Fan Fiction Flaws #2: Horror · 4:53pm Sep 13th, 2012
First off I have nothing against horror stories, but rather I can't stand the direction they take in this fandom. The average horror fic is usually nothing but a torture-fest, having a character act completely out of character to accomplish said actions.
E.g: Cupcakes, Cherilee's Garden, The Rainbow Factory, etc.
Like, I said I have no issues with the genre. My issue is how it is handled. I'm gonna get this off my chest, there is a severe lack of any fics written that deal with the subjects in the show that are truly scary.
The Everfree Forest
That alone is great material for any horror story. The best fear is the fear of the unknown. It's what you can't see that is truly unnerving. You see along time ago, directors and writers used something called suspense and build up in their stories. Nowadays it's more about gore and spectacle mixed with cheap jump scares rather than any sort of build up. The Everfree forest gives writers tons to work with:
1. It's dark.
2. Dangerous creatures live in it. Story Ideas:Both natural like predatory creatures and supernatural like ghost, restless undead, abominations, monsters, etc.
3. The ponies can't control it.
4. It was once the capital of Equestria prior to the Nightmare Moon incident if you wanna give a reason for a derelict castle to exist in the forest.
5. Since very few ponies go into it there already exist this aura of death surrounding it.
Stories about this uncontoled land and possibly the creatures that have been killed entering it. Tales that span several decades or centuries about the lone survivors that told the town about how their party was horrifyingly mutilated; something that serves as an origin of why the ponies of Ponyville do not enter the forest. Fluttershy's fear of it because she didn't always know about the forest and the origin of that fear. How Zecora lives there and her methods of survival. The Everfree practically writes itself.
The Headless Horse
Every legend has some basis in reality. Twilght's ghost story could have some truth behind it. The idea of a decapitated pony harvesting heads and souls would make for an interesting read.
The Unknowns
Glue, jello, food for the various carnivorous animals like dogs, cats, dragons and griffins.
These are just my opinions on the amount of lackluster horror stories out there and my suggestions for better subject material.
Peace Out.
Read my story "A Window to Infinity." Yeah, it's gonna have a bit of torture in it, but really, the torture is more mental than physical.
America.
I-I want to disagree with Cupcakes, Pinkie was in-character...
B-But I'm not the best writer, so whatever works for you
Well. This brings new story ideas to my head. how do you do that so often?