What Do You Like in a Fanfic?

[Comet Tail 808]

Just a poll I decided to make. Please comment and discuss ^^

 

I made it to get some feedback on various ideas for my own fanfic, but the poll applies so generally, I'll do a discussion on my own fanfic elsewhere and leave this open to more generalized conversation about your own likes and dislikes in fanfic.

 

If there's something you hate to see in fanfics and you see it a lot, this is the place to rant about it xD

 

Personally, I think fanfics oughta follow the spirit of the show. They can be more serious and deep than the show because they don't have to be safe for children, but I strongly oppose erotic work (for ethical and religious reasons) and I just generally dislike very dark work (Past Sins was excellent, but I worked on a darker dystopian fic for awhile, and I'm somewhat displeased that I did that. I'm working on something much more upbeat, now. And it's a little sad, though, because I had such an extremely epic and complex plot planned).

 

I also think changed characters are kinda neat. Writing a character well is always a must, but especially so in this case, so it can get ruined by that easily.

 

Also, I dislike unrealistic stuff. For some reason, I can accept magic rather easily without it hurting my suspension of disbelief. The magic in Equestria is a field of study, like physics IRL, it's "sufficiently analyzed", yet there are still phenomenon that are poorly understood (like SA and Cadence's Love defeating the Changelings, or Twi becoming Twilicorn), so I'm okay with it. It manages to be both fantastic AND realistic, in a sense (it's so much like physics or astronomy IRL). But I prefer an Equestria that has to survive winters, deal with unions and corporations (Super Cider Squeezy 6000), and exist in a geopolitical environment, as opposed to "once upon a time".

 

The show strikes a very odd and unique combination with that, with artificially changing seasons, but it requires what amounts to geo-engineering on a grand scale (the basic concept is fantastic/romantic, but the execution is pragmatic/realistic).

 

Romanticized stuff like that never holds my suspension of disbelief. It's part of my over-analyzing of everything

 

Your own thoughts?

[Princess Periwinkle 3,777]

Well.

 

As far as character choice, as long as your OC(s) fit in with the spirit of the show I'm just fine with them. I also rather enjoy random background ponies elaborated on. (*cough cough Background Pony cough cough cries in a corner*)

 

As I hinted at above, I only like fanfics that follow the "spirit of the show". (The main reason I'm not excited about FoE). Remaining canon to the show is essential in my book (no pun intended), because in the end I just want to believe what I'm reading actually happened. (*cough cough besides Background Pony cough cough*)

[Guyra 56]

I think Fanfics should get a little more creative these days, The type of fanfics I like to read are the ones that are REALLY long stories, at least 100,000 words long or it aint worth it in mah opinion, but thats just me of course I know some people out there prefer to read the short stories that just leave you with that after taste after you read something short but touching but thats not what I'm looking for, what I'm looking for its the LONG stories that take they're time to build up character, scenery, multiple points of view on characters, and good stuff that builds up to a good climax at some point.

 

Romance is ok as long as you keep the characters IN CHARACTER (I dunno why a lot of people make fluttershy be a misstress...then again...) and don't make the characters fall in love with eachother by just bumping into eachother and making love at first sight.

For example, if you make a Twilight X Big Mac Fanfic don't make Twilight or big mac fall in love in eachother by just looking at eachother or by making them talk with eachother and have them blushing the whole story, Give a Reason WHY they should be in love with eachother, such as Big Mac helping Twilight on something or Twilight Saving Applejack or AppleBloom and then They invite Twilight over to Dinner and they all know eachother and such.

 

I was never a fan of horror only beacuse I never found them interesting or worth mah time....

 

Adventure is Something I like the best in mah opinion, It fills in what the original show lacks and lets the writers go nuts on the mysteries and wonders there are outside of Equestria.

 

Grimdark is what I probably love the most, just like "Adventure" It fills in what the show lacks, the dark stuff that the original show isn't able to show and it gives us the chill of excitement of how our little mane 6 ponies would react and take in the dark stuff in they're lives that they though they would never experience in they're lives.

 

Oh! and OC's are ok as long as the main character OC isn't mary sue and Kills every bad guy without consequences, give The OC weaknesses and have his moments where it shows that on the inside he is still a pony (of Human if its a HiE story) just like the rest of us

Edited June 2, 2013 by Guyra

[the_jetfighter 94]

i prefer if fanfics don't have the mane six, although it not the worst thing someone could do, but when they fess up to something, or there's something totally, unbelievably, un-cannon about the mane six it kinda turns me off of the fan fiction. I find that really funny fan fictions are more enjoyable to read, but thats just a personal preference, im sure there are lots of good, more serious fan fictions that i just have not read yet

[Nah 3,182]

I don't really care about the material in a fanfic, just if it's well written, well thought out, creative, and it looks like an effort was put into it.

 

Example, they had a proofreader suggest changes before it was posted.

 

I also am not too big of a fan of OC's in fanfics, if it is a fic about OC's exclusively, that's fine, but if it is a bunch of Mary Sues or Marty Stu characters, then no.

 

Finally, genre-wise, the darker fanfics are my favorite, not along the lines of cupcakes or Sweet Apple Massacre, more along the lines of serious.

[harmonyplus 12]

I love a fanfic that makes you laugh. Fourth Wall breaking and a good joke are always something I can go for. Adventure is good too but I preffer comedy.

[Katella Avenue 28]

I agree with Another Creative Username, as long as the subject being discussed is well thought out and written with good sense and style I'll enjoy it. I'm a bit leery of OCs though, and I scrutinize those stories with a sharper lens. 

[Ferret Girl 2,642]

I stay away from fictions that have anything to do with any canon characters, unless their roles are almost nonexistent.

 

I really only read slice of life stories based solely around OCs and in Slice of Life. But of course there are very few GOOD fictions with those guidelines. >:l

[Sky Warden 2,243]

I stay away from fictions that have anything to do with any canon characters, unless their roles are almost nonexistent.

 

Same here. I always try to avoid fanfictions like that. I've proof read many stories with canon characters and... well... *shrug*

 

I love a fanfic which only includes OCs. That indicates that the writer is creative, and it's more interesting. I mean, I already know the Mane Six. I know their personalities, physical appearance, etc, and meeting the same characters again and again is torturely (if that's even a word) boring. Also, what bugs me most is when the writer plays the Mane Six the wrong way. They easily fall in romance, act stupid, etc.

 

There's a reason why most novels use fictional characters, not Obama or Messi. We love seeing something new. Something fresh. A new character means new personalities, conflicts, plot, and many more.

 

Also, I love adventure stories in a fantasy land with some grim moments which makes me shiver. Some romance is fine, as long as it's not cheaply written.

 

"Hi, I'm Awesome Black."

"Uhmm... hello. I'm Shy Sad Blue."

"Nice to meet you. I love you."

Shy blushed. "I love you too."

 

AARRRRGHHH!!! Makes me want to tear my skin off again.

Edited June 4, 2013 by Sky Warden

[elbj 190]

I enjoy a variety of genres, the characters don't really matter as long as they're relatable or interesting. The story must be well written if I'm going to read it all the way through, though. If its full of errors, I don't care good the premise is I'll stop reading it. I make sure to read my stuff out loud at least 4 times to make sure and sometimes I still miss some things.