Researching Ponies for a School Project

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

Alright, here's the deal. This semester, I've been assigned a research project on a community that I am involved in. So, I gave it a thought--why not the brony fandom? It's a unique topic that most people aren't too familiar with. There's plenty of room for inquiry and discovery. This is a chance to explain to outsiders how the fandom works, who we are, and more importantly, why we do what we do.

 

We must science this at once!

 

There's one specific aspect I'm researching at this immediate moment, and that's our fanfiction community. If you are an avid fanfiction writer or reader, it would be very helpful to know a few things. Even if you've only read a fic or two, or you prefer your stories in comic form, your thoughts are still useful. I'm looking to know:

1. What brought you into the writing community? For example, did you just decide "hey, I'm going to write a fanfic today!" or did you find inspiration from someone or perhaps the show itself?
2. What was your favorite fanfiction to read or write? For instance, was there one that stood out to you or had an impact on your life in some way?
3. Is there anything you particularly enjoy about the world of Equestria that makes it special? For example, are you as interested in stories that may take place in other universes? Are ponies special, or do you prefer to indulge in other universes as well?
4. What do you get out of the writing process; what motivates you to read or write stories pertaining to the show? Is it a form of escape, is it to sharpen your skills, or is it to share stories and experiences? Perhaps any combination of those, or perhaps something else?
5. How would you define if someone is a brony or a member of the fandom? Does reading or writing stories contribute to the fandom at large? Does a sense of identity stem from it?
6. Are there any fics that you would say are an example of what it means to be a brony? I've often heard people say that about My Little Dashie. Would you agree?
7. How often do the themes of the stories you encounter blend or contrast with those from the show? For example, do you usually enjoy darker stories (like cupcakes), or those that could easily blend in with the slice-of-life style of the show?
8. Is there anything you'd like to say to someone who isn't part of the fandom, but may be curious? For example, if someone saw you reading MLP fanfiction in public and asked why you were interested in it, what would you tell them?

If you don't have all the answers, that's totally fine. The goal here is to discover the answers. Some of these questions aren't going to have easy and simple answers, and that's why it's worth our time to ponder and investigate.

 

For the purposes of this class, I will also need to conduct an interview over Skype. The call will be recorded and shared with my professor, but the questions will be similar to these and you will be kept anonymous. I'd like to keep this thread open so that I can get more answers, but if you have 15 minutes to spare and you're interested, let me know.

 

For anyone who would be willing to do an audio interview over Skype, I will offer the reward of a custom-made signature and avatar by me, per your request.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Regulus

[Shadowking58 1,137]

Well, I don't have much to say about fanfiction seeing as I only read them. (Although I'll occasionally write something and post it up, but I rarely get motivated to continue.)
But I have somethings to say about other parts of the fandom.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Shadowking58

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

Well, I don't have much to say about fanfiction seeing as I only read them. (Although I'll occasionally write something and post it up, but I rarely get motivated to continue.)

But I have somethings to say about other parts of the fandom.

 

That's totally fine. Your thoughts are still important; this isn't a test and there are no right or wrong answers here.

 

It would still be helpful to know what your favorite fanfics are, how you founds them, and why you read them--stuff like that. If you wrote a few short pieces, I'd like to know about those, too. Perhaps you may not realize it, but having read a few fics and being a member of this forum makes you a very knowledgable person to consult.

 

For instance, I've only read a few fics myself; all of which were featured on Equestria Daily. I've mostly read short one-shots and sad fics. The last one I remember reading was about Applejack getting older and going to live in a nursing home. I think the Pinkie-centric fics are some of my favorites, though. She's not my favorite character in the show, but I like the way a lot of writers use her in their stories.

 

I've considered writing a few fics of my own, but I probably won't get around to working on any of those for quite some time, as I'm currently focused on other projects. One of my ideas is to write a story about bronies migrating through a portal to live in Equestria--but with a twist. Instead of bronies living in harmony with the equines like the typical self-insert fantasy, the citizens of Equestria are concerned about their culture and seek to establish a "border patrol" to protect their own interests. Persuaded by Celestia, the mane six go to extensive lengths to find bronies and force them back through the portal.

 

I can say that much, but I'm only one person and my thoughts can't speak for the entirety of us all. Any sort of insight at all is useful, honestly.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Regulus

[SFyr 1,982]

For the last half year or so, reading fanfiction has been a minor addiction to me.  I have a good 89 stories favorited, and 300+ on my to-read list on FimFiction.net. ...And maybe 20-30 or so I follow for updates.
My time has come.  :okiedokielokie:

• What brought you into the writing community? Being a good year or two ago, I actually don't remember overly well how that went about. I'll just start from the beginning. I was a normal shut it, subjected to random stuff that popular on the internet; however, being an artistic-minded person, I started to get won over by the amazing MLP art, which got me to give the show a chance. After I was smitten, I remembered how amazing the MLP artistic community could be, and I started to hear talk of popular fics like My Little Dashie or Cupcakes. Thus started my shallow dive into high rated stories--from there it just became a series of good finds that sold me on different catagories. For example, "Memory Pending" sold me on alien-as-a-pony, "A Voice Among Strangers" on Human-in-Equestria, "Gentlement for Mares" and semi-clop, "Rise of Darth Vulcan" on therapeutic villains-as-protagonists... Etc. Since then, I've wanted to contribute some of my own works, which I already would have if I wasn't bad with following through; in the meantime, I'm just staying alert for new stories that sound interesting, and updates to those I already watch. 
• What was your favorite fanfiction to read or write? Hard to say. "Through the Eyes of Another Pony" was one of the funniest fanfics I ever read, so that was an absolute joy to read. However stories like "Undead Equestria" and "Mort in Equestria" were both heavier stories in a great way; the first was interesting and had the GoT quality of ponies could legitimately die, and you just had the feeling that everything was gradually falling apart beyond control--the second was very well written in my opinion, and also approached subjects like death and eternity a bit.
• Is there anything you particularly enjoy about the world of Equestria that makes it special? There are things I love about the world. It has a lot of potential; there's magic and there's technology, there are races and there are spells and unknown parts of the world. The denizens themselves are capable of a lot, and just in general happy individuals with potential to also be dark or idealistic. The history also runs fairly deep but is at best vaguely defined, as are many mechanics/aspects of the world. So much crazy stuff happens too... Equestria just has a lot of potential to be twisted, shaped, and played with in such a large way.
  HOWEVER; if I had my way, and I was actually writing, I would only be putting about 1/3 or so in Equestria as MLP fanfiction. I remember the question all fanfiction authors should idealy ask, being "Does this need to be fanfiction?"... Well, a lot of ideas I have, and I'm sure ideas other people have don't need to be MLP fanfiction--in fact, they may be more unique for cutting their own path, but with how the internet/world is, it's easier to take something known with an established image/audience/world and simply use that instead of making something new/obscure/confusing. I want to get away from it, but for now I'm at least content thinking fanfiction can be practice.
• What do you get out of the writing process; what motivates you to read or write stories pertaining to the show? I would say escapism is fairly close, but it's less about hating how the world is and loving how things could be. I love possibilities, of reading about far off places and falling in love with characters. With living adventures and lives vicariously, of following a child as they grow to be a man, or as a character realizes who he is. Or, maybe just play out a power fantasy, or laugh at some structured insanity. Writing... it's basically exploring ideas I have, or characters I want to play with; though, often it's just me taking a cool idea that almost feels like it has to be written (or should, even if it's not the best), because the possibility is just too interesting to me to not be.
• How would you define if someone is a brony or a member of the fandom? I think fanfiction and creative works in general help deepen the community; at this point I'm probably more invested in said community than the show itself. It's practically a mini-culture thing that sprouted from the show. I feel it can be an identity, one that can be divided as more a fan of the show and the fandom, however the line is hard to draw and it's one of those things I think no one would fully agree where the line should be.
  In my own opinion, a brony is a fan of the show and a member of the fandom; a member of the fandom is someone who likes the idea and participates in some way, but is in said fandom for his own reasons. ...If that makes sense.
• Are there any fics that you would say are an example of what it means to be a brony? I feel My Little Dashie is a bit too extreme, and I don't like the message being that being a brony means you want a pony to yourself or to have one as a daughter.    Strikes me as a little bit as that 'wierd brony' image we're pegged unfairly with sometimes. However... as for a specific fic that encompasses what it means to be a brony? I can't really think of any. Whatever it would be, however, it would take something great and expand on it; build upon the show and the universe and give life to something new and unique, yet friendly and enjoyable.
• How often do the themes of the stories you encounter blend or contrast with those from the show? I think most of the ones I love are contrasted to the show. Dark ones, ones that are more realistic, ones that are pretty much alternate dimensional or Human-in-Equestria... I feel the fandom expansion on the show is better when taking a different route from the show. Like, taking something simple or innocent and giving it a realistic life; Luna's fall I feel can be a proper tragedy, and if there was a near-perfect or amazing example of that event, I feel it would fit question 6.
• Is there anything you'd like to say to someone who isn't part of the fandom, but may be curious? The fandom actually has a LOT of cool stuff in it, when you get past that you're watching a show about ponies. Both the fan community and the show have a way of growing on you over time, and if you keep an open mind, it's extremely likely there will be something somewhere that will capture your interest. So many people wouldn't get into it without a reason, and because we have so many different types of people here, fan works and fan projects are extremely promising. No one will (or should) hold you to liking it, or any aspect of it, but I feel it's worth considering looking into deeper.

Edited September 2, 2014 by SFyr

[Lord Discord 5]

I can do a skype interview! my name is lorddiscord25 but can you message me before so that I can tell you when I am free to call

[Wishing Star 27]

First of all, I wish you all the best with your project! It sounds very interesting and a great way to explain Bronies to others. 

I'm not very deep into the world of fanfiction yet, mostly because I'm still relatively new to the fandom, and I haven't even watched all the episodes yet *gasp!* much less had time to delve into everything else the fandom has to offer. But I'll answer what I can!

Also, I would be more than happy to do a Skype interview, but you'll probably find someone more involved with fanfic to talk to!

 

1. I enjoy writing, but I have yet to write an MLP fanfic. I have a few ideas, mostly alternate endings to episodes.

2. I really loved Aurora by PonyholicsAnonymous. It presented some great theories on the origin of alicorns as well as how their magic works. On top of that it was a great adventure story.

3.  The presence of magic is a huge plus for me, as I've always been interested in fantasy worlds and stories. Also, the effort made to create a world where sentient ponies actually make sense and thrive is impressive. For example, the little vocabularly quirks like "somepony," or doing things like getting their hooves polished.

4. Although I haven't writing an fanfic, I have created an OC and I am starting to participate in forum roleplay. For me it's a way to feel like I'm part of Equestria, but also to practice writing. If I were to write a fanfic, I think it would be different. Most of the ideas I've had definitely bear my personal cynicism...I guess it's my way of reinterpreting MLP stories in the "real world."

5. I think anyone who enjoys watching the show and considers themselves a Brony is a Brony. Fanfiction contributes to the fandom. If nothing else, it brings together fandom members and provides a topic of discussion. I would say that people who create any kind of fan art are more likely to have a stronger sense of identity as a Brony. They are spending more time on the show and immersing themselves more deeply into the world. 

6. No answer.

7. I definitely prefer stories that are different than the show in some way, whether they be dark, strange, or just highly unlikely. I guess I feel that if I want to see something like the original show, I'll just watch the original show. When I go looking for fan creations, I like finding people's unique perspective on the world.

8. I don't have an answer for this, but I'm very interested in what others have to say. I've tried to explain the fandom to a few different people, but mostly just got a blase response. Maybe they just weren't the right people? 

[Shadowking58 1,137]

That's totally fine. Your thoughts are still important; this isn't a test and there are no right or wrong answers here.

 

It would still be helpful to know what your favorite fanfics are, how you founds them, and why you read them--stuff like that. If you wrote a few short pieces, I'd like to know about those, too. Perhaps you may not realize it, but having read a few fics and being a member of this forum makes you a very knowledgable person to consult.

 

For instance, I've only read a few fics myself; all of which were featured on Equestria Daily. I've mostly read short one-shots and sad fics. The last one I remember reading was about Applejack getting older and going to live in a nursing home. I think the Pinkie-centric fics are some of my favorites, though. She's not my favorite character in the show, but I like the way a lot of writers use her in their stories.

 

I've considered writing a few fics of my own, but I probably won't get around to working on any of those for quite some time, as I'm currently focused on other projects. One of my ideas is to write a story about bronies migrating through a portal to live in Equestria--but with a twist. Instead of bronies living in harmony with the equines like the typical self-insert fantasy, the citizens of Equestria are concerned about their culture and seek to establish a "border patrol" to protect their own interests. Persuaded by Celestia, the mane six go to extensive lengths to find bronies and force them back through the portal.

 

I can say that much, but I'm only one person and my thoughts can't speak for the entirety of us all. Any sort of insight at all is useful, honestly.

Well, I didn't actually read MLP Fanfiction until this happened:

 

My favorite fanfics would have to be:

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/199935/time-for-a-payday

and

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/214076/summer-on-fire

 

But other then that, I love fics that are either horror, or sad.

[Everleaf 541]

Not a bad idea actually...although some people who do know about it are a little negative about the fandom...however I'm guessing many would enjoy it in many ways  

 

although I can't help so much on fanfic related stuff as I do not write/read many but other I can help with for example art, the fandom itself, Equestrian history so on...

 

 

however I have NOT got a Skype so I can't really do anything outside the forums (or DA) but if you need any help from me and we can talk on the forums alright.

[Abia 258]

What brought you into the writing community?

I have always been a writer, but did not consider writing or reading fan fiction until a short while after I first joined the MLP fandom. I read “Cupcakes”, and just kind of continued from there.

 

What was your favorite fanfiction to read or write? For instance, was there one that stood out to you or had an impact on your life in some way?

Nope! “Discord Punches Twilight In The Face” was obsession-worthy for a day or two, but no stories have critically affected my life either positively or negatively.

 

Is there anything you particularly enjoy about the world of Equestria that makes it special? For example, are you as interested in stories that may take place in other universes? Are ponies special, or do you prefer to indulge in other universes as well?

Ponies are special; I generally stray away from reading anthro or humanized pony stories, and have yet to write one. The idea of cutie marks and Equestrian society in itself are pretty fascinating. There’s so much to explore, and being able to write about such lovable characters makes it even better.

 

What do you get out of the writing process; what motivates you to read or write stories pertaining to the show? Is it a form of escape, is it to sharpen your skills, or is it to share stories and experiences? Perhaps any combination of those, or perhaps something else?

I write fan fictions to sharpen my own writing skills— I’d love to be able to write individual works at some point— and to contribute to the community. I read other stories, I watch the show, and I am inspired to create something that will be as enjoyable to someone else as the show is to me.

 

How would you define if someone is a brony or a member of the fandom? Does reading or writing stories contribute to the fandom at large? Does a sense of identity stem from it?

Are there any fics that you would say are an example of what it means to be a brony? I've often heard people say that about My Little Dashie. Would you agree?

No. Being a brony has nothing to do with the fan fiction community. It’s a label… if you deem yourself a brony, you are one, but you can also be labelled as or called one by someone else. It’s not a sacred title or one to be preserved; there is no such thing as a “true” brony. I associate part of my identity with being a brony. It’s how I’ve met many of my closest friends and the one thing I can get truly excited and intelligent about when discussing. It’s the ultimate ice breaker, for me— other conversations are often difficult for me to maintain, but identifying myself as a brony enables me to meet people I might otherwise not be able to.

Reading or writing does contribute to the fandom, but it would still be a fandom without it.

 

How often do the themes of the stories you encounter blend or contrast with those from the show? For example, do you usually enjoy darker stories (like cupcakes), or those that could easily blend in with the slice-of-life style of the show?

I enjoy both extremes of the spectrum and little of the middle. Things that could appear in the show are great whenever I’m missing the show or waiting a gap between seasons, but more mature things also offer interesting glimpses into the behind the scenes world of Equestria. While I have my preferences, I really love any fic where the characters act like themselves.

 

Is there anything you'd like to say to someone who isn't part of the fandom, but may be curious?

Wait… people are actually curious about this fandom?

 

My Skype is motorpoweredmagpie.

[Denim&Venöm 19,329]

1. What brought you into the writing community? For example, did you just decide "hey, I'm going to write a fanfic today!" or did you find inspiration from someone or perhaps the show itself?    It's usually whatever subgroup or project of the fandom that inspires me or catches my imagination. The first two mlp stories I ever wrote were for a Tumblrpon group called The Vampony Survival Guide, which is a collection of stories taking place in an Equestria where the citizens fight for survival against the Vamponies and their Queen, Celestia.     Right now I'm starting my frist attempt at a multi chapter story taking place in The Coversion Bureau universe. http://www.fimfiction.net/group/22/the-conversion-bureau.  So much potential in that world, lots of stuff to think about and so many ideas to capitalize on. I'm looking to go a bit deeper and analytical than most authors who write for the universe.
2.  
3. What was your favorite fanfiction to read or write? For instance, was there one that stood out to you or had an impact on your life in some way?      'The Demesne of the Reluctant Twilight Sparkle' was the first MLP fic I ever started reading. And it is a damn good one. I highly reccomend it. That one showed me what the writing potential of this fandom really was.
4. Is there anything you particularly enjoy about the world of Equestria that makes it special? For example, are you as interested in stories that may take place in other universes? Are ponies special, or do you prefer to indulge in other universes as well?  I enjoy Equestria because it is a break from all the issues and probelms I have to see in our world. Every where I go, even in entertainment, it's some kind of issue from day to day life, and I just want to get away from it. Equestia is that break, that palce where my imagination deson't have to be restricted. I'm not very interested in stories about other universes. I'd say yeah, ponies are special, but sometimes I do induldge in other stuff, but not very often.
5. What do you get out of the writing process; what motivates you to read or write stories pertaining to the show? Is it a form of escape, is it to sharpen your skills, or is it to share stories and experiences? Perhaps any combination of those, or perhaps something else? I get the chance to finally get my ideas out of my head and onto paper and see what the world thinks. For reading, it is an escape, and I get to see the potential of the MLP world truly brought out in it's fan works and be enaged and wowed by it.
6. How would you define if someone is a brony or a member of the fandom? Does reading or writing stories contribute to the fandom at large? Does a sense of identity stem from it? It all starts with self identifacation. If you think you are one, then you are. If you want criteria, if you enjoy the show and think about it and how good it was after it's over, than you're basically a brony. Reading and writing does contribute, as it showed how complex and developed Equestria is and builds upon that. A ittle kids show has inspired all this creativity. In a way, yeah, I think identity could stem from this.
7. Are there any fics that you would say are an example of what it means to be a brony? I've often heard people say that about My Little Dashie. Would you agree? That's hard to say. That kinda narrows it down to fics about bronies specifically. There are really good fics that show how creative we can be and to what lengths our passion and dedication can go, Ex: Past Sins, Fall Out: Equestria, University Days, The Keepers Of Discord, and the like. But I can't really give an answer as to a fic that describes bronydom, not even My little Dashie does that.
8. How often do the themes of the stories you encounter blend or contrast with those from the show? For example, do you usually enjoy darker stories (like cupcakes), or those that could easily blend in with the slice-of-life style of the show? I'd say contrast. Some of the stuff covered might be inapropriate or go over kids heads. I read alot of romance stories, and that is a rather touchy subject in a kids show. Other times it's stuff that's very dramitic and gets you thinking. If it can get the attention of a teen or adult and move them, it'll probably be too much for a kid.
9. Is there anything you'd like to say to someone who isn't part of the fandom, but may be curious? For example, if someone saw you reading MLP fanfiction in public and asked why you were interested in it, what would you tell them? It's taking well realized characters from a good show and expanding upon them. There are plenty of fan works ranging from Sonic the Hedgehog, to Doctor Who, to Harry Potter to Pokemon. Those managed to grip people, and because this show might have a more cutsey, or feminine, or childish demenor to it, doesn't hide the fact that the show itself has good characters and storytelling. It's fantasy. It's escapism. It's a pretty good read.

 

You can Skype me at TrueAmericanHate, but I've never used Skype before, so don't be suprised if it takes me a bit to get a handle on.

 

Although if your looking for help with your study, then I'd reccomend contacting the people involved in the Brony study.

 

http://www.bronystudy.com/

 

They might be able to give you some info on how to persue this further and they'd probably like it if you partook in their study too. Who knows, you might find some answers to your own questions.

[Rainboom Dash 1,056]

I'm not a fanfiction writer, but I wish you luck in your project. The brony fandom is so large and multitalented I'm sure there's so much to discover.

[boooored 22]

1. I found sides to characters in the show that I thought weren't really paid much attention to and I developed these

 

2. I love 'The Feeling is Mutual' by The DJ Rainbow Dash. I like this because it is focused on TwiDash and I love this couple but I also love the way that this fanfic doesn't try to shove it in my face. Also I like it because it shows Dash's delicate, sensitive side and I love this about her.

 

3. I love the way that the world of Equestria gives me another place to be when I have a hard time or something like that. Its a great place to escape to and not be bound by the laws of our world.

 

4.Reading and Writing fan fiction is a great way for me to explore myself and I get to explore my life as a pony and become a different person

 

5. I don't define a brony as somepny who contributes to the fandom by writing, doing fanart or similar because you cant be exculaed from the bronyhood just because you aren't talented in these areas. But I do think that to be a brony you have to be enjoying and watching either the show itself or the fan work, so if somepony enjoys reading pony fanfiction then this makes them a brony.

 

6. My Little Dashie is the only example that come to mind, because I don't really read many of these sorts of fan fictions. When I did read this I connected because I desperately wanted Ponies to be a part of my life, either by me being a pony or by a ony like dashie coming into my life.

 

7. I do like the grimdark themes but mostly I like stories that develop sides of the characters that the show doesn't explain. You could call these slice of life but I guess I prefer that more dramatic ones.

 

8. If somepony saw me reading a fanfic in public and was interested in why, I would tell them that its a great world to escape to and even though it is a more comfortable place, you feel for the characters and connect to them on an incredibly deep level and this can sometimes make you feel 'unfomforatable' and there is no other fandom that can connect to you on this level.

 

 

Good luck with your project...I wish I would get a project like this

[Princess Lona 382]

What brought you into the writing community?

I was never interested in fanfic before MLP. When it comes to the stories I enjoy, I have always been interested in canon sources only for some reason. I guess I just assumed that no fanfic could ever compare to what the creators of a particular show or book series could do. But MLP is just so good that once I finished all the episodes I just needed more content, any content to feed my pony addiction. And it was better than I thought it would be. I still prefer canon stuff, but I no longer scoff at fanfic. The majority of fan content I consume is video though, not written stories.

 

What was your favorite fanfiction to read or write?

My favourite pony fanfic is definitely the My Little Dashie series. I also like the "X meets MLP" series. I know those are videos, but I haven't actually read any fanfic that I've liked yet (I haven't read very many fanfics at all yet though).

 

Is there anything you particularly enjoy about the world of Equestria that makes it special?

Not really. Like I said before, I just want more stories within this franchise.

 

What do you get out of the writing process; what motivates you to read or write stories pertaining to the show?

My reason for writing is selfish. I want to build a readership of my own. I have written a bunch of original short stories and I'm working on a novel. I am preparing to get these out on iBooks, Amazon, Kindle, etc. but I need people to want to read them. I can release a few of my short stories for free, but that won't do much if people don't know who I am. So I figure if I write some fanfics of an existing popular franchise and toss them up on Deviant Art or something, there will be a better chance that people will read them. If they like my style, they may decide to give my original works a look. I haven't actually completed a fanfic yet but I'm working on a CMC story.

 

How would you define if someone is a brony or a member of the fandom?

I think tecniqually in order to be a member of a fandom, one only has to identify as a fan. I guess with bronies people think it's not that simple because the fandom has been so sensationalized and even a bit cultural-politically charged. We're breaking down barriers with the idea that adults can like a thing intended for children, and especially with the idea that men can like a thing intended for girls. But at the end of the day, you're a member of a fandom if you are a fan. I guess people who go the extra mile and create their own content are just superfans?

 

Are there any fics that you would say are an example of what it means to be a brony?

I don't think it means anything to be a brony. The effect of a piece of media on its audience will be different for each consumer.

 

How often do the themes of the stories you encounter blend or contrast with those from the show?

It's all over the place in pony fanfic! I have mostly encountered fics that lean toward darker themes or comedy. I prefer the comedy ones and the ones that bleed with the style of the show. I don't particularly care for the dark and brooding ones. Not because the darkness bothers me, but because they tend to be too dramatic for my taste. Dark comedy is okay.

 

Is there anything you'd like to say to someone who isn't part of the fandom, but may be curious? For example, if someone saw you reading MLP fanfiction in public and asked why you were interested in it, what would you tell them?

 

If they are curious but they are afraid to join because of what people might say, I would let them know what a supportive group of people make up the bulk of this fandom so they would know they would basically have an internet army to back them up if they need it. If they asked why I was interested in pony fanfic, I would tell them what I told you above: The canon stuff is so good I JUST NEED MOAR PONIES!