Is there anything worth reading from the fanfic community anymore?

[Plonkett 345]

Two years ago, I used to enjoy reading MLP fanfics, but recently it's come to a point that there are so many bad fics or ones that just look uninteresting, I've pretty much lost interest. 95% of the fics I've come across are just simply poorly written, and even some of the better written fics have moments so irritating that it hinders the experience (even Past Sins had one at the very end that it made me dread reading it again). also, the vast majority of fanfics are either anthro, have humans, Equestria Girls, or just some random crossover. There's also fics with chapters that are so long that it takes an hour to read them, and that's why I refuse to read fics like Fallout: Equestria and its sequels/spinoffs.

[Lulaypp 2,555]

Even though I hardly read MLP fanfics, I must agree with you on this. Not just MLP but other fandom as well.

I guess it is because a lot of people wants to write but don't really have the talent to.

A few MLP fanfic that I do like are Creeping Darkness, Past Sins and the What Happened at Sugarcube Corner series. If you are interested, you might want to read them. They are pretty good, as far as I remember (though I think What Happened at Sugarcube Corner is rated M for gore. And the last book isn't finished)

So sometimes I end up re-reading the fanfic I have read. But nevertheless, I agree, the world can do with more quality writing.

[Plonkett 345]

  On 2016-12-30 at 2:24 AM, Lula- si Ninja Petir said:

Even though I hardly read MLP fanfics, I must agree with you on this. Not just MLP but other fandom as well.

I guess it is because a lot of people wants to write but don't really have the talent to.

A few MLP fanfic that I do like are Creeping Darkness, Past Sins and the What Happened at Sugarcube Corner series. If you are interested, you might want to read them. They are pretty good, as far as I remember (though I think What Happened at Sugarcube Corner is rated M for gore. And the last book isn't finished)

So sometimes I end up re-reading the fanfic I have read. But nevertheless, I agree, the world can do with more quality writing.

 

I have read Past Sin, and I have enjoyed it until the third to last scene of the final chapter, which imo was the most poorly written scene in the entire fic (again, which hindered the experience for me).

[Queen Sparkle 104]

I don't know of anything that you would like then, they're are some one shots which are good so you don't have to worry about poorly written parts (unless the chapter is like 10,000 words) but otherwise I don't know.

Edited December 30, 2016 by Queen Sparkle

[BlueStreak98 828]

Fanfiction is like Christmas music; 98% of it is total crap but it's worth digging through it to find the good stuff!

 

 

I've been following Calm Wind's Piercing the Heavens, which is well written at the very least. It has dark moments, it has light moments, and while the magic takes a little bit of time to wrap your head around, it's well worth the read.

[Plonkett 345]

  On 2016-12-30 at 2:56 AM, Queen Sparkle said:

I don't know of anything that you would like then, they're are some one shots which are good so you don't have to worry about poorly written parts (unless the chapter is like 10,000 words) but otherwise I don't know.

 

Any one shot fics you would recommend?

[Queen Sparkle 104]

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/340761/whos-your-daddy

(Rated Teen with some talk of sex but isn't NSFW)

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/338040/derpys-faking-it

(Rated for Everyone)

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/335701/lightheaded

(Same as Above)

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/336359/princess-luna-inherits-canada

(Same as Above)

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/333836/somepony-tries-to-sell-twilight-insurance

(Same as Above)

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/339792/death-note-alight-equestria

(Rated T with Gore)

 

Some of them might have poorly written parts and the last one is a multiple chapter and I don't know exactly what you like so all of the E's have comedy in them.

Edited December 30, 2016 by Queen Sparkle

[trademark2 485]

I don't have much experience with fanfics, but in my experience, a good story is generally a longer story. If a writer is good, they will be able to craft a larger, more realistic world, and that will equate to longer chapters, and longer books. I would be surprised if there were not as many good fanfics coming out, but maybe the first ones you read are the ones you remember and love best? There's always that one book that seems directly targetted at you.

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,528]

  On 2016-12-30 at 1:03 AM, vgmaster9 said:

There's also fics with chapters that are so long that it takes an hour to read them, and that's why I refuse to read fics like Fallout: Equestria and its sequels/spinoffs.

 

Please reconsider this - you can always bookmark the exact page you're at in the middle of a chapter. There's a reason that Fallout Equestria has its own sub-fandom - it's a complex, well-told story. No prior knowledge of Fallout is necessary to enjoy it. It might not be a new fic but it'll occupy and entertain you for a while.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

  On 2016-12-30 at 4:45 AM, Feld0 said:

Please reconsider this - you can always bookmark the exact page you're at in the middle of a chapter. There's a reason that Fallout Equestria has its own sub-fandom - it's a complex, well-told story. No prior knowledge of Fallout is necessary to enjoy it. It might not be a new fic but it'll occupy and entertain you for a while.

 

CaNOT agree with and also recommend it more! That fic is one of the best stories I've ever read. Not fanfics, story PERIOD!

[Steve Piranha 29,443]

one of my last long fic I've finished was precisely Fallout Equestria  . Still, after that, I'm hardly reading fics anymore save from two or three that are still updating, but I haven't looked for new fics anymore, nor I've read the hundredths I've put on read later  . The actual LAST fic I've finished reading, was Code Lyoko EG, and that's pretty much the latest adventure pony fic I've find worthwhile reading that was concluded, most of the others I've read are the classic fandom pre twilicorn classics  

[Plonkett 345]

  On 2016-12-30 at 4:45 AM, Feld0 said:

Please reconsider this - you can always bookmark the exact page you're at in the middle of a chapter. There's a reason that Fallout Equestria has its own sub-fandom - it's a complex, well-told story. No prior knowledge of Fallout is necessary to enjoy it. It might not be a new fic but it'll occupy and entertain you for a while.

 

Oh I don't doubt that one bit. I'm sure it's very well written and it certainly has a fanbase of its own, but at this point there's way too much for me to keep up and there's like weeks worth of stuff. As for bookmarking, I assume that that's for Fimfiction, while the official FoE pages don't have that option, if I'm not mistaken.,

[ChB 18,562]

I love "Cheer On" and "My Little Dashie", though it's likely that you've already read those.

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,528]

  On 2016-12-30 at 6:35 AM, vgmaster9 said:

Oh I don't doubt that one bit. I'm sure it's very well written and it certainly has a fanbase of its own, but at this point there's way too much for me to keep up and there's like weeks worth of stuff. As for bookmarking, I assume that that's for Fimfiction, while the official FoE pages don't have that option, if I'm not mistaken.,

 

I found an .epub version of FoE somewhere and read it in Adobe Digital Editions - I believe it was this one. Digital Editions is a very nice eBook reader. The original fic stands perfectly well on its own if you aren't inclined to read all the other fics based on it.

 

Once you start reading FoE, you probably won't want to put it down. Don't be so worried about its length.

 

I may also be biased here but the occasional fanfiction contests that Poniverse runs produce awesome fics about the organization's mascots. Summers of Change is my favourite among those.

[Lil Pip 775]

Do process of elimination to find out what fics you are interested in. You can cross over cross-overs. If you eliminate something that is too broad it basically causes you to eliminate the rest of your options you are being too heavy handed. But it also depends on your motivation for reading, not just eliminating, because even if you read some good material if it doesn't interest you you won't forgive its mistakes. But alot of people do write what is relevant to them, just try to find what sort of people have a habit of writing nice short stories you can enjoy.

 

And process of elimination is flawed, because there are fic types out there you don't even know exist. But the motivation method is also flawed for the same reason, what if you find something you didn't know you could enjoy?

 

So if your current method of fic-finding is proving inefficient, perhaps what you need is to know how and why others choose their fics, to open up new avenues and have a broader enjoyment, if its worth the opportunity cost(taking the time to find it then read it when you may not have enough time). So you can weigh that against other options, but its good to leave it partially open in case your interest renews- some people are stubborn and think 'fics are bad now time to dump them' then next thing they know they don't know what to do with themselves to pass the time. Which means either you are being too picky, your value on time is skewed, or you need to try something new.

 

How I search for fics is trying a variety of searches. I search for words I think fics would use if they interest me. Sometimes I am right, sometimes I don't find anything. It takes some time. 

 

But yeah it is disappointing when you read a fic, then it ends poorly. And not the poorly of oh boohoo very sad ending, because emotional involvement is worth something and if anything its just showing how silly you are being because it made you feel bad, but good fiction might want to make you feel bad for the protagonist or whoever anyways. When I say a fic is bad, and I am not emotionally biased, its usually because it legitimately introduced something out of left field that just doesn't work, like it had no foreshadowing or something. Usually when a fic is forced to close, or trying to get a sequel and didn't think it through, or when they write for themselves instead of for the work itself, etc.

 

So, I am not particularly averse to cross-overs. But some examples of how I search are [name of thing its a crossover with], [words I want concepts to be explored about], [scenarios I think are interesting], or stuff that is rated well, or stuff that is popular. I put all that seem curious or interesting in my read it later folder, then I don't read them (most of the time lol) then I just go back when I feel like reading, and see the stuff on the front page, might add it to read it later or not, then I peruse my read-it-later folder to see which ones I am willing to read, and get rid of ones that I never end up feeling like reading. Like, oh this was popular, should I read it to see what the fuss is about? Idk the starting description seems a little uninteresting but I might later. *Doesn't end up doing it* Thats an example of ones I would erase from the read it later folder.

 

Or heck you can even have sub-divisions of the read it later folder, you can have a romance one, a sad fic one, a comedy one, an exploring interesting concepts one, etc.

 

Eventually if you tire of not reading you will give something a go. Or you can try braving it, and having your 2 cents on it. And there is always going to be bad fics like bad books, but if you like something be sure to sub to the author or check their other work out, especially if they have been writing for a while. For obvious reasons, unless they haven't made  apost in 2 years, but even then its worth it just in case they come back, unless you peruse your following list alot in which case it'd be a hassle sorting through many inactives.

But also, maybe you could try a long fic, it is a little daunting perhaps, but it is a steady long-term fic solution. And you can always write a note where you left off with a ctrl+f search to continue a chapter if you must pause part way in.

[LasVegas Dashie 34]

I stopped reading fallout Equestria half way through for belief reasons, not saying it was bad, I mean I liked it and enjoyed reading it, but there's is just one thing about it that bothers me that I don't want to mention.

[cmarston1 5,959]

As someone who has read a lot of fanficiton, I have become a bit more picky in finding ones to read.

But thankfully I have been able to find some pretty great and well written stories out of the bunch.

Some of my personal favorites consist of:

Among Memories

Who is This Lord Tirek You Speak of?

Code Lyoko: EG

[Steel Accord 6,660]

I've got a few:

 

This one is sad but VERY touching.

 

https://www.fimfiction.net/story/169295/we-regret-to-inform-you

 

Another sad but touching one.

 

https://www.fimfiction.net/story/102292/dinky-a-filly-that-is-loved

 

One the less sad but still touching and very much more epic scale there's:

 

https://www.fimfiction.net/story/182859/its-a-dangerous-business-going-out-your-door

 

Really the only fic I can recommend more is Fallout Equestria in terms of adventure stories that actually feel like an adventure.

[Applejacket 185]

Pretty in Pink. Makes my cry every time i read it >:

[Storm Striker 35]

Have you tried Split Second (warning dark): http://www.fimfiction.net/story/242635/split-second and its sequel: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/278590/split-second-an-eternity-divided

 

Or Ponies After People series starting with: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/265629/the-last-pony-on-earth

 

Or The Clockwork Consequence: http://www.fimfictio...ork-consequence

 

Or 'An Affliction of The Heart' volumes starting with: http://www.fimfictio...on-of-the-heart

[Peter16373 103]

Well if you ask me I've been reading mostly comedy fanfics. But I have come across a few good ones that are actually long.

Here are some of them:

A Lost Sunset: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/274595/a-lost-sunset

 

Feedback: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/248094/feedbackand its sequel Substitute: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/307431/substitute

 

Oops! I'm Equine Again: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/280223/oops-im-equine-again

 

The Undesirables: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/278008/the-undesirables

 

Was going to say Among Memories and Clockwork Consequences but some people above me already said that.

 

If you want comedy fanfics than here:

You're All Too Easy: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/355985/youre-all-too-easyand it's sequel You're All Still Too Easy: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/355985/youre-all-too-easy

 

The Mane Six Regret Playing Truth or Dare: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/308922/the-mane-six-regret-playing-truth-or-dareand its sequels What Happens at the Lit Club...: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/336132/what-happens-at-the-lit-club and Celetia and Luna Regret Playing Truth or Dare: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/325362/celestia-and-luna-regret-playing-truth-or-dare

 

And almost everything written by Justice3442: https://www.fimfiction.net/user/Justice3442

And I guess that's it.

Note: this list doesn't include the one shot stories I've read.

Edited December 31, 2016 by Peter16373