A Puzzle Unsolved, or how not to write a crossover · 6:22pm Jan 20th, 2014
So my Agents of SHIELD crossover just got posted, and I'm here to tell you why you shouldn't read it.
I don't know how popular that show really is, but I don't see a whole lot of discussion about it on the various internets, so I'm assuming "not overly". As I've written it with an audience who knows both ponies and that show in mind, I thus have to conclude that not many people are gonna read it. And I'm fine with that. The whole point of the story was exploring a silly idea in the most serious and pretentious way possible, and I did that thing and I'm pleased with how it came out.
That hasn't stopped me from spamming it into every group I reasonably can
But let this be a lesson. This story breaks one of my cardinal fanfic rules, which is that crossovers must be accessible to anyone unfamiliar with the non-pony side. For this story, you could miss the emotional climax if you're simply not up to date with SHIELD. And for sure, if you don't know ponies, the identity of the love interest is going to mean zip. So I've definitely written myself into a corner here, but it's what I wanted to do. This is the very definition of "writing for oneself", and I am prepared to see it fall short of even a hundred views.
Already read it. Already loved it.
1739667
YOU COMPRISE ONE-THIRD OF THAT NARROW AUDIENCE, SIR
I was going to comment on your story, but I think it's better I comment on here. The story was well written and really delivered on the emotional part, but I didn't really felt much for it since I don't watch SHIELD (I have watched Avengers though). I know enough to tell me who the character on the other side of the mirror was, but again, I can't say I was completely in love with this tale because of that fact.
To be honest, I read this piece as less of a crossover-and more as something you wrote. That alone made me like it. Had I known the finer details of SHIELD and whatnot, maybe this would have struck my fancy even more.
Regardless, the fact that you wrote this for you is not only what all other writers should strive for, but the reason I felt this story was really good.
Might as well post my little issues here: parenthesis in the story felt a bit out place, and some sentences, I felt, could have used a comma. That's really it.
1739678
The good audience.
Oh pp chan :(
Just wanted to say I hold the same cardinal rule of Crossovers, but I still completely understand why this story exists, and support it for that reason. I'm glad you had fun writing it!
1739678
Your story hasn't even been out for a day, dude. Give it time.
Also, have you noticed many people putting Agents of SHIELD up against Arrow? It seems that the shows are similar enough that I'd be surprised if there aren't a lot of people taking sides. But all I've seen of that from what little I've looked into the issue is that Movie Bob greatly prefers Agents of SHIELD to Arrow while the AV Club has the reverse opinion.
I know little of SHIELD canon, so I'm not qualified to remark upon that, However!
I can go one better. I have a half-finished MLP/Bucky O' Hare fic on my laptop. Beat THAT for crossover obscurity.
Oh look you wrote a story I will actually read and then possibly like and/or criticize like a mofo.
And while I agree that accessability is important, so is writing for oneself and writing for an audience.
I consider blending the IPs as much more important than accessability. After all. The people who don't know the crossover care about it far less than the people who do.
Not to mention complaining about the accessibility and clarity of a crossover is really fucking hypocritical when you have AU fics like The Archer and the Smith that get rave reviews while being completely inaccessible and explaining nothing and having little to no resemblence to it's IP.
1739686
Yup. :B
Also you should totally watch Agents of SHIELD, it's p. good. :B Maybe I shoulda said that in the blog.
1739969
OH MY GOD SCRIBBLER I WILL READ THE HELL OUT OF THAT :D:D:D
1741279
But A&S is a wonderful piece of writing. :(
1741381
And many wonderfully written crossovers are dismissed due to being crossovers despite being far more accessible and comprehensible.
Treat crossovers as AU fics. A&S could easily be a crossover. If you were never told, you would never know the difference.
Personally I would rather see unfamiliar characters galavanting with the ponies I love than see the ponies I love made unrecognizable.
I won't be reading it because based on what you say I don't know enough SHIELD to appreciate it, but I commend you on finding your niche and labeling appropriately.
1744555
fanfic is dumb :|
Fimfic. It's a magical place.
1766364
Please let me die D:
You realise that KNOWING that the Cellist is actually Octavia opens up so much. The clairvoyant is clearly Mystic Pinkie feeding everyone information from beyond, and her goal is to drive Coulson back into the arms of Octavia because Octavia has a MYSTERIOUS secret. The truth is that everything you wrote about in the story on Octavia's side is also implanted memories, and she is being held under top secret lock and key at the SHIELD Sandbox Facility.
It's all about her, obviously, and SHIELD wiping their memories was to not have to kill the two of them for what they know. Pinkie needs this information in order to dominate and control Equestria, and is engineering a series of events she was inspired to do by watching all the Marvel movies in her 4th Wall Dimension Headquarters.
And of course, the secret they're hiding?
Octavia and Coulson's rap battle mash up powers. They are the ultimate champions at duo freestyle and Pinkie needs them to crush Celestia once and for all.
And then Princess Fartsock shows up and that's when things get REALLY messy.
...
Write it.
1768341
NO
I AM NOT EXPANDING THIS
also you are sillyGET OUT