Apology and Recommendations. · 2:55am Dec 24th, 2013
Hey guys. Some of you may be wondering where I've been, and most of you probably forgot that you're even following one of my stories. I promised a while ago that I would have a new chapter of Princesses Don't Potty up soon, and even further back I promised you a new ASMGDA chapter. I haven't delivered on either front.
I know I have a history of schedule slip and far too much time in between updates, and I've hated the fact that I became "that author." You know, the unreliable one, the one who makes promises and never delivers. I've eased my mind with the fact that most of my delays had legitimate causes. Usually it was real life getting in the way, others, especially the first really big gap in A Still More Glorious Dawn Awaits, were caused by personal issues that I have very little control over (I'm seeing a therapist to try and change that though), and I'll admit that a few times I just lost interest. This time is different.
I would call what I've got writer's block, but it's different from any writer's block I've experienced before. Usually it means my internal monologue has stopped working for one reason or another. The ideas are still there, but the words to express them aren't. So I just put down something that approximates what I want and then edit the everloving snot-possums out of it. Other times, I have no idea what I want to write, but the internal monologue is still going, and I write down whatever springs to mind. Then I just keep going with that until a seemingly insignificant detail reveals itself as one of the key underpinnings of my story. This time, it's like I don't even understand how words are supposed to work anymore. The internal monologue has stopped, and worse, the ideas are evaporating away into nothing. I try to stitch something together only to find that the cloth shreds every time I touch it, I've run out of thread, and I never had a needle to begin with.
I thought I had it beat when I got an idea for a new story. It was great, a one-shot that absolutely could not outgrow the confines of it's premise and balloon into an infinite chapter mega-story. I thought the idea was both awesome and horrifying, a new look into why Chrysalis acted the way she did during the wedding episodes, and what a character like her could do if she really got serious. I figured I'd whip that one out real fast and then return back to my regularly scheduled chapters like nothing was wrong. Two thousand words in, a week later, and I'm realizing my issues are still firmly entrenched. My voice is still silent whenever I need words, and when I force words anyway, my spectacular, amazing, life changing ideas shred like so much tissue paper until I can't even remember what I was trying to say in the first place. I've tried all my usual tricks for getting past the block, but they're not working. Whenever I try to edit I get through one one sentence only to forget everything in the one that came before it; rendering it impossible to tell if my writing is even coherent, let alone interesting. Even my fail-safe spell—going to the theater to see an awesome new movie and then making the five mile trip back home with nothing but my feet and my ipod—failed. (Go see Frozen, by the way.)
You're probably wondering why I'm telling you this. It's certainly not to try and garner sympathy, even if that's how most of this post comes across. It's also not to say that I'm jumping back in the game and have new stuff coming down the pipeline; I honestly have no clue when, if, or how I'll be able to do that. It's mostly just because my lack of content to show for you guys has been weighing on my conscience and I feel like I owe you an honest explanation and an apology for going silent on you for so long.
I planned to have a few new chapters of PDP for you as a Christmas present, but I hope you'll accept these recommendations instead.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Asylum: The feels, man! The feels!
Through The Well of Pirene: This is a really awesome story and I can't wait for the next update. Even better, it updates on a regular basis!
Bullet With Alicorn Wings: It's one of those tales that makes you work to figure out what the backstory is, and one of the few that I don't find annoying. This one really works.
Ponies Versus Starcraft: Stupid and funny. You can't ask for more.
Into The Depths: One of the very few good horror stories in the fandom. For those who've already read it, it has a sequel too.
La Mer: It's too early to say for sure if this is going to be a good story or a great story, but it definitely shows promise and just look at that awesome cover picture!
A Delicate Balance: One of the best shipping stories you'll come across, and definitely the most down-to-earth.
My Little Pony: The Zecora Tales: Another one where it's too early to tell how good it's going to be, but I'm in love with the premise.
The Last Human: A raceswitched version of The Last Unicorn. It's even more awesome than the premise sounds.
The White Mare: An Alternate Universe story, where Celestia goes into voluntary exile after banishing Nightmare Moon. I love how the author has played with the setting and the characters.
First Contact is Magic: I'm a sucker for First Contact stories, and this one is no exception.
Trixie's Excellent Adventure: I have no idea when or if the author will continue the story, but even if he never does, the first chapter is worth reading on it's own merits.
Harmony Theory: Why is nobody reading this? I keep telling you it's awesome and you keep not reading it!
Sharing The Night: Way better than anything I'll ever write.
Crashback Awesome story about the white potion from the premiere. I helped edit it too!
Macintosh Must Marry: I'm usually not one for stories that alter the social structure apparent in the show, but this one is quite compelling.
The Mane Six Discover Human Music: Exactly what it sounds like. I've discovered a few new songs and artists because of this story.
Ten Years Gone: This story premise has no business working, and I love every word.
Sugarfree: I've never read something with this flavor before.
A Mighty Demon Slayer Grooms Some Ponies: The best reconciliation of FIM with Gen1 ponies I've ever seen. It's on haitus because of some issues with the final chapter, but as it stands right now, it's still a complete story. It's really dark though.
Putting The Harm in Harmony: I put off reading this one way too long.
Body and Mind: My favorite "changeling gets captured by the ponies" story. Not many authors play things as smart and serious as Starman Ghost does with this one.
Dungeons and Ponies: My official policy is that it's impossible to make a good D&D-based story in any written medium. I'm reading this one anyway. Because it's awesome.
Bezithan: I have very little idea what's going on here, but dat atmosphere! Not many things actually warrant the word "epic." This just might be one of them.
If you're having trouble with certain parts of the writing process but not others, why not doing a collab with somepony who can do the parts you're currently struggling with?
1641168 I've always thought a collab would be fun to write, but the few times I've tried to get one going they all fell through before anything even got put to paper.
1641190 I'm here
1641200 Ask me again later if you've got an idea. As things stand right now, I'm busy with family stuff for the holidays.
1641190 I also would just be happy to look over any story you have and offer advice or proofreading or stuff.
1641256 Okay. So like in a week or two?
1641271 Yeah, after New Years.
Hiatuses happen. They're no fun for anybody, least of all the writer they're happening to, but they happen. Having trouble with inspiration is the worst, and it seems from what you've written that this is at least a part of the difficulty you're running into. Sometimes it can help to re-read what you've written from the beginning, with the eye of the reader rather than the author. This might kick-start things (it often does for me) or it might not. At the very least it might give you a sense of where you're at.
In any case, thank you for recommending my story, and if and when you do write something else, I'll be waiting to read it.
One more thing: I agree, Frozen was a good movie.
Oh god, so many recommendations. It'll take me a while to get through these. First question is, what do you mean by a story that makes you figure out the backstory?
Why do I share a majority of your recommendations? ...Try 'A Cog in the Machine'. It's really good. ...You'll probably like it....
Frozen was an awful movie. It made no sense, its musical numbers had no thematic similarities, and the premise was more confusing than it was interesting. I expected better from Disney.
.........
Freaking hell. My RL is gonna get fat.
1641994 It means that it starts in what would traditionally be the middle of the story and only gives bits and pieces of what happened beforehand.
1641326 Thanks. I'm definitely going to be re-reading everything I've already written, if for no other reason than to find my place again.
1643705
Alright, so where to most of those go wrong, as opposed to Twilight Sparkle and the Infinite Sadness getting it right?
Harmony Theory and Sharing the Night are both perfect. I'm adding my recommendation to your recommendation because omfg yes
You mentioned seeing a therapist. Are you taking any new medications? Perhaps your therapist put you on something new that's playing with your mind and emotions like a kitten with a ball of yarn. I've had many, many problems with mental health throughout my life, so I know what I'm talking about, but thankfully I've found a medication cocktail that works. The trick is finding it, which can take time and be rather unpleasant with all the side effects, but it's worth it.
I sincerely hope you resolve your issues, and I hope you have a merry Christmas.
1652089 I've talked with my therapist about getting medication and I'm thinking about doing it. He says that my issues are pretty straight-forward and is quite confident that I won't need any weird or expensive cocktails to get things under control. It's still kind of a scary step to take though.
1661539
It can be scary, but, for me at least, the alternative was scarier. I firmly believe that the right meds can really do wonders for an unhealthy mind, and put it well on the way to being healthy. Although it really all comes down to the individual's situation.
I wish you luck, sir, and hope that everything works out for you.
It is pretty awesome that I know most of these stories and edit for the sequel of one of them.
Then again, I have been around here a while...
You ever finish Pirene?