Man that whole drama thing. I want to say fuck everyone and just watch ponies. Of course it can never be that simple...
Brones are something else, they feel the need that they are entitled to have everything perfect for them. Theres another drama(?) thing I've recently heard about, but it's about a persons MLP fan-comic and it just boils down to people....a lot of people....not liking the how he characterized the characters and the storyline in the recent comic. It's a fan-comic, of course the characters aren't going to be exactly how you want it to be, it's all up to the creator. It makes me angry that people are quick to pass off the comic and art as shit when its not even done or what the characters plan on doing next.
You're really blaming a whole group for the vocal minorities here. I'm friends with several people who self-identify as bronies and are nothing like that at all. It's just silly geese in the internet, same as everywhere else.
Man that whole drama thing. I want to say fuck everyone and just watch ponies. Of course it can never be that simple...
Brones are something else, they feel the need that they are entitled to have everything perfect for them. Theres another drama(?) thing I've recently heard about, but it's about a persons MLP fan-comic and it just boils down to people....a lot of people....not liking the how he characterized the characters and the storyline in the recent comic. It's a fan-comic, of course the characters aren't going to be exactly how you want it to be, it's all up to the creator. It makes me angry that people are quick to pass off the comic and art as shit when its not even done or what the characters plan on doing next.
I have to be perfectly honest, this is why I loathe fanfic. I don't mean Brony fanfic, I mean fanfic in general. As a concept. As a practice. But Brony fanfic just amplifies it.
Fanfic, to a great, GREAT degree, is the act of using a claim of love or admiration of someone else's work as a cover for really declaring that you are unfulfilled or dissatisfied with what the creator has generously given you. It very often becomes a somewhat masturbatory act. The problem is that fanfic circles/cultures then becomes a practice of people who are pretending they don't want to admit to being masturbators but actually want everyone to watch them masturbate start complaining about who's dick is biggest. It only gets worse when as the fanfic circle widens it almost inevitably gravitates towards one (or both) of only two themes: making the existing storyline darker, meaner and sadder, and/or inserting copious amounts of sexuality into the narrative.
At the end of this, you have the greatest fallacy, which is that fanfic is some kind of abstract professional venture. The suggestion that your fanfic about another person's work will endear you to that creator. And here's the thing: in the actual industry, that's not called "fanfic," it's called "spec." Spec work is what you do when you attempt to pitch work that meets the standards of the original creator... and odds are the original creator isn't interested in your alternative universes of lesbian lust and nuclear apocalypse. This is why the very best fanfic tends to be the stuff that strays the least from the original work.
If you have a vision for a great and fantastic world or a compelling narrative, no matter how much sex or violence you find necessary for it, then sack up, write some original stories, accept criticism and improve with it. If you want to get a job writing for your favorite TV show, learn to write spec.
Obviously- obviously, there are countless caveats and exceptions to this: deliberate farce, parody, sarcastic commentary, etc. And this is of course not a denunciation of expressing oneself creatively... always make more, always write more, always try more. But it seems that instead fanfic circles latch onto the existing property... and ultimately that HINDERS their overall creative ability, not betters it.
I say all of this realizing I'm totally in a hated minority opinion, of course and will probably get flamed to all hell for it but that's my rant. I also get that a lot of people can argue that EVERYTHING is a "fanfic" ("Red Son is a Superman Fanfic!" "Ultimate Spider-Man is fanfic!" etc. etc.) and obviously if that's your definition than we're debating different concepts here.
Update: okay and before I even get responses I'll apologize in advance because of course I'm not trying to shit on anyone's work. I've made my own fanart and there's TONS of good stuff out there and of course I'm a huge proponent of how this show makes people be creative. But I'm talking about why fanfic's not my thing here in general, not trying to crap on anyone in particular.
Heh. I think I've read way too much pony fanfic to be neutral in this conversation. Though to be honest I do agree, at least a little, that there is too much dark and way too much sexuality in what you can find out there. My favorites tend to be straight up adventure stories.
Oddly enough I very recently ran into a published author who is writing pony fanfiction on the side, I was kinda of floored when I realized it.
As long as tabletop games in established settings don't count as fanfic, I think I'll be okay.
Well I think there's no "fic" there to be a fanfic.
Seriously thought I wasn't like, "laying down the rules" here or anything. I just really dislike fanfic in general. Obv. there are tons of examples to toss out as exceptions to what I said; I just find the practice to be a bad one overall. I think the Derpy situation was a great example... it went from "yay, the fan participation led to them naming the pony for us!" to "what? they changed it because people were upset? THIS WAS OUR PONY AND THEY CAN'T TAKE IT FROM US"well yes they can, it's their show, not ours.
And sorry, but Fallout Equestria still just makes me sad that it exists. But I accept that's, like, just a personal opinion, man.
I want to get really famous some day and write awful fanfics n'at on the side. Like, purposely awful, and see if people like them just because I'm already famous. Even better if I manage to get famous as an author.
There's a pretty big difference between shitty dark fics and stuff like that, and people who write stories because they enjoy it, and feel like using established characters and setting because of their attachment to them. I'm fairly sure most people have imagined scenarios in their heads at one point or another, and fanfiction is people just sharing those ideas with those interested. They don't want to "fix" what's there, or to try and elevate themselves to a similar level of the original work's creator (though those people do exist, and I don't like them either), they just want to get more out of the original work.
I think a lot of it has to do with what the author of the fanfic is trying to accomplish.
For example, the one decent idea I've ever had for a fanfic was Sherlock Holmes trying to solve mysteries in the Harry Potter universe.
It isn't born out of the idea that the original Sherlock Holmes stories didn't have enough magic in them or anything. It's more just that I thought it would be interesting to see the two universes together, how they would mesh.
Although I suppose it's also born out of a desire to see more Harry Potter stuff, because I really feel like that's a universe that Rowling hasn't expanded on enough. Is that what you were referring to when you were talking about people dissatisfied with what the creator had already generously given us?
If I ever get famous I for creating an original IP, I want to make the worst fanfiction of it and tell no one who I am. Just get all the characters wrong, just disregard canon and then laugh as people say how I'm ruining it and how I shouldn't write.
If I ever get famous I for creating an original IP, I want to make the worst fanfiction of it and tell no one who I am. Just get all the characters wrong, just disregard canon and then laugh as people say how I'm ruining it and how I shouldn't write.
MEET THE PONIES OF PONYVILLE, a Level 1 Reader (part of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers’ leveled reading program, Passport to Reading), the youngest of pony readers can read all about their favorite characters
WELCOME TO EQUESTRIA is a four-color illustrated storybook that explores all of Equestria, from Ponyville to Canterlot ($3.99 / Ages 4-8).
TWILIGHT SPARKLE AND THE CRYSTAL HEART SPELL is the first book in a brand new chapter book series. Each book will feature a different pony character and an original story that ties in with events in the MY LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC, animated television series. Books will be released every three months and will feature bonus activity pages
Celebrated artist Mary Jane Begin introduces fans to a brand-new land in the world of MY LITTLE PONY – the underwater city of Aquastria, ruled by KING LEO. When TWILIGHT SPARKLE receives an invitation to visit the underwater world, she invites all her pony friends and SPIKE to travel with her. Together, they learn of the long-held rivalry between the seaponies and the mermares, and must navigate the oceanic world, confront danger, make new friends, and race to the finish in this adventure that takes place in a shimmering new MY LITTLEPONY world that has never been seen before!
Seaponies, finally!
And for the bigger fans:
And perhaps one of the most anticipated releases for Pony fans of all ages is MY LITTLE PONY: THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY (“THE FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC” OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK), which includes extensive character bios, a complete episode guide and a map of Equestria, which will appear in print for the first time. Don't miss the complete lyrics to all the songs, a guide to the friendship lessons TWILIGHT SPARKLE and her friends have learned, and get Pony Words of Wisdom – so you can live your life in harmony with all other creatures ($14.99 / Ages 12 & up).
Auqastria is such a gloriously bad pun that it immediately validates its own existence through sheer badness. Art-wise, it's jarring when compared to the show, but it's pretty neat when you get used to it. I like the seapony design, especially, and the plot involved is looking really interesting.
ZanshinretsuAbout 20% more deathstareSeattle, WARegistered Userregular
Whoops, missed the thread for a day and half and suddenly there's talk of drama. I'm always disappointed when stuff like that happens. Such is the way of fandoms, especially ones on the internet I suppose. Now it's time to focus on joyful cartoon ponies again. Isn't this week's episode supposed to be a CMC one?
Sure, you are now. But then you'll start to like what they've done with the canon and then the studio will be all "LOLNOPE" and rewrite your favorite background character's history when they make the next season.
I wouldn't get your hopes up. They're written primarily for little kids, which means they'll probably be only slightly better than, say, the Star Wars EU.
Meanwhile, I can't even properly discuss the latest episode in particular without being tempted to pull out tropes.
I wouldn't get your hopes up. They're written primarily for little kids, which means they'll probably be only slightly better than, say, the Star Wars EU.
Meanwhile, I can't even properly discuss the latest episode in particular without being tempted to pull out tropes.
The comics certainly aren't vapid kids fare from what we've seen of them, and the guide book is targeted at ages 12 & up, higher than any of their other merchandise as far as I know.
Also, there's nothing wrong with tropes. They exist to be used.
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Caulk Bite 6One of the multitude of Dans infesting this placeRegistered Userregular
I wouldn't get your hopes up. They're written primarily for little kids, which means they'll probably be only slightly better than, say, the Star Wars EU.
Meanwhile, I can't even properly discuss the latest episode in particular without being tempted to pull out tropes.
The comics certainly aren't vapid kids fare from what we've seen of them, and the guide book is targeted at ages 12 & up, higher than any of their other merchandise as far as I know.
Also, there's nothing wrong with tropes. They exist to be used.
except here, where they are banned.
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Caulk Bite 6One of the multitude of Dans infesting this placeRegistered Userregular
checked The Rules to be sure, and yeah, tvtropes is still verboten
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AnialosCollies are love, Collies are life!Shadowbrook ColliesRegistered Userregular
+3
Caulk Bite 6One of the multitude of Dans infesting this placeRegistered Userregular
that is a nice Queen Chrysalis
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AnialosCollies are love, Collies are life!Shadowbrook ColliesRegistered Userregular
Heads up folks, Tosh.0 did a short segment on bronies tonight. I would post a link to the video, but see, Tosh actually showed uncensored r34 on his segment. Seriously.
It's only 33 seconds long, he shows a couple of nsfw pictures, makes a couple of shitty jokes, audience laughs, and that's it. Overall, not a big deal as far as I'm concerned, but I just know that it's going to cause a massive shitstorm so you might want to keep your heads down for a while.
Posts
You're really blaming a whole group for the vocal minorities here. I'm friends with several people who self-identify as bronies and are nothing like that at all. It's just silly geese in the internet, same as everywhere else.
Tumblr | Twitter PSN: misterdapper Av by Satellite_09
I have to be perfectly honest, this is why I loathe fanfic. I don't mean Brony fanfic, I mean fanfic in general. As a concept. As a practice. But Brony fanfic just amplifies it.
Fanfic, to a great, GREAT degree, is the act of using a claim of love or admiration of someone else's work as a cover for really declaring that you are unfulfilled or dissatisfied with what the creator has generously given you. It very often becomes a somewhat masturbatory act. The problem is that fanfic circles/cultures then becomes a practice of people who are pretending they don't want to admit to being masturbators but actually want everyone to watch them masturbate start complaining about who's dick is biggest. It only gets worse when as the fanfic circle widens it almost inevitably gravitates towards one (or both) of only two themes: making the existing storyline darker, meaner and sadder, and/or inserting copious amounts of sexuality into the narrative.
At the end of this, you have the greatest fallacy, which is that fanfic is some kind of abstract professional venture. The suggestion that your fanfic about another person's work will endear you to that creator. And here's the thing: in the actual industry, that's not called "fanfic," it's called "spec." Spec work is what you do when you attempt to pitch work that meets the standards of the original creator... and odds are the original creator isn't interested in your alternative universes of lesbian lust and nuclear apocalypse. This is why the very best fanfic tends to be the stuff that strays the least from the original work.
If you have a vision for a great and fantastic world or a compelling narrative, no matter how much sex or violence you find necessary for it, then sack up, write some original stories, accept criticism and improve with it. If you want to get a job writing for your favorite TV show, learn to write spec.
Obviously- obviously, there are countless caveats and exceptions to this: deliberate farce, parody, sarcastic commentary, etc. And this is of course not a denunciation of expressing oneself creatively... always make more, always write more, always try more. But it seems that instead fanfic circles latch onto the existing property... and ultimately that HINDERS their overall creative ability, not betters it.
I say all of this realizing I'm totally in a hated minority opinion, of course and will probably get flamed to all hell for it but that's my rant. I also get that a lot of people can argue that EVERYTHING is a "fanfic" ("Red Son is a Superman Fanfic!" "Ultimate Spider-Man is fanfic!" etc. etc.) and obviously if that's your definition than we're debating different concepts here.
Update: okay and before I even get responses I'll apologize in advance because of course I'm not trying to shit on anyone's work. I've made my own fanart and there's TONS of good stuff out there and of course I'm a huge proponent of how this show makes people be creative. But I'm talking about why fanfic's not my thing here in general, not trying to crap on anyone in particular.
Oddly enough I very recently ran into a published author who is writing pony fanfiction on the side, I was kinda of floored when I realized it.
Well I think there's no "fic" there to be a fanfic.
Seriously thought I wasn't like, "laying down the rules" here or anything. I just really dislike fanfic in general. Obv. there are tons of examples to toss out as exceptions to what I said; I just find the practice to be a bad one overall. I think the Derpy situation was a great example... it went from "yay, the fan participation led to them naming the pony for us!" to "what? they changed it because people were upset? THIS WAS OUR PONY AND THEY CAN'T TAKE IT FROM US"well yes they can, it's their show, not ours.
And sorry, but Fallout Equestria still just makes me sad that it exists. But I accept that's, like, just a personal opinion, man.
For example, the one decent idea I've ever had for a fanfic was Sherlock Holmes trying to solve mysteries in the Harry Potter universe.
It isn't born out of the idea that the original Sherlock Holmes stories didn't have enough magic in them or anything. It's more just that I thought it would be interesting to see the two universes together, how they would mesh.
Although I suppose it's also born out of a desire to see more Harry Potter stuff, because I really feel like that's a universe that Rowling hasn't expanded on enough. Is that what you were referring to when you were talking about people dissatisfied with what the creator had already generously given us?
Tumblr | Twitter PSN: misterdapper Av by Satellite_09
Insert George Lucas joke here
Steam ID XBL: JohnnyChopsocky PSN:Stud_Beefpile WiiU:JohnnyChopsocky
Stuff for the kids:
Seaponies, finally!
And for the bigger fans:
EVERYBODY WANTS TO SIT IN THE BIG CHAIR, MEG!
i am dead
That's enough to freak me out...
I love it already.
PSN: Zanshiretsu <-- misspelled because I am dumb.
But
But
a guidebook guys
Meanwhile, I can't even properly discuss the latest episode in particular without being tempted to pull out tropes.
Though speaking of guidebooks, I'm really interested in if we'll get a good look at the "pitch bible" at some point.
The comics certainly aren't vapid kids fare from what we've seen of them, and the guide book is targeted at ages 12 & up, higher than any of their other merchandise as far as I know.
Also, there's nothing wrong with tropes. They exist to be used.
except here, where they are banned.
She did Rarity too with a group of other Cosplayers that rounded out the Mane 6.
Thought she looked familiar. Very cool.
It's only 33 seconds long, he shows a couple of nsfw pictures, makes a couple of shitty jokes, audience laughs, and that's it. Overall, not a big deal as far as I'm concerned, but I just know that it's going to cause a massive shitstorm so you might want to keep your heads down for a while.