#FebFIMFanFicLove · 5:45pm Feb 6th, 2015
A while ago, I told you all about how I became a brony. This is a story I love to tell many times to anyone who will listen. I don't find it particularly inspiring, or anything special, but I do still love telling it, as I love telling many other stories. It's no secret what got me interested in fanfiction of any sort, especially pony fanfiction, but what I feel like I don't say often enough is why I love fimfiction so much. As the title states, I'm doing this for #FebFIMFanFicLove, and I encourage my followers to share their stories and read a few others as well. I'm also making this post to say that I am back to actively working on fanfics, and the long hiatus is over. Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding.
Shortly after I started considering myself a brony, in spite of the connotations that the term had at the time, I found myself in a position where it would be difficult to deny my newfound love of the world I had discovered. From begging to play pony music in the car with my friends to getting caught watching Friendship is Witchcraft by my brother, it was no secret just how much I loved the show and the fandom. At the risk of being a cliché, I was going through a fairly stressful time in my life when I first decided to cling to my new hobby so strongly. Not only was I going through college, but I was also going through more personal problems at the same time. I won't openly admit to being depressed or anxious even if I were, but I will say that the stresses of the time were beginning to take a physical toll. At one point, I even had to visit the emergency room because of it. It turned out that I was fine, but I still had to go back for another test and be monitored for a day. When I was in the waiting room with nothing to do, I turned to the one thing I had been doing for the past few weeks to forget about the stresses and negativity in the world. I had a fairly long list of stories put away that weren't going to read themselves, and thanks to the modern conveniences of mobile internet, I could take my favorite pastime with me anywhere. I remember the story I read in the waiting room quite well because it did its job of distracting me from the way I looked at the world around me so well. The story was Life Scoots and then You Die by shortskirtsandexplosions. Normally, I would have something profound to say about it, but really all I cared about was that it made me laugh. It made me happy. Of all the things in the world that could make me happy and make me enjoy myself, it was reading. Everything I had done for fun before had become such a chore that they weren't enjoyable anymore, and all of the people that I loved were so distant and wrapped up in such negative things that I didn't want to be around them anymore. For once in the longest time, I had found something that could put a smile on my face and bring a tear to my eye at the same time. I found my new passion, and after a while, the pain I had been having finally went away. It could have been my lifestyle, or a seasonal advantage, but I like to think that this beautiful world filled with so many pleasant thoughts and intentions gave me a way to release my former burdens and not worry so much anymore.
Of course, with that being relatively early in my days in this magnificent place, that was only the beginning. I found out rather quickly that the many of the stories I read about this utopic world were just plain better than anything else I've read. Suddenly, the video game stories became tedious in comparison, and romance outside of ponies just seemed ridiculous. All love in the real world prevailed only against adversity, whereas love in the pony world was unconditional. The circumstances were just better, and it was rare to see someone get hurt either physically or emotionally. Of course, there are the many stories where real-life situations are taken on by the characters of this world, but that's not always the point of fiction, at least not for me. My preference is in the fantasy world, and through this venue, I found my escape to such a beautiful place nearly untouched by the troubles that real life could bring. Many people would argue that other fantasy worlds could accomplish the same, but the problem, sadly, lies with the fact that the story eventually ends.
Here, in a place where fanfiction can perpetuate more fanfiction, the story doesn't ever have to end. The first time I experienced this phenomenon is perhaps my favorite experience in my life so far. I came across a story recommended by the friend who showed me this site. They had been reading pony fics for longer than I had known that the show got a reboot, and certainly longer than I cared, so their experience with the stories led me to only get some of the best fics recommended, instead of relying on Equestria Daily or the featured box to tell me what they recommend. The story I found in the list of better recommendations was called Symphonies and Wubs. However, before I actually read the story, I read the description, just to get an idea of what I was about to read, and it turned out to be a side story to yet another fanfiction written by someone else, called Five Score, Divided by Four. Obviously, if you've seen my user page in the earlier days, or know me in some degree, you'll know that this story is my all-time favorite among not only fanfiction, but in general. The very essence of this story is powerful in many ways, but there's another thing about it that should instantaneously catch one's eye. Even in the description, the story states that it 'inspired so many side fics that FimFic had to make a rule banning any more of them!' In a conversation with a friend I met through fimfiction, I pointed this out as well, and I think what I said further elaborates the point quite nicely. As the conversation went, I mentioned that I had seen a lot of talk in groups about the main story. The consensus was that it left the readers wanting more, and some of them felt that it seemed unfinished. On one hand, I could say that it should inspire them to finish the story themselves, and judging by the number of side stories, they would. However, looking further, I found that the stories it inspired were written fairly early in the story's life, meaning they weren't just inspired by the unfinished ending, but instead by the idea of it altogether. I don't want to spoil too much about my favorite story, but I will get back to that topic in a moment. I believe that it is an important thing to note about because of just how inspiring it can be.
One of my favorite things about the story is the fact that it DID inspire so many side stories. Some of them were very well done, and in many opinions, some were even better than the original, but outshined by the main one. To the statements made about the stories, I made three points. The first was that the original left me wanting more, but not in an empty way. The story was told so that the more important parts were the main focus, and it wasn't distracted by how things were to happen afterward. The second point I made was that when the story ended, it opened the world up as it was, instead of constantly changing it. In doing so, it left it open to expand upon by other authors who would want to step in and tell more of the story, without being retconned by the original. The story was so vast and open that it would be impossible for any one person to tell all of it, which leads me to the third point I made.
The story does a fine job of illustrating the nature of fanfiction so well. All of those authors are working together to tell the whole story based on the pieces left behind unglued by the first author. Not all of them get finished, some got cancelled, and others are still in progress, going strong to finish the story and tell it even more. It's a wonderful experience to see so many people who legitimately enjoy something so much that they are inspired to write something based on it. Print is perhaps one of the most unappreciated mediums for telling stories, and yet we come across this site dedicated to a common love of ponies, reading, and writing. I know for a fact that nobody I know in real life will read this blog post, but take comfort in the fact that so many more people in the world will share this incredible experience with me, and enjoy the beauty that this world has to offer.
Now, I'm terrible at transitions, but this isn't an essay for a class or a story that's going to be judged, so I'll just be blunt. I would like to step back a little bit and bring back something that inspired me personally to write fanfiction. As much as this looks like a blog just gushing about Five Score, it just happens to be my biggest inspiration in storytelling. Before that story, I hadn't even considered writing anything. There had been contests and collaborations, but nothing to really interest me enough to go out and tell a story. I loved to read more, anyway. However, the positive quotes for this story speak for themselves. It makes you take a step back and think differently about many of the cartoons you've watched, or stories you've read. Being of slightly more personal interest to me, it did make me think differently, and it changed the way I thought about myself. In a way, it even changed the way I looked at the world and my stories.
For me, fanfiction is about more than just telling a story or asking a 'what if' about the source. For me, fanfiction is about living many different lives in many different universes, all through the means of just writing them. Writing a story is like living it, in more ways than one.
You, good sir, are an amazing person. Not to mention an excellent author. Much better than myself. That's right, I really do think you're better than I am. I find you, and your work, inspiring. I love seeing what you come up with, and I dearly love seeing your comments on my stories.
I'm very glad to have gotten a chance to talk about ideas with you. You have amazing insights.
As you know, I've enjoyed what you've been writing but the big point it seems you've been making, that fanfics in general continue a universe beyond its originators intent, I agree, and I feel the same about the main five score story. I've tried to continue it as best as I'm able to, and as always, I love your comments both privately while developing the chapters, and your public comments after posting. Go ahead and keep it up my friend.
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Thanks guys! And yes, I love furtheruling a universe beyond the creators' intents, just the same as I love diving even deeper into characters' psyches and and seeing what they're made of.
Furtheruling is not an unintentional typo.
Furthering/ruling
Are you guys going to do this blog thing as well? I've only seen 3 so far.
I don't typically blog, sorry.
2774909 That's understandable
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I don't generally blog much either. Though I will join in spirit, as a lot of what you talked about are things I feel as well. I think a lot of what you went through is, unfortunately, a common theme in the brony background. I know it was for me.
2774934 I will admit that a big part of it was the contrast between reality and fantasy, but even if that weren't the case, I would still love the pony fics. It's quality entertainment and it's just plain fun for me. I am glad to hear that these stories make other people feel the same way, though.
Unrelated, I want more Trixie emoticons on the site. We should have Maude by now, too.
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Agreed on the emoticons. Always need more Trixie ones, and Maud would be good too.