543510 Fahk?

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What brought you all together?

A shadowy cabal of hooded figures summoned me forth from a boardgame, in the middle of an abandoned dog park.

What made you decide to form this group?

Whispers from a dark pyramid.

Who's idea was it in the first place?

The group was conceptualised by a random number generator that only produces the number three.

How do you select reviewers?

They're chosen by democratic election, held by a tiny nation that lives under lane five of the local bowling alley.

Why are you all such butts.

543510

how is babby formed?

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When a mommy helicoprion and a daddy squirrel love each other very much...

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Csquirrel456 ship confirmed. Gotcha.

Would you rather...

A: Fly around the world on the back of Celestia while listening to your favorite music artist.

Or...

B. Create a new world order with Derpy Hooves.

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You make it sound like someone would even consider anything but option #1.

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I'd rather have option #2 because muffins. Lots and lots of muffins.

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Okay, i have no idea if this is going to make sense, but i'll give it a shot. Two different friends i know have two different approaches to writing (this applies to non-fanfiction stuff, too, for the record), and i was wondering if you could list (in your opinion) the pros and cons of each method, and which one is ultimately preferable.

Friend #1 has "inspiration of structure". They get a brilliant idea for a plot, for the point A and the point B and the series of events that lead to there. They lay out the structure's backbone, fill in what happens in between the plot points, then begin writing the story in proper.

Friend #2 has "Inspiration of moment". They get a brilliant idea for an image - a scene, a set of dialogue, a short series of actions, or maybe even just a single moment - and then try to build up a story around that moment, using what comes before and what comes after to frame whatever it is they have in mind. If they have multiple strong images related to the same setting, characters, etc. , then they try to fit the backbone to the events, fill in what happens between them, then begin writing the story in proper.

Not sure if I've phrased it so that a difference makes sense - I could say "the first one starts with the big picture first and sticks dramatic moments in later, and the second one starts with dramatic moments first and sticks the big picture in later", but i'm not sure that entirely covers it either. Thoughts?

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Wait, so... this is like a serious question about writing? You're not just asking me to rate the best pony butts*? This isn't what I signed up for at all!

Well, I'll dodge some of the cop-out answers even if they're true, like that you technically want both of these elements in your story, and that starting the outlining process with one doesn't preclude you from brainstorming about the other. I'll also mention that brainstorming processes are fairly personal, based on how your own brain works, so YMMV on switching your brainstorming style; it may be more productive to keep your current style, and simply be aware of / compensate for your limitations.

Strictly in terms of pros and cons, I like the "structure" style better, having the clear understanding of where you're going and how you're going to get there. Plus it's much more Vonnegut-style, getting you to start as close to the ending as possible. In terms of outlining, it lets you take a "top-down" approach where you're saying "Okay, if the next scene has a romantic dinner, what stuff needs to happen before then? What aspects do I want to flesh out in the current scene?" The downside would be, of course, that it's very easy to start with a very vague idea, like "I want to write a story about this dangerous magical ring, which an unassuming hero takes on some grand adventure to destroy," and be slightly overwhelmed at fleshing that out into the LOTR trilogy.

Starting with an event is a lot easier, emotionally. You think "wow, I really wanna write a scene where Rainbow and Twilight are strapped together in an aerial dogfight" That's how lots of plot bunnies start, especially for comedies. But then the immediate question you need to answer is "Okay? That's just a single scene. How do I turn that into a story? What's my lead-in? What's the conclusion? Is there any sort of message to this fic, or is it just an excuse to show off this cool scene?" It's the same problem you find in video games a lot. "Okay, our artists just finished this amazing FMV or built this gorgeous set piece. Author, go figure out how to wedge this into the plot... somehow. It doesn't really need to make sense. Our fans have low standards anyway."

Like I said, you ultimately need both, so I can't really say that either of them is the wrong place to have your initial inspiration. But you'll still generally want to move into an outline phase ASAP, and that either means taking your high-level plot summary and fleshing it out with emotional scenes, or starting with an emotional scene and building a story around it. But at least personally, even if I start with a cool scene in my mind, I need to create a story idea around it ASAP, otherwise it's just an amorphous blob in my mind. So for me, starting with the "structure" feels more natural.

* Best Pony Butts
1) Pinkie Pie (probably the closest we'd get to Backy in the canon cast)
2) Shining Armor (dem soldier buns, mmm)
3) Princess Celestia (praise the sun)

but(t?) see, "shining armor" is not how you spell "derpy hooves". Seriously, though. Thanks for the post - i'll keep it all in mind.

Oh crud i forgot that this was supposed to be a question-based thread. UHH WHAT OBJECTIVE CATEGORIES WOULD YOU USE TO RATE THE QUALITY OF ONE PONYBUTT OVER ANOTHER.

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Oh jeez I forgot about Derpy wait wait I need to rethink my answer

okay, so let me run this one by you:

I dislike [character x]. However, i realize that [character x] would be absolutely perfect in [story y], given the dynamic of [story y] and how [character x] interacts with [character z] in [story y] - and [character z] is a character that i DO like.

Should i use [character x] in the story after all, or should i replace [character x] with [character A], a character who i like but who fits [story y] less well? will i write a more compelling story if i enjoy all of the characters involved, or should i use the characters that fit the best regardless of that fact? And are there any tricks that you would recommend i use to mitigate the problems of either option: either finding ways to make [character A] fit the story better, or finding ways to make [character x] more enjoyable to use?

-PMB

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Should i use [character x] in the story after all, or should i replace [character x] with [character A], a character who i like but who fits [story y] less well?

My kneejerk reaction is that you answered your own question. You know which characters are right for your story, so use this fic as a challenge to branch out into other characters and to grow yourself as a writer. Even if you personally like a character less, the characters who you're good at writing isn't always 1-to-1. You might surprise yourself, or you might discover more about the character as you sit down to write them.

Will i write a more compelling story if i enjoy all of the characters involved?

And yet... this is a thing. I feel like it's apparent when an author is enjoying themselves versus not enjoying themselves. So on the one hand, you don't want to stymie your potential and refuse to grow, but you also don't want to give yourself a prompt which you know you'll hate and/or will struggle with.

And are there any tricks that you would recommend i use to ... []find] ways to make [character x] more enjoyable to use?

I'm drawing a blank for generic advice, outside of I guess "get to know them better". Watch their episodes again. Ask around in fanfic groups for "the best [character x] character pieces" to see what fellow authors can do with them. Try to put yourself into their head and see the world how they see it. The mane cast and a lot of the secondary characters have some good depth and nuance, so as an author there's a lot that you can potentially work with.

And are there any tricks that you would recommend i use to ... [find] ways to make [character A] fit the story better?

This'll be easier with a concrete example. Let's say I have a have a great idea for a TwiShy romance fic, set back in Season 1 where they're both awkward, shy, and not good with expressing their emotions. It could be lighthearted and fluffy, and maybe a nice daww moment as they help bring one another out of their shell. One problem: in this hypothetical scenario, I can't stand writing Fluttershy. I do love Rarity though. Does that help?

Well... not exactly. Fluttershy is one of the few ponies less assertive than Season 1 Twilight, and Season 1 Fluttershy in particular is really defined by her timid, introverted nature. Rarity on the other hoof is all about pizazz, Canterlot culture, extroversion, and the like. If you just attempt to hot-swap Rarity for Fluttershy, the entire chemistry of the fic changes. (That's not limited to Romance fics; it's the most apparent here, but really it applies to all genres.) Since they are different ponies, it will be a different fic.

Still, you do have options. Outside of completely rewriting your fic with Rarilight in mind, you could attempt to capture some of the original TwiShy flavor. The most obvious way to do this would be to invoke some sort of dark secret, like that Rarity is not the extroverted socialite we see her as. She presents that facade in order that she might become a successful dressmaker, but in private she's actually much more reserved or even timid. Armed with that, you could still evoke some of the general themes of TwiShy while still making this unquestioningly about Rarity. The downside, of course, is that this trope gets used a lot, and can be a bit of a crutch. Making a character's dark secret the point of the story can create an interesting character piece, but if you're only using dark secrets because "I want her to be named Rarity but for her personality to be unrecognizably different," then that's just being lazy.

The other alternative would be to use an alternate character. Luna has been shown to have social difficulties, despite being a Royal Canterlot Voicing princess, so a Twi x Luna fic (or, for Gary Oak's sake, a Tuna sandwich) would carry similar themes. Cheerilee or one of the Flower Sisters could be reserved to levels comparible to Fluttershy. Heck, don't forget OCs! Perhaps a bit dangerous in a Mane Six shipfic, but a well-developed OC will give you the freedom to use exactly the character you need, rather than the closest match from the stable. But then my question to you is, if you can't write Fluttershy, yet you feel that you could write a Captain Ersatz named Yellowquiet, then why is that? What is it particular to Fluttershy that you find so unengaging, if you feel that you could write several other similar characters?

Anyway, long ramble aside, I hope that some of that was helpful.

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tl;dr: using appropriate characters in appropriate situations is appropriate a good idea

Okay, so next question:

Angst. How can it be done right? What are some pitfalls (obvious and not-so-obvious) to avoid when trying to make fear, grief, despair, etc. feel genuine, and not silly? I'm referring to situations and contexts, but also to things such as word choice and sentence structure. Apologies if it's a vague post; i'm not sure how to make it more specific at the moment.

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In a word, empathy. Your reader needs to feel or at least clearly comprehend the other character's emotion. If the reader feels sad, and feels sad for your character, then you can generally handle things with a lighter touch and let the reader's own feelings carry you through.

The classic bad example is the start of le cliche HiE fic. You know the one: where the protagonist is sad and has no friends and their only source of happiness is watching MLP and gosh they wish Pinkie was real and then they cry themselves to sleep. It's comical. We're getting an exposition dump right at the beginning about how sucky life is, but because we hopped right into this person's life without seeing it unfold, it's a serious case of Show Don't Tell. Even if we were shown a bit, the protagonist is instantly unlikable. Yes sure, there are a number of people for who this show and this fandom helped them get through some dark times, but this cliche protagonist has nothing else going for them. MLP is their sole island in a sea of suck, and so we the reader have nothing (aside from "likes ponies lol") that we can use to empathize and bond with the character. So it just results in narm.

For whatever reason, my mind is gravitating to video games rather than fiction, but storytelling is storytelling I suppose. Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope is a particularly notorious example. Suffice it to say, one of the protagonists encounters a moment of extreme trauma where Edge blames himself for the destruction of Earth. They're ridden with grief; makes sense at first blush. As I recall, the event in question landed pretty well emotionally, at first. Hours and hours later, the character is still being a whiny little shit, and even the party members (i.e. the writers) are telling him to get his shit together. A moment that could have served as a driving catalyst (revenge? honoring the past? "i won't let this happen again"?) instead just killed this character's arc dead in its tracks, and turned him into a joke. And sure, you can argue "ooo, but grief takes a long time to get over. I want this to be realistic." But here's the thing: when your close friend is sad, it hurts you and you want to cheer them up. When a random stranger is sad, they're a complete buzzkill and you want to get the hell out of there. And honestly, sometimes? Authentic realism is not always your main focus, not when doing so would directly detract from reader engagement.

A better example of doing it right is the new King's Quest game, which I'd absolutely recommend if you're a fan of the series or Sierra games in general, though if you're pinching pennies at the moment, Steam Train is in the middle of their playthrough. When Achaka meets his end :( and the other characters feel sad, you the reader player fully empathize with those feelings, and both you and the characters are catalyzed into action as a result. The writers essentially are giving narrative purpose to that sadness, and the sadness moves the story forward. This doesn't mean that all sadness has to temper the character's resolve, nor does it mean that your world can't be arbitrarily cruel. But when your characters become sad, the story must move forward. I mean, if it didn't, then why did you include this in the first place?

Let's talk combat sequences, then.

What are some general rules of thumb, would you say, regarding how to make fighting ponies appear cool? How can quadrupedal/occasionally bipedal combat still look stylish, given that it's a fundamentally different sort of paradigm? are there any particular ways that pegasi/unicorns could pull off combat stunts that are both cool and unique to their species? what about non-pony species? And, conversely, what sort of things should be avoided?

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#shamelessplug We actually discussed several of your questions, including this one, during tonight's livestream! Skip to around 15:20 for the first one, and tangents on and off until around 54:30 or so.

Holy mother of snack cakes! I wasn't expecting quite so much time devoted to my questionmongering! You're making me feel like a proverbial belle of the ball, here. At the risk of appearing superficial by using emoticon images, allow me to tentatively state that i'm feeling pretty right about now.

At this point, I'm not sure whether i should ask some relatively light-hearted questions for a while to ease off of the seriousness train, or whether i should keep asking the sort of questions that necessitate thoughtful answers. Though, of course, you've gone far and above the call of duty in helping me figure a bunch of stuff out.

I'll go with two questions that are (hopefully) lighter and softer at the moment, since i can't think of anything serious to ask:

1. Are there any bands that you would recommend i listen to while writing stories, in order to help get into the right sort of mindset for a story? For example: I know a person who puts on top 40 pop songs whenever they're writing upbeat and happy scenes, and another who puts on either Debussy or Handel whenever trying to write as Rarity. Or is listening to music while writing more distracting then it is useful?

2. Are there any specific story plots/concepts that you guys really, REALLY dislike and don't want to see ever again? I mean "I fire a gun with my mouth" levels of dislike, since it came up in the podcast.

Next question: Titles!

What are the characteristics of a good title for a story? How directly should it refer to the contents of the work? How long should it be? Are different sorts of titles better for different genres of story (e.g. would a title for a comedy have more/less words words then the title for an action story, and would they be more/less specific about the nature of the story?). Do you have good examples of titles of stories and bad examples?

I have a quick question about your rules. On your recommendations thread OP you say not to submit stories that have been viewed more than a thousand times, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that this was unique views rather than total. How do I find the unique views?

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Unique views (or rather, the number of views on the chapter with the most views), is just that number on the top right. Total views (or the total number of views across all chapters) is a little harder to find. You get it by hovering your mouse over the view count, and that's if you're on a desktop. I'm don't think it's possible to find it on a tablet or smartphone.

I used to write stories but I could never seem to write when I wasn't in specific moods (usually bad ones if what I have posted to this site is any indication) any thoughts on what I can do to become a bit more regular in my writing?

Here's one: How are you?

Who's the creator? I want to ask them something.

I didn't see it listed anywhere else, so legitimate question: Are the group's folders meant for us to post recommended stories to? I have a friend whose story I'd like to recommend more, as it's got such an undeservedly low view count. I posted in the Recommendations thread, but I wanted to be sure I did everything I could for my friend and their story.

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No. The Group Folders are where stories that ARE included in a SA review are shelved. That way we don't accidentally review a story twice on accident.

I'm ready to chat, Sweetie!

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I think I've lost the topic, now, tho'.

(Though I guess derpibooru images are on the same broken image server as regular ones...)

--Sweetie Belle

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You are the picture next to the definition in the dictionary, Sweetie! Even as a robot, you are still the cutest thing on Equus. *pets*

So I can ask anything?

Well, I'm wondering if you all provide writing help. Your boy's an amateur, and yet I'm still trying to write in areas my expertise is not. If you guys could provide some advice it would be great.

(I may not have been specific enough. But I doubt it matters. If you want to help, you want to help, right?)

Is it cheating to promote your story on a 2nd account ??

Just kidding