You have questions? We have answers. Probably. Maybe. We'll see.

All questions are theoretically fair game, though we reserve the right to not answer anything creepy, inappropriate, spoilerish, or that we just don't feel like answering.

Are the Cheerilee or Rarity stories ever coming back? They were fun.

5010423
You'd have to ask the authors (Cloudhammer and Incidental Pegasus No. 5) about that. I did like both of those though, so I hope that life/work/inspiration/whatever allows them to continue those tales some day.

5010420
How far ahead have you planned for New Life?
How closely are you going to adhere to the show, season five specifically?
Any plans for expanding on Starlight Glimmer's backstory beyond More Equal than Others?
Any plans for a sequel to The Freeport Venture?
How closely do you collaborate with the other Winningverse writers?
Where'd your characterisation for Cloud Kicker originally come from?

5010448
Rough drafts for the next two chapters are already done, I have a firm outline for Chapter 8, and a rough outline for the rest of the story.

I'll take the show and leave it as suits my story. I wouldn't want the central focus of New Life dragged down by canon references that have nothing to do with the main plot.

Starlight will be showing up again ... in a planned sequel to The Freeport Venture

Pretty closely. We go over each other's stuff and bounce ideas off each other all the time.

I pretty much made it up as I went, since she started off as just a bit character in a one-shot. By chapter 5 of Life and Times she'd pretty much settled into the Winning Pony we all know and love.

Unless it's going to be revealed in New Life how did Cloud Kicker get pregnant? Was it a fura spell, or a potion, or what?

5010448

And I'm currently at the trail end of writing my Freeport Venture story. Something I hope to get to my editors here before long, and out sometime early February.

5010497
The answer to that will come in a couple chapters.

5010497
I think the implication was that either Fluttershy or Blossomforth knocked her up with the Magic of Love whosit that was referenced in the original Winning Pony a few times. That could be a misdirective setup for more drama, though.
Is that really a spoiler? It's kinda the premise of New Life...
5010506
Oh, sweet! Not many Freeport Venture stories floating around, although more Sunset Shimmer is always welcome. I'll certainly keep an eye out for it.

5010497
Magic of Love, baby.

Hahaha... just kidding. Cloud Kicker was magically impregnated by Shadow's armor, during the test. The inhabiting intelligence has gone mad for its millennium of self-aware imprisonment, and now seeks a host to bring itself back into the world as an abomination of a pony, to enact its deluded plans to subjugate the traitorous pegasi, and to have really evil Princess-cuddles.

5010545
... If you write it, I'll read it.

5010555
It will be the best woefully unfinished story you'll ever read the first quarter of.

5010420
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could read pony?

Also: how much of the original "Times" was planned out vs "let's just see what happens next?" free balling?

5010582
42

I generally have a decent outline plotted out for my stories, but keep it loose enough that I can change things up if new ideas/opportunities spring to mind, or I decide I just don't like what I wrote in the outline back when I started the story

5010420

Chengar Qordath, let me ask, how did you manage to obtain the regular services of the series artist InuHoshi? Did you approach her or she you? Because from what I can see, she's not too fond of commissioned artwork but kept up her regular art for the Winningverse all the way through.

5010420
I'm honestly curious, do you hear a particular voice when writing characters like Cloud or Shadow? I've always heard Cloud like Yang from RWBY (kinda laid back surfer voice)
What inspired Shadow's appearance? I can get the dark coat = namesake, but the blonde hair and blue eyes reminds me of Olivier Armstrong more than anyone

Any plans for stories based on the alt timelines featured in The Cutie Remark?

Were other background ponies considered for the supporting roles in Dense Mind before settling on CK and Blossom?

Flash and Sunset aside, any chance of introducing other EQG characters to the 'verse?

Jack Harkness or Barney Stinson?

Is there any particular aspect of the Winningverse that you regret/wish you could change if you went to do it over again?

I'm curious how much of Shadow's Journals are public knowledge? Part of the premise of the Lunar Rebellion fic, iirc, is that its supposed to be a translated/cleaned up version of the original, as done by Cloudkicker and Twilight. Yet, at the same time, you have Celestia and Sunbeam using necromancy, which really seems like the sort of thing that would get covered up, and wouldn't be in an autobiography. I guess I'm wondering how much of the fic should be read as something that, say, a pony like Rarity or Blossomforth or even Cloudkicker would have access to in universe, and how much of it is just for our benefit?

5010562 Make it a collaborative work then. I'd read that, totally would.

Something I've been wondering for a long time:
How did you start writing on the Life and Times of a Winning pony? Was it just on a whim or did you plan something big? Did the result exceed your expectations? If yes, by how much?
How did you meet your pre-reader cast? Were you friends before or did they gradually join one at a time?
What sparked the idea for Life and Times?
Why Cloud Kicker as the Protagonist, of all ponies?

... I'm sure I'll come up with more at some point.

5010604
She's a big fan of Life and Times, and put out some fan art for it of her own accord. Since it was really good, I eventually approached her about whether she would take requests.

5010827
Well, I generally imagine Shadow being voiced by Jennifer Hale, which you can blame on three games worth of FemShep being an awesome military badass (until the starchild ruined everything).

5010845
No plans to use the Cutie Remark timelines right now, but that could happen in the future.

I don't think I seriously thought on other ponies, mostly because it was kinda decided on a whim. I pretty much scrolled through a list of background ponies and snagged two that seemed like good picks.

No solid plans for more EQG imports at this time, but if I did bring anyone else over it would probably be the Sirens. There's an outside chance I might use Cinch if I ever need a "principal of a snobby prep school" character.

Both.

5010898
Nothing too serious, though those of you getting the print versions of Life and Times will definitely notice a few scenes getting tweaked because they didn't quite work out the way I'd wanted. If there was anything I seriously regretted, I'd go back and fix it.

I expect her journals are open to the public, but these days they're about as common knowledge as the biography of any 900-year-old historical figure. As for some of the dirty secrets she revealed, I will say that Shadow outlives Sunbeam, so Sunny was in no position to repress them. Celestia probably wanted to be honest about her actions after so much time keeping everything quiet for the greater good. It also helps that Shadow's memoirs were written up a good forty years after the fact, and after some other events that helped bring Equestria together and heal the damage done by the Rebellion.

5011008
It was a bit of a whim, and just seemed like a fun story. It definitely got way bigger than I'd planned. Considering my original vague outline called for just 10-15 chapters. I certainly never expected it to get so popular that the show would even give little nods to it like sticking Cloud and Blossom together as background ponies.

It was pretty gradual. Every once in a while I'd put out a call for new pre-readers and/or have someone ask to start pre-reading for me.

Cloud and Blossom were fun side characters in Dense Mind, and I wanted to do more with them.

I liked her, and her PoV seemed like a fun one to work with.

5011286
That's so awesome. And makes me want to play ME again. Thanks for answering.

The Winningverse involves a lot of military customs and groups, but it's not as detailed as in fanverses as, for instance, the QnBverse. That could be due to the fact that of course Cloud Kicker left the guard, but I do need to ask, have you or any of your pre-readers served in the military at one point, or is it mostly educated "fiction", so to speak?
Or do you perhaps have other connections to the military, like friends or relatives?

5011471
I haven't been in the military myself, but I do have friends and family who've served, and I'm a bit of a history buff. I also generally try to do my homework and get things right. Between Google and Wikipedia I can usually do enough on-the-spot research that I can at least avoid sounding like a complete moron.

I expect most of the lack of detail is down to, as you said, the military side of things not getting huge focus from Cloud's PoV. Storm also doesn't provide a whole lot of insight into classic military tradition, since being Twilight's guard captain has put her in a rather oddball role. Granted, I figure all the royal bodyguard units end up a bit outside the norm on account of accommodating their princess' individual quirks.

5011286

dammit, now you made me think of copper as a ponified anderson, and that makes me feel bad

Are you a car fan by any chance? There aren't very many brony car guys around.
My profile pic makes it clear that I am lol (that's mine)

5013372
Sorry, I'm strictly utilitarian when it comes to cars. As long as it runs well, doesn't guzzle too much gas, and has functional heat and air conditioning I'm happy.

Just got caught up on Study, and I had a question about the laws concerning Alphas and drinking. Could Twilight get legally hammered if she was wearing an inhibitor ring? Just cause I find the idea of Twilight in this universe getting drunk to gather data on more varied social situations to be funny.

5015931
Yeah, as long as she has an inhibitor ring and somepony to keep an eye on her, it would be fine.

5016796 Woo! Let the research commence!

5011286 Since wolfstorm56 asked you about voices, we all know what needs to happen in Shadow's memoirs now:
The invention of the elevator!

5015569 Woo! A man after my own heart!

... Or woman. I'm not gonna make any assumptions. Though that does raise a question for me, oddly enough:
Are there any personal morals represented in the Winningverse, that either you or some of your pre-readers adhere to?

I'd be surprised if there weren't any. Every good story teaches at least one lesson, if not more.
Life and Times, for example:

"Talk things through with the people you care about and don't alienate them because of some silly sense of pride or righteousnes. In the end, those around you are really the only thing of value."

Another thing I was wondering about: How exactly does working with your co-writers go? Do you simply write each ohter your opinions at your leisure or do you all come together at specified times and dates to discuss something? Or do you do both depending on the occasion?

5022212
As far as personal morals showing up, it's hard to argue with some of the basic lessons Cloud learns like "honesty and communication are important in relationships" and "take responsibility for your mistakes instead of running away from them." And i definitely like the moral issues with Shadow's ongoing struggle in Lunar Rebellion with Honor vs. Pragmatism. I like the struggle between doing the right thing and the effective thing.

As far as coordinating with the verse writers, it varies. We run things over Google docs and use chat programs so it's usually not too hard to stay in touch and swap ideas.

5022849 Well, you learn something new every day right? Some people morethan others...
The struggle of Honour vs Pragmatism is a rather harsh one, that's true. Especially for a person who is pragmatic by nature, it can be very hard to disregard that instinctive urge. Oh, the stories I could tell...

Alright, next question: Did you ever try to include different languages in a story? I'veonly seen that done one time and I'd like to get your thoughts on it.

5023008
Greek and Latin show up a bit, in the guise of Old Pegasopolan and Old Unicornian.

5023044 I see. Thanks a lot, I'll try to come up ewithmore questions. Have fun creating andedpanding this awe inspiring universe!

5023044
I forget, did you ever say how you got your username anywhere? It's pretty cool.

5023183
Made it up. It was the name of a character in a short story I wrote way back when I was kid.

One thing I forgot to comment on, but something that really struck me on reading Cloud's rules regarding banging is how much sense they make in real life for the most part (don't think I have to worry about Diamon Dogs) especially in the sense that they seem like the kind of things you usually don't think about unless you've been in those kind of situations.

On a question note, if Pegasi and Earth Ponies could have their magic measured on the same scale as unicorns, where would the rest of the main 6 be on that scale? Pretty sure Rainbow Dash would be an alpha due to her sheer wingpower. Applejack maybe as well considering the size of the acres and her apparently bringing the whole thing from barren wasteland back to thriving orchard in less than a day in that episode where their marks got switched. Not a clue about the rest though.

5026212

Well I can say for sure that for Pinkie, h̷̵̛̦͔̳͈̠͇̱͒̈ͩ̇̓ͩ̌̐͒̃ͯ̓̀̊̓̏͋̉͡ë́̋ͭͨ̃̑̋̌͑̿ͭ̏ͬ̅ͯ̽ͨ҉̸̷̛̺͈̻̩̗̻͈̘͍͙̘̘͉̳ͅŗ̛͎̰̹͚̼͚̠̰̱͉̠͕̟̳̤̭̺̐̑ͬͥ̓ͥ̆ͤ̿̈́͐̀͑̓̂̀́ ͊͛̿̍͐͆̈́̾͛ͮ͌͊̏͌̔͏̭̳͔̙̤̗̮͍̝̖̼͎͓̙̤̲̰̀p̷̵̢̧̝̞̰̮̞̻̠̮̪̫̹̰̝̮͖̲̳̰̄̓ͬͨͩ̂̆̑ͅȏ̵̸̠͖̞̤̪͔͎̱̯̮͙ͧ͒̋̋͋͆̀̅ͦ͆ͅw̨̮͍̬̮͇̲̜͚̠̪̰͎̺̩̼͚̞ͣͧ͆̈͒̿̅ͪͧ̍͆͑ͩ̒̒̾̕è͒̉̆ͨ̓̾ͨ̈̒͂ͦ̚҉͍͙̘̜̺͠r̴͖̱̦̦͔̩̼͉͚ͥ́̍̂ͦ̂̓̆͌̉͋͒ͥͨ̑͗̽͢͞͠s̨̢̨̝̜̝̝̟̈́̾͒̎̇̓̂ͨ́̒ͪ̉̋͢ ̡̻̫̝͓̪̞̫̬̃̔̊͒ͬͦ̋̇̀͡͞a̵̼͉̞̝̼̫̣̱̩̥͍̬͛͒͐̋̇ͭͨͤ̿̑͗͐ͬͪ̌̂̚r̴͕̱̘̱͔̼͙͉͛̿ͣ̍̏͟e̷ͭ̒͌ͥ̇̋̚҉̷̰̜̺̗̲̗͢ ̵͎͎͙͚̺̻̘ͮ͗ͨͥ͟
̛̟̻̙̻͓̞͍̤̪̲͓̝̘̩̈́͆̎ͪ͢ c̬̪͓̳̣̭͈̱̥̞̰̪͉͈̹̹̆ͬ̀ͯͫ̈́́̓ͥ̕͢͞ơ̶̷̢͉̫̣̫͇̥͊̍̂͌͗ͩ͟ͅm̷̴̧̰͚͖̪̦̬̝̩̩̙̮̣͈̻̍ͤ̍ͥ̈̍̒̆̔̋̓͂̚͞͡p̣͎͍̰̝̖͎̥͈͈̯͍͌̊ͥͨ̔̔ͫ́͝l͆͗̌ͦ̓̃̊̄͛͛̀͜͏͍̰̯͚̗̜̮e̶̢͇͔̠̞̮̭͕̬̣̟͓̜̹͔̘͖̿͋̉ͣ̑̈̀ͭ̎̉̆͗̓ͬ̈ͣ́̚̕͠ͅt̶̶̨̜͕̲͉͔͍̦̲̮͎͓̻̤̀ͪͣ̓̑ͬͭ̆̈ͬ́̔̏̉͑̌̓͠e̴̡̢̛̜̼̮̯̝̳͕̭͔̯͋ͫ̏̉ͨ̔̐̎ͤ͛̔͌͌͂ͭ̈̃̈́̓͝l͗̐͌͂̓ͭ̆ͭͨ͊͊̿͆͛̍̀̉ͯ҉̢̣̟̲̭͍̼̜̜̪̰̱͉̜̳̫͎͘͠y̴̨̲͕͓̻̙͓͍̼̓̋̂̿̈́͊ͯͭͯͤͤ̏̌̉͘ ̴̹̜̰͕͛ͪ͐̎ͬͥ̐̋͋̽͊͂̌̒̾͝ͅi͋̀̌ͧ̿ͪ͒͂̎̑̾͏̸͙̻͕͓͔͎͍͕̗̲̀́̕n̰̺̘̫̘̰̟̾̈́̒ͧ̀̚͜͞ͅc̵͍͖̞̹͚͇͈̮͙̖̘̖̞͍̞̻̤͚ͬͭͮ͑̔̐̎ͮ̏̃ͫ̽̇̊͛̎ͤͥ͌́͟͠͡ͅo̫͚̺͚͚̦̱̭͕͖͔̩̩̤̭̔̓ͣͦ͟͞͠m̵̮͖̜͉̦͚͍͈̫̯̘̩͉̖̯̼̲͇̼ͭ̅̇ͬ͋ͯ̾̿͐͊ͦͫ̚͜͜p̵̨̞̖̯̺̞͇̖͚͊̿ͫr̴̸̃͌͌ͥͩ̈̓̀ͯͧ̓ͧ̎̓͒̚͘͝҉̣̥̻̬̰͕̯̲̤͖͉̭͚̯͍ē̛ͮͩ̄̃͑̀̒͑̐̔͒̂ͫ̎̓̉ͣ̚҉҉͔̹̱̫͚͎h̵̶̡̟̬̘͍̼̉̈́̂̈́ͮ͊͛̉ͣͭ̿͑é̼̩̣̥͍̜̺̦̲̥̟͕̺̝͈̬̺̮ͧ̀̋ͩ̎̋̋̎̎ͣ͑̚̕͡n̷̛̹̪̘̬̝̯̯̜̦̞̜̱̖̰̘͈ͮ͋̉́͟s̸̸͔̰̮̗̮̭̹ͩ̀̑͊ͮͣͨ̌ͦ̓̉͌́́͢ͅi̘̘̤̣͕̤̱̫̫̖͖̥ͮ̋ͨ͌̆͊ͨ͆̃ͨͫ̋̋͊̓̂͛̚͟͡b̡́̀̽ͨͣ̎͑̂̐͌͌͒̀̓ͣ̚͏̤̭̪͕̱̭̬̖͙ľ̵̡̙̺̠͍̗̿̓̊͌́̎e̍ͦͥ͋̒̆҉͓̬̫͎̝̘̗͉̬̗͓̗̱̳̼̺̼͟͟͡
̬͇̻͉̹̦ͩ́̍̈́ͦ͜͜͠ͅ t̸̴̡͉̯̝͇̼͔͉̪͖̞̻̖͔͎̘̄ͨ̌ͮ͐̊̀̚ȯ̶̴̧̠̬̟̝̬͚̱̰̭̼͇ͫ͂̓͒ͩͧ͌̆ͥ͐ͤͭ̉ͩͥ́̚͢ ̢̠̺̪͇̱̰̞͈̖̥͎̪̼̤̫͕̝ͮ̀͋̐̈́̐ͨ̓ͣ͛͌̓ͦͮ̑̄͗͘͠m̢̱̯͕͕ͦ͋̌̈́ͫ̈́̓̾̀̀̀ę̦̳̖̯̹̳͕̲͓͚͈̞̯̻̳̇̽̋̇ͣͤ̂͗ͥ̀͘͝r̷̸̜̟̭̘̥͙͎̘̬̼̟͕̰̣͆̿͛͒ͮ̔̋̐͋̅͋͑e̛̪̙̦̪̮͈̋ͪ̋̅̋̌̏̓ͬͨͦ͛ͮ̽͟ ̴̸ͫ̈͋ͬ͗̒ͯ̄ͮ̀̇ͤ̋̌ͮ͌͋ͩ͠͏̗̗͓͍̹m̶̶̫̩͎̪͍̯͈̘̦̹̎̒͛̾́ͨ̊ͨ͐̎ͪ͑ͭ͌̕͟͟o͌̍̏ͤ̉̇̆́̌ͦ̐́ͦ͑̌ͤ̐̚͏̛͈̻͈͎̩̞̮̹̟̞̣̭͡͠r̸̛̪̥̣̥̘̻̽̓͌ͭ̿ͫͣͫͮ͛͂̉́̚͡t̨̡̫͙̗̤̘̟͖̜̖͊̿̇̀̈́́́͟a̋̒ͨͬ̇͛ͤ̾̀̌̃ͭ̈ͪͮ̎̉͋ͩ͟͏̷͙̤̖̲̜͍̞̕ͅͅl̨̢̠̗̠̭̞̰͈̳͙̟̱̝̐̅ͮ̊̆̊̿ͥ̿ͥ͊ͮ̎ͯ̍̚͟͠ͅs͈̙̳ͯ̔̑͗͋ͫ͋́͢ͅ,̷̯̲͔͔͈͈̤͙͎̭̻͈̗͔̯̞̦̲̈́ͬ̈́ͤ͒͋̐ͣ͌̋͛ͫͩ̾͗͑̕͢͠ ̸̧̞̘͈̱̮̜̩͕͓̞̿͗͌ͭ͑͊̈́̎̂ͣ͋̕

5026212
As Jake said, Pinkie defies all logic, and trying to Science her just leads to misery, pain, and madness.

As for the rest? It's hard to say, because Earth Pony and Pegasus magic is a lot less overt in its manifestations. How much of Applejack's farming skills comes from her magic, compared to her lifetime of experience at farming? Not to mention how special talents feed into that: is Rainbow a good flier because she has a lot of natural Pegasus magic, or because her special talent is flying fast and being awesome, or just because she spends a lot of time doing fitness training?

Hey, I really love your work. I wasn't sure whether to post this comment in the comments or on a forum page, so I decided to do both.

Well, in short: Do you know if there's any audiobooks for the LaToaWP story?

Putting this here cause I don't want to make an entire thread for it.

Could the Freeport stories get their own tab for the story listings for the group.

5246519
I'm not aware of any full-length audiobooks, though it's possible one exists and I forgot about it.

Are there any plans for a sequel to The Study of a Winning Pony? Really want to see how Twilight's family drama all plays out. Could have Cadance's pregnancy set off the chain of events.

5487382
That'd be up to Ponibius, but I did enjoy touching on that a bit with New Life, even if it's limited to using that as a convenient way to pump up Derpy's Empty Nest issues.

5511151

Speaking of Derpy, a spoiler from the latest EQG movie (just released in Brazil yesterday but not here until next week) has Derpy coming to comfort Flash Sentry for the second straight movie after a Sci-Twi rejection. Any chance of Winningverse Flash and Derpy becoming a thing, or are there already plans for Derpy?

5511739
I am pondering playing around with another Flash Sentry one-off which might play with that idea.

5511739 If you want to talk about movies... The normal MLP:FIM movie next year has the mane 6 traveling outside of Equestria. Could be a good way to have Twilight meet Sunset, considering it's highly unlikely a place like Freeport will exist in the actual continuity.