"A Guide to Herd Dynamics" Under Construction and Questions · 3:50am Dec 28th, 2017
Once again, playing the bullshit game with my readers.... if I still have any. In either case, more work will be done on 'AGHD.' Mostly minor changes and cleaner, smoother flow. Also, as he's gained more of a personality, I've realized I've made him too 'dense' without actually giving clues as to WHY he's acting this way. So, yeah, that should make it more interesting as well as add more pony flavor to what's essentially become human MLP with cosmetic changes. Hopefully this will get me off my lazy ass because this is starting (aka way past) to become a major problem. I have so many plot bunnies but I'm not gonna get started on them until I get this fic at least partially complete! But yeah, that.
However, I also have some questions for my readers - of the changes I make, some major ones may or may not take place depending on basic polls.
A) Should I continue this story in 2nd person or change it to a more common 1st/3rd person?
B) Should I give the MC an actual name or continue with the nameless tactic thus far. If he is given a name, it will still be rather stupid (heck, might even keep him as 'Anon' but only because he hates his 'real' name more. (...I have ideas.) Also, future fics involving this plotline would be from perspectives OTHER than the MC's... and calling him the nicknames under the M6's POV would get very annoying after a while.
C) To make things happen quicker, should the chapters be split up more to give a quicker update, or are you fine with rather bulky sections?
Any other questions or concerns, ask them. Because the more pressure on me, the more likely I'll act with them
Till I here from all (any) of ya.
I’m personally fine with bulkier updates. Can’t wait to see its reconstructed results. Keep up the great work you’ve done
I say writ it in whatever view you want it, Im fine ether way. About giving him a name I say if you keep it in secend you really don't need one but if you change it to 1st or 3rd you should think about giving him one. And I'm fine with bigger updates.
Here are my answers:
A: 1 person/ third person.
B: You could give him a name that is a close approximation in the ponies language. In one story I have read the human went by Peaches becuase that was as close as could be managed due to language differences.
C: I prefer shorter chapters as they can be done faster and are faster reads.
Personally 2nd person was always very confusing for me to read so I would like to see the story change to a 1st/3rd person view, as for giving the MC a name I would like to see a name for him so that the mane 6 doesn't just keep using nicknames Because it'll eventually get annoying to read but also some people would probably feel some sort of connection to the MC if he had a name
His name can be simple like Ben, Darren, Alex or Dominic (Don't really see that name used often) or whatever name really
As for the chapters I prefer bulkier ones but if you can't make one then I can definitely be fine with small ones, either I don't care as long as these chapters are well made and planned out well
I'm alright with the longer updates but I do agree with the concensus: make it third person and give him a name. Having him as Anon makes sense when hes a blank slate but this character is an actual character with a personality and characteristics. Besides the readers are going to project themselves into his role anyway so no need to avoid giving him a name.
A) Either works, though I favor 1st and 3rd.
B) Keep it Anon.
C) While I'm no size queen, bulkier is better. Growl.
Second person, I'd say. It's one of the things that keeps it from being like most HiE-Harem-Fics.
I would love to see bigger updates and switch it to 1st/3rd person 2nd person irks me for some reason and it would give the main character a chance to have some good characterization development.
Well, a week late and different year... I guess. I'll give you my two cents, but we got rid of pennies and round down, so it would literally be worth nothing.
A: Keep the 2nd person. On a personal note I find it engaging without having to tack on some additional personality, which segues into the next bit.
B: keep Anon/nickname, or inherit a new earned name (if Cup Cake started out as Chiffon Swirl, Brad Bradstein can become something else). 2nd person/ Anon allows a nice flexibility in filling in missing or vague details the same way our brain can fill in the scotoma in our field of vision: it just is. I find it charming.
And lets face it, a named human protagonist inevitably ends up as CJ from Cincinnati, Mark from Minneapolis, occasionally Luke from outside London, or some other focus group style name. We know people like that, it's average and impersonal. It's never Deet from Kuala Lumpur, or Gaetan from St Remy de Provence, or some other Anonymous sort. Though if it's a really off the wall and unrecognizable it's fine as a stopgap 'realistic' anonymous; Ryns from St. Germain in "one of the territories".
C://dir/w ... heh, reflex. Cop out answer, but 'go with what you think works'. If it flows, don't break it up unless there's a natural pause. If it's short, go for it and don't feel like you have to pad the wordcount like a 19th century penny dreadful serial writer.
🤞just hoping you come back to finish herd dynamics