Nov
26th
2020
How I Write Ponies · 6:57am Nov 26th, 2020
So, I've noticed that my approach to writing the various main MLP characters is generally well-received, but it has not escaped my attention that some of my choices touch the occasional nerve. There are a million 'right' ways to write these characters of course...And the discerning pony of letters may even notice differences between how a character acts in one episode of the show to the next, depending on the episode's writer. All that being said, I want to lay out my general approach to the most common characters I write about here, both to defend my thought process and to be a fun resource for those writers looking for ideas.
To be clear: this is not a be-all end-all guide for writing these characters, nor is it even the best way. It is my way, and is categorized here for analysis of my thought processes in writing, adoration by progeny, and also just because. If you can find some use for it, awesome!
Keep in mind my writing style tends to be very dialogue-heavy compared to the median. So...Let's begin!
Twilight Sparkle
- Smart. Will often blurt out inconsequential and tangentially related facts at inopportune moments in a conversation.
- Is aware she is smart, too. Prone to immense intellectual arrogance, especially when a pony is slow to catch on or 'beneath' her (AJ, RD, 'slow' side characters). This can be titrated up or down for comedic effect, and I generally avoid writing her this way at all in serious stories, or those where she is the primary protagonist. This arrogance does not mean she hates those she is speaking with.
- Prone to attacks of anxiety, but only when surprised or under official Princess pressure. When they come, she's inconsolable (through ordinary means, at least).
- Awards competence more than loyalty. Sticking by her is the minimum requirement: do you deliver results? ("Spike! I don't care about that, what in Equestria happened to the castle!?")
- Has learned to value friendship above all else over time.
- Her relationship with those closest to her on a daily basis (Spike, Starlight, Shining Armor) is entirely context-dependent and can be tweaked based on where the story needs to go.
Rainbow Dash
- Social maturity of a literal child. Cares predominantly about looking cool, personal convenience, and saving face around ponies she looks up to or has just met.
- Corollary to the above: pretends to hate anything that could even be remotely considered 'lame', such as reading, cuddling, talking about feelings, etc.
- Corollary to the corollary: Just as one can trick a child, she is easily manipulated into situations where her real feelings about the above activities come into the light (spoiler: she likes them all).
- Loyalty is the only virtue to which she has attached any adult sense of understanding or importance. She is shattered by betrayal, expects stringent allegiance, and rewards displays of initiative which honor one's chosen path and/or friends.
- The least intelligent of the Mane 6 in terms of raw processing power, and prone to comedic lapses in understanding ("Who are you calling incompetent? I can go to the bathroom just fine!"). But, IQ isn't everything, and she knows it.
- Loves Tank as much or more than her friends.
- Sees AJ as the only worthy opponent in contests due to a similar strength of will and fiery determination.
- Cares about how others see her, but not internally driven or self-righteous, especially after achieving her dream. She's out to enjoy the ride, not recklessly push past ponies in getting to the top. Always makes time for her fans.
- Smol but will fight u
Fluttershy
- Extremely timid around new faces. Only warms up to conversation after some time, or after a personal connection (ie, animals, tea, etc.) has been established.
- Unless chatting about something she has a unique interest in, tends to be a poor conversationalist, requiring repeated prompting or leading questions.
- Prone to exceptional bursts of bravery, anger, heroism, or even wicked fury, but only under specific and intense conditions (think Flutterhulk).
- Second guesses her choice of words constantly.
- Discord, Angel Bunny, or other characters often act as her guardians, gatekeepers, or driving motivations.
- Probably has a thing for Discord but we're not 100% on that, are we?
Applejack
- Stubborn, but not blindly so. It comes from a place of wisdom. After all, if you're correct, being stubborn is the right thing, no?
- Tends to value family ties above all else, including friendship, social rules, etc. Source of potential conflict.
- Speaks her mind. She's simple in education but has a solid head on her shoulders. Together, these mean she is generally the voice of reason in a group if Twilight is not present or otherwise indisposed, although this has the potential to insult side characters.
- Strong work ethic. Rewards others with a strong drive and despises laziness.
- For most of my purposes, considered the least attractive and magnetic of the main group. "Plain" is a good word for her, at least as far as appearance and personal gravitas.
- Has a doggo. Good doggo!
Pinkie Pie
- Lauren Faust had to emphasize in her pitch book that Pinkie Pie is NOT DUMB. I agree.
- However, she is prone to obliviousness, especially to the impure intentions of those around her, due to her overly-pure nature.
- Blind pursuit of fun get in the way of goals and can infuriate others, especially Twilight, Rarity, AJ.
- Absolutely savage in roasting her friends. She isn't trying to hurt their feelings, though; half of it is done on accident!
- Extremely lucky. Has no reason to win, and really isn't even trying, but wins anyway.
- Slightly thicc due to cupcake intake
Rarity
- Prettiest of the group and won't let anypony forget it for a second.
- Prone to fits of histrionics, but don't let her fool you. She never loses control, and even her 'freakouts' are usually cold, calculated maneuvers to manipulate events or influence others (especially males). A natural actress.
- Excessively and even extravagantly generous, especially when it gets others out of her mane.
- Genuinely enjoys high society and its trappings. Embarrassed by her friends and especially her family in these settings.
- Works hard, but not internally driven by work ethic like AJ. Rarity is more propelled by her artistic vision than any sort of inherent need to work.
- Uses unique patterns of diction; French inserts, latin idioms, references to obscure cultural customs, etc.
- Relationship with Spike is entirely story-context dependent. Where does their relationship need to go to make the story progress?
Now it's time for the FUN stuff. I actually find many of the so-called 'Supporting' characters to be more compelling in general, and certainly more fun to write, than the Mane 6. Let's take a look at a selection, shall we?
Princess Celestia
- Mom horse. Has an internal need to love and be loved by her subjects. Will often display doting behavior if she has a particular object of her affections.
- Starved for fun and loves to let lose, with disastrous consequences.
- Excellent diplomat and public speaker.
- Prefers to teach by experience, then example, and then words only as a last resort. What, you think she's gonna fly to your rescue whenever something goes wrong? How are you supposed to learn anything, My Little Pony?
- In a crisis, tries her best to remain calm, cool, and in-charge of the country, but events and characters most often get the best of her.
- Extremely old (I usually joke that the sisters are ~1500 years old). In Celestia's case, this manifests as wisdom.
- Likes to hug you
Princess Luna
- Her entire character is a consequence of her fall and subsequent redemption, as expounded upon below.
- Like her sister, extremely old. 1000 years on the moon has left her out of the loop, and while she no longer has the blatantly archaic speech patterns of the Luna Eclipsed episode, her diction will let 'old' words slip, especially when she is enraged or upset ('Verily' instead of 'truly', 'epistle' instead of 'letter', 'pestilence' or 'consumption' instead of 'illness' or 'sickness', and my personal favorite, 'Physicker' instead of 'Doctor').
- Extremely conservative, but not in the 'listens to Rush Limbaugh' way. More in the 'reinstate serfdom and return to feudal lordship' kind of way.
- Vacillates between a repressed desire for revenge against her sister and a crippling guilt complex. I, too, have a crippling guilt complex, hence why she is so compelling.
- Very physically affectionate. Prone to cuddle night guards just because she can without much thought of emotion or outside impact.
- Brilliant, creative mind. Blisteringly eccentric. Occasionally, completely insane.
- Angers easily, with no tolerance for wasted time, but kind and sweet (in her own way) at almost all other times.
- UwU So Beautiful :3c
Spike the Dragon
- Loves and helps out his Sister-ish best friend, Twilight, but is lowkey always grumbling about it.
- Affectionate and kind to Twilight and Starlight when they're in need of it, but will absolutely clap back if provoked.
- Independent thinker. Will push back against Twilight or Starlight when they are being unreasonable, usually to minimal success.
- Usually holds the moral high ground, but occasionally blinded by need for affection and recognition.
- Has the hots for Rarity, and this ain't no childhood crush, buckeroo.
- Scales may be useful for lava, but do not protect against heat burns from magic, metal, or water-based liquids.
- Saturdays are for the boys
Starlight Glimmer
- Never outgrew her mischievous streak. Still lowkey a little power hungry but is trying her best.
- A trickster with an interesting layout to her moral compass- will tolerate and even encourage what might be seen as immoral or manipulative behavior in others, as long as it isn't too disruptive.
- Can be left out of group's adventures. Finds ways to amuse herself in the Castle or at the Friendship School, but idle hooves are Discord's playthings.
- Like Twilight and Luna, extremely intelligent, often to her own detriment.
- Soft and huggable
- Likes kites
Trixie Lulamoon
- Recently took a genetic ancestry test. Results were compiled and deliverd last week. Lo and behold, she appears to be 100% that bitch.
- Love her for it tho
And that's it. Maybe I'll expand it one day or do a round 2. What are your guys' thoughts?
I may look back at this if I’m starting to forget how to write a character, if that’s okay
Trixie is the best at being that bitch, though.
You forgot to add for spike, that he is also the hero of the crystal empire 3 times.
What a beautiful mind.
Objective fact.
And she'll win, too. The Wonderbolts are a division of the Guard, and she's less likely to be hamstrung by the needs of the plot than the rest of them because main character.
I think you forgot the most important things about Trixie:
(Spoilers for Judgement Day)
Travelled back in time to fight a cybernetic organism which was sent to assassinate Starlight’s father.
Is an unknown but extremely powerful magic user in the resistance agains the technocracy.
Is Starlight’s mom.
Is played by Michael Biehn.
Calculated, definitely. Cold, not agreed. I consider them to be (usually) legitimate expressions of veritable emotion, just exaggerated. She expresses herself more than is necessary.
I enjoyed reading your thought process and how you construct these characters. Like to see the next entry.