The basis of all my current writing: the story palette · 2:36pm April 24th
I arrange my writing into both an overall palette as well as a palette for each scene. I call it a palette because I draw on each part of it when writing up my plan for each scene, a bit like a paint palette (and I use it to inform my plans for the writing)
Palette
Character
Place (lore)
Genre
Relationship
*Pink theme
Senses
Emotional interest
Emotional conflict –
Practical conflict-
Images
**Meta
*The thing that makes it 'pony' - typically cutesy and innocent :3 For mature Fics, there will also be a 'dark-pink' theme which refers to adult, but pony, themes, which infuse that cutesy innocence with more 'adult' stuff.
**FimFic stuff - the story icon, the title, the long and short descriptions.
As an illustration, here is my original palette for the current fic, which I knew would be a G3 crossover. (It is literally copy and pasted from my writing doc, so it is rough and the story has moved on from then, since I wrote it over a moth ago and some details changed. Images are on my CPU so are removed. Some very minor story spoilers in there, so reader discretion advised there if you also want to read the fic, which is still uncomplete.)
Scene 1: Delivery
Character
Kimono’s house
[img]
Kimono
Kimono is more parental – a little girls’ view of a parent:
She is a researcher interested in FiM Equestria. She suffers no foals but is kind. In this story she is in the background – so she is busy with her research, but will give quips and rounds the story out.
Official
[img]
Body Color: Lilac
Hair Color: Deep Purple
Eye Color: Yellow and Green
Symbol: Two Yellow Japanese Lanterns
Kimono, voiced by Kathleen Barr, stars in A Charming Birthday. According to Razzaroo, she is "the wisest pony in the land" and "keeper of all precious pony legend and lore." She is also "very smart" and "very hard to surprise." Kimono states that she lives outside of the town of Ponyville, seemingly because the other ponies' hustle and bustle disrupts her serenity. Minty visits Kimono to cleverly gain insight on how the other ponies can surprise her for her birthday. Kimono's advice about Minty's problem gives the ponies an idea about how to best work together to make the perfect birthday gift.
[img]
Ocean Mist (Shady + dreamer) – wants to fit in
Water colour paints to colour her ideas. Colouring book of fairytale characters when she’s feeling less inspired. Books of fairytales in the corner.
Uncertain. Enthusiastic
Official
Blue Mist is azure with pink hair. Her eyes are violet and her cutie mark is bright pink spirals with water drops. She had no on-screen appearances.
[img]
Do you believe in fairy tales? BLUE MIST does! She loves to read books full of legends and long-ago tales, and imagines herself a pony princess living in a castle! - Blue Mist's backcard story from the back of her toy's box.
Derpy
Ditzy – distracted by G3 world. Going with the flow.
Grumpy Delivery driver pony – Crafty Crate
Gruff. In a hurry.
[img]
Relationship
Ocean calls Kimono “Ms Kimono” and is deferential
Kimono calls her “little” chibi or sometimes “little cherry blossom” chibi Sakura.
Pink theme
Creative little girl re Ocean Mist
Senses
Spring, colourful G3 world.
Foreign sound of clopping
Room sun-warm and book smell + insenxse.
Lore
FiM differences: dialect, movement (FiM more horse-like)
The Spring Promenade is nearly here, and the ponies are preparing for it with the help of the Breezies.
Story lore
There is a portal to Equestria as there are to all other pony worlds which runs through FiM. The relationship is whimsically taken in stride.
Equestrian ponies conform to G3 physics when there, as they do to the other places.
G3 and G2 are very whimsical “I tried to ask for a customs declaration and they drew a rainbow across the entire form.”
G5 is familiar but very technologically advanced “They waved away the paper form and demanded I use a little thingy that beeped at me and is impossible to use with my hoof.”
G1 is very war-like. “Like visiting Equestria during the early period – full of strange beings and still mistrustful of us.”
Emotional interest
Hot, anxious, self-reproaching.
Interest/anticipation of foreign pony and product
Derpy
Her interest in travelling and yet getting lost = distracted by taking everything in.
Worry about being a burden.
Emotional conflict –
Awkwardness and shyness + retiring
Building Blue’s confidence – getting her to do her own thing
Practical conflict-
From Kimono’s perspective:
From Crafty Crate’s perspective:
Will they be on time. State of goods + smooth acceptance by G3 ponies (not damaged etc). How soon return (to a Detrot Bar). (G3 Portal is on a good route through Detrot. Not like the G1 portal which imports computers or the G5 one which exports IPhones.)
General challenges of running a business. Numerous costs due to dropped furniture. Problems of staff…
Images
Plan
Setup: Describe Ocean Mist and Kimono in a pink ponyish way as people are unfamiliar.
Sitting by window sill using water colour paints. Talking to herself about The Little Mermaid character she is drawing, which she is also reading about.
Narrator establishes that she is visiting Kimono – to whom the books belong. Room is very peaceful.
Kimono is more parental – a little girls’ view of a parent: Kimono in corner writing an adult book, with a number of open books next to her and a mug of hot black liquid which smells nice (but tastes awful). While busy, she is unhurried and methodical. She does NOT like to be disturbed so Ocean best be quiet.
Ocean Mist sees a delivery van approach the house, drawn by two pegasus ponies.
When Ocean sees delivery van she is shy and moves out of window, only to peer out from the corner wondering maybe it is not for her. Then she looks to Kimono, who is busy. A gruff delivery driver and floppy FiM pegasus emerge from the van. It is a delivery for Kimono (books)
They ring the bell and she opens the door. She politely thanks them. Shy and intimidated by Crafty, she isn’t forthcoming. Crafty hauls the small but heavy crate and puts it in the hall. While this is happening Derpy asks for a signature, but Ocean Mist doesn’t understand and Derpy struggles to explain until Crafty Crate intervenes.
“Just wiggle your hoof here,” he says, gesturing at her with an unfamiliar framed screen, a little like one of her ‘etch-a-sketch’ toys.
Confused and embarrassed, she meekly does so.
“Thanks ma’am.”
The gruff pony turns to leave and trots
The other delivery pony, however, stays on the doorstep, smiling vacantly.
Ocean gazes back uncertainly, suddenly noticing that the other has a lazy eye. She stops herself just in time from tilting her own head to the side to echo the askew feature.
“W-was there something else?” she asks, but before the other responds she is cut off.
“Derpy!” the gruff pony barks.
The pegasus gives an absent minded laugh, with an endearing goofiness that reminded Ocean of her friend Minty.
“Thanks ma’am,” the delivery mare offers equably, before joining the other who has already hitched himself to the wagon, his hind hooves stomping impatiently.
Setup: Briefly describe Derpy and Crafty Crate
Derpy rambling about scenery which is much softer and pinker than back at home.
Crafty Crate eyes fixed forward in a hurry and trying to keep Derpy on task and short-cropped mane sweaty under a flat cap.
Text
If you read this far, you might as well read the completed chapter, which is comprised of the first three scenes in the Palette :)
Delivering on Sweetness & Beyond
Derpy Hooves and Crafty Crate deliver a package to a world inhabited by a gentle and innocent generation of ponies. The destination is the residence of one Kimono, a connoisseur of the exotic and a local oddity whose maturity and wisdom sets her apart from her peers. Unfortunately, Crafty’s homeward journey is interrupted when the literal softness of the unfamiliar land causes his wagon to become stuck. Ocean Mist, Kimono’s protégé and innocent devotee of fairy tales, steps in to lend a tender hoof. While helping the strangers out of their pickle she learns a lesson in overcoming her limitations by embracing her identity.
I like this! few people post about how they write. The snapshot is very welcome
5778358
Thanks! :) glad you liked it