Multiple writers or single writers?

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

One thing that separates MLP from most other cartoons is that most episodes are written by a single writer. This combined with the 22-minute format of the show makes it a bit of a challenge for a single mind to uphold the quality and values of MLP alone, but it has seemingly worked for the most part, as many of the episodes considered top for the show have come from single writers, and the thought of having too many writers work on a piece evokes the "too many cooks" syndrome.

 

On rare occasions, some episodes will get multiple writing credits. The one episode with the most writing credits was "Power Ponies" with three (McCarthy, Fullerton, McGowen). The range of collaboratively written episodes goes from favorites like "Pinkie Pride" (Rogers, Thiessen) to those not so much like "Spike at Your Service" (Williams, Polsky). Other episodes with multiple writing credits are "The Ticket Master" (Rogers, Faust), "Putting Your Hoof Down" (Williams, Fullerton), "Keep Calm and Flutter On" (Polsky, Antonio), and "Inspiration Manifestation" (Powell, McCarthy).

 

So, which would you rather see? Would you rather see single writers continue to take on the task or would you rather see them get some help and share the work?

[Roughshod 721]

Just better writing. Whatever it takes to achieve that in the end is fine by me.

[Moonlight 7,290]

I like both but I personally wouldn't mind seeing some more multiple-writers episodes. Having multiple writers can even things out, say for example one writer is bad at comedy but good at characterization and the other writer is the opposite, together with their strengths and weaknesses they can possibly make a great episode.

All multiple writers really do is use all of their strengths and weaknesses together and as a result you can get an amazing episode like Pinkie Pride or an average one like Spike At Your Service. 

 

I don't mind single writers but multiple ones can turn out super great too. 

[Megas 28,080]

I don't really care if there are multiple writers or not as long as the writing's good

 

Besides, with the exception of "The Ticket Master", I've liked all of the episodes with multiple writers so far

[sweetolebob18 728]

If it's a good story, I neither know nor care "how many writers did it take?"  If the food is good, who cares who cooked it?  I would say, the writers seem to be doing well, let them sort it out.  Only if they "jump the shark" would I interfere  

[Andaasonsan 3,205]

Jayson Thiessen isn't a writer, he's the director for the show. On Pinkie Pride he gets credited with "story by" which would indicate that he provided only a rough outline of what he wanted and Amy Keating Rogers turned it into a workable script.

 

Spike at Your Service underwent a massive change while it was still in production, as originally it was supposed to be about Spike being Rarity's servant, but got retooled to be about Applejack, because Rarity was coming across as incredibly unpleasant. So that script wasn't so much a collaborative effort as it was one writer salvaging a script written by another writer.

[Nature's Spell 526]

From what several writers have said the draft they submit is often vastly different from what we finally see. Meghan makes changes, the production staff surely does, Hasbro, and maybe even the VAs. The results are often not what the writers intended, but can be better than the original. The biggest issue with the writing is simply that the writers don't see the show as Bronies do.

[Shanks 10,817]

What matters is if it is good, if one writer or many can accomplish this than great.