Alright, boys and girls, siddown and shaddup. My first lecture here, and I am going to be talking to you about cutie marks: how and how not to use them.
Before we begin, let's talk about what a cutie mark is. It is a simple picture positioned on the pony's flanks (if you giggled, punch yourself in the face for me) that is obtained when the pony realizes what their special talent is; what sets them apart from other ponies. There are so many examples in the show, I'm not even going to bother going into them.
First things first: the age of cutie mark obtainment. They show up at a young age, apparently grade school. A pony that gets his or her cutie mark earlier than that (e.g. the moment of birth) is just silly (seriously, would their special talent be crying? Soiling diapers? What?). Now, name one canon pony around the age of the Mane 6 who doesn't have a cutie mark yet.
I'll wait.
Could you think of one? No? THAT'S BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ANY. For a pony to not get a cutie mark until adulthood, they would have to literally live under a rock.
Moving on! The obtaining of the cutie mark itself. Let's look at some examples. Twilight got her cutie mark when her innate talent for magic was unlocked. Rarity got hers when her horn dragged her to a motherlode of gems, and she used them to decorate the costumes in her school play. Pinkie got hers when she realized she is fing amazing at throwing parties, shindigs, and ho-downs. Rainbow got hers when she decided to become too awesome for the laws of physics. Need I continue?
The cutie mark appears when the pony realizes just what it is they're good at, and how it can direct their life. This usually happens in the act; Rainbow's cutie mark appeared just after she first broke the sound barrier, Rarity's appeared after she showed her generosity and fashion sense by turning the costumes into disco balls, et cetera. So, no. Ponies cannot get cutie marks just by sitting on a sofa.
...Unless their special talent IS sitting on a sofa. Explains Mr. Davenport, I guess.
Now, last but not least, the cutie mark itself. I'm not going to tell you what to do for a cutie mark, but I am going to tell you what NOT to do.
Repeat after me:
The cutie mark is a magical pony buttcheek tattoo. It is not the fing Mona Lisa*. Do not spend a SENTENCE longer than needed to describe the cutie mark. It does not shimmer, it does not glow in the dark, you can't see your reflection in it. It is a butt tattoo. It is not so detailed you can see the way the facets of the jewel catch the light. IT IS A FREAKING BUTT TATTOO.
One last thing: cutie marks tend to be either single objects (e.g. Big Macintosh, Granny Smith) or a trio of objects (e.g. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy). Keep that in mind.
Any questions?

*If the cutie mark is an actual picture of the Mona Lisa, please disregard. Then punch yourself in the stomach and change it.

426168 Mr Greenhooves has no cutie mark. Proof. Also, I would mention something about the absurdity of some OC cutie marks.

A cutie mark is something that is believable and practical. If it is something that you like from a video game, like a pair of portals, a gun, etc, then it is probably in impractical cutie mark and therefore is probably fairly stupid. Don't be a dumbass, make your cutie mark believable!

You should also mention how ponies tend to lose their cutie marks when they stand in large crowds. Proof.

Um, well, my OC's cutie mark originally is a one handed/hoofed sword. But I added in the fiction a second cutie mark being a heart clad in armor. Too much?

428039 He has two Cutie Marks? I'm sorry, but just no.

428577 Agreed unless you retconned it and the heart in armor is his new one

428039
No pony has two cutie marks, ever. It doesn't matter how special they are; even Celestia and Luna don't have two cutie marks. That will never be a good idea, no matter how you write it. Just stick to one talent that the pony is really good at.

Well, it seems to be one cutie mark, an armored heart with a sword in front of it. I'm guessing it changes during his/her story though.

428907

Well yeah, putting it in perspective it is actually ONE, only that the other part appeared after an important event, so it is actually one.

428577

OBJECTION!
It seems you have forgotten the episode where applebloom drinks a potion and gets a crapton of cutie marks!

429077 Still no. We don't need a rewrite of the Cutie Pox episode.

429133
… or maybe we do! There is a cutie pox out break across equestria, zecora is missing and somepony needs to find out how to cure it and there immune system is immune to the curie pox, so it's up to him to save the day!!! XiF! Your a genius!

429141 Brilliant! It's just like Contagion, but better! Especially the part where it mutates into the Curie Pox! Shear brilliance!

429145
COLLABRATIVE STORY TIME!

429145 but we know cutie pox is cured

429342 YEAH!
429344

429344

But it's a more deadlier version and needs more than a flower!

428827
It's possible. The cutie pox episode said that it was very rare. Three is unheard of.

452152
I posted that three weeks ago XD Also, I know it's possible, but have you ever actually seen one in the show? If you're going to try to do that, you better have a damn good backstory or you're going to get hate all over your story.

452158
I know that it would need a good backstory and you don't see it in the show, but I though it would be useful knowledge for new writers.

A cutie mark doesn't necessarily have to be one picture or a triplication of an image. For example, a cutie mark for close combat could be a sword and a shield, while a cutie mark for skill in building/fixing things could be a spanner and screwdriver. Those are two I've used in a story.

A cutie mark from birth generally doesn't make sense, although I've found that if the skill is stupidity (Another one I'm using with a brick cutie mark), it works well for comedic effect (as nobody will realise their exceptional trait is being incredibly stupid).

A concept I like to look into (very carefully) is alternate skills that could have the same cutie mark. Again, my brick cutie mark fits with an incredible durability that's bestowed on the character due to a stupid move. I realise how risky it is to both experiment with that idea as well as indestructible characters, but I figure the Hulk wouldn't be dangerous if all he wanted was to constantly eat mud and whistle (but there are a couple of situations where he can be devastating, such as having a villian taking his mud). Although, if a TV show was made with the Hulk eating mud and whistling before beating up someone who tried to take his mud, I would watch that repeatedly.

452234
I know what you're talking about, I'm just saying that if it has two completely seperate marks that have nothing to do with each other. One of my main OC's has a wrench and screwdriver crossed together because he's a construction worker part person. As for the cutie marks since birth; it only works well if you do something along the lines with what you've explained. I also think that the beauty of cutie marks is how they can mean so many different things even though they are just represented by one image.

452238
What's the name of the wrench and screwdriver pony and what story? I may give it a read.
I called my OC with the screwdriver & spanner Maregyver (She's got a swiss army horn).

452152 Well you see, there's this thing called a Mary Sue, and....

452310

Don't give me the Mary Sue stuff. I make sure to avoid that stuff when I write.
Indestructibility doesn't make someone a Mary Sue, getting everything without balance is a Mary Sue.

Is effort needed for this indestructibility? No.
Does it give her any immediately evident downsides? No, but she has plenty of flaws that make her balanced.
Does the little girl constantly get used as a meatshield? Yes.
Is she able to get out of any situation with it? No, she got trapped under a tree and couldn't escape.
Does she have the intelligence to utilise it enough to give her an unfair advantage? No, she mainly ends up eating sawdust and dirt as her main skills, with a side of getting set on fire.

Calling her a Mary Sue is like calling Kenny from South Park a Mary Sue. He keeps dying and coming back, she's half-undead. Would you call Twilight Sparkle a Mary Sue for her talent of magic, Rainbow Dash for her speed or Pinkie Pie for her reality-warping?

Don't get me wrong, I can take constructive critism from people who have seen my ideas. What you said was just condesending without bothering to research and should therefore be met with a logically stated yet condesending comment which I have now provided.

452408 Heh.

This is what we call a "straw man."

I never said that having two cutie marks makes somepony a Mary Sue. Simply, I implied that it would be difficult to avoid a Mary Sue under such conditions.

And if you thought that that was condescending, (yes, it's not "condesending!") then you should rethink your definition of condescending.

Protip: That was condescending.

453142
I never made a straw man argument. I pointed out the logical flaws with the implications I took from your comment. It seems that you were implying something different, so I apologise.

Grammar, spelling and punctuation make a good read, balance makes a good story. Multiple talents can seem overpowered, but having only one skill is also underpowered. The better a skill is, the bigger the weaknesses have to be.

You comment was written in a format that was condescending (I tend to spell words wrong when I don't use them often).

"Well you see, there's this thing called being a jerk, and...."

I'm not calling you a jerk, of course, I'm just showing that the format of the sentence is less than nice as a comment by itself.

453180 Okay.

453224
Shortest. Flame war. Ever.

428827
TWO CUTIE MARKS?
TWO TALENTS?
OUR FRIEND IS THE MOST SPECIAL PONY EVER!

I've seen a few adult ponies with no cutie mark, but I don't write OCs, and don't wish to redirect the meaning.

Is it possible to do a fanfic without EVER mentioning cutiemarks?

'cause to me they feel like a checkbox that some people feel needs to be filled.

Though it if was a fic with Twilight Sparkle in it, I suppose there really COULD be a checkbox on a list for noticing/recording them...

New fanfic: Twilight Completes Her Checklist!

460591
My Ponysona has no cutie mark :o
And that's cause of his backstory ^_^

So there!

However, I do agree that they should be simple. I've seen and read some that just really broke the MLP universe type setting when they were trying to emulate it >.>

460591
Who cares? Fallout: Equestria's storyline was even minorly (heh) impacted by the fact that Littlepip had a PipBuck for a cutie mark. At the beginning she treats it as an ironic symbol but that's pretty much all the reader hears about it.

463398

Well, I don't particularly- it's one of the least important aspects of the character as far as I'm concerned. I was interested to see if others felt the same, or there was another perspective on why they'd be important (aside from the characters themselves being concerned about them).

And now I know. Thanks!

I have one question we all know every cutie mark is kinda never the same but can there be a family insignia mark like it has the insignia but also has something else like a sword or something?

Why are there so many battle related cutie marks? I thought horses evolved prioritizing flight over fight.

Anyways, my take on cutie marks is to go full symbology and have it being a nuclear and varyingly subtle hint at the pony's talent.
For example, if Pinkie's talent was determined by her cutiemark appearance alone she'd be the best balloon inflator on all of Equestria, but if we interpret her cutie mark on a more figurative level then we get that she is good at partying since balloons are essential to parties.
Or Rarity would be a Zebrican warlord instead of talented at making ponies stand out. Think of that saying "diamond in the rough" rather than I FING LOVE COCAI-- ehrm, diamonds.
Or Flutters an entomologist rather than an animal caretaker.

Something I interpreted out of one of my favorite pony toys I love the merchandise, don't judge me, Dewdrop Dazzle.
In Japan, young couples draw these silly umbrellas with hearts under them; if we base the meaning of Dewdrop's cutie mark on this then she is either good at matching other ponies together or the best girlfriend in pony history.

Both superior to having "likes to splash on ponds like an idiot" as a talent.

426168 Well, if someone lived under a rock for their whole life, they definitely have a living-under-a-rock talent.

Abstract cutie marks are usually a better idea to go with as I recall. Where you can look at it and realize that isn't clear to any but the bearer. You think it means one thing but means something totally different. A good example would be a character of mine, Glory. Hers is a silver saber with its tip to the sky as it gives off a silver light (no it does not glow). Her talent isn't combat mind you even if she's adept at it. Her talent is actually inspiring those around her.

As well usually the mark reflects a small part of their personality. For Rainbow Dash it catches your eye, its usually the first thing you see. said character loves being the center of attention. Rarity's represents her talent for creating beauty. She is always looking her best and thrives to see that the world around her does as well. The examples go on and on. That isn't to say they the marks dictate personality but they represent defining traits in their personality.

I made a nation far outside of Equestria that doesn't even care about getting their marks or not. To them, a cutie mark is just something to show what they're good at, but not what they should do with their lives.
Example would be an OC I made named Crimson (currently the leader). He has two crossed swords, meaning he's a fighter, but he prefers to live his life either spending time in the Imperial Gardens or working at his old farm.
Example of one without the mark is Iron Shield. A dark red earth pony who leads a group that protects all the ancient artifacts. Still doesn't have his cutie mark, but he's doing something he loves.
This nation is designed to be the exact opposite of Equestria.

Guess what? As of now the cutie marks do in fact glow if you haven't seen it yet, Shadowmane PX-41 has it in a blog he posted today. I'll try to get the embed link once I get to my desktop instead of smartphone keyboard.

I always tended to think of cutie marks as representing what the character thinks of themself. They get it when they realize what they want to do with their life.

I.E. Applejack got hers when she realized that she wanted to be an Apple rather than an Orange, thus realizing what she wanted out of life, she got hr mark, and seeing her life as that of an Apple family member, her mark had an apple theme.

Thus, I don't see the mark as something they discover, but rather as an expression of what they have discovered about themselves. The season 5 premier underscored this when the ponies gave up their marks, they gave up their place and passion, the thing they lived for.

Thus it tends to bother me when the fanfics have ponies that rebel against their mark, or don't understand their mark, after all, that would be rebelling against their own nature (needs done very carefully), or is a catch 22 (how can they not understand their place and passion in life and have a mark, if they only get the mark when they understand their place and passion in life?)

426168
Can my OC have a cutie mark of herself as a blank flank? What would her special talent be? Or would that just not work?