well having the Mane 6 figuring out how to balance between their busy lives on top of teaching too. Because, let's face it, aren't these ponies have enough going for them with all the stuff they've did previously. Plus, I think a better explanation for why Twilight decided to rope them in as teachers knowing they have lives of their own would be of some help. Oh, and I'd probably give a little bit of background to the students as well because, to be honest, these kids did grow on me during the season that I honestly think they're becoming the best part of the show. (And don't get me started with the possibilities with Gallus and Sandbar, otherwise I'll be here all day.)
Arthor2017 asks:
What are your expectatives for Season 9?
To be blunt, I don't think it's wise to give expectations as this show is notorious for surprising us Bronies unexpectedly. I mean, who could have predicted that Twilight would become an alicorn? Or Changelings can become good? Or Starlight to become Twilight's student? Or heck, opening up a school on Friendship? In truth, I don't have a clue what is going to happen with season 9. However, if this will be its final season, I think that if they're gonna go before going to Generation 5, I think they're gonna go out with a bang. I mean, it only makes sense to viewers that have been watching for so long.
musoperatica asks:
My only for you is Were you always into classical music as a kid? in the prologue of your sequel (title escapes me right now...sorry about that.) with inverno where he criticizes some pony else's music. I was wondering if that's based on anything in your real life or not?
It might come as a surprise that, not really. I mean, apart from watching Fantasia, I wasn't interested in Classical music. I believe it was when I was in Jr. High school that, for whatever reason, my curiosity was sparked. First with a kid's version explaining the use of storytelling in Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf." Then I ran into the 4th Movement of Beethoven's 9th in which, for the first time, I sat down to listen to the whole 20 minutes of it and I wanted to hear where it goes. But I think what really sold me was discovering the movie "Amadeus" (or at least, the clips of it). From there, after I discovered that the composers like Mozart who made their music weren't all these dry, boring people whose music was meant for background noise, but experimental, challenging, and deeply emotional.
As to the opinion that Inverno gave when he listened to modern pop music for the first time, I confess that it's more of a reflection of my own as I have been listening to classical music from different time periods that I tend to find the more uninspiring ones as a joke than anything.
Selena Quintanilla asks:
Did you ever imagine having such an astounding reception from your stories when you first started on this site? You works have reallly made a lasting impression on many people's lives.
You wanna know the most ironic part in of all of that? In truth, when I first started out on this site, back when I had no audience to speak of, even though I really wanted to, I never thought I would get this far. Or even close to it. If someone told me back in 2014 that in about four or so years I would gain a following of half-a-thousand people in which that I would make an impression on people in one way or another, even though I myself would never see - I'd laugh. Hard. Because back then, I honestly thought that since nobody listens what I have to say in real life, what chance in Hell would I have here? If anything, when I first started, I thought that I would be in a way, playing to an empty theater.
But the thing about me is - even if I hadn't an audience, you'd probably still see me making stories. Like I've said, the stories I write are the kind that I wanted to read from because, let's face it, I know deep down that nobody will. I write my stories, even if there was no such possibility of viewing, (and this goes as to why I will never ask any of you for money or commissions) is that in a way, I write these stories because they are the kind that I'd like to read. A selfish reason, I know, but in a way, like my idol Beethoven, I too "Rejected what is universally human for what is individually human."
So did I ever expected to gain over 500 followers? Never. But even so, it's times like this that I'm glad that all of you proved me wrong in thinking that I wouldn't made an impression on anyone. For that, all I can do, is simply say, thank you.
Signed, your fellow writer and closeted Brony,
- CrackedInkWell.
Dang near everyone I'd say, the only real question was how.
Personally, I'd have liked to see Celestia hearing about, and reacting to, Neighsay trying to wreck literal centuries of diplomatic progress.
saw this post like several hours ago When seeing my name i freaked out with happiness...i'm noticed. omg thank you so much! if we ever meet in rl (real life) i'm gonna hug you with permission of course;) i forgot to put in the word 'question' well...curses! blame my allergies because i haven't been able to sleep for weeks until last Wednesday.
4959237
hi. i can answer that question for you...Laruen Faust (who created the show) had been interviewed where she wanted ''twilight to succeed celestia'' also a game officially by Hasbro itself where you play with twilight sparkle then suddenly she becomes an alicorn! forget where i had heard this information believe it might have been in a brony analyst video?
either people blew it off as some 'weird little computer game' or forgot about that fact entirely. also i don't think they (Hasbro) expected so much rage from the fans of mlp.