OC only fan fics. Yay or Neigh?

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,674]

I don't know if this has been brought up before. Oh well.

 

So, some stories opt to happen separate from the mane six (apart from the possible easter eggs, I suppose) and instead focus on an entirely different cast.

 

So, when you hear about an OC only fan fic, what impression does that alone convey?

 

Have you also read one yourself? How's your experience with such fan fic? Positive? Negative? Any recurring patterns?

[P-Jay 1,987]

im making one, currently.

 

and i have no problem with OC only fanfics.

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,674]

im making one, currently.

 

and i have no problem with OC only fanfics.

Have you read any yourself?

[NotoriousSMALL 1,984]

A few years back I read one about deer who lived in the everfree after the ponies pushed them out. It was pretty good from what I remember.

I want to find it again because I don't remember the ending or if I ever got to the ending, but I can't find it.

[Snow Frostflame 3,568]

I say yay since my fan fic only has four characters from the main show

[P-Jay 1,987]

Have you read any yourself?

a couple...

 

but a story only partially depends on a character. if the writer can tell a good story, with a gripping plotline, and has original ideas, its a good story.

[Thorn O Discord 118]

No charecters from the show? Hell yeah, it takes way more skill to be completely original like that. (More skill than I have at times) 

[Jackie Snack 1,498]

Impression? I assume you mean in terms of quality? I have seen pure OC fanfics that blow the other fics out of the water. I have also seen some horrible fics that are in need of practice, writing lessons, so on... this also goes for stories featuring canon characters.

 

I have read a few and I have written one myself, that's still in progress, but with chapters. It features applejack for... I think two or three paragraphs out of a thirty-three thousand word story. Obviously, she is not integral to the story. I have two more fics, not yet published that will be featuring a pure OC cast taking place away from Ponyville.

 

Most people I've run into see the OC tag and shy away, when many of these stories are just as good, if not better, than the other ones.

 

Unfortunately, the bad ones do outweigh the good ones. I can see why the stigma is there. Plus, certain sites (fimfiction) don't have the best search engines and a lot of OC stories get lost in the sea of entries.

[Kerberossz 1,929]

The usual problem with OC fanfics is the character's individuality. I have read a few on fimfic or just looked into them and this problem has appeared from time to time. It's like you want to write a novel with original characters but the world you want to place them is given so you don't have to build a brand new ambience to make clear where story takes place. Still you need to make the characters original. It's much easier to use the mane 6 in a story cuz they have unique personality. Personally, I would like to see well-written stories about OC-s cuz it's more interesting to see new ideas of how a character react to an exact situation than use the usual 6.

[Steve Piranha 29,453]

I tumbled upon some good ones, there are people who have a knack to make good OCs in the first place 

[PoisonClaw 8,166]

While I do enjoy OC only fics, it's so hard to find good ones. For every one where the characters are well thought out, detailed and likeable, there are numerous fics where they're either bland or shown to be superior to canon characters in every way. Most readers prefer to read stories involving at least one character from the show anyway, so more often than not stories with only OCs are ignored.  

 

For obvious reasons, most FO:E stories only deal with original characters and I can still think of a few good non-FO:E ones as well. 

Edited June 2, 2015 by PoisonClaw

[AmberDust 1,118]

You should make this into a poll.

 

My vote would be "Yay".

[Rogue Ruffian 72]

They definitely have the widest range, from absolutely awful to excellent. Fanfictions with the canon characters tend to be only decent (some are atrocious), because they are either too locked in to the personalities and don't let them expand, or go in routes way outside what the character would do.

[catnet 9,359]

Perhaps this is unfair of me, but, usually when I come across a fanfic that features OCs- be it one or every character- I tend to just skip it... it's not that I haven't enjoyed the few fics I've read that included them, but stories with established, familiar characters seem to interest me more, somehow. Even with the stories that have been written very well, I worry that the OCs in them won't be my cup of tea, since quite a many I've seen feel too distant from what I'm used to with MLP characters.

 

Also, most stories I read are romance fics, and seeing two characters I know well and ship be together is an amazing feeling... when one or both of the characters being shipped are OCs I don't know beforehand, I don't really feel anywhere near as excited about what happens with them.

[Standard User 2,127]

 

 

Also, most stories I read are romance fics, and seeing two characters I know well and ship be together is an amazing feeling... when one or both of the characters being shipped are OCs I don't know beforehand, I don't really feel anywhere near as excited about what happens with them.

 

Gah, stole my opinion before I could voice it.  

 

Agreed, it definitely takes more skill to create a quality story featuring completely original characters. But I'm not in a fandom to read about OC's (most of the time), I'm here to -- in part -- speculate and create new stories for the show's characters. 

[TerribilisScriptor 107]

they have to be WELL written ^^ i have seen/read some very well written short oc fics =D (all though i dislike LENGTHY saga-ish storys about OCs)

[Lamniform 33]

I think the problem why many people avoid OC fanfics is because they usually don't know anything about the character(s) before reading one. The story needs to introduce them unlike canon characters who we know more about. Say you're looking for a fanfic to read and you come across one with your favourite pony, pretty sure you'll look into that first before one that has a cast you don't even know.

At least that's what I do.

[darkwingmare 1,321]

As long as there are well-written OCs in there, it's like reading about new characters that you get to know through the story.

I don't see a problem with that, I can even get inspired to let my own characters grow that way. Ideas and creativity all over the place is my thing.

[Sectus 246]

I don't typically enjoy fan fiction in general, but I find it much more tolerable if a person uses their own characters. To me, it feels like nobody could quite get the characters right. The only fan fiction I found incredible, let alone tolerable, was Fallout: Equestria. It is well written for a fan fiction, but it does not feel like one. 

 

I don't enjoy any of the extensions of that story (Project Horizons, Number Seven, etc) either. The original is the only one I can tolerate.

[SolyWack 482]

I can live with OC fanfics if they're well written, but I think the problem is the entire reason fanfics exist in the first place. People can't get enough of the OG, so they go to fanfics. When you take out everyone main and side character to create a story with only brand new characters, it's more or less just a story, not a fanfic.

 

That rule is a bit different with fantasy, but it still applies somewhat. As the writer is just keeping the world, nothing else. Do unless it's really well written (like any real book), it will deter people.

[Landi 602]

Yeah I have no problem with pony o fanfics. I just love ocs in general, and am always interested to hear about others. But just just like ocs tehmselves, oc fanfics can be done really well or really bad. But that is the same case with fanfics about pre-existing characters. The part I really like about oc based fanfics is the extra creativity that comes with ocs. In fact, I hope to create some pony oc fanfictions in the near future.

[ToastedScone 398]

VERY much yay!

I love it when people are passionate enough about their OCs to write stories about them! I usually don't even care if they're objectively bad, I adore seeing love being put into an OC/OCs and their story!!

[Splashee 28,581]

Yay as well!

I am reading @ExplosionMare's fan fic, and it is only OCs (from what I have read so far).

[Pastel Heart 6,470]

I think they're fun, I like reading about new characters in a familiar setting; it's like Telltales Walking Dead and Game of Thrones' series

I'm writing a similar story, if I can ever get it finished...

[EpicEnergy 23,240]

I'm fine with OC only fanfics, I think they are a great idea!