This is a Blog I'll Probably Regret Making in a Couple of Hours, but Meh · 11:52am Dec 15th, 2012
I'm going to just cut to the chase and not fill this with fat and excuses:
I'm going to be taking a step back from Third Time's a Charm for a bit.
Why?
Because I don't think I'm doing the RariDash pairing justice. I feel like I could do so much better. Charm is a victim of its own popularity. Instead of planning it out and taking the time to make the story good, I rushed it out, making it up as I went along, just because I was scared of losing the followers I'd gained from it if I didn't produce chapters at lightning speed.
I have since realized that that was a mistake, and that Charm has suffered because of it.
Anyway, I'm going to put Charm on a long hiatus and either go through a full rewrite or work on another RariDash fic altogether.
So, yeah, don't expect any new Third Time's a Charm anytime soon. However, for Charm fans, that does not mean that there won't be any RariDash anytime soon. I have a couple of one-shot ideas for the pairing that I want to try out.
(I also blame Cynewulf for writing RariDash so well and (unintentionally) making me realize just how flawed Charm really is)
Damnit Cynewulf! Fucking it up for everyone!
I wou
Fd never in follow you for not delivering chapter
I would however if you Cancleed or Deleted it
Damn!
I hope this hiatus won't last an year or so.
Easy now- it'll be okay
I would caution you against trying to go and revise the beginnings of things- treat it like a challenge, that you gotta raise the fic up with (for the most part) the childhood it got.
First chapter of Trixie's Magic Bit, I have that very magic artifact glowing with the color of Trixie's magic when used. Wrote that right in there. I don't believe in revising stuff and changing what was people's first experience with a story they liked, so I wouldn't change it- but that detail never happened again, and for like three books now those things don't glow (and wouldn't still have only Trixie color in any event).
Learn to work with what you've got, fix the howling errors or MAYBE change little details to foreshadow what you really needed to have in there- and then go on. You are too good to get stuck revising any fic, even a pet one. Keep the story flowing, and move on.
i.chzbgr.com/completestore/2009/9/26/128984753745913899.jpg
(but srsly, kudos for making such a good story so far, just based on improv!)
May those who would leave just because of lack of charm be damned. You've got some good stuff out there besides that RariDash, and though I originally came for that, I do enjoy your other stuff too, just as much.
So do what you need to, but don't take too ridiculously long, ok?
Not to mention you have pretty entertaining blog posts.
please...
C'mon now, just because you think some one elses version of a ship is better doesn't necessarily mean everyone does! I demand resolution to Rarity's 'thanks-for-saving-my-life' smooch!
In all seriousness, it's up to you, just know that this is a slippery slope. One of my editors used to have more followers than me, and he's a better writer than I am. His second story ever got featured in the box (god rest its soul) and Eqd, and he was on track to have 250 followers when I had like 100. then he started getting critical of his own work. His chapter progress slowed, until he found himself deleting 2000 words of work because he felt it wasn't good enough. Never asked for another opinion, just kept deleting most everything he wrote before I could even see it. He had a awesome premise for a story that I still hope he'll complete eventually (I'm still working on getting him to at least let me see what he has before he deletes it, but so far, no luck.) He's a good writer. So are you. I don't want you to head down that self critical path and end up unable to submit or post anything because of your fear that people will not like your work anymore.
The truth is, some people will unfollow you. For a valid reason, or a completely stupid one. The point is, while one or two may jump ship, you still have 500+ eagerly awaiting your next installment. It doesn't seem fair to the other 500 of them that still want to read the story you want to tell to worry over the four or five who bailed.
This is a bit of a rant, and if I came off as condescending anywhere, I didn't mean to. All I'm saying is unless the story is absolutely unredeemable in your eyes, and there is nothing even Hemingway could do to save it, then sure, start over. My two cents, however, says run with it, and see where it takes you. It's your most popular fic for a reason, isn't it?
Well, fuck.
I'm not sure how to respond to this news. Curling up into a ball seems appropriate, so I think I'm going to go with that.
Trying to better yourself (and your stories in the process) is a great goal, I for one will be waiting with bated breath to see what you can do with it.
I'm not sure either way--but if you don't think you can do it justice, you probably will get in there and then you won't. As Virgil says--they Do because they think they can. The likewise is true: if you don't go in there at least mildly sure you can do it justice, you probably will inadvertently sabotage yourself. So I think you should write, in this case, what calls for you. (Though I think you should finish Charm eventually!)
Also I sorry fran(s). :c
If it counts for anything--I want you to finish this chapter of NAWWAL rreallllllllly bad.
But I also like Charm. In planning and writing "Lilies" especially, I used Charm as a kind of archetype. It's not a bad story. I likes it a lot.
Don't ever regret being honest. If it's not working, it's not working. You write for yourself, remember? By not letting your ego get in the way of doing what you think is best, you're moving along the right track in my book.
An idea, though: maybe start working on an idea for a RariDash story longer than a one-shot. It seems like whenever a one-shot gets popular, its writer feels pressured to keep all their new followers and starts forcing out unplanned additional chapters, and then it just becomes a mess. Perhaps you could have a first chapter that works as a one-shot, but have an idea of where you want to take things if it gets popular enough to warrant more.
And here comes the mass barrage of "I suck and will delete everything"
I noticed it was rushed, and while I enjoyed it anyway, I think you've made the right decision.
You know what?
I'm a little sad that Charm won't be updating, but if it means that it'll be all the better, I'm all for it!
Don't worry about losing popularity just because you take time to do a good job!
Go forth, and create awesome fan fictions!
I have not yet read that story