Where's the next chapter?!

So, yeah, it's been almost two weeks since the last update of "Wings of Tomorrow ~ Lament of the World" during which I gave no sign of life. No new updates or news on future updates. So what's the deal? When is the next chapter coming? As soon as I get past my brand new writer's block, of course! Though when that will be, only Celestia knows.

Hang on a moment, my non-existent followers cry, what new writer's block?! What happened? What happened is that I made a change of plans. Some comments made when I released the last chapter brought up the valid point that the pacing of the story had really slowed down to a crawl with little happening. As my readers will know, the plan was to have a five-part mini-arc focussing on each of the mane six (minus Rainbow Dash) as they experienced a normal day in Cantropolis. The goal for this was to insert some character development for the mane six and background characters both, as well as some new plotpoints.

The reception I got was mixed. People were really happy with the mystery and intrigue I presented in the tale of Twilight, but Fluttershy's tale felt too long compared to what little happened in it. I admit that padding is one of my flaws as a writer, I have the habbit to wanting to write out every single detail and scene, which of course hinders the pacing of the story considerably. Given that the rest of the tales were going to be much alike to Fluttershy's, serving mostly to introduce some background information on certain characters, instead of more intrigue like in Twilight's, I became warry of the reception those might get. It didn't help much that I never really had much for Pinkie and Rarity's tale besides a vague idea. Not because I don't like these characters, but because I find Rarity and especially Pinkie Pie extremely hard to write. I do have a specific purpose for them in mind in the story, but it will be a while before we get there and until then, I admit I'm kind of at loss of what to do with them in the meantime.

How does this relate to the newborn writer's block? Well, all the above-mentioned concerns led me to decide that I'm going to axe the "A Day in Cantropolis" mini-arc. It's time to pick up the pace a bit, to get the plot moving and to spice things up with the action I've been promising for so long. It's time that I move on to the next step of the plot, the battle of Stalliongrad. The problem is that while I do know how I want to write that, with the axing of the "A Day in Cantropolis" arc I'm kind of at loss of how to write a proper transition from the calm-before-the-storm period shown in Twilight and Fluttershy's chapters to the shit-hits-the-fan moment of the invasion. I've tried a few ideas, but nothing really worked out so far.

So if you're wondering why the new chapter isn't out yet, that's what's holding me back. I need to sit down and think for a bit, make some adjustments. I don't want to push a half-assed chapter out there just to get it over with, that goes against my nature. The good news is that it won't take another five chapters before we get to the announced-ages-ago invasion. Just one more chapter, or in the absolute worst case two more, and then the time of talk will be over and the time of kicking flank and taking names will be upon the story.

So yeah, bottom line: next chapter is delayed until I can figure out what to do with it, then shit hits the fan. You've been patient with me so far, so just be patient for a little while longer.

~KoJ~