TCB: Writing tips

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Hey guys!

 

I'm writing a Conversion Bureau fic and could use some ideas on a few elements for later in the story.

 

First off, the hero's friends/team:

 

At the midpoint in the story, the protagonist gains an airship of his own and with it a crew. The ship serves as both transportation and base of operations, not unlike the Normandy. So with such a setup and such a vast setting, who should be picked along the way?

 

I'm going for a very "rag tag bunch of misfits" feel so peculiarities and eccentrics are welcome. The requisite is that they have to feel like a product of the Conversion Bureau setting. (No alicorns! Fit or not, I'm just not putting one in.)

 

Secondly, human threats:

 

Mine is a version of TCB where ponies and other magical species are physically superior to humans. So what could the H.L.F. do to contend with an Equestrian warrior? Keep in mind, this H.L.F. has a very strong Purity First of Deus Ex feel to them so anything they develop to enhance themselves would either be external or mild enough that they would still be considered human.

 

Then again, not all hostile humans are necessarily H.L.F. . . . . .

 

Lastly, locations:

 

I already have an idea of where I want the story to go, but am open to suggestions and/or musings of additional locales across Earth and Equestria.

[Commissar Alexer 763]

 

 

TCB where ponies and other magical species are physically superior to humans

 

Yeah, but no thanks.

 

Seriosuly, this genre needs to die out.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Yeah, but no thanks.

 

Seriosuly, this genre needs to die out.

 

Well what makes you say that? You don't even know what my story is about.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Steel Accord

[Rarity Paige Belle 1,854]

Well what makes you say that? You don't even know what my story is about.

I keep hearing about this conversion buearu, can you explain what the basic plot is?

[Commissar Alexer 763]

Well what makes you say that? You don't even know what my story is about.

 

The thing about ponies being superior to humans is already enough for me.

[Nine 707]

I've actually never read a conversion bureau story and don't know what they're about, generally?

[Steel Accord 6,660]

I keep hearing about this conversion buearu, can you explain what the basic plot is?

 

Well it was originally written and roughly outlined, but never finished. However, the premise itself caught fire and produced an entire genre of recursive fanfics.

 

Sometime in Earth's future, Equestria emerges in the middle of the Atlantic surrounded by a magical barrier. Equestria opens up a global service called, The Conversion Bureau. So humans can become ponies and go live in Equestria.

 

That's the basics, every detail from that varies from author to author. And I mean EVERY DETAIL! Equestria can either be utopia or a dictatorship. Earth is all right or on the fast track to extinction. The ponies might be misanthropes Hellbent on converting or eliminating us all, and that may or may not be a bad thing in the author's eyes. Ponification itself may change the person's personality, wipe their mind clean, or leave them intact.

 

It's developed a wide range of mythos variations, but has a (not entirely undeserved) reputation as being heavily misanthropic. In response, many writers decided the best course of action was to go to the other extreme and make humans scrappy resistance fighters against an alien force.

 

Neither of the above, is my version. I've tried to adhere as close to canon in depicting the character's personalities and made the human characters believably human. There's heroes and villains amongst both sides and my protagonist fights them all. He's an equal opportunity ass kicker! 

The thing about ponies being superior to humans is already enough for me.

 

Well they're "physically" superior as in they're portrayed as faster, stronger, and longer lived. But what I think your getting at is moral superiority.

 

Of which, I agree with you. That's why I've tried to stick as close to canon in terms of how the ponies behave. They're people just like us. They have their virtues and their flaws, their saints and their sinners.

I've actually never read a conversion bureau story and don't know what they're about, generally?

 

I direct you to my previous statement. To *sigh* Princess Sunbutt.

 

I think this setting is wasted potential. So many cool possibilities for adventure and action could be done with this, but it's mostly wasted on someone working out their repressed aggression.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Steel Accord

[Commissar Alexer 763]

 

 

Well they're "physically" superior as in they're portrayed as faster, stronger, and longer lived. But what I think your getting at is moral superiority. Of which, I agree with you. That's why I've tried to stick as close to canon in terms of how the ponies behave. They're people just like us. They have their virtues and their flaws, their saints and their sinners.

 

Are all humans getting ponified?

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Are all humans getting ponified?

 

No. The barrier in my story is static, and ponification is not mandatory by any authority, Earth or otherwise. The service is there for those who wish to use it.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Steel Accord

[Commissar Alexer 763]

No. The barrier in my story is static, and ponification is not mandatory by any authority, Earth or otherwise. The service is there for those who wish to use it.

 

Well, that's at least something.

 

How about PonyXHuman(Pure) Romance?

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Well, that's at least something.

 

How about PonyXHuman(Pure) Romance?

 

Well it's a possibility within the setting, but the main romantic focus is on the hero and leading lady; both newfouls. Met as humans, ponify, develop a relationship over time.

 

If by "pony x human" you mean "Mane Six X self-insert" no.

 

I've gone out of my way to not feature the Mane Six at all except at occasionally hinting at their presence in Ponyville, and more as a joke than anything.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Steel Accord

[Nine 707]

I think this setting is wasted potential. So many cool possibilities for adventure and action could be done with this, but it's mostly wasted on someone working out their repressed aggression.

Yeah I suppose. I've never written a legit pony fic. Most fanfic is like .. really bad.

[Bendy 1,821]

For non war story: No expanding barrier, most Ponies don't want to kill all Humans. Princess Celestia does not hate Humans and does not support PER and fights against it. 

 

If you want a Human Vs Pony war story, make some Ponies turn against TCB Celestia and fight on Humanity's side.

 

Also, I personally recommend reading (a bit a least) " The Conversion Bureau: The Other Side of the Spectrum" and "The Conversion Bureau: United We Stand" for tips on writing a Human vs Pony TCB story.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Rush

[Commissar Alexer 763]

 

 

If by "pony x human" you mean "Mane Six X self-insert" no.

 

Why the mane six? There are many other ponies (or changelings) in need of a human lover...

[Steel Accord 6,660]

For non war story: No expanding barrier, most Ponies don't want to kill all Humans. Princess Celestia does not hate Humans and does not support PER and fights against it.

 

If you want a Human Vs Pony war story, make some Ponies turn against TCB Celestia and fight on Humanity's side.

 

Also, I personally recommend reading (a bit a least) " The Conversion Bureau: The Other Side of the Spectrum" and "The Conversion Bureau: United We Stand" for tips on writing a Human vs Pony story.

But that's exactly what I don't want.

 

No modern military complexes, no large scale warzones, no muddy trenches, and no WMDs; magical or otherwise.

 

The action is meant to be smaller and decentralized, evocative of swashbuckling, heroic fantasy, and pulp adventure with some post-cyberpunk elements for Earth.

Why the mane six? There are many other ponies (or changelings) in need of a human lover...

They may very well have them. But that's not the point of my story.

 

(Though you did just give me the idea of including Flash Sentry as a newfoul . . . and then killing him! )

Edited April 2, 2014 by Steel Accord

[Bendy 1,821]

 

 

Secondly, human threats:

 

Mine is a version of TCB where ponies and other magical species are physically superior to humans. So what could the H.L.F. do to contend with an Equestrian warrior? Keep in mind, this H.L.F. has a very strong Purity First of Deus Ex feel to them so anything they develop to enhance themselves would either be external or mild enough that they would still be considered human.

 

Then again, not all hostile humans are necessarily H.L.F. . . . . .

 

 

Even if that's the case, Humans weaker than Ponies. It can be countered if many of the Ponies turn against their own, help Humanity in the war, because they sympathize for Humanity's fate.

 

Something like civil war, like a very powerful Alicorn Twilight along with many more Ponies siding with Humanity and turning against Celestia.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Rush

[Rarity Paige Belle 1,854]

But that's exactly what I don't want. 

 

No modern military complexes, no large scale warzones, and no WMDs; magical or otherwise.

 

The action is meant to be smaller and decentralized, evocative of swashbuckling, heroic fantasy adventure with some post-cyberpunk elements for Earth.

You know, you've inspired me to get a move on and start writing a fanfic I've been planning!

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Even if that's the case, Humans weaker than Ponies. It can be countered if many of the Ponies turn against their own, help Humanity in the war, because they sympathize for Humanity's fate.

 

Something like civil war, like a very powerful Alicorn Twilight along with many more Ponies siding with Humanity and turning against Celestia.

 

Hmmmmm . . . . I can see where you are coming from. Those ponies in question, I would picture more like mercenaries than missionaries though. Their could be a market for magical saboteurs or hit men in the human criminal underworlds and they take advantage of it.

You know, you've inspired me to get a move on and start writing a fanfic I've been planning!

 

And the cycle continues! Reading the original Conversion Bureau was what kick started me to writing this one! 

[Commissar Alexer 763]

 

 

Though you did just give me the idea of including Flash Sentry as a newfoul

 

Why ponifieng? Why not let him stay human?

 

Turning the Human into a Pony for a romance removes the entire appeal of it....and the kink.

(Don't come with 'we're too small', what we lack in size we compensate with endurance )

[Bendy 1,821]

Hmmmmm . . . . I can see where you are coming from. Those ponies in question, I would picture more like mercenaries than missionaries though. Their could be a market for magical saboteurs or hit men in the human criminal underworlds and they take advantage of it.

  

 

There are Human sympathizes in some ATCB stories, and even passionately fight for Humanity and even have romantic relationships with them, they think they are doing the right thing.

 

Here's a small part of For Whom the Bell Tolls chapter from The Conversion Bureau: The Other Side of the Spectrum. 

 

 

 

Around the six ponies were tattered propaganda posters and faded graffiti all over the walls of nearby buildings; the most common graffiti was of Lyra Heartstrings and the word “Resist” written underneath each one. There were posters of a pony in a PHL sash holding a Human baby, as a unicorn in the same sash shielded the child from a potion thrown by a downright psychotic-looking Rainbow Dash. Another poster depicted a Pony helping a Human soldier onto his feet, plastered next to a few simple posters of a Pony holding a Human child’s hand. It seemed that every wall was covered in posters, symbolic pictures, and graffiti captions like “Join The Ponies For Human Life” followed by underneath “Together We Can Save Humanity”

 

Edited March 30, 2014 by Rush

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Why ponifieng? Why not let him stay human?

 

Turning the Human into a Pony for a romance removes the entire appeal of it....and the kink.

(Don't come with 'we're too small', what we lack in size we compensate with endurance )

 

Or not, that's a decision the couple would have to make. The Barrier may not be lethal, but no living thing from Earth can pass through it, it's like running into a solid dome.

 

So one partner could travel back and forth between the worlds at will and the other would be stuck in one. Ponifying would just make things easier for both. Again though, that's up to them.

There are Human sympathizes in some ATCB stories, and even passionately fight for Humanity and even have romantic relationships with them, they think they are doing the right thing.

 

Here's a small part of For Whom the Bell Tolls chapter from The Conversion Bureau: The Other Side of the Spectrum. 

 

. . . . Yeah that's not in my version.

 

 

Let me make it clear. Relations between both worlds are on the whole, peaceful and cordial. Forced ponification is not institutionalized, and is almost unheard of. Earth is doing just fine and is, in fact, better than today thanks to modern technology.

 

The bad guys in my story are the boogeymen. The scum and villainy that hide in the shadows, alleys, and caves. Who seek to raid, strike at, and/or tear down this bright future.

 

So, if not an original take, at least an uncommon one.

[Commissar Alexer 763]

 

 

The Barrier may not be lethal, but no living thing from Earth can pass through it, it's like running into a solid dome.

 

Why?

 

If it's magic then why the hell can ponies enter earth then?

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Why?

 

If it's magic then why the hell can ponies enter earth then?

 

The idea is that magical beings can pass through the gates between worlds. (head-canon) Equestria is a world where magic is just as much a force as gravity. Earth lacks that same property so life that's devoid of a magical aura can't interact with it. Non-living objects though, carts, packages, . . . . robotic attack drones, can go through freely.

 

So becoming a pony, griffon, zebra etc. Lets you travel in between the worlds.

Yeah I suppose. I've never written a legit pony fic. Most fanfic is like .. really bad.

Sturgeon's Law, my friend. 90% isn't worth reading but the remaining 10% makes up for all of it!

 

For reference, I direct you Fallout: Equestria.

[Cosmic Flash 18]

I think that you should have a warrior girl filly in the heroes because a filly girl could be a bad ass too kind of like the warrior princess' but without being royalty or rich or anything. As for the H.L.F's I don't understand that, but for locations you should do Rarity's boutique and Tokyo, Japan that would be fun.

[Steel Accord 6,660]

I think that you should have a warrior girl filly in the heroes because a filly girl could be a bad ass too kind of like the warrior princess' but without being royalty or rich or anything. As for the H.L.F's I don't understand that, but for locations you should do Rarity's boutique and Tokyo, Japan that would be fun.

 

Hmmmm . . . that's actually not a bad idea. Gives the representation the CMC have in the show. Only instead of a "warrior" in the sense of a fighter, perhaps she has tech skills. Not unlike Ed from Cowboy Beebop.

 

Carousel Boutique will be tricky as I'm trying to avoid any appearances by the Mane Six themselves. The implication being that they are off on their own adventure while all of this is going on. I'll see what I can do though. Tokyo, on the other hoof, would be a fantastic locale!

 

Most Conversion Bureau stories have Japan being very friendly to Equestria and many Japanese people opting for ponification. Between that, all of the futuristic technology this sci-fi setting could give, and criminal elements like the Yakuza; this is good stuff! 

 

Thank you for the feedback, I appreciate it.