Dictate My Blog topic choices are now open for $5+ Patreon sponsors. · 11:15am May 6th
It's that time again. The regulars know how this works. The new arrivals may need a quick course.
(Yes, much of this is a straight paste from the last time. Maybe I can't format or code to save my life, but I can occasionally paste without breaking a file.)
Every so often, I allow any sponsor who's currently Patreon pledging for $5 or more per story/update to call in a perk. In this case, it's the ability to tell me just what they want me to blog about, because apparently some people think that's funny. Or a chance to get something which is potentially insightful. Or sadistic.
...mostly sadistic.
Demonstrably sadistic.
Some of you are visibly trying to one-up each other in the pain department.
Regardless, that time is now.
Sponsors have through May 31st to get their topics in. In order to do so, you must be verified as being a sponsor at the $5 level. Should your FIMFic name match your Patreon one, you can just post your chosen topic in the comments below. If it doesn't and you wish to maintain the public separation of ideas, or simply want to make the initial request private, you'll have to PM me -- through FIMFic or Patreon: your choice. However, once the blog goes up, the person who dictated the topic will be IDed by their FIMFic name -- or, if you don't have a site account, by your initials.
(Yes, there's at least one person who's sponsoring me without actually being registered here.)
If you submitted a topic in the last round and I didn't get to it... I'm sorry. I make mistakes, and sometimes I overlook things. (It's been a wild year.) Please remind me of what that topic was and link to the post. I'll slap myself accordingly. And yes, you would get another topic on top of that one.
You must be an active sponsor. I currently have at least one person who slipped off the rolls, most likely due to an expired payment method. If the pledge is reinstated, then so is the perk.
If you're not currently a sponsor and still wish to pick a blog topic, you can pledge at $7 (or more) per story/update by May 31st, and I'll honor your request -- if the pledge stays intact long enough for me to collect at least once. You can find my Patreon page here, while this next link goes to the rules for how pledges work. This also applies if someone who is currently sponsoring for a lower amount increases their pledge to the perk level.
In other words, I'll have to see how the June collection goes, and then your choice will be considered.
And yes, I said seven dollars or more for new arrivals. This is effectively a mini-commission and cost increases in the States hit me too.
...and I'm fully aware that I said this in the last round, and the posted tiers on Patreon haven't been changed, when I said the base rate would be going up. Why? Because it turns out that I'm not allowed to. Under Patreon's rules, a tier cannot be deleted, edited, or altered as long as at least one person is pledged at that level.
* sigh *
So it goes.
As with last year, there's a convention Ko-Fi drive under way: Ponicon in Tokyo, for 2025. So you could just bribe me into doing a blog directly. By dropping money into my Ko-Fi jar. A lot of money. Let's say... $100? And yes, you may think that sounds incredibly high when compared to becoming a sponsor, but that's only because it is. Really, I'm just putting this here because the convention drive is still going and maybe I'll get a tip towards the goal today by reminding everyone of that. And said tip doesn't have to be a Benjie. So here's the Ko-Fi tip jar link.
(If you've dropped a significant tip into the jar since the drive started, I am willing to backdate and let you select a topic. I'll just need some form of confirmation to ID you as the tipping party. Telling me the date and amount in PM would do it.)
I reserve the right to reject topics which I find too personal, inappropriate, or potentially spoiler-ridden. Anything which threatens to go over five thousand words on its own is a possible no, but not a guaranteed one. However, trying to make me write a story through the guise of a blog request will not go over well. If I feel your chosen topic falls under any of those categories, I'll tell you and ask for another selection.
(To see examples of topics which I have been willing to write about, search my blog archives for the Patreon Blog Takeover entries.) If I feel your chosen topic falls under any of those categories, I'll tell you and ask for another selection.
However, this still leaves a wide range of possible topics. And I'm going to add a few suggestions, plus a couple of guidelines.
* It's okay to ask for character analysis, as with this blog on Mr. Rich. Ever want to know my thought process on completely destroying all semblance of (insert character here)? Now you can!
* Story analysis/breakdown for completed works will also be considered, as per this one for Duet. In both cases, keep the requests limited to my own catalog and interpretations unless you're also willing to pay for research material. In other words, if you want me to break down The Owl House, you are buying me a complete series set. Hardcopy only, please. Dropbox address pinned in #p-o-unboxing for the chat server.
* Topics need to be kept at Teen or below. You don't want me writing Mature on this. Especially not when I both can and will very directly indicate who asked for that blog.
* There is no minimum length for a blog, but I generally try to provide some degree of verbiage value for a pledge. 3K or more on the word count isn't uncommon. However, I also try to avoid filler. So you can use your request to submit a yes/no question, but -- there's only so much I can do with that. As above, when it comes to a maximum goes, I try to keep it at 5K or less -- but some questions will require longer answers.
* This bears repeating: you're not giving me a story commission. At most, I might post a sample snippet of dialogue. That's it.
(Am I desperate enough on the convention drive to consider story commissions? Not yet. And that 'yet' scares me. But... I still don't know how to have your dream.)
Once all topics are in, blogs will appear at a rate of one to three per month until all requests are fulfilled.
Commence marching orders.
As of this writing, the Ponicon/Tokyo Ko-Fi Drive is at 25% of goal.
Rather cruel to contemplate, but...
Who out of the other Bearers would most quickly adapt to her new magic (and other changes) if she became an alicorn the same way Twilight did? (i.e. with echoes of the other five.)
I guess my topic request was indeed too long to get into
I'm not really sure what to ask for. I've missed a couple (and forgot one last time around) and this is just not something I've though about (it keeps catching me off guard every time it comes around) so maybe I'll think of something before the deadline.. .
5779694
I wanted to apologize, in public, for not having hit your topic. I had the horrible feeling that I'd forgotten someone, and... I did. All I can do is hang my head, feel like crap, and tell you that I'm sorry. However, it's going to be covered. You can pick a new one for the current round -- but I'm going to take your previous request and combine it with FOME's, as there's some overlap there. I hope that helps. And... I am sorry.
(Cross-posted to the chat server.)
5779710
Eigh, things happen, we only have so many spoons.
Consider mine a double (or triple, I missed one a while back because I just legit did not log into the site for a month) so really go into detail on it. Maybe break it up over a couple of blogs as needed.
Mainly because I've got no idea for another topic at the moment.
So, Donkeys have a government. Presumably it's relatively normal with bureaucrats and politicians and administrators and ambassadors and embassies.
One would assume with a national paper called "The Daily Downer" the species local penchant for depressing amounts of ... realism leads to a lot of social planning and support systems.
But one could also be wrong. Oh bother...
What does Donkey society look like structurally? How do it's criticizes feel about that? do the local pony residents fit in to the local ethos, or do they end up separated form it?
Oh boy <cracks knuckles>
I've had a couple of days to think about this, and I can't really distill it into one question, but perhaps you'll indulge a bonus quick question. Or perhaps not and you'll leave me with the subject for next year (assuming I remember, which is very unlikely).
We've seen all the Mane 6 towing carts, wagons, carriages, or a snowplow during the show. We know that Twilight is bad at it (understandable) and we know that for some ponies (like Applejack) it's pretty commonplace to be in harness. Despite Rarity's protests in Dog and Pony Show, she does know how . . . discuss your thoughts on the implications of wagon, cart, or whatever towing in pony society, up to and including wagon salesmares and the used wagon market.
As a bonus (if you feel like it), do you think that Rarity owns a harness (for pulling wagons) or does she just borrow one when she needs it?