How to know if your “Human Universe” Equestria is actually related to FIM. 
Greetings, and welcome back to one of the blog posts designed to point out what common sense already should tell you, and what the rules definitely do.
I am Wanderer D, and like many other mods and admins, I have better things to do than this, but alas, it is not to be.
So, class, pay attention.
Can I go to the bathroom?
No.
Is there a tl;dr version of this? I mean, I really don’t want to read too much.
You do realize this site consists, basically, of text... right?
Oh, hey! Yeah! It does!
Anyway, I’ll try and be brief since I have stuff to do. So, see the following text?
"Upon my word," said Fancy Pants, "I believe you are perfectly right. My father certainly could mean nothing more by his request to me than what you say. I clearly understand it now, and I will strictly fulfil my engagement by such acts of assistance and kindness to them as you have described. When my mother removes into another house my services shall be readily given to accommodate her as far as I can. Some little present of furniture too may be acceptable then."
"Certainly," returned Rarity. "But, however, one thing must be considered. When your father and mother moved to Ponyville, though the furniture of Canterlot was sold, all the china, plate, and linen was saved, and is now left to your mother. Her house will therefore be almost completely fitted up as soon as she takes it."
Wow that’s very impressive!
It’s also Jane Austen. The only difference is that the names are changed: Fancy Pants instead of Mr. Dashwood and Rarity instead of Mrs. John Dashwood.
But... that’s not FIM!
Of course not. The fact that even you can realize this is indeed why it boggles the mind as to why there can even be some confusion about it. Now, the key to knowing how to–
Hey guys! I have a new story!
Hey, it’s Obnoxious Writer! They say his cutie mark is a pencil stabbing an eye!
I can believe that. So, OW, what do you have for us?
I wrote a story about a human universe equestria! Everyone has always been human! No ponies at all!
You do realize that “FIM” actually is a “My Little Pony” series, don’t you? By definition, it is supposed to be about ponies.
No, no, you don’t get it. It’s the same, only with no ponies.
I sense that we are not going to agree on that, but, go on. There’s nothing in the rules (so far) against having a human pony.
Wanderer, your skin is visibly crawling.
I know. Anyway, OW, proceed.
So, yeah, I place Equestria in the middle of the Bible Belt where the Mane 6 hate each other and–
You what?! So... it’s actually on Earth!?
Yes, where else would it be?
It could be... you know, its own world? I mean... with its own rules about magic and–
Magic?! Ha! There is no magic in my fic! It’s not real!
So... Equestria is in the middle of the Bible Belt, there is no magic... but Celestia and Luna raise the sun and moon respectively, right?
Oh, Wanderer! You so funny! (secretly I think you’re stupid)
I can read that, you know?
Gah. Anyway, no, Celestia and Luna do not have any powers whatsoever.
Okay, so, you grabbed “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” and you turned into “My Little Human: No Friendship.”What else did you do?
Here! Take a look!
Let’s see...
“No really, they bounce! They don’t feel pain like us!”
Fluttershy hefted the rabbit in her hands and threw it against the wall. It rebounded with a squeak and thumped onto the floor, thrashing it’s little paws about. With a kick of her heel, Fluttershy rolled the rabbit back into its hutch and slammed the door.
“Far out,” Applejack mumbled, munching on an apple. “I’m going to make a tweet about that.”
“Whatever Applejerk.” Fluttershy stumbled back into her kitchen, wiping her dirty hands over her dress and began to rummage amongst stacks of filthy Tupperware containers before pulling out a small blue plastic box. “Aha!” she cried. “Fun times are here again!
“Fluttershy!” Applejack’s eyes went wide and she held onto her cowboy hat out of shock. “You can’t have that stuff here, drugs are illegal! What if someone finds it?”
“Pff you worry too much!” Fluttershy hooked up her iPod to some speakers and began to play some thrash metal as she tipped the contents of the box onto the kitchen worktop. “Anyway, cocaine isn’t a drug, it’s a medicine!”
This...
By the gods above, below and sideways, OW, what the hell is that?
It’s my story! You don’t like it?
But... wait, you not only took away the magic, the pegasi, the unicorns, the goddesses/uber-powerful alicorns... but you also changed their personalities?
Hey, they are completely in character! Applejack has her hat and Fluttershy has her bunnies! Besides, they are humans, they wouldn’t act like ponies!
But how does a crack-head, violent teen qualify as Fluttershy? And since when would she allow her house to fall into so much disrepair?
Wanderer, you only hate it because you’re biased against human stories!
Well I was going to propose that she could have been Discorded, but there is no magic in your world, and “Applejack” seems to think that’s the way she usually behaves... so... do you not understand that that is NOT how Fluttershy would act?
What are you saying?
Let me write down a list of what you’ve told me...
Ponies 
Friendship 
Dragons 
Castles 
Fantasy 
Mane 6 
and yet 
because they are completely OOC.
Would that be accurate?
I think so...
But, they are not OOC! They just led different lives!
OW, I hate to break it to you, but, like I was telling CU earlier, giving a character the name of a pony does not automatically make them that pony. This is so completely different from FIM that you cannot possibly claim, with a straight face, that it is related to FIM.
Let me make it clear:
There is no element that really connects the characters to the show. And this site is about the show.
It’s not about kids with hippie names going to school with other kids with hippie names.
But I don’t want to write about cartoon ponies! They are not real!
If you don’t want to write about cartoon ponies, what are you doing here? There are plenty of other more realistic animations that have human characters that act more like what you are portraying the characters as.
Why name your characters like ponies when they are humans? MLP has always been about anthropomorphic ponies: they have some human-like qualities, like the ability to talk, and how they react to certain things, but they are not humans given pony form.
In other words, fimfiction.net is about My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It’s not about your Detroit: Metal City fanfic with the group manager being the same character, only renamed Fluttershy.
When you submit a story and the F.A.Q. says that it has to have something to do with FIM, we really mean it.
The setting and characters have to be at the very least recognizable. And that goes beyond the names.
But, the Mane 6 are simply archetypes!
No. The mane 6 are based off archetypes just like any other character. But they are not archetypes. They are characters; they have a set limitations to their personalities and they have flaws and they have things they like and things they don’t.
Just look at a dictionary for the definition of archetype:
the original pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a model or first form; prototype.
and of character as is relevant to us:
(of a part or role) representing a personality type, especially by emphasizing distinctive traits, as language, mannerisms, physical makeup, etc.
So, when you make Fluttershy act like a- whatever it is that she’s acting like, you are making her act out of character. What you have there is NOT Fluttershy; it’s a wreck that happens to share the name.
And even if there is a reason for her to be acting that way, it’s not going to relate to FIM because the whole setting... no, the whole world has nothing to do with FIM.
So... how do I know if my fic is related to FIM?
First, ignore the names. Then think about this:
Does FIM take place on Earth? No. No it doesn’t.
Does FIM try to be realistic? No. It doesn’t.
Are the FIM characters American/British/Chinese? No. They aren’t.
It’s one thing to write a story where a pony finds herself in a human body in the middle of Hong Kong, and another thing to have a girl in Hong Kong be named Cheerilee. If that girl acts like and is a genuinely human version of the pony, it’s fine, but if it’s just the name? It isn’t.
I- I see... I guess my fic really doesn’t have much to do with FIM, does it?
No. It does not.
It’s fine, I’ll change the names to ‘Ranma’ and ‘Akane’ and post it on fanfiction.net!
You- yes, please go do that.
Yay!
So... as long as there are recognizable characters and setting the story should be fine?
Yes, CU, I’m glad at least one of you actually paid attention. At least I know to expect better of you. Let’s see how others handle it.
~thanks for the help, Blue, Arc, lam.
What a great story, I would like to read more of that talented prose
Only you makes these hilarious.
Yay! New Wanderer class!
yesyesyesyesyesyes
*grabs a seat and starts taking notes*
Well, I have to admit...
I was surprised CU was actually intelligent back there...
but OW made me cringe.
How do people like that even exist?!
anyways, I agree whole-heartedly. If it's just a names moved over, then it's not the same.
It's true all things is true, wait what?
I take it then that this doesn't constitute a FIM fanfiction.
that was coo! i think it was pretty neat, kinda gives instructions while makin u laugh
good one as always. This will help me big time in my story. Anyway, great work.
Well said. I bet it felt good to get that out .
I clicked on that Detroit: Metal City link with the near soul crushing fear that it would lead me to a story on this site.
this is practically a fanfic itself, ha
That writer is going to be the next Tolkein.
Ooh, this one was actually relevant to my interests! Neato!
Oh, you.
I love these.
Make more, please.
funny but what about lets say one of the mane 6 is stranded on earth becomes human but remembers and finds a way back home and shit will that work?
>"My Little Human: No Friendship"
I can actually see myself trying to read this and that makes me feel somewhat dirty.
284717 CU is learning.
Maybe someday, he'll write great stories....
I actually find these posts useful, but, YE GODS! You may have just single-handedly doomed that site!
Wanderer D, you win the internet for writing the best how-to guides second only the Donkey Kong Country manuals. Just one question what does UC (or CU) stand for?
I really wish these people didn't exist.
At the same time, I'm so glad they exist so that I can read stuff like this. I love your blog posts Wanderer D.
284739
or at least not make stupid comments on other's stories.
Do people actually submit stories like the ones in the examples you use? If so my mind is boggled.
Ya know, I found one of these fics only yesterday, and I could just FEEL this post coming.
Gods dammit, I hate being right.
Somepony should make a story all about ponies tweeting each other and facebook liking each tweet. It will be ponies therefore a completely legit and good story everypony would love to read.
284747 Yeah, that would be good too...
New Wanderer class is in session!
DROP EVERYTHING AND READ!!!!!!
284750
Hell yeah these exist.
Wanna seriously think about killing yourself and everyone around you?
HERE. Don't say I didn't warn you.
284756
It looks like he's on his way though, who knows, one day, he might even be considered a normal person by the other bronies.
If a little odd for his looks, but more or less normal.
284743 CU = Clueless User
At least until Obnoxious Writer came back for the sequel.
Agree 100%.
I wish character and setting didn't validate a story as FiM necessarily, though. I have seen plenty of stories where the characters are ponies and in Equestria, but completely irrelevant to anything related to FiM in any way other than "ponies" and "Equestria".
This is the same reason I tend to dislike adaptations/ponifications. The more removed a story is from the core characters, setting and themes of the show, the less interest I have.
I would rather honestly read a story where the characters are themselves, but not ponies and not in Equestria, than a story where they are ponies in Equestria but not themselves.
OOC is OK when there is a reasonable premise or setting to account for it, but completely changing the personality for no apparent reason is sacrilege.
Selling not so common sense, 2 bits!
284758 I can't even read the whole story. How do people write things like that?
Wanderer D when ever i read your text it is always in the voice of Patrick Stewart
284781
My head has WandererD sounding like Eric Idle just so that it's that much more funny and soothing.
Obnoxious Writer sounds like the the Bum from TGWTG.
284776
Dude, don't ask me. My mom didn't let me drink paint solvent when I was a kid, so I can't even comprehend that level of stupidity.
Great as always, Wanderer!
I take it you don't like fanfiction.net that much?
No, don't answer that
I smiled at the line "There’s nothing in the rules (so far) against having a human pony.". That "(so far)" fills my heart with hope for a better tomorrow. You know like "no hunger, no war, no human ponies". I'll go and listen to "Imagine" now.
I had to do it! I had to play Sephiroth's theme, when OW posted his.... thing he calls writing. It was like the boss troll descending to earth, shrugging his shoulders, using lines like: "umad,umad?", "jelly?", "come at me bro"
and yes I was mad!
284737
I actually have a story on the go that is fairly close to that concept.
Great class Wanderer! This was relavent to my interests.
The fact that you actually had to write this up makes me want to machete my heart out.
WHY would ANYONE NEEEEED A GUIDE LIKE THIS? This stuff? It should be OBVIOUS.
I for one think there should be less HiE/humanized stories period. But that is my opinion.
Wait.
So you are saying I should write a fic where House fights Discord for pills?
Well... if you say so...
284737 yes. he actually said
This blog post was hilarious!
that was practically a fanfic on its own! You should do more of these!
284721
Are they in character?
284861 ........Nope. Well...sort of.
284863
Sort of?
50/50?
30/70 ?
Changeling/cat ?
My little human, no friendship... I"mm looking forward to that stary.
I feel your pain.
I don't know how put up with these sorts. I'd have been sorely tempted to use copious amounts of violence to solve the problem long ago, and I HATE VIOLENCE!