Feb
9th
2016
Let's Talk About Writing Luna. · 10:33pm Feb 9th, 2016
Okay, I need to vent for a minute, because I'm seeing some writers who are still writing Luna the way she was presented in "Luna Eclipsed", even though Luna has not spoken that way since that episode, and doing it really, really badly.
People...Luna doesn't use the Royal We anymore. She doesn't use archaic "thees" and "thous" anymore. She speaks in modern, slightly formal English.
So write Luna speaking modern, formal English.
No thees. No thous. No hasts and haths and comeths. No Royal We.
Watch "Sleepless in Ponyville." Watch "Twilight's Kingdom". Watch "Bloom and Gloom." Watch "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?".
THAT IS HOW LUNA TALKS. WRITE LUNA LIKE THAT.
Thank you, that is all.
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MythrilMoth · 486 views
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This mistake even slipped into the IDW comics in 2013, and this was after they had previous issues in which Luna spoke normally. Thankfully, she has spoken normally in all other issues.
I like how the comics depict Luna best, better adjusted but still having a few outdated social skills and dialogue, and then she slips into the RCV and old english as a sort of verbal tic.
Something you read made you mad or was it something else?
Huh, I think I made this mistake in one of my earlier stories...
Least I won't make it a second time, thanks for the tip, Moth.
3743878 A story that updated last night, yeah.
Ha! One step ahead of you compadre, I already wrote Luna without using the Royal 'We' and and archaic speech! Victory for those who notice stuff!!!
Unless, of course, the story is set during or prior to the events of "Luna Eclipsed."
Otherwise, yeah, allow Luna to speak in the common vernacular.
"So, like, we wuz up in da sky, rite? Checkin' out all da ponies' hallos 'n' dreams, ya dig? Then I saw Burple Boom--"
"Apple Bloom."
"Yeah yeah yeah, dat li'l figga, 'n' she wuz fuh-REEE-kiiiin! Cuz o' her cutie mark."
"..."
"Ya dig?"
"I... dig. And please have the guards summon Twilight Sparkle and tell her to bring whatever books she used to bring you up to speed with modern Equestria."
"Bogus, sista, dat's bogus."
"Please don't."
Also, if you're going to write a pre-Sleepless in Ponyville Luna story, write her in proper English, and get someone who knows what they're doing to edit her prose.
"Don'tst" isn't a word, and never has been.
I've written her both ways, correctly and at the right points in time!
3743896
3743886 Anyway Mythril, I do tend to have Luna speak normally, the only time I've done Ye Olde English, was when she is speaking to Solaire in my current Dark Souls crossover, and even then, only to him. Any time else she speaks in modern English
For the most part I agree. That said, I do like the occasional AU where those events never happened, and Luna is hopelessly archaic, provided it is done well.
I'm five books into Austraeoh at the moment, and while I absolutely love Luna's (occasional) role in the stories, oh man... total Early Modern English Fail.
EMEF. It needs its own bloody tag.
3743896
LOL, right?
3743919 Yeah,
skirtsIC should really edit more carefully, and definitely should learn how to use archaic English properly. Far too many writers just don't know what they're doing with that stuff. At least Luna's appearances are few and far between.Of course, considering Austraeoh isn't even edited at all and is still pretty quality-consistent...
Do we really need to hold to canon so tightly? I don't see it as the final word to be obeyed at all costs everyone else seems to see it as. I see it as more of a suggestion, a jumping off point for my own ideas and creativity to flow from. So canon Luna doesn't talk like that. I don't care, mine does. So canon Twilight is princess of friendship. Cool! Mine's princess of stars! That one over there is still a unicorn! This one's a pegasus! Just because I got a ride on the shoulders of a giant doesn't mean I need to follow that giant to its destination. I've got two feet, I can walk myself anywhere I want! My creativity sets me free from the rules of reality, it doesn't shackle me to the rules of another one.
3743933
Yeah, I just started following SSE a few days ago, and when I learned that those things are written in an hour or two sans editing, I was flabbergasted. Then again, there's a lot to be said for editing...
Back to the topic at hand, I haven't read the comics, but in fanfic I'm totally with 3743877 - my favorite Luna is when she's figured out the language difference, but still has a dim grasp of modern culture and may have the occasional outdated verbal tic when stressed.
3743941 It really depends on where your divergence point from canon IS. In any case, my point is that writers who don't know how to write that style of archaic English should stick to writing Luna the way she's been portrayed since season 3.
Now I want to write/find a story where some other character comes in speaking archaic English and Luna just going 'finally, somepony I can talk to properly'
but y'know, all archaic and shit3744030 Then say that. Say, "Hey guys, don't write Old English if you don't know how to write Old English. If you're not sure you know, then you probably don't. Either make Luna speak normally, or learn how to do it right." Say what you mean, don't hide your point behind other silly points like following canon. If you notice, this comment itself is an example of getting to the point.
Yes, I'm a bit of an asshole. But my point is clear, isn't it?
3744072 But for the most part, FiM fanfic writers who butcher archaic English are trying to write Luna as pre-S3 Luna and failing miserably when their stories are set long after Luna stopped talking that way, which is what my original point was, and the "don't butcher this Shakespeare/Bible shit" point is tangential to that. They're really the same point, just specific to the only character that's written that way with any degree of regularity.
Of course, you knew that already.
They also could be writing between Season 1 and Season 2, which actually makes less sense, since Luna spoke normally in the pilot.
Although sometimes, it can work, depending on time. If you're writing before Luna Eclipsed, then fair enough. It also makes sense to have her slip into it for a short time after that, because she is still getting used to the speech. On the most part though, she speaks normally, so should also be written normally.