Ranking The Writers of FiM, From Worst to Best (Version 4) · 1:41pm Oct 30th, 2018
It's that time again, time to rank all the writers from worst to best. Since there's so many of them, trying to explain why each one ends up where they do would take forever, but you can ask if you're curious and I'll try my best to explain. Here's the previous version, from the end of Season 7. Like always, I mean no disrespect to any of the DHX staff, and just like before I'm not counting Jayson Thiesen, Jim Miller, or Lauren Faust. The former two were directors and the latter was executive producer for Season 1 and then a consulting producer until the end of Season 2.
Kim Beyer-Johnson (Episodes written: Non Compete-Clause)
Nicole Dubac (Episodes written: Shadow Play Parts 1 and 2 (Collabed with Josh Haber for story) School Daze Parts 1 and 2 (Collab with Michael Vogel), Marks for Effort, A Matter of Principals, School Raze Part 1)
Josh Hamilton (Episodes written: Parental Glideance, Triple Threat, Secrets and Pies, Fake It 'Til You Make It)
Betsy McGowen (Episodes written: Power Ponies (Collab with Meghan McCarthy and Charlotte Fullerton))
Teddy Antonio (Episodes written: Keep Calm and Flutter On (Credited with story, Episode written by Dave Polsky))
Neal Dusedau (Episodes written: Princess Spike (Story by Jim Miller and Jayson Thiesen), What About Discord?, Applejack's "Day" Off (Collabed with Michael P. and Will Fox for story))
Kevin Lappin (Episodes written: Honest Apple, To Change a Changeling, Uncommon Bond (Collab with Josh Haber))
Chris Savino (Episodes written: Boast Busters, Stare Master)
Barry Safchik and Michael Platt (Episodes written: Campfire Tales)
F.M. De Marco (Episodes written: 28 Pranks Later (Meghan McCarthy credited with story))
Merriweather Williams (Episodes written: The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well, Hearth's Warming Eve, Putting Your Hoof Down (Collab with Charlotte Fullerton), Dragon Quest, Wonderbolt Academy, Spike At Your Service (Collab with Dave Polsky), Bats!)
Michael P. and Will Fox (Episodes written: Gift of The Maud Pie (Collabed with Josh Haber for story), Applejack's "Day" Off (Collabed with Neal Dusedau for story), P.P.O.V. (Pony Point Of View) (Collabed with Kevin Burke and Chris "Doc" Wyatt for story), Forever Filly, Discordant Harmony, Yakity Sax)
Kevin Burke and Chris "Doc" Wyatt (Episodes written: The Times They Are A Changeling (Collabed with Michael Vogel for story), Viva Las Pegasus (collabed with Michael Vogel for story), P.P.O.V. (Pony Point Of View) (Collabed with Michael P. and Will Fox for story), Friendship University)
Gregory Bonsignore (Episodes written: Sounds of Silence)
Kaita Mpambara (Episodes written: Horse Play, A Rockhoof and a Hard Place)
G. (Gillian) M. Berrow (Episodes written: The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows, Fluttershy Leans In, Daring Done?, Grannies Gone Wild, The End in Friend)
David "Dave" Rapp (Episodes written: Newbie Dash (Collabed with Dave Polsky for story), Flutter Brutter (Meghan McCarthy credited with story), Where The Apple Lies (Collabed with Meghan McCarthy for story), The Parent Map)
Josh Haber (Episodes written: Castle Mane-ia, Simple Ways, Leap Of Faith, Bloom and Gloom, The Cutie Re-Mark Parts 1 and 2, The Crystalling Parts 1 and 2, Gift of The Maud Pie (Collabed with Michael P. and Will Fox for story, episode written by Michael P. and Will Fox), On Your Marks (Collabed with Dave Polsky for story, episode written by Dave Polsky), Stranger Than Fanfiction (Collabed with Michael Vogel), The Fault in Our Cutie Marks (Collabed with Meghan McCarthy for story, episode written by Ed Valentine), To Where And Back Again Parts 1 and 2 (Collab with Michael Vogel), Uncommon Bond (Collabed with Kevin Lappin for story), Shadow Play Parts 1 and 2 (Collabed with Nicole Dubac for story), Molt Down, Father Knows Beast, School Raze Part 2 Movies written: Equestria Girls: Friendship Games)
Sammie Crowley and Whitney Wetta (Episodes written: A Flurry of Emotions, A Health of Information)
Cindy Morrow (Episodes written: Griffon The Brush Off, Winter Wrap Up, The Show Stoppers, Owl's Well That Ends Well, Sisterhooves Social, Family Appreciation Day, Read It and Weep, Hurricane Fluttershy, One Bad Apple, Apple Family Reunion, Tanks for the Memories)
Corey Powell (Episodes written: Sleepless in Ponyville, Just For Sidekicks, Rainbow Falls, Inspiration Manifestation (Collab with Meghan McCarthy))
Charlotte Fullerton (Episodes written: Look Before You Sleep, Suited For Success, A Bird In The Hoof, May The Best Pet Win, Baby Cakes, Putting Your Hoof Down (Collab with Merriweather Williams), Power Ponies (Collab with Meghan McCarthy and Betsy McGowen))
Noelle Benvenuti (Episodes written: Maud Pie, Made in Manehattan)
Natasha Levinger (Episodes written: Pinkie Apple Pie, It Ain't Easy Being Breezies, Make New Friends, But Keep Discord, Scare Master)
Nick Confalone Episodes written: (Party Pooped (Story by Jim Miller and Jayson Thiesen), Hearthbreakers, No Second Prances, The Saddle Row Review, Dungeons & Discords, Rock Solid Friendship, The Maud Couple, The Break Up Break Down, The Washouts Specials written: Equestria Girls: Forgotten Friendship, Equestria Girls: Rollercoaster of Friendship)
Ed Valentine (Episodes written: Flight to the Finish, Three's a Crowd (Collabed with Meghan McCarthy for story), The Cart Before The Ponies (Collabed with Michael Vogel for story), The Fault in Our Cutie Marks (Josh Haber and Meghan McCarthy credited with story))
Scott Sonneborn (Episodes written: Somepony to Watch Over Me, Trade Ya, The Cutie Map Parts 1 and 2 (Collab with M. A. Larson, Story by Meghan McCarthy), Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep? (Story written by Jim Miller and Jayson Thiesen))
Meghan McCarthy (Episodes written: Dragonshy, Call Of The Cutie, Green Isn't Your Color, Party of One, Lesson Zero, Sweet and Elite, Hearts and Hooves Day, A Canterlot Wedding Parts 1 and 2, Crystal Empire Parts 1 and 2, Princess Twilight Sparkle Parts 1 and 2, Three's A Crowd (Collab with Ed Valentine), Inspiration Manifestation (Collab with Corey Powell), Twilight's Kingdom Parts 1 and 2, The Cutie Map Parts 1 and 2 (Credited with story, Episode written by Scott Sonneborn and M. A. Larson), Rarity Investigates (Collab on story with M. A. Larson and Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco), Flutter Brutter (credited with story, episode written by David Rapp), 28 Pranks Later (credited with story, episode written by F.M. De Marco), The Fault in Our Cutie Marks (credited with story alongside Josh Haber, episode written by Ed Valentine), Where The Apple Lies (Collabed with David Rapp for story, episode written by David Rapp), Top Bolt (Collabed with Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco for story, episode written by Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco) Movies written: Equestria Girls, Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks, My Little Pony: The Movie (2017) (Co-Collab with Michael Vogel and non pony writer))
Michael "Mike" Vogel (Episodes written: A Hearth's Warming Tail, Spice Up Your Life, Stranger Than Fanfiction (Collab with Josh Haber), The Cart Before The Ponies (Collabed with Ed Valentine for story, episode written by Ed Valentine), The Times They Are A Changeling (Collabed with Kevin Burke and Chris "Doc" Wyatt for story, episode written by Kevin Burke and Chris "Doc" Wyatt), Viva Las Pegasus (Collabed with Kevin Burke and Chris "Doc" Wyatt for story, episode written by Kevin Burke and Chris "Doc" Wyatt), Every Little Thing She Does, To Where And Back Again Parts 1 and 2 (Collab with Josh Haber), School Daze Parts 1 and 2 (Collab with Nicole Dubac), The Mean 6, What Lies Beneath Movies written: My Little Pony: The Movie (2017) (Co-Collab with Meghan McCarthy and non pony writer), Specials written: The Best Gift Ever)
Becky Wangberg (Episodes written: Hard to Say Anything)
Jennifer Skelly (Episodes written: Buckball Season)
Brittany Jo Flores (Episodes written: Once Upon a Zeppelin)
May Chan (Episodes written: Not Asking for Trouble, Marks and Recreation)
M. A. Larson (Episodes written: Swarm of The Century, Sonic Rainboom, The Cutie Mark Chronicles, The Return of Harmony Parts 1 and 2, Luna Eclipsed, Secret Of My Excess, The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, It's About Time, Ponyville Confidential, Magic Duel, Magical Mystery Cure, The Cutie Map Parts 1 And 2 (Collab with Scott Sonneborn, Story written by Meghan McCarthy), Slice of Life, Amending Fences, Rarity Investigates (Collabed with Meghan McCarthy and Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco for story), Fame and Misfortune (Rewritten by unknown author)
Amy Keating Rogers (Episodes written: Ticket Master (Collab with Lauren Faust), Applebuck Season, Bridle Gossip, Fall Weather Friends, A Dog and Pony Show, Best Night Ever, The Cutie Pox, The Last Roundup, A Friend in Deed, MMMystery On The Friendship Express, Pinkie Pride (Collab with Jayson Thiesen), Filli Vanilli, Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3, The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone, Canterlot Boutique, Crusaders of the Lost Mark, The Mane Attraction)
Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco (Episodes written: Castle, Sweet Castle, Rarity Investigates (Collab on story with Meghan McCarthy and M. A. Larson), The Hooffields and McColts, Gauntlet of Fire, Top Bolt (Collabed with Meghan McCarthy for story), Celestial Advice, All Bottled Up, A Royal Problem, The Perfect Pear, Movies written: Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree)
Brian Hohlfeld (Episodes written: Surf and/or Turf, The Hearth's Warming Club)
And there you have it. Come back tomorrow, when we'll look at the Top Five Weakest Writers of FiM.
Though I respect your opinion, I would be very sad if there was a list made that ranked the users of FiMfiction from worst to best.
I can't really rank them all, but AKR and Dave Rapp would definitely be among my favorites
This list is really hard to follow. I’d recommend bolding and/or underlining the names and maybe separating the writers with paragraphs.
Why is Meghan McCarthy so far number 1? Also, no offense to them, but what's so special about Brian Hohlfeld, May Chan, Brittany Jo Flores, Becky Wangberg, and Mike Vogel that makes them higher than her? Also, just as a note, I don't think having writers who've only written 1 or 2 episodes is a good idea, because you don't really get a feel for their writing style and how good they actually are from that little.
4960551 I disagree. You don't get a second chance to make a first impression, your first writing endevor can make or break your reputation a lot more than it would've in years prior. If someone can write a good first episode, that usually bodes well for their future as a writer, whereas someone who writes a bad first episode is more likely to fade into obscurity as a writer.
As for the writers, it's the overall quality of their writing that puts them there. In Brian's case he is the only one without a single dud to his name. Josh Haber unfortunately got two bad episodes at the very end of Season 8 that sank his reputation: "Father Knows Beast" and "School Raze Part 2".
Well, it's true that you only have one chance at a first impression, but it doesn't actually show how good a writer they are. That may be true, but neither of Brian's episodes were amazing. Especially not Surf and/or Turf. A Hearth's Warming Club is very good, but I don't think it puts him as the best writer in a show with so many great writers. Also, he may not have any duds yet, but that doesn't mean he won't. That's why 2 episodes isn't enough. I'd say you need to see at least 4 or 5 episodes to be certain about how good a writer is. And consistency and overall quality is very important, which again, can't be determined with a few episodes.
So...2 episodes out of like 20 completely soil Haber's reputation? (and it's not even like School Raze is bad, but I'm not gonna get into that here).
So what about Meghan McCarthy? She has so few bad episodes, and so many great episodes. And she has some of the best two parters and she made an episode that turned the main character into a great character. I understand not putting her first, but I don't understand at all putting her 10th.
4960588 I'm going by personal quality. Meghan's two parters are usually in the good/great range but they're not foolproof and they're never usually considered the best episodes of the show or their respective seasons. For Haber, having two really bad episodes hurts his overall quality and I'm going by most recent writing. If he ended the season on a high note he'd be higher, as I'd be confident he could improve. Nick Confalone would've been a lot lower if he hadn't ended the season with "The Washouts" which restored a lot of faith in his writing for me.
4960590
Actually, A Canterlot Wedding, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Twilight's Kingdom, and debatably The Cutie Map are some of the most beloved two parters.
Ok. I don't think that's really what matters, but if that's what you do, then that's fine. And again, what about Meghan makes her 10th? MLP the movie, The fault in our Cutie Marks, Top Bolt, and Where The Apple Lies may not be the best demonstration of writing, but I don't even think that warrants 10th place.