Hello all.

As the founder of the Humanized Ponies group I would like to ask the members of the group about the differences that they like in Humanized stories.

An easy example would be the changes in family and friends, say, Twilight is Spike's adoptive/birth mother whereas in the actual show it's... uh, it's... something imaginative. Or the change in town names for example in my Humanized stories I use different, yet, similar names for Equestrian towns. (Rumsville = Ponyville, Canterbury = Canterlot)

What difference between Humanized Pony and actual Pony interests you?

the fact that they are human, thus making it more involved

The point where outsiders can still think they are on their home planet for a while before realizing the truth.

I just like to see how they are portrayed. Looks, fashion choices, "human" names, relationships, actions, etcetera. It's all very intriguing.

I like seeing how people portray them, like how Captain Sanchez said.
Like how some people actually change Rainbow Dash's hair instead of keeping it a rainbow color, for example

I like the translation of what makes a character who they are. It's like in the Humanization pics, where you KNOW who they are, even if the pics were just B/W stuff.

In general, I like humanized fics because they feel more rooted in reality. It makes things feel more engaging knowing that the story we enjoy is anchored in something we're intimately familiar with.

I think that writing for humanized characters makes actions and interactions incharacter more understandable. I don't know how a cartoon horse would feel in a certain situation, but I know exactly how a human being would feel in that same situation. That being said, it's also a double-edged sword: because the reader is human, and thus well-versed in the intricacies of sapien physiology and stimuli, they are more keen to errors or mistakes when writing for human characters; because of the physical disconnect, pony-fic readers are more open-minded.

- Deeper, more complex social/political issues. While pony-fics are able to convey much of the same deep social dramas as humanized-fics can, the conflict just feels more engaging if you can understand the characters are humans. And while I think that most pony-fics have fairly simplified social-political commentaries or conflicts, humanized writers are more willing to borrow from real-life events and incorporate that into the story, adding both a layer of depth and believability.
- Adapted character appearances. While hair is pretty easy to adapt and fairly consistent (unless you're going uber-realism, in which case it's hard to explain Pinkie's pink hair and Rainbow Dash's maroon eyes), authors really have to think about how their humanized characters will adapt their characters to remain both faithful to the show and believable for the humans. And some of the things they come up with is pretty unique. I won't lie when I say I've put at least an hour's worth of research just coming up with clothing styles.
- Race, ethnicity, and nationality. Related to the above. Because the ponies purposefully lack racial and ethnic backgrounds and their nationality is generally Equestrian, it's interesting to see what the author decies should be each character's race, ethnicity, and nationality. Further props are given if those characteristics play into the story's conflict. No word on religion though; it's probably safer that way.
- Puns. If the show can put puns on human stuff, we can put puns on horse stuff.
- Real-world locations. How come no one ever visits Manhattan?
- Guns. Okay, this is most likely something that I focus on. Beyond the canoniacal and thematic discrepencies, ponies cannot concievably wield firearms without some needlessly complex explanation. With humans, I'm allowed to satisfy my inner gun-nut. Because fingers.

That all being said, there's a bunch of things I don't like about humanized either, out of personal preference. Maybe that should get its own thread...

I'm a fan of how authors blend the aspect of the ponies with the bodies of people. Like instead of having a person with a horn to use magic they have a tattoo or an actual wand to manifest their powers, I always find it interesting how an author chooses to do it.

I'm able to develop emotional links with human characters better than I can with talking gypsy horses, which means that fics can actually hit me with feels when done right.

That, and I love it when writers blend canon with a universe they made. It's pretty cool when you see a good humanized fic that has its own world-building. It's at least how I'm trying to do mine, anyway.

Well for one, it's easier to get their reactions to certain stimuli more accurate and real, I.e. high school or a relationship. It also makes it easier to develop the characters in a way that you know as a human.

Personally the thing I like is that, as one who writes clop, that I do not have to write about ponies. Being a human makes sexual things make sense. It's hard to get over the fact that it's a completely different physical being than we are. Horses aren't exactly things I like to sexualize, either... no matter how sapient they are.

I personally prefer it if the changes are kept to a minimum. I mostly read humanized ponies because I don't want to get annoyed at every mention of "arms" and "hands" and all those other little things that tend to slip through the cracks when writing about ponies.

>> CaptainSanchez
Sentient = "Capable of sensation." (This includes anything with a nervous system. And most plants.)
Sapient = "Capable of thought." (This includes humans and as far as science can tell, not much else.)

548565
Thank you. Always easier when people say what you need to for you.

I like writing humanized for the same reason I like drawing humanized. It brings everything down to earth and grounds it in reality. That way, the dark parts are darker, the funny parts are funnier, and the human moments are (forgive the cliche) more human.
Now excuse me while I go figure out what the heck I just said.

548565 Well, if that's the case, then aren't MLP's Ponies already sapient? In fact, they might actually be better at it than humans.

594423That's true, ain't it?