Applejack’s Ten Tips for Twitterponies

Hay there, everypony! It’s just me, Applejack. We’ve had a lot o’ new ponies come to Ponyville lately, and we surely do love makin’ new friends, so welcome aboard, one an’ all! We’re mighty honored that you wanna be part of our silly little corner of th’ innernet.

We’ve all worked mighty hard to make the Twitterponies somethin’ special, that honors a certain show we all love, but is also fun an’ entertainin’ in its own right. We’re kinda proud of that, and we want t’ maintain it! So, even though it’s difficult sometimes, we have t’be a mite selective in who out there we respond to, who we follow, and who we interact with. To keep the Twitterponies true to that vision that made us successful in the first place, it’s what we’ve gotta do!

If yer readin’ this, I’m gonna assume it’s because you like us and want t’ play with us -- an’ that you want us to play with you ! An’ that’s great! But RP don’t come naturally to everypony, so you might be tryin’ yer darnedest and still not gettin’ anypony to even give you the time of day!

Well don’t fret, sugarcube, I’m here t’ help ya. These tips ain’t the end-all be-all of good RP by any stretch, but they are meant to give you a runnin’ start. They’re designed to make your twitterpony character the kind that folks want to play with!

==Tip #1: Understand and Respect What the Twitterponies Are About == This is the single most important thing you can do, so I’m puttin’ it first. The whole point of the Twitterponies is to create an environment that feels like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic  that you can jump into and be part of the story yerself. That means, among other things, that your own behavior has got t’ fit as well! There are things that can happen in MLP:FIM  and things that cain’t. Adorable, rainbow-colored ponies havin’ adventures: can. Murder, rape, debauchery, ponies dyin’ horribly in fires? Cain’t.

When you create a character, when you have that character do something, ask yourself, “Can I imagine this actually appearing in the show? I mean, REALLY?” If the answer is no, then you’re prolly better off not doing it.

Now, I gotta admit, sometimes even we go places the show cain’t. I wouldn’t be Honesty if I didn’t acknowledge that. But it’s something we try t’ avoid, and when it does happen we’re verrry careful with it. It ain’t our standard operatin’ procedure!

Tip #2: Follow the Guidelines!
There are a lot of good tips in the guidelines ( <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">http://twitterponies.wikia.com/wiki/Guidelines<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; "> ). There’s also a great page by Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie about all this stuff ( <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">http://twitterponies.tumblr.com/post/6443972563/on-starting-out-pinkie-fluttershy-contribute<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; "> ). Read ‘em, love ‘em, take ‘em t’heart!

==<span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Tip #3: Has It Been Done? Then Y’all Might Wanna Try Somethin’ Else! == <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Okay, the followin’ ideas have been done t’ death:
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Crazy pony
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Musician pony
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Racer Who Challenges Everypony pony
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Thinly-Disguised Crossover pony
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Not-At-All-Disguised Crossover pony
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Emo Backstory pony
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Badflank Warrior pony
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Afraid of Everybody and Everything pony
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Looking For Redemption pony
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">The Greatest “X” in Equestria pony

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">So, yeah, that character idea y’ had about a unicorn who talks to snakes, is a more powerful wizard than Twilight Sparkle, and who came to Ponyville to rebuild his life after destroying the horrible orphanage where he grew up, named Coltemort? Ya might want to re-think it a little.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">It ain’t that some of these ideas don’t still have life in ‘em, but it’s really tough to do something new with ‘em (and there are already plenty of these characters out there).

==<span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Tip #4: DON’T Try to Out-Pony Other Ponies! == <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Now, this is one o’ my particular sore spots. The show characters are the high-water marks for their specialties, and if you get all up in our faces tryin’ to outdo us, we’re just gonna get annoyed or angry at you. (Remember “Boast Busters”?) So just to make it clear: <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Or, if you DO make a claim like that, have it turn out to be that your character is wrong and learns that pretty quick. (You can ask for rematches later, but don’t be a pest about it!)
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Don’t claim to be more magical than Twilight Sparkle.
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Don’t claim to be more beautiful than Rarity.
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Don’t claim to be a better flyer than Rainbow Dash.
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Don’t claim to be better with animals than Fluttershy.
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Don’t claim to be sillier than Pinkie Pie.
 * <span style="font-size: 11pt; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Don’t claim to be a better athlete than me. Unless you’re Rainbow Dash, in which case I’ll totally beat you next time!

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Similarly, don’t steal other OC ponies’ thunder either. If somepony has established themselves in the RP as to go-to pony for ice sculpture, don’t turn about and create an ice-sculpture pony too! Respect their character as you would want ‘em to respect yours.

==<span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Tip #5: Backstory is Good; Being Interestin’ Here and Now is Better == <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">It’s good to have some background info for your pony. Knowin’ where they’re from, what they like, how they got their cutiemark and what it means (or what their cutiemark is likely to BE, if they haven’t found it yet), these things are all important and you should know them for your pony!

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">But … um … chances are we don’t want to hear about ‘em. At least, not all at once!

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">I mean, think about it, what would it be like if I opened ev’ry conversation with <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">“Howdy, I’m Applejack! I was raised on Sweet Apple Acres, but I went to Manehattan for a little while when I was younger, but got homesick there and so came back to Ponyville. I wear a hat! Once my brother was injured, so I had to take care of the whole season’s harvest all by myself and I got super-tired and started actin’ crazy! Did I mention I can lasso things? I love apples!”

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Well, okay, maybe if yer playin’ Pinkie Pie, that might work. But for most characters, don’t do it!

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">My point is, it’s a good thing to have a lot of interesting details about your character. But think of them as little presents that you give to other players one at a time. Ya don’t want to give ‘em all out too early, or you’ll run out!

==<span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Tip #6: Unless Y'All Need to Play a Colt, I Suggest Playin' a Filly == <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">This is just mah personal opinion, so take it fer what it’s worth. But <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">MLP:FIM <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; "> is a girly show for girls that is girly. Ponyville has a really skewed population, of something like 10 fillies per colt. So unless you have a particularly compellin’ reason why your character should be a colt, make her a filly. There are a lot more OC colts than there should be runnin’ around.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Now, some characters only work as colts, and some players might just prefer to play a colt for whatever reason, and that's fine. You go right ahead and do what works. But at least consider tryin' out a filly first before ya just make a colt by default.

==<span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Tip #7: Leave Your … Quirks … At Home == <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">So, there’s this pony, who for whatever reason, likes being tied up. I mean, y’know, REALLY likes being tied up. So this pony made a character who wanted to challenge me to a lasso-throwin’ contest … with the intention that zany hijinks would ensue and we’d both end up tied up. Because, y’know, this pony really likes being tied up.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Well, I caught on to what was happenin’ pretty quick and got outa there. That just ain’t appropriate public behavior a-tall (and make no mistake, Twitter is being “in public”!), and ESPECIALLY ain’t appropriate behavior for <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">MLP:FIM <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">. So I blocked that character from my feed.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">What did the player do? Create another OC pony and try again. ¬.¬ Same result.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">By the time this player was on their third OC pony, I could spot ‘em comin’ a mile away and just didn’t even say hello. And I won’t ever say hello to that player again. Furthermore, I’ll be warning other players away from them if the topic comes up.

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Don’t be that player.

==<span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Tip #8: Don’t Assume You Know Me! == <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">I have a little secret to share with y’all … I’m not the original Applejack. In fact, I’m not even the second Applejack. And I might be Pinkie Pie tomorrow. The Twitterponies players come and go, and we tend to pass characters around on an as-needed basis. So the Applejack you talked to six months ago? ‘tweren’t me. If you talk about stuff “we” did then, I won’t know what yer talkin’ about. Your best bet: stay focused on the here and now.

==<span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Tip #9: Bring the RP, Don’t Ask the RP to Come to You! == <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">“I’m in the park, anypony wanna RP?” ain’t the best way to start somethin’ rollin’. A better way is to just start doin’ somethin’ interestin’! Is yer pony a juggler? Start jugglin’ in the town square. Is yer pony the town crier? Start makin’ funny news announcements! Just remember to @-mention ponies to get their attention, and pretty soon they’ll start responding. Most players are looking for things to get involved with just like you are, so give them somethin’ to jump on!

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Similarly, if you see somethin’ that looks like fun happenin’, step on up and join in. Everypony at a party in the cafe? Go on in to the cafe and join in the fun! The Wonderbolts are in town puttin’ on a show? Get yerself a ticket! Just be careful yer not stickin’ your nose in on a private scene. (When in doubt, send a DM or OOC @-mention to the players involved asking if they mind if y’all join in.)

==<span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Tip #10: Don’t Invade Ponyville! == <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">If y’all want in on a big, epic event, contact one o’ the “core players” (mane six, a princess, etc.) and talk to them about your idea. We like to shake things up from time t’ time!

<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">But, y’all, please don’t start tryin’ t’ hand out the Elements of Harmony necklaces and sayin’ the Treebrary just got bombed. ‘cos if you ain’t worked it out with us beforehand, we’re jus’ gonna ignore you. Seriously.

==<span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Bonus Tip #11: Ask For Help! Ask For Critique! == <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">We all want a better RP! Feel free to ask us how you’re doin’ or what you could be doin’ better, or anything else you might have questions about! If you’re havin’ trouble findin’ a good character, or would like to organize a scene, let us know!

<span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Thanks for Readin’, Y’All!
<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap; ">I surely do hope this helps you get into the Twitterponies RP and have a good time. See ya on the innernet, everypony!

The Formula for Success?
Truth be told, there’s no definitive formula for being successful. Depending on what you want, there are multiple routes you can take. If you’re after good roleplay, write your heart out, join up with others, and contribute to the universe. Are you more social? Get to know members of the roleplay community and make friends. If you’re nice, you’re bound to meet some great people and have some fun.

Read More
You've read this far, PLEASE read these pages as well. Yes, all of them. It's the secret to a fun time, and it'll keep TwitterPonies drama-free for all:


 * Applejack’s Ten Tips for Twitterponies
 * Attracting Followers
 * Character Troubleshooting
 * Differences Between Twitterponies and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.
 * Golden Rules of TwitterPonies
 * Guidelines
 * Roleplaying Guide
 * The_Answer to Bad RP is Great RP
 * TwitterPonies "Do"s and "Don't"s
 * TwitterPonies: How It Works
 * How To Say "No"
 * The Yellow Card
 * Blocking
 * Advanced RP for Experts

The choice is yours. None of these are rules.

That's how TwitterPonies works.

Got questions? Follow and DM the @mlp_Mod account. The Mod follows every character account, and will always respond to any DM as soon as possible.