Holy Spinoffs, Batman!

So, anyone following the comments on Last Pony has probably noticed multiple requests to write spin-off stories. I’ve also got several PMs about writing side-stories. Maybe you were one of the ones who made such a request, maybe not. Rather than responding to each of those requests individually, I thought it might be better to get my thoughts out somewhere public. If I’m asked by anyone in the future if they can write a spinoff, I’ll just direct them here. If you just asked, than you’re in the right place!

So, if I just read “Last Pony on Earth” and I want to write a spinoff of my own, can I?

I wouldn’t dream of restricting the creativity of other people. However, I’d like to get a few things out first:

1. The original story (Last Pony on Earth) is still in its early days. It’s only been a week since I started publishing (as of this writing), a story that is supposed to have entries for about two months. This means that very little of the “why” and “how” behind the disappearance of humanity and the transformation into ponies is not yet known.

Anyone who starts writing before the original story is finished is restricting themselves to either break away from the canon of my story (because I DO have answers for these questions, they just haven’t been revealed yet), or restricting the characters of their story not to know what’s going on yet.

2. It’s unlikely I’ll be able to keep track of the canon of all the stories being written if more than a very few people write in this universe. It’s hard enough just to keep track of the comments on mine. I’ll try to read as much as I can, but I can’t promise I’ll get to every single story, particularly while much of my free time is dedicated to writing mine. I have a solution to this, which I discuss below. See “What to do if I want to write a Spinoff Story”

3. I don’t want to be the cause of a wave of unfinished “spam stories” here on Fimfiction, that ends with a new rule being added to prevent future authors from writing stories. To this end, I ask anyone who wants to write a story in this universe to be very sure they intend to finish it before they start. Be thinking about your endgame when you start on the first page. Maybe it would be more appropriate to write a short story instead of a novel? Obviously there’s nothing I can do to enforce this. Just… please. Don’t start it if you aren’t going to finish it.

4. Not every story has to be written the same way. I told Last Pony on earth in a first-person journal format, but just because I did doesn’t mean you have to. You can use prose. You can make them short stories, or any other style approved here on Fimfiction. I imagine the concept will get stale quickly if they’re all journals in the exact same format used in Last Pony on Earth.

What should you do?

1. Be sure you’re really going to finish it.
2. Consider what new thing you’re going to contribute besides being in a different city.
3. When you write your story, add it to the Ponies After People Group.
4. On this page of the group forum, make a brief post describing the city/general area your story takes place in. This will enable other writers (including me) who want to visit these locations know to coordinate with you if they want to do anything crossover-y.
5. To be part of the tacid universe canon, please consider these rules.

And be aware that the canon of the universe has been decided (ie: The “mystery”). I will not change it or reveal it early to authors who wish to write in the universe with me. To write before I’m done (a little under two months from the posting date of this blog) is to accept that some of the mystery can’t be known in your story while you’re writing it.

All that done, I’m excited to read what people come up with!