Emergency new story announcement: Quizzical · 9:20pm Dec 7th, 2012
Quizzical, the story of a drab filly. By JMac, a brand-new writer on fimfiction. Sweet, pathetic, humorous, well-written.
Imagine a pony with Twilight's intellect and Fluttershy's self-confidence. JMac didn't do it that way--Quizzical doesn't remind me of Fluttershy at any point, and though I thought at first that he was trying to out-Twilight Twilight, she isn't very much like Twilight either. Quizzical is not powerful and doesn't have a grand destiny. She's just very, very smart, and certain that no one could possibly be interested in anything she says or does. Twilight would feel hurt if somepony laughed at her. Quizzical just assumes that's the way things are and always will be.
Not that it's a sad story. It begins pathetically, but pretty soon Quizzical makes friends with the CMC, who try to teach her that she's worthwhile. Then... other things happen.
I have only two criticisms of the story. One is that around chapter 7, it suddenly turns from a coming-of-age character study to an adventure story. That's not bad, but it happens a little abruptly. The other is that chapter 1 shows you how boring Quizzical thinks she is, and that's a tough way to write a hook. But stick with this one. It's an expertly written story about a vividly-imagined character. It reminds me a little of the King of Carrot Flowers--the protagonist is terribly alone, and has crumpled all her emotions into a little black ball and shoved it far back into her mind, leaving her with a passionless, unemotional exterior, and the pathos is in what isn't shown--that she doesn't flinch or even change expression when slapped. There's no sudden epiphany in this story, no dramatic transformation from caterpillar into butterfly. She's still shy and withdrawn at the end of the story. But not as much.
READ IT. 6 views and 1 like (me) so far.
Funny comments by me and sierra-seven.
Seems interesting. Will read.
On it! It only goes up to chapter 5 though!
584427 The whole story is on deviantart. But I'm not gonna link to it. I'm gonna make you track it, so it gets those favorites!
If Quizzes are Quizzical then Tests are...?
Knew i would get to use that somewhere when i saw the name of the story.
*ahem* carry on?
Looks interesting but is on my read later list for now.
Also , chapter 7? i just counted 5 (if part=chapter of course)
Interesting. Could use some SOL.
584471 SOL?
I imagine the other self-confidence that we find cute and adorable in Fluttershy? Either way, I shall give it a read soon
584489
Slice Of Life.
Insofar as my own opinion can be added to that of our illustrious host to help swing a few more readers: FOR THE LOVE OF PONY READ IT. I only read one chapter so far (I have a LOT of writing to get done. Still, at least writer's block is over.) but it was a study in delight.
584533 You've got over 300 followers! Write your own damn blog post!
584497 There is no Quizzicalrage, if that's what you're asking.
584427 BTW, EQD gave this story 3 strikes. Something's wrong with those people.
584573
I only read one chapter! I can't write a blog post based on that! And I can't read the rest of it because I'm working on A Canterlot Carol and it's going well and I can't possibly...
...who am I kidding. I'm going to read the rest of it, and there's precious little I can do about it. I'll write, ahem, my own damned blog post then.
Also: Three strikes? How?
Sounds interesting, I will give it a look.
584587 You must read the story AND blog about it AND finish your story! We need more of you!
Wait... I have an idea!
584882
I now bestow upon you, and anyone reading this comment, the mental image of hundreds upon hundreds of GhostOfHeraclitus..uh...es?...i? milling about chanting "Footnotes! Footnotes!"
You are welcome.
And I've read the story (which is delightful[1]) AND I've written the blog post AND I...
...still writing my story. I hammered out 1500 words in this sitting. It's going to end up longer than I planned. With luck, we won't have another Whom The Princesses Would Destroy scenario.
[1] Though it says a lot about me, not much of it good, that my first instinct is to think of all the ways it could be made better.