Site Post » [Interview] determamfidd's It Takes a Village · 3:27pm Jan 11th, 2013
Originally posted to the Vault on 1/14/12.
Growing up is an adventure unto itself, especially when you're a dragon living among ponies.
[Slice-of-Life] • 147,700 words
Spike only wants things to stay the same. Time, however, has other ideas. He's going to need a lot of help...
Hit the break for a chat with determamfidd, and links to It Takes a Village out on the ponynet. Don't forget there are nice clean ebook copies waiting for you at the Vault's Downloads page!
FIMFiction • FanFiction.net • deviantArt • Pony Fiction Archive • Equestria Daily
Where do you live?
Queensland, Australia. It's coming up to summer right now, and ye gods is it hot.
What kind of work do you do? (i.e. are you a student, do you have a career/day job, etc)
I'm a schoolteacher, actually! Hence the ridiculous vocabulary, and the urge to correct things in pens of two colours.
How did you discover My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic? When did you realize you were a fan of the show?
I was mucking about on the internet late one night, and a friend of mine had posted a picture of pretty cartoon ponies with a caption on her journal. I laughed. Then I went to discover a bit more... and that late night turned into a very early morning because just one more episode, just one more...
Do you have a favorite episode?
Oh, gods, I have no idea. I love all of them!
Who is your favorite character based purely on the canon of the show itself? Would your answer change if you considered the fandom in its entirety (i.e. art, fanfiction, memes, etc)?
Twilight Sparkle. I like that we share so many qualities: nerdiness, a fanatical love of books, learning and history, meticulous organisation, microscopic attention to fine detail, a certain stark-staring brain-bending insanity... Fandom hasn't really done anything other than turn like into obsessive adoration.
How did you come up with your handle/penname?
I mashed a few words together! I like that sort of thing. It's a cheap way to feel clever :)
Have you written in other capacities (other fandoms, professionally, etc)? When did you first start writing?
Never professionally, but yup, I have been a writer in a few other fandoms. I started out writing for X-Men, but I quickly ditched those stories because ohgawd the shame, they were terrible. After I got a bit older, I ventured into fandom again, this time writing stories for Doctor Who. I still want to write some more DW someday. I love him – all of him. I've written a Sherlock story, a few Megamind one-shots, a very long How To Train Your Dragon two-part saga, and some Avengers. Bruce Banner is my spirit guide.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Read. And read. And read. I am running out of house in which to keep my books.
But they keep releasing them! It's not fair! How am I to resist? Their flirtatious little covers, their sexy spines, the elusive scent of their pages... hummina.
Who is your favorite author (published or fanfiction)? Do you have a favorite story or novel?
That's an impossible question. Arrgh. I've always loved sci-fi and fantasy, however. I can list some favourite authors: China Mieville, Jasper Fforde, Terry Pratchett (VIMES FOREVER), JRR Tolkien (I re-read everything every year), George RR Martin (Tyrion is my favourite - which probably means he's about to die because Martin kills everything you love), Douglas Adams, Ben Elton, Anne McCaffrey, Spike Milligan, Robin Hobb, Guy Gavriel Kay and so, so many more. I love comics as well, and have collected for a few decades now. Favourite titles are Incredible Hulk, Usagi Yojimbo, X-Men, Avengers, and Hellboy.
Stephen King believes that every author has an "ideal reader" - the one person who they write for, the one person whose reactions they care about. Do you have one, and if so, who is it?
Not really. I just sort of write. I try to stay within the general spirit of the source material, even if I get a bit darker or more complicated. Hopefully it helps the fans of that source material connect with my stuff.
Do you have any tips for aspiring writers, or writers who are struggling with their own stories?
Get a good, interesting and strong concept, one that can provide the overarching theme for your story. If every scene in the story cannot be in some way tied to that concept, you're getting a bit far afield and it will lack coherence. For example, the theme for It Takes a Village was ‘Spike is growing up. How does that affect everything?' The whole story and plot was aimed at exploring that concept.
Also, if you're stuck, keep pushing through it. Write something – anything – down, get past those two or three pages that are giving you grief, and move on. You can come back and edit them afterwards – just get to a point where the words flow again.
What is your typical writing process? (Do you work through multiple drafts, do you have any prereaders/editors, etc?)
I kind of just sit down and write. Sometimes I have an idea of where the scene is headed, but not always. I've always got a general idea of the story arc in my head, but the characters often react to the situations in ways that surprise me. I try to see the scene and describe it, and I always, always try to hear my dialogue in that particular character's voice. I don't really do drafts or a huge amount of story-planning: I prefer to let it grow more organically.I don't always have a pre-reader, but occasionally a lovely reader may offer to look over the next chapter for me and tell me where they think it seems weak.
What inspired you to write It Takes a Village?
I have a ridiculously soft spot for the underdog and the outsider. And Spike, that little infant dragon who is loved but still excluded, bossed about, and generally seen as a bit of a joke or nuisance (even though he's very brave and loyal and a child-worker, let's not forget) tugged at my heartstrings. Poor little guy. I now know that there are approximately one gigajillion stories about Spike growing up, but I hadn't read them then. I wanted to read a story about what could happen, and how his differences could be both blessing and curse. Also, dragons. Are. Awesome.
Did you run into any tough spots or challenges when writing It Takes a Village?
A couple. There were some hairy moments in Chapter 16 when writing the riot. I'd already built to the climax in the big fight on Horsefall Mountain, and so this second, smaller climax felt somewhat... less. I tried to inject a bit more into it, but I'd spent a lot more time on building the conflict between Spike and Razorfang, and so the conflict between Spike and the scared/prejudiced ponies sort of took a backseat, which lessened the stakes of the riot. If I were ever to rewrite it, that's probably what I'd change.
Also, writing Zecora is hard. That line, "That doesn't rhyme"? Came about because I was about to cry with frustration.
When you set out to write It Takes a Village, did you have any specific messages or themes in mind?
Definitely. I set to work with the initial concept, as I said above, but I selected a few themes to help explore this. There's loyalty, family, belonging, prejudice and bigotry, acceptance despite all difference, growing up, finding your place, fighting for acceptance, and hope. I think that's most of them.
Where can readers drop you a line?
Get in touch through any old site! I'm on FIMFiction, Deviantart, Fanfiction.net, and I've just joined the Pony Fiction Archive and the Archive of Our Own. So. Many. Formatting. Styles.
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Because ponies.
I love that story. Awesome interview.
That's a pretty good list of favorite authors. Either ones I've read or ones I've been meaning to read, with a few I don't recognize but I probably should look up based on the others. Vimes forever, indeed.
Edit: Oh yeah, great story too.
One of my top five stories. Really wonderful - humourous, thought-provoking, and heart-breaking.
I have sung the praises of this work since the night I finished it in one breathless reading. I was glad that I waited for it to be completed before I read it, because if I had been in a position of having to wait for new chapters I probably would have had an aneurism. The work captured everything that I've been trying to capture about Spike and his complicated world in ways that are so much more fluid and emotionally moving than I feel I've ever been able to replicate. This story breathed such life into his relationship with Twi, the ponies, and his world at large that I've never really been able get past comparing every Spike story to it ever since. It is the yardstick that I measure all such works against... especially my own...
Spike is best pony. He has the most compelling potential backstory of any character in the story apart from the princesses, and he wears his heart of his metaphorical sleeve. This work displayed that with an unerring grace, and I can only thank D once again for bringing it to the fandom.
I remember reading this when it first came out on FimFiction. I'm really pleased to see that it made it into the Vault, it's been on my top fives list for a long time.
VALIDATION!
(Sorry, I'll top that now.)
700428
Yeah, but how do you really feel about it, TD?
This one of the only "old guard" stories in ponydom that I've had the time and inclination to finally work my way through, and I'm very glad I did so. There's so few stories and so few authors that are capable of really treating a concept in a real, enduring, and mature way, and It Takes A Village is one of the best.
So many writers simply see a goal, and something to fight to get to the goal, and leave the story at that, but ITAV went so much farther, seeing how there's good and bad in everything and everyBODY, and the need to harness that into something greater.
It's good to see writers who really understand that no story is ever really about just one thing. A coming-of-age tale will encompass a hero's journey, or a tale about losing family also deals with finding love and courage, and I just got the impression when reading ITAV that the author was just as much along for the ride as I was, just discovering the story even as he wrote it. I love those stories.
Also, I highly approve of your reading material. Samuel Vimes FTW, sir. FTW...
Determamfidd is certainly an author I like and admire. Every story has a lot of thought and creativity behind it and are a pleasure to read. Although I don't see Determamfidd as often as I'd like, it's always a pleasure to share some stories, catch up and read.
It Takes a Village is probably my most beloved Spike story, period. Unlike many others, Determamfidd doesn't fall into the limitations (or imho silly notions) imposed by rabid fans of the RariSpike (not that there's no good ones out there), and rather builds his character into maturing in a believable way and realizing there's more to love and life than a childish crush on a beautiful mare. His interactions with the characters, the drama and the world-building are all intriguing and yet touched just enough to improve the story rather than flood it with useless information.
This one really deserves it's place in the Vault.
Sheesh, I've had this fic in my read later list so long, and was planning to read it before it hit the Vault. Guess I'll just start now anyways.
It's funny, I don't think I've ever read a story that's been inducted into The Vault. Guess I should start...
701237
I don't ever remember seeing you comment on a Vault post, either. Is the space-time continuum about to implode?
701242 What are you- Oh, that's right, I was (in)famous for something.
Nah, I'll read The Vault blog posts from time to time, full of seething envy and eternal hope that one day I'll get there, being the attention whore that I am. It seems so glamorous...
Methinks determamfidd would get along with Twilight.
Eh, I've had this story in my read-later list for such a long time. It's high time I did something about it.
Right after finishing Background Pony. //dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Lyra_dealwithit.png
701252 It is.
701252
701445
There's limos and champagne and everything. Truly, we spare no expense.
701452 Oh my.
700428
Now, granted, I haven't yet read It Takes a Village, but I'm 99% positive you're selling yourself short, there. Just sayin'.
It Takes a Village is easily the best fic with Spike as the central character.
A solid fic with a strong beginning. It's probably the only story to actually make Spike an interesting character, which is a damn good achievement in itself, really.
Vimes is best cop.
Thank you for the great story, and interview.
It Takes A Village was the second pony story I ever read a few months ago. Great story, great author. It's cool that its going in the vault.
I am happy to have read it takes a village as well as this interwiew.
Also:dragons. Are. Awesome. Is the best line here!
As such I cannot belive you didn't mention Christopher Paolini or Naomi Novik in the author list
You also didn't write in J.K. Rowling!
No mater we all forget.
What is this 'vault'? And how does one gain access to it?
"It Takes A Village" is definitely one of the best Spike fics I have ever read, and one of my top ten favorite fics overall, I believe. It's great that it's getting the recognition it deserves.
I remember when I first read it: it was only on fanfiction.net at the time. X3
700428
Pretty much what you said, only I had the patience to wait for each chapter.
715920
The Vault is my attempt to collect and preserve what I consider to be the best of the best ponyfic. Once a week I add a new story.
As for getting in, that's a highly detailed and scientific process in which I read stories and decide if I think they're really amazingly excellent. If I do, I send the author an invitation.
717061>>700323>>703971>>703252>>702195>>701625>>700472>>700367>>700323>>700509
Afffgl thank you sooo much! It is such an honour to be placed in the Vault with all these amazing authors, I am blushing LIKE MAD I tell you.
714204
OH GOD I DID FORGET HEAPS ARRGH
There are just too many! I could also have written Anthony Bourdain, Heinlein, utterly anything by the magnificent Phillip K Dick, Ursula LeGuin, Frank Herbert, Erik Van Lustbader, Verne, HG Wells, Roald Dahl's short stories, Poe, John Green, Alexander McCall Smith, Robertson Davies, and whoa, so many more. I just love reading.
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SAM VIMES FOREVER. Suspicious bastards, unite! (and then look suspiciously at each other). Never forget to wear your lilac and place a beartrap in every shrubbery. Plus, damn kings, damn the aristocracy and damn vampires. Yes.
Also, Detritus for Best Character Development in a Police Drama.
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I'm going to have trouble getting my swelled head through doorways! *bluuuuuush* OMG, you guys. Writers I admire who like my work, arrgh, it is the Best of Feelings. I appreciate so much and am so very humbled by your praise, thank you thank you thank yooooooou!
706528
Oh, you! *hugs*
701452
I call mine the Swagmobile.
It is Glorious.
788400 Oh, you know you deserve it!