Well gentlemen, my apologies if it appears that I am spamming the forum. But I am stuck on how to proceed with the story here.

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/83612/1/farming-in-the-icy-inferno/starting-out-with-a-loud-bang

In essence, I wanted to write an AppleFire ship, mainly because of "What Would Daring Do?" pulled a fast one. At first, it hinted at an AppleFire shipping... But... Let's just say it didn't end that way exactly. And I haven't found anything else on the site to suggest that somebody will write this ship anytime soon. So, if no one else is going to do it, then I decided I might as well try my own hand.

The problem? Fleshing out the relationship and building up tension in terms of dealing with the conflict. I am not one to proceed blindly into a situation and just hoping for the best, so I like to research a topic thoroughly before going in... But therein lies another problem. I pour so much research into the topic, that I end up writing little to nothing in terms of progress. I need a certain structure, a foundation if you will, to follow in order to keep my thoughts in order.

I already have a rough outline up in my notebook on how I want things to pan out, but nothing on how to execute it.

I am drawing a blank in other words. Not to mention the dialogue.... Oh sweet mercy the dialogue... So static... So mono... So dull and lifeless....

So bland and plastic....

I am out of options. Thus I ask you for your advice on how to proceed. It may well indeed be a crack shipping, but I am determined to write it anyhow. But in order to do that, I need help in organizing my thought process in terms of planning things out.

...The important thing in crackshipping is to find a legitimate excuse to make it work. For AppleFire, you have to look at situations where they have something slightly in common, or where they have a chance to interact. I have two possible scenarios that came to mind:

1) Applejack has once again gotten a vendor's license for a large airshow the Wonderbolts are either judging or participating in. Spitfire (this may be cliche, not sure) destroys some of Applejack's wares and equipment in a bad crash and pesters Applejack to be allowed to pay reparations, while Applejack insists it's an accident and wouldn't be honest to take the money. Cue battle of wills.
OR:
2) Rainbow Dash has been a Wonderbolt for a few years now, but seems burnt out. She's started drinking more than is healthy, picking up random ponies for wild affairs and generally ruining both her health and the Wonderbolts' reputation. Spitfire needs help from some of Rainbow's old friends to stage and enact an intervention. Cue Applejack and Spitfire working toward a common cause.

Just a few ideas to get the brainwaves splashing for you. I think it could be an awesome crackship. I love crackships. Good luck with everything, and I'm looking forward to reading whatever you put out there for us.

728855 I've already got that part nailed down. To make a long story short, Spitfire snaps from the overbearing stress of being the team captain of the Wonderbolts. She bolts out into a winter snowstorm, and manages to inflict severe damage to one of her hind legs and wings when she crashed into a barn.
Wishing to avoid contact with the Wonderbolts and the public for some time, she requests to stay on the farm.

From there, both these two begin to find subtle similarities about each other.
Such as both of them having a good work ethic.

I had Applejack and Spitfire paired in a story of mine and it seemed to go over well, despite being a sub-ship of the story. Also, kudos for wanting to write an uncommon ship.

Now for the business at hand; ideas.

You could have Applejack be like a secret fan of the Wonderbolts and after she gets a ticket to a show, she goes. The catch is that the show is in Clousdale, so she has to have the cloud walking spell applied and since she'd be the only earth pony, she would stick out and catch Spitfire's eye. Not as a romantic interest (at first), but more out of curiosity.

Or if you wanna write a more...sad inducing tale, you could have Spitfire "lose her way" about being a Wonderbolt and goes for a solo fly in the rain where she ends up at Sweet Apple Acres to take a break from flying and she meets Applejack while she's working. The two talk and Spitfire confesses her lack of passion for flying and so Applejack proposes the pegasus takes a break. Spitfire agrees and de ides to help out on the farm.

Hope these help stir your thoughtmeats ^^

I would make it really drawn out as to them actualy getting any feelings for each other. A sudden romance within the mane6 can kinda work since they already know each other pretty well but for two strangers meeting it should take allot more. I could see Firefly being attracted to Applejacks stubborn no compromising nature and vice versa (although we don't know much about Firefly's personality aside from the wonderbolts academy episode and that may have been her mostly playing a part.) If either pony was going to be pushing for a relationship it should be Firefly, given the kind of job she does it would make sense for her to see something she wanted and make a grab for it, but it should take Applejack a while to be willing to get into anything like that since she seems to like stability and routine allot.

728871 I've already got that part planned out.. But your first idea has given me some thought. I might write another prologue detailing Applejack attending the latest show... Or something....
Just having problems of how to build up the relationship. I know it could be done through working on the farm while Spitfire heals, but on how to execute it, I have no idea.

Then there is Rainbow Dash. She could be potentially used as a point of conflict, but how to incooperate her as such is beyond me. I feel so empty headed.

I need someone to bounce ideas off of and get their second opinion on how to proceed, but the future for this story in uncertain. Execution isn't exactly my strong point you see, which is evident in my stories. How do I know if I nailed the pacing right? How do I know if I have pleased the reader? How do I know if I conveyed my image correctly?

728864 Okay, gotcha. Well, they both have a sense of honor and pride, loyalties to the ponies that matter to them, and a good sense of right and wrong with the guts to say what's on their mind. Applejack has no doubt heard stories of how powerful and outgoing Spitfire could be from Rainbow Dash, and she's a sucker for redemption and second chances.
Applejack would also be very understanding of Spitfire's little problem here from her own misadventure in Dodge Junction, so she'd maybe even feel a personal obligation to get Spitfire back up to her A game while understanding her need for privacy while doing so. So yeah, there's a lot to work with, when you look into canon actions and such.
Once again, good luck shipping!

728938 And I'll be in large need of that.... Ugh.
If anyone could provide some form of critique for the story, I will be in your debt.

728995 I am a huge fan of critiquing and doing things to other people's stories, so give me a shout if you get stuck or want to see if something is just too damn silly. For serious.

729181 I need it. NOW.
I need you to brutally slaughter the latest chapter.
Show no mercy. Kill all errors. No survivors.

End them so they sew no seeds of destruction and pagan chaos again.

729188 I'm in. PM me the link or however you want to do this, and I'll redpen the shit out of it.

729236 You'll find the story here.
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/83612/1/farming-in-the-icy-inferno/starting-out-with-a-loud-bang
Annihilate it with extreme prejudice.

All ships are about contrast and similarity. JackFire more than most. You already have a good idea of how to show the similarity. What you need now is contrast.
Here's one way:
Small-town pony is awed by fame and fortune, and dissatisfied with insignificance. Big-time famous pony is unsatisfied with fame and fortune, and impressed by dependability, simple honesty, work ethic, etc.

That's the obvious way. It's also been done, and is a bit boring. There is a much more interesting way. Switch the roles. Fame is relative. Applejack knows of the Wonderbolts from being around RD, but about all she knows is that they're some bunch of fancy flier ponies that RD is obsessed with. As far as AJ is concerned, Spitfire's Wonderbolt status isn't very impressive. Spitfire, on the other hand, knows all about Applejack the rodeo star. She might even have a poster.

That puts the characters in new, unfamiliar roles, and lets you examine the power dynamic, relative fame, and other things that would otherwise be uninteresting.

Read this blog by bookplayer.

I hope that helps,
-Scrimshaw

728995 I will gladly read and review for you if you promise to stop being so damn self-deprecating! Have some hope, some faith in your own work! Constantly fearing doing something wrong is not gonna get your story written, not at all. Chin up, take a risk, and get at 'er! If you're disappointed with a scene, write another draft. And another after that. If nothing else, you'll start to learn what you like and don't like about your own writing, which will help you write stories that you like. And make no mistake, you're writing for yourself before others.

I'll get back to you with a comment in a day or two.

730587 Meh, I am just overly paranoid about this sort of thing. It just comes to me naturally per my personality. I live by this quote: "There is almost always room for improvement."

730934 I agree that most everything can be improved, but first you have to create something, then work on improving it.

Anyways, I read the chapter and it seems like a decent start. I think Midnight herald already noticed several technical errors and commented on them. I'll reread once you've fixed all those so I'm not fixing the exact same stuff.

An aside, have you ever used google docs? Or, I suppose, google drive?

730967 Yes, though I find it a bit inconvenient to me. I suppose it might be just due to my personal preference.when working with documents. But yes, I do have a Google Doc's account. Do you wish to use it as a way to edit and perhaps provide side comments?

729289 Would a unique twist of using a little of both these ideas work? I am concerned that canon will cause problems for me in the future. In this fandom, it seems like a death sentence to proceed with fanon that has been voided by official canon, even if it was fine and use extensively before.

I really don't wan to go through that headache, but is the point of writing if you aren't daring? What if I WANT to void some parts of canon to create my respective universe for my story? Do I HAVE to conform, even if it meant the complete destruction of what made my story unique, such as the characters, their unique quirks and so on?

730972 It's my preferred method of editing because it offers authors and easy way to respond to specific comments made. What is it that you don't like about it, if I might ask?

I would recommend against major, blatant canon defiance, but rules are there to be broken! You can get away with a lot if it's well written, and you give a good reason for it.

Read this other blog by bookplayer. Read this one too. Read ALL her blogs!

What in particular piece of canon were you thinking of going against?

731343 Some big, some small. I can't exactly narrow it down, only explain it in general.
Such as voiding the S2 finale and their characters, using a combination of Season 1 and 2 canon to my own personal benefit. I am also concerned as to Spitfire's cutie mark and Applejack's backstory, plus the bureaucratic side of managing the Wonderbolts. I want to add my own spin and twist to canon to make it unique to my stories, but what with how everyone on this site seems to conform their material to canon the instant it updates... Let's just say I am paranoid over being manhandled.

That, and I don't want to force in canon where I don't have to, particularly if I have a grievance against some episode for a number of reasons.

731180 Eh, I just find it more convenient to use OpenOffice instead. But I can work with Google Docs if you want.

731180>>731343 As for how the story is going so far, I am currently befundled at how to introduce the two properly and build up the tension and relationship from there. What questions would be asked? How would the situation develop? What factors should I be concerned about? What elements of the story should be taken into account? Is there a guide for specifically this line of questioning?

There's a lot more SoarinJack than AppleFire out there, so maybe you should look to some of that for inspiration first. Just suggesting.

733230 Oh well it's totally fine to write in OpenOffice, gdocs is just for editing. You can upload your drafts to gdocs once you're done writing them, then have editors look at them, tag errors and sketchy parts, etc.

733770 Oh trust me, I have probably read most of them, what with me being a fan of that shipping as well. Ex: Love, Loss, and Apples
This fanfic right here executes the concept and ship of these two very well. Not to mention, a bit of drama and near heartbreak in the end.

734692 i should also mention that I use the site's editor sometimes, usually due to having to add all the bold and italics back into the formatting. As for what I am using, it was actually LibreOffice... Though both are essentially the same at this point. But I will try and set up a GDoc file for you to provide comments on. I will get back to you once that is achieved.

736077 Fun fact: if you put your story on google docs before creating it as a story on the site, you can import it direct from the doc and keep all your formatting. Anyways, PM whenever you're ready. There's no hurry.