• Member Since 22nd Aug, 2017
  • offline last seen May 23rd

Zhe Pydoh


Name's Chase Vander Dussen, and I'm a brony and part time author of fanfiction.

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Just my luck, I was run over by a semi truck and now I'm in Equestria as a draconequus. At least I'm not Discord, so that's a plus. Now, as a Spirit of Chaos I can use my powers for good and hopefully not abuse them like Discord did.

Chapters (5)
Comments ( 47 )

I'm sorry to have to do this, because you do come across as someone who's making an earnest effort hamstrung by inexperience, but I'm going to have to give you a downvote.

Your writing is a strong example of "telling rather than showing" (ie. shallow writing) and you also have too many examples of characters doing contrived things (ie. things that are very convenient for you as an author, but with no in-universe justification... most notably, everyone taking your character at face value despite being charged with protecting their subjects from threats who might be trying to deceive).

The general impression that you're trying to "cargo cult" write is made stronger by having an adaptation of Genie's song from Aladdin take up so much of this chapter. (ie. Because you don't understand the deeper theory in putting together a narrative, you're trying to mimic superficial characteristics of other things you've read. As such, you wind up with a mess because you've got your causal relationships backwards and are "building airports to summon cargo" when it's really that, "if cargo is waiting to arrive, airports will get built".)

As such, even though I like the idea, I just can't enjoy your implementation of it.

The three pieces of advice I'd start with are:

  1. A story is the tale of a conflict. It starts with a character being thrown out of their comfort zone and ends when they solve that problem... so what is uncomfortable enough about your character's situation that it's going to motivate him to spend an entire story arc struggling to find/make a solution? (Usually, for HiE stories, it's the character getting used to the culture and building up a new network of friends despite cultural misunderstandings, but your character's "Woohoo! I'm in Equestria!" attitude makes that more difficult unless you're planning to make the conflict something along the lines of "everyone finds him annoying and he has to spend a whole story arc overcoming a bad first impression".)
  2. The kind of story you're most likely to be able to write is a story about exploring characters. (You haven't demonstrated the kind of knack for humor or setting development needed to pull off something like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or Journey to the Center of the Earth, where the characters just serve as a frame of reference and an excuse to explore and the comedy or setting are, in effect, the real main characters.) That means that you need to focus on putting more detail into what your characters are thinking and feeling. Why are they behaving the way they are?
  3. A good story should feel like the plot is happening as a result of the characters' desires and actions. Currently, what you've written feels like the characters are just a cheap puppet show, being hurried along by the needs of the plot, which is playing puppeteer. Focus on getting into the minds of your characters and practice thinking about how they'd react and what they'd think and feel in response to various things.
Comment posted by Zhe Pydoh deleted Oct 14th, 2019

9883741
Yes. It feels like you're rushing through a mental checklist of things you liked in other stories without understanding why they worked in those other stories and, as such, skipping over supplementary details which were important for making them work.

9883746
I'm not exactly a professional writer. This is the first type of 'Human turned' story I've done, cut me some slack. This is my story, not yours, and I do what I want with it.

9883758

I'm not exactly a professional writer.

That's why I spent so much time writing down advice. I'm trying to help you improve.

This is the first type of 'Human turned' story I've done

It doesn't matter whether it's a "human turned" story. The problems would manifest just as easily in any type of plot, because it's fundamentally about how you're rushing through things without enough detail and having things happen which feel improbable but very convenient for you as an author. Writing is about building the illusion of a living, breathing world.

cut me some slack.

It's not really something I can control beyond doing my best to explain why your writing style isn't something I find enjoyable to read.

Comment posted by Zhe Pydoh deleted Oct 14th, 2019

9883774
I don't exactly handle this kind of criticism well, even if it's constructive. Feedback like that is kind of off putting and it makes me less motivated to actually try and fix my stories. It just feels condescending to me, but it might not be that way for you. I appreciate that you're trying to help me, but I didn't exactly ask for help. That being said, I will take your feedback into consideration. But, I guarantee nothing.

If you want to be my editor, knock yourself out.

9883793

Fair enough. I generally give a story a couple of chapters to see if it hooks me, and I stopped at the end of your chapter 2, so this will be the last you hear from me.

Comment posted by Zhe Pydoh deleted Oct 26th, 2019

This story has such potential please continue whith this story i loved what you made so far its funny and i cant wait to see him meet Discord

9945887
I’m glad you liked it. I have every intention of continuing it.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." That made me think Discord. The biggest D-Class of them all. (SCP reference)

I saw what u did at the end the those 3 rules r from Aladdin when genie is explaining the wish thing to him am I right

9970075
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner!

9970358
Also that song love it so much do u have a pic of our mc?

Meanwhile in Luna's head, the FUCK is a semi truck

9969116
SCP stands for Secure, Contain, and Protect. It's a fictional organization that handles really weird things.

I decided to magic some more stuff for my treehouse. I need to spruce it up anyways.

ah nice joke but honestly you leaf the tree jokes to the professionals

9983286
You now have to go back to you roots to study for a log time to even dream of derooting my masterful wordsmith skills

All the things were reversed, right?
If not then it wasn't funny but dark.
Like selling someone as a gold statue for the rest of their lives

9984888
Yes. They only lasted for a day. I'll clear that up next chapter.

"Yes. No, no. Only on certain days of the week, no I can't stand alcohol, it tastes weird to me. I can have root beer cause today was supposed to be a cheat day for me, yes, buck yes, rainbow sherbet, and I absolutely love parties."

I've only ever seen this in ONE other story WELL DONE!!!!!

Discord changes back, spluttering and coughing up dust. "Ergh. Are vehicles, Daleks, and transfiguration the best you can do?" I snapped my fingers, and a paintball Gatling gun out of nowhere. Discord blanched, and the only thing going through his mind was: I should've stayed in bed today.

This had me grinning. :pinkiehappy:

9970075
which also means that instead of calling ti chaos magic, you can call it 'genie, without the enslavement

Bruh that was too fast but I’m ok
I still like the idea of this story

"I certainly hope he’s not like Discord at all, that ruffian still gives me the creeps. Even if he is good." Rarity said, keeping her mane clean.

If this is post sunburst and starlight, then rarity’s relationship with discord is already incorrect, as with she was perfectly fine laughing at his joke about oranges with fluttershy

I decided to do something to Discord that he would absolutely hate.

ha ha ha that is too funny I can't wait for the next chapter to come out soon:rainbowlaugh:

.... I was excited then disappointed. He doesn't need any training the note had everything. Do what you want except no killing, forced love, or bringing back the dead. Three simple rules why would he need any training? Also you rushed the Tartarus out of this.

I morph into the Spy from Team Fortress 2, "Excellent." I shift back, earning me an eye roll from Celestia and Luna.

Gentlemen synchronize your deathwatches

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