Link here.

Thoughts?

My issue with this story, insofar as canonizing is concerned, is that it's essentially one long conversation that never really goes anywhere. This isn't necessarily a bad thing by any means, since that's essentially what Ditzy's Crisis story is. However, when compared to Talon's version...even though Talon's story is a bit rougher around the edges and the first chapter's tone doesn't really match that of the rest of the story, it still feels like a more complete story. Not precisely because there's an adventure; there doesn't need to be an adventure, per se; however some kind of conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and dénouement would have helped.

I'd vote for canonization if Talon's story wasn't in the running as well; since it is, though, I'm going to have to say that this should not be canonized. It could still work as a semi-canon story or a fanfiction, however.

Sorry, Emeral...

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I'd vote for canonization if Talon's story wasn't in the running as well;

It's not really a case of only one or the other though... T&T even specifically added in references to my fic by his own accord, and as I mentioned over in that other thread, he resubmitted my story alongside his own, believing the two work better in tandem.

Now if my fic is still bad only on its own merits, or if the two fics conflict in some irreconcilable fashion, then so be it. Seeing as T&T himself seems to acknowledge my fic as a sort of "prologue", I'm not sure I see what your objection is. If it's about that "chapter-2" I failed so miserably at, that's no longer even on the table, and it's only the first part that is up for review again.

Edit: Oh, and...

It could still work as a semi-canon story

Co2E is itself in the "Tie-Ins" folder, so isn't semi-canon the level we'd technically have been discussing all along for not just this, but any and all other sub-tie-ins thereof as well?

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or if the two fics conflict in some irreconcilable fashion

This. I can't see how the two could fit into the same timeline.

3858055 : I think I agree with this. All respect to both Emeral and Talon, but I can't see the two stories both working together. Among other things, Carrot Top (ours) is much more blase about her double selling the farm than she is in Talon's story... and in fact, in Talon's, she doesn't seem to really know that it's sold (or why it was sold), yet that was explained to her in Emeral's. Native CT also expresses shock that our CT goes into the Everfree in Talon's story, but already learned that (or had it strongly implied) in Emeral's.

So I'd vote fanfiction, personally.

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May I ask where that problem is for you? The current version of T&T's fic not only references that the two CT's had a previous encounter in my fic, but further builds off of the discussion they had there. There might be a few discrepancies here and there in the details, but I don't think it's any worse than with any two other fics in our canon.

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As Grass outlined. And honestly, it wouldn't be a problem, if not for the fact that your fic is trying to nest inside of Talon's, so the discrepancies are standing out more.

That's 2 votes for fanfiction. I've pinged Fizzy and IAH to see if they want to voice an opinion as well.

Pff...I really don't know... it does feel a bit thin to sand on its own but there is lots of great element in this conversation that I feel should be canon.

I'm gonna have to go with fanfiction. It just doesn't feel...complete, for lack of a better word. As a chapter (or with some of the individual scenes expanded into full chapters) it might work, but...I'm not feeling this one.

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3858075 : I think that's conclusive. 3 votes for fanfiction, then, and one vote undecided.

I'll leave the thread open in case Fizzy (or anyone else) wants to elaborate, but otherwise, once you add your story to fimfiction, Emeral, you or I or another mod can add it to the fanfic folder.

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Actually, RDD originally split his vote between semi-canon and non-canon (unless he's changed his mind). Come to think of that though, RDD never actually answered my question therein -- Co2E is a move/tie-in, and last I checked that folder was rated semi-canon in the first place, thus as a direct derivative my fic was never in the running for anything higher than semi-canon either. Regardless, that's the assumption I was operating from while writing, so I don't care about full-canon and am perfectly content with semi-canon.

Furthermore, RDD, IAH, and Fizzy all said they might change their minds if the story was expanded on in some way. So the way I see, it this vote only stands if I make no further revisions -- which I'm already looking into, with assistance from T&T.

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So my question to all of you is what would it take? What more would I need to do to reach that middle ground of the semi-canon level?

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I'm okay with semi-canon, though as I said (and IAH said), I do regret that it doesn't really feel "complete."

So the way I see, it this vote only stands if I make no further revisions

In fact that's actually an explicit Quorum rule:

There's no "strike" system, by the way. If a story is rejected from canon, you can edit it and re-submit it any number of times for fresh consideration.

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How about if the actual fake date occured on page? With M!Verse CT stalking them?

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I've considered it before; I'm just not really sure how to actually go about it... not yet at least.

Maybe as an eventual Ch-2, if that makes any difference.

I'm changing my vote to semi-canon.

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To add context to IAH's post above; I'd been negotiating with him to figure out what more he thought I could do with the fic. His advice was pretty much the same everyone else's -- just make it longer. Frustratingly vague as that advice is, it's not something I'm entirely opposed to that, save two problems.

One I really only have a limited space to work with before bumping into T&T's fic. Moreover though I just don't have much more content I feel I can use to fill it out with. Simply put M!CT shoving her double and boyfriend out the door on a blind "date" was more or less meant to be the climax. Yes, she has second thoughts immediately after that, but then in the very next scene Written Script reveals that he already saw through the ruse and thus confirming those fears are unfounded. As such I just don't feel having M!CT actually stalk the not-date would resolve in of the narrative weight you all seem to think this fic is lacking since the audience would already be in the know. Yes it's abrupt and anti-climactic, but sometimes events just resolve without complication -- which, yes, pretty much makes for a boring non-story, but in and of itself that shouldn't make the events themselves untenable.

If I were to expand the fic, however, my first inclination would be to figure out if there is any way to build inside of what's already there to improve the over all flow so that the anti-climax so that can be in someway perhaps more satisfying, if no less abrupt. This to me is the most expedient potential solution so any advice on how to make that work would be most appreciated.

Alternatively, I could ~maybe~ add some kind of second chapter, but it probably wouldn't follow L!CT on her date. Rather I'd probably cut back to M!CT as she works herself up into a fit of paranoia (which would follow up on WS's comment about letting her "stew"), but before she can do something foolish I would have M!Ditzy come home, and then the two of them talk it over in some way. It's still all just more talking, so I'm not sure if that's really any more satisfying or not, but assuming I can get that far it might all lead up to a secondary end where the other two ponies get back from their not-date and ~maybe~ Written decides to prank his girlfriend back by playing into her fears and pretending to have fallen for L!CT. Whether he pranks her or not, the final potential conclusion would be him fully confirming to M!CT that she's the only mare he has eyes for.

IAH, seemed to like that second option more, and I suppose the rest of you might as well, but it's going to take time. I don't want to have to rush into anything if I don't have to, because that's sort of what got me into this mess in the first place. If I'm going to publish anything at all, however, I would want to be able to start now since T&T has references to mine in his own fic.

So then -- Semi-Canon:3 / Non-Canon:1 -- are we good to go?

3893902 Wecould always learn more about Written Script? That could be useful. He could tell L!CT stuff about himself, about his relationship with M!CT... I don't mind more talking as M!CT starts getting paranoid about sending her boyfriend with a more heroic version of herself.

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Maybe, but I'd kind of like to leave as much of Written Script's characterization open for if we ever have L!CT peruse a relationship with the version of him back home in the Lunaverse.