Interview with Present Perfect · 12:54pm Oct 19th, 2019
Interview with Present Perfect
by Nailah
“Alright, now tell me my dear friend, what inspired your username?
Response:
When I joined the fandom, I decided I needed a pony name for myself. I looked at the things I was good at, came up with "English stuff, I guess" and consulted a list of grammar vocabulary until I decided "present perfect" was the pony-soundingest phrase among them all.
“What drew you into Mlp?
Response:
A higher propensity for appreciating cute things than the average dude from 2011, and a best friend who fit the same bill. Seriously, he literally sat me down on his couch with a few other friends and said, "You are watching this show now."
And then I became a huge brony and he didn't. Living well is the best revenge.
“Who is your favorite pony and why?
Response:
Boy, that's a loaded question these days.
I mean, my first favorite pony was Fluttershy. I saw her in episode 1 and was filled with that "must protect" feeling that I'm sure a lot of other people felt at the same moment. Over the years, though, I've had to admit that Rarity had a much better character arc. I mean, if anyone qualifies as a "best pony" in my mind, it's her.
Except, y'know, Sunset Shimmer exists. I'm not sure why I like her so much, but I do. Maybe it's just that we've been so up close and personal with her struggle for redemption. Like, it's kind of come at us blow by blow, and it took a lot more than one episode or special for her to really stick with the whole 'friendship' thing.
...Except, like, I think my favorite pony right now is Tempest Shadow, and I actually cannot explain why save that my type is apparently angry mares who solve their problems through violence, c.f. Limestone Pie. :B
“Favorite episode and why?”
Response:
Amending Fences, hands down. For a long time, it was Party of One, for just how subversive it was in a show that was already subverting expectations for little girls' entertainment. But then came Moondancer and her big gay feels for Twilight, and I just can't not love this horse who is everything Twilight could have been if Celestia hadn't sent her to Ponyville. Recolor or not, she's the dark mirror held up to Twilight Sparkle, and through it we're presented one of the show's greatest challenges: confronting your past. It's not easy, and those tears are well-earned by the end.
I still wonder if the target demographic gave a darn about that episode.
“What inspires you to write?”
Response:
Everything?
Ponies don't inspire me as much these days as they used to, though as I write this, I have literally just posted another fic on Fimfiction and am planning about three more in quick succession.
I write because I have to, and I get inspiration out of everything from passages in other stories to single typos. You'd be amazed what a typo can inspire.
Still, if I wasn't writing about colorful horses, I'd be writing more original things, because I need to write. And the writing would be a lot worse, lemme tell you, because finding a large, strong community like this to produce in is not an easy thing!
“Tell us about your favorite story, and why it inspires you to write. It doesn't have to be mlp specifically!”
Response:
I mean… I'm pretty sure if we're talking "favorite story that inspires me to write," it'd be the one that starts "Once upon a time in the magical land of Equestria…"
I don't know what it is about ponies specifically that has caused me to devote so much time and effort to writing. I mean, I watch and have watched all kinds of shows. But I've never been moved to write about Adventure Time or Star vs. the Forces of Evil. I've written one Steven Universe story, one for Sentinels of the Multiverse, and one for Bleach just because I had a bad idea I needed to release from my head. None of my Transformers fics have been anything like serious. I have exactly one idea for Harry Potter. Compare that to my 120-page document of MLP fanfic ideas, to say nothing of the stories I've actually written. Why the disparity? I don't know. I also feel like I'm getting off topic.
My favorite MLP fanfic is In the Place the Wild Horses Sleep by Lucky Dreams. (You can find a short list of stories I think are the absolute bomb on my user page.) As a kid, I was a big fan of the Dragonriders of Pern series, as well as Redwall. More recently, I read a lot of The Dresden Files. I've been revisiting Harry Potter via audiobooks lately. But I haven't actually read real, published stories in quite some time, though, because, well, ponies. They require a lot of time.
“Give us the background of the author! Tell us all about you. Well in a short summary.
Response:
I'm a guy from Ohio who's unemployed and trying to change it, and depressed and trying to change it. Ponies are my life right now. I run a Youtube channel very few people are interested in, but I keep doing it because it amuses my friends and I think I'm far more entertaining than I actually am. I have a cat who's really old and not doing so well. I named him Fireball because he looked like the fireballs from Super Mario Bros. when he was a wee babby. I like 2D platformers, JRPGs and puzzles games. I watch way too much Mario Maker on Youtube.
Mostly, I just like it when people pay attention to me and don't get mad.
“Is there anything else you'd like to say?
Response
Every day, I find new reasons to be proud of the Fimfiction community. I myself will continue to ride this train until the wheels fall off. Keep being excellent to each other. Thanks for listening to me.
Thank you for allowing me the pleasure of interviewing you, you have truly been a pleasure to talk too. I hope you continue being awesome.
-Nailah.
Link to Fimfiction page: https://www.fimfiction.net/user/923/PresentPerfect
if you would like an interview of your own, DM me. It's that easy. I promise I don't bite....
much.
Why is half of the fandom always depressed?
Thanks again for doing this! :) It was fun!
5142193
A little bit of "the world is a dark and terrible place", a little bit of "brain chemicals are dumb".
Though why the preponderance of the latter is a good question...
5142193
Many reasons, though I have often found it is more writers in general who are depressed (a lot of time spent with our own thoughts or wrestling inner demons) and this being a writing community... It is a useful tool to channel if you are an emotion writer though a dangerous line to walk. Of course, this is just personal speculation.
Thank you to both PresentPerfect and Nailah. Good to see another of these interviews.
*Edit* Forgot. Head pats for Nailah.
5142205
Yeah the headpats are a must for her
5142198
5142205
Well, I don't know if writing really is the problem, I write to since years and no depression or unhappines, though, when I go to the conventions, they are full of depressed people too. So many people can't deal with their life, or are not willing to change the stuff that makes them unhappy. I am just wonering why Fim became a magnet for those people.
5142218
Well, that's nothing to wonder about: MLP:FiM presents a bright, cheerful world where problems have actual solutions and people are nice to each other. It's a solid escape from all the stuff we have to deal with in our world. And like Tael said, something something suffering for your art.
"Amending Fences" is one of my favorites. The other day I was updating the metadata in my S5 episodes and noted this little factoid: according to Wikipedia's list, "Amending Fences" was the second lowest viewed episode of season five† just barely topping "Princess Spike". Now, it must be noted that the episode in question was aired on July 4th which certainly affected U.S. viewership, but this only brings to question why any new episode would be scheduled on that day if the mythical "they" thought it deserved attention, which it did. Personally, I'd have buried "Princess Spike" on a "what kid's gonna be watching TV?" day.
5142268
That is why all us depressoids find solace in FiM and its fandom.
† - I don't intend to argue that "the numbers" are perfect in anyway, just relative to one another and interesting in regards to your comment.
NB: Edited for stupid typos (dammit)
This is awesome. Nice work for both of you.