Magnum Opus Dissonance · 2:05am Jun 27th, 2014
For those of you not familiar with the term, allow me to aide you. A Magnum Opus is a term applied to artists of all types to denote their 'greatest work'. Of course, 'great' is a purely subjective term. Magnum Opus Dissonance is when what the creator views as their best work and what the public views as the best work are substantially different.
This is more common than you would imagine.
So, I just finished my series the other day, and I am quite happy with it. It was a blast to write, and I learned a lot while I was doing so. Up until the release of the finale, I considered Wingover the best of them. A Little Push, while good, was laden with emotional pandering. The idea of RD being portrayed as a mother snagged a lot of viewers. While that was intentional, it was probably the biggest factor in that stories success. I cannot begin to explain why In Her Shadow, which I viewed as the weakest of the lot, did as well as it did. That will be a mystery for a long time.
But Storm Wardens, that was something I should have seen coming. I put a lot of work into it, I went over every plot point with care and dedication to make sure everything worked well together. As should have been expected, it fell short of what I envisioned. For a while this bothered me. I wanted that story, with the amazing detailed art that Kilala made for it, to be a great note to end the story on.
But then I realized that it was. Those who have read the story have had nothing but kind things to say about it. In fact, I have received some very heartfelt words from viewers who previously gave me just blind praise. At the end of the day, there are only two people (maybe three) that have to be happy with this story.
Me, my proofreader (because if he wasn't happy with it, I'd never hear the end of it) and the artist. I think Kilala goes out of her way to not show favoritism to individual authors, so it is hard to get a good view out of her besides 'I loved it!' Can't say I blame her, however. Her little universe has taken off pretty spectacularly. It has to be tough to be as patient and understanding as she's been shown to be. Heaven knows I couldn't do it.
So, while the story may not have done as well as I wanted, I am satisfied with it. So, as a gift to my fans for this stories completion and 'A Little Push' hitting one thousand favorites.
Wait... back up for a second.
I have a story that has gained one thousand favorites. Man, that is one landmark I didn't think I would be hitting for a WHILE. Time to check that one off the list too.
Anyway, the gift. I've got more Next Gen stories kicking around my head. I'd like to hear what you guys would like to see from me. Can't promise I'll make them in any specific order, but I would like to know where the interest is.
First off, some of you may recall I mentioned a story about Pixel and Stormy as foals in a previous blog. That one is off the table, as the whole concept of Stormy folding to peer pressure was addressed in Storm Wardens. It would feel cheap and boring to hit it again so soon.
Now then:
Winds of the Future- [Adventure] [Romance] [Dark] (It won't be tagged as Dark because that is a fic killer on this site).
Synopsis: After a meeting with a mysterious creature, Pixel and Stormy find themselves alone in a strange land. Travel across the war-torn landscape reveals many unpleasant truths of where they are, and the nature of the magic that sent them there. The future of all Equestria may depend on one pony who possesses a gift they could never imagine.
Type: Chaptered
Characters: Icy Storm, Pixel Bit.
Dun dun DAAAAAAAAAAA! This would be my take on a more serious story. Not sure how well I'd do with it, but I'm game to give it a shot.
Empty Nest Syndrome [Romance] [Slice of Life]
Synopsis: The children have all moved out. Rainbow Dash never would have imagined the house would be so quiet. Feeling her years starting to catch up with her, Rainbow slinks into depression as she is the only one of her friends who lacks anything to do with her life as she grows older. Thankfully, Soarin is more than happy to show her the benefits of a life free of responsibilities and obligations.
Type: One Shot
Characters: Soarin, Rainbow Dash
Older SoarinDash story. This will be my attempt at an older romance story. I feel that characters just sort of fade away as they get older, and many stories never delve into the re-kindling of romantic feeling that many couples experience after their children move out. I wanted to try and play that out with Rainbow and Soarin.
Subconscious Desire [Romance] Slice of Life
Synopsis: One normal and completely average morning, everything went wrong. Rarity arrives at the Castle of Friendship to pick up Spike for their weekly gem hunting trip, only to find that Spike has locked himself in his room and Twilight is working herself into a frenzy in the library. As she tries to piece together what happened that morning, and mend a damaged friendship, she'll make a number of startling revelations.
Some of them bigger than others.
Type: One Shot
Characters: Spike, Rarity, Twilight Sparkle
Sparity story! I couldn't possibly stay away from these for too long. This is partly for the 'Sparity Group' prompt, 'Beginnings'. I wanted to take another crack at the start of a Sparity relationship, and I've had this idea kicking around in my head for a while. I can't say much without spoiling the whole thing, but I think it'd be a good read. Of note, it is capable of working in Kilala's verse or standing alone (with the simple exception of that damn, gaudy, Tree Castle).
So, what do you think? Any of these catch your interest? Why? Hit me up in the comments and we'll see where we go from here!
Rock on;
-Lumino
Can I vote for all of the above?
2237427
You can, but it really wouldn't help anything.
-Lumino
I understand this feeling quite fell. The Wheel and the Butterfly is massive and epic, and The SweetieMash Chronicles completely blew it out of the water in terms of how popular it was when the latter was first published. Even many of my one-shots where way better received than TW&TB. A few of them where little more than story ideas that hit me that I quickly typed up.
Thankfully TW&TB has gotten a lot more attention at this point and that gulf has really shrunk.
Oh well. It's just nice to have readers.
Well, personally, I would love to see a story where Whirlwind brings up the notion of kids to Prism and he freaks out over it.
But since you say that was Prism's last story, I don't know if you would be interested.
Just a thought is all.
2237448
I stick by my word, I am done with Prism. If I go back on it, I run the risk of milking him. A good writer knows that a story has to end. Sometimes it is hard, but dragging it on can totally destroy it.
2237442
I feel for ya, man. Honestly, even I was surprised by how insanely popular the Sweetie Mash Chronicles got, no offense. It was such a simple premise, executed well, and people went crazy over it.
Success is just random like that.
-Lumino
Food for thought: does magnum opus dissonance apply to stories that are sequels to each other? It is one thing for people to like one standalone work more than another standalone work, but it is hard to judge people's reaction to concurrent works because by the nature of human attention, views fall with each sequel. Given your magnum opus is the third story, I'm not sure how much is actually dissonance and how much is human nature.
2237471
No offense taken.
Which stories become popular and which inexplicably flounder certainly is a bit of a mystery on this site. 
Its all Romance.... So I shall read them all
2237433 Hmn, probably Subconscious Desire then.
For starters, I kinda wish I knew the dark tag wasn't taken to kindly in this site....might have saves my story a few negative points.
But honestly, I would like to see more serious stories on this site and I would think your narrative would be a good addition, so I vote for the winds of the future. For both the aformentioned reasons and because it honestly does sound like an interesting read.
2237674
Dark, Tragedy and AU are the three stakes. Put all three of them on a story and you have doomed it before it even began.
Thanks for your input! I've tried to do a chaptered story once before, and it didn't go well. I'm interested in trying again, with everything I have learned.
-Lumino
Winds of the future. But if you choose the other ones, that's fine. I'll read them all anyway.
Hey, just out of plain curiosity, have you ever heard of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance? Just wonderin'.
2237848
I've heard of it, yes. That seems a very odd question to ask, however.
-Lumino
2237855 The reason I asked is that Storm Wardens had given me a idea for a story for me to do starring Prism and Whirlwind and with the 'Four Winds of Destruction' (the ponified and unrelated versions at least) as antagonists.
Just a thought.
Those story concepts...they all sound delicious.
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I can't wait.
I would like to see you try with Winds of the Future. It would be interesting to see you write a chaptered, epic story. All of the ideas was interesting though :)
As for the story I would like to see...possibly Empty Nest Syndrome.
Why would Winds of The Future be dark? Because what make or break a dark story for me is:
a. whether somepony I like dies
b. extremely bad stuff
I might read it, since it is from you, but we'll see.
Hope to see more of your work soon.
Empty Nest Syndrom by far. You gave some good moments with Dash but not really Soarin, and I would like to see what you do when focusing on them. I wasn't sold on this series after the first two, but I loved the art for Sky Wardens so I lined up and finished it all. It was worth it. Your style improved a lot and I was really feeling it by the end; though, I wouldnt say it's a magnum opus quite yet. Sky Wardens was short for the amount of time and material you covered, and it relied on a lot of hasty reveals to make up for the widely fluctuating pace; small complaints for a very fun read.
The fact of the matter with literature is this. In a series, the ending will either take the series to an entire level of greatness, or destroy the entire thing all together. The ending is the author's last chance to tie up loose ends, solve the problem, and give the characters their paths in life. If this is handled poorly the whole thing goes down in flames. Think of Harry Potter, a lot of people hated that book just because of the ending alone.
You handled this ending very very well.
Subconscious Desire is the one I wanna see the most! Though Empty Nest Syndrome also interests me.
Well, I know I'm a tad late, but I was somewhat busy with... stuff.
Mhh, anyway, congratulations on finishing your wonderful quartet of simply amazing storys within the universe Kilala is currently working on. And I'm glad you're going on with those storys, even despite the fact, that your Magnus Opus is finished.
I would have a massive lack of motivation by now...
What I would like to see would be how you design a villain and implement him/her in a story. Your storys seem mostly to center around (somewhat dangerous) tasks, so... this would be something very interesting.
But still... I'll vote for "Winds of the Future".
Ohh, by the way, did you know that you hold almost 30% of the likes and views given so far to the storys in the fangroup based around Kilala's work? Very impressive~
2251909
I wouldn't call these stories my Magnum Opus. After all, that implies that I will never get any better, which isn't true (I hope!). I was just using the term to describe the situation where the stories I thought were best were not what the audience thought were the best.
A curious phenomenon.
Thanks for your vote and insight! I'm finishing up some exams for the Summer Sessions, but I'll begin working on the two shorter stories soon enough. The big one, which I am really excited about, is going to require a lot of time and thought to do right.
Here's hoping I am equal to the task.
-Lumino
WAIT. Dude, y-you you YOU wrote In Her Shadow, Wingover and A Little Push?!
MIND BLOWN
YOU. INSPIRE. ME. ENDLESSLY
Look, months ago I bumped into A Little Push and you had me drowning in tears without being there some of my tear-jerker, sappy records. The whole situation between RD and Prism, especially when Prism thought that his mother didn't love him anymore because 'he just wasn't like she wanted him to be', that pulled a string inside my chest about my not-so-likey daily life back in my teens with my own mother. Their relationship in the beginning was mine and my mum's in a nutshell: she wanting me to do something, me trying to explain myself about why I just couldn't do it, and well, to this point you can imagine how much 'feels' you got into me at the ending. Also, well, you provided me an opening to bittersweet memories and thoughts that made me make up my mind about how to solve some problems here in home.
Thanks for indirectably draggin' me back to the fanfiction world. See you around! Feel free to PM me whenever you want 
In other note, I thought yours' was one of the best grown-up!Scootaloo I've ever read. She learned to accept herself in a healthy yet awesome way (one that, if there'd ever be a grown-up!CMCs episode/special/comic issue/Luna-help-you-in-your-dreams sequence, would be amazing and inspirational, even more for the little ones), and it was pretty heartwarming too
I know Prism was created and basically developed by Kilala97, but your characterization of him is really amazing, like I said above, both in Wingover and In Her Shadow too. I'd like to point out something I absolutely appreciate in characters that get older throught the course of a story series: that you did a logical character development for Prism throught the years and its justification was valid and felt natural given his base-personality.
Your story-telling flows wonderfully and your pacing is admirable, honest! And well, several months after here I'm, trying to dig myself a small spot here in FimFic. I spoted you in one of the threads I posted and found your blog post pretty helpful. Thank you so much for all the help
TL;DR: Man, you gave me the feels and helped me with my mommy issues-kinda. You're a characterization master, oh great and honourable
spikeLZ, valiant and gloriousAh, right; almost forgot: definitely Empty Nest Syndrome! In your hands, that will be a blast
3370337
My, that was an enthusiastic reply! I'm glad to hear that my work has inspired you, because in the end that is exactly what any artist aims for. That our work resonates with others, either granting insight and wisdom to their own life, or inspiring them to take what they have seen and create something of their own from it.
I'm glad you enjoyed the stories, and I hope your own writing can one day have that same effect on others. It's a long road, without doubt, but it's worth it.
-Lumino
3370849 Well, you nailed it, with me and I'm sure with many others too
There's so far to go in my road, so better start right away!
Read ya later!