Driverbang's Writing Guide

 

If you're an old writefag or regular; hey, how's it going? I'm pleasantly surprised that you're reading this for whatever reason. I hope you are well, and I want you to know I valued our time together.

 

Anyway, I've decided to clean this up a little, but only a little. My opinions have changed, but I want to keep this preserved for some reason. By the way, I won't blame you if you remove the link to this paste from your template. Instead, I'm going to commentate this old 'guide', and set myself straight, or give you better insight on some things. Overall, I think it could still be useful if you want to know the old fashioned FR formula, so that you know all its 'rules' before you can break them. But just remember, you don't have to follow that formula to begin with.

 

My additional comments are within brackets *((like this)).

 

Alright, if you haven't closed the tab by this point, let's go.))

 

///A Guide to Flutterrape\\\

 

Hi there. Recently I've been seeing a *lot* of stories in Flutterrape that just don't seem to 'get it.'

 

The purpose of this guide is to illustrate what Flutterrape is, and how a story may or may not fit it. *((How it subjectively may or may not have fit back in 2013.))

 

I'll provide tips on how to better fit a story into Flutterrape, or what sort of stories fit in the first place.

 

<<A. What Flutterrape is>>

 

Here's a quick, all you need to know, history of Flutterrape.

Some time ago, an artist named Weaver posted a few images like this:

 

 

The concept was fairly simple. Fluttershy had a human fetish, and tried to have sex with Anon. This evolved into greentext stories in which Fluttershy *attempts* to rape Anon. However, due to being awkward and shy she could never succeed. Her methods tended to be laughably pathetic, like using 'rape-tools' incorrectly, and she got caught red-hoofed easily.

 

This is Flutterrape in its purest, most basic, and original form. The joke wasn't about her succeeding, but rather how unsuited a character like Fluttershy is as a rapist.

 

There are variants too, like Fetish-shy in which she tries to guess Anon's fetish. These ones try to deliver whyboners, or just disgust, along with the humor. The concept is still the same in that Fluttershy wants to creepily have sex with Anon, but comically fails almost every time. By this point, I'd call it an 'expansion pack', as it's more like an addition to the formula rather than branching off into its own thing.

 

Not many people initially seem to know what Flutterrape is. Some people assume it's about Fluttershy raping Anon, or just rape. This is not, however, actually the case. *(( Many stories existed, even before I left, where it is all about this though. Things changed, and that's fine. This *was* technically correct in the earliest threads. I still recommend that you try to learn the 'rules' before you can 'break' them though, and with this knowledge you can better subvert people's expectations even if you're not interested in the classic style.))

 

She should only succeed one time out of fifteen at the most. *((Ignore this. Instead, I'd say just try not to overdo it as an individual writer. I say this for one reason, and one reason only: shock value.

 

I think what drew readers into Mute Anon was the shock value. It was kind of a ballsy move to have her straight up rape a disabled person, and this was when people still sorta cared about the no successes 'rule', so it was like dumping a bucket of icy water on a sleeping person. I was also following the comedic formula first, and that also probably subverted expectations. You can't quite pull this off if you're known for making rape the rule rather than the exception, and have a foreboding mood from start to finish. Just my two cents, and it's not the only way to surprise readers or grab their attention.))

 

The title brings confusion, but it's only really called Flutterrape because it's a better title than: 'Fluttershy wants to get into Anon's pants in a forceful way but is bad at it.'

 

Remember, it's not about actual rape, but the humor in an attempted rape or failed seduction from Fluttershy of all damn ponies. *((Only if you're sticking to the classic formula to a T.))

 

<<B. How to make sure it's actually Flutterrape>>

 

There are all sorts of variations, and many different styles; that much is true. But there are some important guidelines a writer should be aware of before actually posting in Flutterrape, or even attempting to write it.

 

*((So before we jump into this, just remember; this is dated and subjective. I don't like how I went on like a broken record and touted stuff as fact, so you'll be hearing this a lot))

 

1B. Purpose

 

What sorts of story are you trying to tell, and why? The layout of your story is a big determining factor if you're actually interested in writing Flutterrape.

 

For example, are you trying to tell a story about Anon, his relationship with another pony, and Fluttershy as a rapist-villain? *((This isn't inherently bad. If Anon isn't going to fuck Fluttershy then who else, right? It really depends on how you handle her as a villain.))

 

Is the story primarily about Anon doing a bunch of other things, and Fluttershy is only there every now and then to hinder him? *((This one still sorta holds water, but only sorta; this could be executed well without feeling out of place.))

 

In other words, is Fluttershy the third wheel in your story? *((Well, if she's the only rapist pony in your story, she probably should be more prolific.))

 

Is she added as an afterthought so you can just barely try and classify it as Flutterrape? *((I sincerely felt like people were doing this. It's kind of silly, but I do still feel as if some were lazily written in general.))

 

If yes, then you're not writing Flutterrape for the right reason. *((And what's the 'correct' reason? People write because they want to share their ideas and have fun doing it. Sometimes that conflicts with holding up tradition.))

 

There's a reason it's called Flutterrape, in that it focuses on Fluttershy. The conflict between Anon and Fluttershy is a big part of these stories, and not just as a side-character or shoehorned villain. The mindset you should have going into Flutterrape is that Anon and Fluttershy are going to be your biggest focuses. This isn't to say you should neglect the other characters or do nothing significant with them (Rainbro, Applerape stories to an extent are fine.) Other rapist ponies work too, but should never be the main focus. This simply means that if Anon and Fluttershy is the plot, the others are the subplot. *(( If Rainbro and Applerape are fine, then why not everything else? It's just me giving something a pass, because it's older. There's nothing inherently different here, so why couldn't any pony work?))

 

2B. Stories, shorts, and one shots *((Why did I need to write this section again? Ugh.))

 

Let me begin by saying that long stories are fine. They're good, and hold your interest every step of the way. However, many might complain that the guidelines above are limiting for a larger story. Flutterrape tends not to have large stories in mind, in the first place.

 

The stories started out as one shots. In fact most of the stories should be oneshots. They're the equivalent of a good clever joke in one post.

 

Some evolved into shorts, which were small-self-contained plots with many scenarios and jokes being played around with. These don't have limitations issues, because the plots don't go anywhere. Anon lives in Equestria and simply has to deal with Fluttershy in that situation. There isn't resolution for the long run.

 

Bigger stories are possible, but you don't always have to tell a big story. A lot of the time the mindset should be "Getting a bunch of jokes into story form." Shorts and one shots should be a bit more encouraged.

 

In fact one story I have written wasn't intended to be a big story in a sense. With A Little Help, was more like a series of connected shorts, and within it were things that could be made into oneshots.

 

Ideally the bigger stories should just have a slight enough twist to the source material and guidelines for them to make a plot. It still shouldn't be completely different from the source, and to the point where it is unrecognizable.

 

Here are a few tips:

-Anon is Anon. We don't need a backstory of his time on Earth. He simply is.

*((This is still true. Seriously, Anon is called Anon for a reason. I don't think people need to be told this, but there were a few clueless fellows at one point who thought they were writing regular HiE. This isn't to say you can't expand on him over time, but don't try to do all of that in the beginning; you'll ruin your early story pacing.))

-Most of these stories should start similarly, at least mirroring your typical Flutterrape until a point *((Nope. Do whatever you have to do to grab the reader's attention. But like I said, don't fuck up your pacing. It's funny how Past!Me saw the symptoms but not the actual problems like egregious OOC and bad pacing.))

A good example is the beginning of Mute Anon:

>You are mute Anon

>You are not stupid

>Many assume you are slow here

>There is one in particular who doesn't

>One who never did

>And you hate her

 

The story then plays out like your typical comedy filled Flutterrape, and then slowly shifts into something different. It also provides a spin on the formula.

 

However, just having a simple spin like: 'Fluttershy has just won the lottery! She is now using her new wealth to ramp up her fetish attempts! Anon has to somehow take away her money before she finds his fetish, who will succeed?'

 

This is how a big story should be written, and that is why having a very different plot with Fluttershy as a fetish-guesser or stalker won't cut it. *((Bigger stories shouldn't be *too* formulaic though. So, that's not great advice.))

 

Here is an example of plots that don't cut it: 'Anon arrives in Equestria. He meets up with Fluttershy, but she is super creepy to him. Anon then stays with Bonbon, and they start to have a romance together. Fluttershy then tries to drive the two apart, etc, etc, etc.'

 

See the difference? *((Not really? Maybe if I would've replaced super creepy with 'super belligerent cunt'. That's kind of what I was advising people not to write.)

 

*((Blah, blah, blah. The most you're going to get out of the below is an outdated history lesson that's mildly interesting at best. Just move on to the next section.))

 

Big stories are fairly recent in Flutterrape. Stories with bigger plots were considered to be an Anon in Equestria (AiE) thing. There was a time when With A Little Help could be argued as AiE to some extent, just for having a plot.

Many AiE stories have had Flutterrape elements, but were different stories entirely. I've read plenty of both Flutterrape and AiE. Stories in which Anon focuses on other ponies with Fluttershy as a rapist in the background or as an addition to the story is exactly how AiE goes about things.

Even just exploring Flutterrape to a major degree with a bigger twist can be considered AiE. In fact, if I had known what the finished product of Mute was going to be, I would have posted it in AiE.

Notice I've been mentioning comedy in most of this. This brings me to my next point'.

 

<<C. Tone of the story and style>>

 

There are many other moods that can be used for Flutterrape. >Feels, dark, and drama; these can be done well, and tend to be good stories. The only issue is that they're becoming the norm, and are neglecting the major aspect of Flutterrape.

That's not to say you can't ever do >feels, or dark themes. In fact you can mix it in with the comedy if you do it well. Most of the issue is also in execution of these themes. Remember, I'm not saying anyone's story is bad, but that they may be missing the point of Flutterrape. (It's sort of like Horror and Romance genres. If you're writing a Horror story and present it as a Romance, it's going to be bad as a Romance story.) *((The only truly correct part here is the part about the execution; it always comes down to execution.))

 

This brings us back again to the source material: The pictures and the very first greentexts. They're light hearted tales. The whole concept of Flutterrape is a lighthearted sex-themed series of jokes.

 

There should be an acknowledgment of that. The joke being that Fluttershy wants to sleep with Anon, by force or coercion usually, but is hilariously inept at doing so. At the same time, it's also cute and lighthearted because she is still her shy and demure self.

 

When you have her as a constant transparent threat, it's not the same. When you take away her demure personality altogether, then you're turning a joke into something too serious. *((Uh, actually you're just writing her way more OOC than even FR should allow. That's its own mistake. I kind of don't get what I meant here; weird I know. I think I was trying to differentiate the ways you could handle a darker Fluttershy even though this all could've been summarized with: Don't fucking make her all around OOC.)

 

Even if your story grows darker as it progresses, you should try to keep some humorous moments. At least have your story resemble the setup of more comedic shorts, and then you can start moving towards the drama. *((I do sorta maintain this opinion, but for different reasons. I don't want to drone on, not too much anyway, so I'll just say that MLP is a cartoon, and that even mature stories work well, arguably better, when you make use of the show's cartoon nature. A good example is Exchange by Getmeouttahere. If you've read that, you'll know what I mean. Also, real life isn't a downer at all times, so there's that too.))

 

Sometimes it can work as a deconstruction or a twist, but you shouldn't try to write serious stories all the time. This is more of an issue with writers as a collective; ideally for every 5 comedy stories there should be 1 non-traditional one. It should not be the other way around. *((Nah, write what you wanna write.))

 

Compare this short story to those dark and dramatic stories:

 

 

This is a good story for reference. If your story is extremely far removed from this type of story, it's very likely your story is not Flutterrape. A perfect example would be the gore stories that popped up for a little while. *(( I fucking love how salty the gore made me, looking back. It's kind of weird that I can look at everything I produced more objectively now. If you ever want to experience this, wait about five years before checking out your stuff again. You'll feel a lot of shame, so be prepared for that. Also, if anyone still cares, I'll be editing the ever loving fuck out of my old stuff at random intervals. I won't be removing anything; I'm just cleaning it up, fixing sentences I find weirdly constructed, and updating it to a slightly more standard prose style including a shift to past tense.))

 

If your story is dark or dramatic it doesn't mean it isn't Flutterrape though. It's all in the execution, and depends on what happens in your story.

 

Here are few things that need to be used with *caution*, and should not be used all the time. *((Here we go... Take everything with a grain of salt. I think by this point you get the idea by now, but I'm still going. While this stuff is dated, and subjective you *might* get something out of it as a frame of reference? Anyway, prepare for some 19 year old's hot opinions.))

 

1C. Successful Rape

 

Even in comedy stories this shouldn't be used *too* often. In the older threads she was never allowed to win. I think it's more ideal to just have it so she wins 1 out of every 15 times (1 out of 30 if it's for smutty clop). *((I feel like I've already said everything that needs to be said about this with my blurb on 'shock value'. So I'll just say this is dumb and arbitrary.))

 

Successful rape can be done, but that was never the point of Flutterrape. In the old threads she never won, and that was really effective because when she did, it shocked people. It also created an atmosphere in which many readers wanted her to win, but writers wouldn't give it to them, so they would come back for more.

 

Now, I've written Mute Anon, and so I used successful rape in my story (Although for a different purpose initially; I originally wanted to give Anon a reason to dislike Fluttershy beyond not liking the idea of fucking ponies. Then my story spun out of control). *((Hey, reminiscing about mistakes is my job.))

 

I don't want to sound presumptuous, but I only started seeing successful rape (played seriously at that) as having a place in these threads after I did this in Mute Anon. *(('Cause I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't.))

 

That isn't a good thing in my opinion. At the time Mute Anon was actually more of a surprise because other stories didn't do this. Unfortunately, it probably gave people the wrong idea about Flutterrape as well. Actual rape should be the exception not the norm. *((I really did feel sort of responsible at the time, but other writers were doing dramatic tales around the same time too, and so we all changed together. There was nothing wrong with that in retrospect. If most of the audience and the writers like it, well, what's the hang up?))

 

I've seen newer writers say things like: 'Don't worry I'll get to the >rape soon enough.' *((This actually would still bug me today, though. Sorry, I just can't stand such a display of clueless and new. Not too much though. It probably doesn't matter with modern thread culture, so I wouldn't give you grief for it.

 

Oh right, and the actual problem here was people with horrible pacing. I mentioned this already, but I'll try to be a bit more detailed here. I get that it's a difficult balancing act trying to flesh things out vs. trying to hook a reader, but if you choose the former over the latter at the beginning you often just end up with a boring story where not much happens. Like if your first chapter can just be summarized as Anon finding himself in Equestria and encountering Zecora, and only that, then why would someone keep reading? There's nothing to get invested in. You'd at least need to write a much longer first chapter. But depending on your writing style, you could make that entertaining. That's a whole other topic though. If you're a new writer, chances are you can't pull it off, yet. Now let's move on. ))

 

Which does the exact opposite of reassure me, and I believe too much successful rape gives writers and readers an incorrect image of Flutterrape. *((Okay, okay. We get it.))

 

2C. Fluttershy as rude and bitchy (To most of the characters in general)

 

Making her rude or bitchy just takes away the biggest aspect of Flutterrape: Fluttershy. Part of the fun of these stories is that she retains her demeanor and personality. It's hilariously, or creepily, jarring; it also makes it more plausible when the ponies don't believe Anon and brush him off. It also makes for more creative confrontations, and it just seems lazy when you have her go into a rage with other ponies or even Anon without the build up. Instead, try to make her passive-aggressive, hold off that aggression as long as you can. Another thing to note is that you can have her act sweet and shy despite the awful things she does. This can make her creepy or unsettling in darker stories, and hilarious and awkward in funny stories. Make use of Fluttershy, and not just a generic villain with her name. This applies to her being a murderer. She's obsessed with Anon, but she is still Fluttershy. If you do something like this, make sure it's gradual and well thought out. Remember, even if she's rapey, her element is Kindness. *((TL;DR never go *full* OOC, and you need to work on your dialogue and characterization if you can just replace this 'generic villain' character with any other pony.))

 

3C. Gore

 

Are you writing a story, because you want gore for the sake of it, and only have Fluttershy in it as an afterthought? Stop writing it. Gore should be used minimally; you can have your audiences feel things without something awful or, over-the-top dark happening. If you do need to use it for plot purposes then use it sparingly; one injury can be devastating if done right. If anything this should be avoided, because of the after-thought types. *((You know what? I'm still maintaining this opinion. I didn't like edgy Cupcakes wannabes then, and I don't like them now. If I remember right, most of them didn't even have rape. So even if you're of the opinion that Flutterrape is just about rape in general, these *still* wouldn't belong.))

 

You can have dramatic, compelling and moving stories without a violent Fluttershy who's unlikable in every way, and is only there to be a villain for Anon and the ponies you actually want to write about. (Also keep successful rape to a minimum.) *((Stop that.))

 

To summarize...

 

It's about this: http://i.imgur.com/9B3Zf.png

'And not about this: http://i.imgur.com/c1qtu.gif *((Kinda, that's from *canon*, but you hopefully got what I meant here. )

 

This: http://i.imgur.com/5ees4.png

Not this: http://i.imgur.com/XNV7e.jpg

 

It's about: http://i.imgur.com/wpqmc.jpg

Definitely not this: http://i.imgur.com/0KM98.png

 

*((If I could go back and redo this, I'd have used gore pictures or something. Someone might think I'm against yandere in general. Well, I *can* redo this, but I don't feel like doing that. So just enjoy it for what it is.))

 

<<D. Why this matters>> *((Oh boy.))

 

Flutterrape has changed. That's the truth of it, and change can be good to an extent.

 

I don't think we need to go 100% classic here, and I'm not a pure purist. I'm just a bit stricter in that first and foremost the central characters and focus should be Anon and Shy. I do think we need to lean more towards the classic style though. At least 75% of the time.

 

Here's why. AiE pretty much made Flutterrape obsolete. Flutterrape stuck around to stay with the old style; mostly a bunch of shorts and oneshots specifically in the style I've been talking about.

 

That's what made us distinct from AiE. That distinctness is disappearing, and we are beginning to make stories that you would see on AiE. That's why I can't behind a potential Ponyrape thread. *((Sorry for being anal retentive about this. I really am.))

 

I am in no way calling stories that I do not consider Flutterrape, bad. Many are good stories, but they would fit more in AiE than in Flutterrape.

 

Do Flutterrape stories in Flutterrape. Do other stuff in AiE. At the very least I want to see evidence of people making informed decisions when posting. We have the FAQ for a reason, so at least read it. Either way, my issue tends not to be with individual stories; I worry about the collective as a whole.

 

Flutterrape's most fundamental flaw is that you have to understand the joke. You have to be aware of what it's originally about. That means the only effective way to spread this is through stories that are actually Flutterrape. If you post a bunch of unrelated stories, then you will also negatively-influence the thread as a whole.

Hopefully, after reading this you'll know what sort of story you want to write, and where to post it.

 

*((Okay. Wow, alright. Man, where do I begin? So, I do think Past!Me is correct in that Flutterrape as it was originally conceived is something really dependent on word of mouth and the like; it's borderline esoteric. The rest is just really dated, and subjective. It was arguably dated when I wrote it too. I seemed convinced that the only Anon greentext threads that existed were AiE and FR. This is just plain irrelevant in modern day /mlp/.

 

I am, however, gonna preach something similar here. Hold on, don't hang me yet. It's also less FR specific if that helps.

 

I've heard AiE is 'dead' or dying, but this doesn't have to be the case. Now, I know not every greentext thread should just merge with AiE, because they cover broad themes and ideas that allow them to churn out all kinds of stories, but what about individual story threads? Why can't they go in AiE or Fingerbang?

 

There's also a bad habit people have of being too afraid to share their ideas outside their favorite thread. If your prompt ends with, and I quote, 'something something <thing that would actually make it thread relevant>" while the rest is unrelated, this is the prime example. Oh, how cute, self-aware, and cheeky! That's totally not agitating and kind of cancerous.

 

Saying that you don't want to post in a dead thread, or a thread you dislike, is a shit excuse. That's being a leech. It also doesn't give you a pass to just dump your, let's call them pussy prompts, anywhere you want. Second, there's no reason you couldn't post it in both threads. AiE, or some other 'dead' thread that it would fit better in, would be a lot less dead if every pussy prompt you wrote were in there.

 

If I took these individual story threads, pussy prompts too, and put them in AiE, then I'd probably have something resembling a healthy and active thread. Hey, I'm just saying. It's not like telling you this in a pastebin from 2013 is going to change anything.

 

Okay, that's enough hot opinions. Let's move on.))

 

(I will add more if I feel there needs to be more to say.) *((Huh, I did. I bet Past!Me never would've imagined it would be like this though))

 

*((Anyway, here's a TL;DR for this 'guide'.

 

1. Flutterrape was *originally* like an ecchi Road Runner with Fluttershy as its intentionally jarring Wile E. Coyote.

 

2. Ideally, darker themes or a subversion should be like a parody or twist on 'Road Runner', and not its own thing without this connection. This is an *opinion*, and should be treated as such. I'm just putting it here because the guide fucking went on and on about it.

 

3. Try not to make Fluttershy more OOC than she already is, or rather never go full OOC. Her dialogue, mannerisms, and disposition should be IC even if her actions are not. Otherwise, she might as well be an original character, or a different pony entirely.

 

4. Some people, like me, prefer if Fluttershy is in the limelight as a prolific antagonist, and not as a dormant antagonist who angrily skulks from the sidelines when she isn't enacting her plot moving plans. I don't really have a problem with it these days, but if you combine it with her going full OOC, however, then it makes it look like you don't care and just shoehorned her in to lazily put the Flutter in Flutterrape. Yeah - opinion.

 

Anyway, that's all, folks. I hope you enjoyed the read, and maybe actually learned some stuff along the way. I loved FR, I still do, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. I loved it so much, in fact, that I was always hungry for more content. One slow, fateful day, I thought the stories weren't coming in fast enough; I didn't want to see the thread fade away either - not when I just got there. So I sat down, and tentatively started to write my own content. What followed was discovering my love for writing, meeting many cool writefags, and watching my favorite thread come to life. I don't want to sound like I've 'outgrown' Flutterrape; having skimmed my old stuff, I feel like it's the other way around. The truth is, I had things going on in my life, and I got a bit burnt out. I didn't want to post stuff that was phoned in, and so I checked myself out. I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye, at the time I didn't feel it was necessary, so just I hope you accept this belated one.

 

Thank you, for everything. ))