About the Paradise hiatus and when it'll end · 1:54am Sep 20th, 2014
Thank you all for sticking with me so far, I know I haven't been the best updater of fics around. Unless you haven't stuck with me. This is bold, so you can hear me over there, you unstickers! Shame on you! Ah hem. I thought I'd sit down and explain what's going on with the hiatus for you, through a self interview of the questions I'll probably be asked.
You're going on hiatus?! Why?! The slow updates were hard enough on my fragile, little heart! Are you trying to kill me?
Ahh! Sorry. On the list of people I'd kill, my own readers are very low on the list. But you touched on the reason. My updates are incredibly slow, through (almost) no fault of my own, and that is not how I want my story to be read. It's meant to be read all at once, so I'm writing Paradise all at once.
I'm on a hiatus of updates until I can complete Paradise and release it all in one go.
All the rest of Paradise? Considering your track record, does that mean I can expect a release by 2026?
Oh, you cheeky bugger! While I can't predict the future, I want to say no. I'm going to try to NanoWriMo this out, devoting as much time as I can.
NanoWriMo? So it'll be hurried, sloppy and in bad need of editing?
I don't like you very much right now.
You're asking yourself these questions. Who is the fool now?
Moving on. When Paradise is released, it'll be edited to the best I can possibly get it.
Speaking of editing, you mentioned you were going to make these cryptic "changes" to the early chapters?
Most of it is cosmetic changes, don't worry. The story will remain the same in its broadest strokes. I'm just taking this opportunity to look at things like the names of characters, changing small parts I never liked, adding in earlier introductions to the concepts of unicorns and pegasi that really should have foreshadowed their appearance. Also, I'll be aligning the earlier chapter's details to better suit the later ones. Small but helpful changes to the overall product.
But what will we do in the meantime?
I'll try to post updates of my progress just to remind you all that I still exist and Paradise is coming. My tumblr (http://slywit.tumblr.com/) will be used more frequently and informally to post, and I'll only post major milestones to my blog on FimFiction. If there is anything I haven't addressed, or questions you want answered, ask me here or on my tumblr and I'll do my best to answer.
Thank you again so much for reading and talking with me! It's my biggest hope that you'll still be here when this is all over, waiting to read more. I hope you prove my fears to the contrary wrong.
--SlyWit
This is everything I hoped for
No, really. Releasing it all at once is far kinder to me. 'Course, I'd (re)read it all at once as soon as it was finished anyway...
Wait, that's a bad thing.
Ummmm. You're not that bad? I'm averaging once every six months or so.
And Varanus...
Anyways. Do it however you're most comfortable. I'll be waiting patiently.
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I had a couple of times when it was once every 6 months. When I was a teacher in China, when I worked in Florida, and when I was staying with an overcrowded house. Ouch, I know how not-fun it is.
I've been through two ~1 year breaks, whatever you have coming won't deter me.
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I'm just slow and lazy but you at least have good excuses. So don't feel bad.
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What Shachza said.
Please do not rush, and stress, and burn out for something that has ceased to be fun and enjoyable and instead has become an odious duty.
but but but
I was waiting for it to get closer to the end to start
damn of damns all is lost the center did not hold
Also, godspeed.
Love this story, I will shiver with...
until your work is done.
Question (that you didn't ask yourself): If you will be writing the rest of it and then release it in one go, how many words/chapters do you think we can expect from this next Mega-update?
If you don't mind me asking that is
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Keep in mind that I'm absolutely terrible at predicting word counts, but double what's already been released is a good estimate. I'm only about halfway through all the story arc ideas I originally conceived.
HA! the joke is on you, I read the first half, then decided I was going to do just that!
It will be nice to see the rest though, godspeed.
Oh wow....I am both sad and thrilled! It's a shame we won't get another update (newest one excluded) for a long time. But then again, it's super exciting that after the long wait we'll get the rest of this amazing fic! I'm no stranger to waiting, so you take all the time you need, we're not going anywhere
Hmm. I do wonder how many words you will suddenly throw at us then, when you are finished :)
What I really dread it those edits to earlier chapters. Many a story never finished due to such attempts as author rarely is satisfied with his or her work...
Also make off-site copies or Murphy will get you.
Honestly I'd love to have this story in book form. It'd be a great read even for people who had never heard of FIM. It is by far the best thought-out of the epic FIM fics and every chapter has a meaning. Well done, and believe me, I wont be "unfollowing" this story. I MUST know how it ends... Well. I guess we do know it has a happy ending, don't we?
Speaking as one who has yet to dive into tumblr, is there any chance of crossposting to fimfic? I like hearing updates big and small.
Also EQD is gonna be doing NaPoWriMo again this Nov so maybe we can help out too.
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Ehh, I'm afraid of spamming people's notices with blog updates. Tumblr is easier for me to feel comfortable just posting whatever comes to my fancy.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been reading since the start four years ago now, but I'm used to waiting, and hopefully you can finish soon. This was the first story I read in the fandom and is still one of the best.
I think this is the best thing for the story, really. I read most of it all as one, and it does really feel like something that should be read as a cohesive whole. Like I mentioned in my comment, I'd probably be a lot more annoyed with the story if I were a long-time reader. Canon left behind the impressions the story was built on looooooong ago, and Paradise almost feels like a time capsule buried in that era, which is a really weird feeling for it to have for a currently updating fic.
I like the idea. Yeah, I worry that you might never finish it. That'd mean I'd never get to read anymore of the story, because it never finished. I honestly thought this fic died a year ago though, so anything now is just a pleasant surprise.
If it starts taking longer than you expected to finish the story, but you've already finished other arcs. Would you consider releasing finished arcs for us to sink our teeth into?
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Of course.
Thanks
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That's an interesting idea ...
I'll be waiting as long as it takes, this is one of my favorite stories and I appreciate you taking the time to provide us with such a wonderfully written and interesting perspective of Celestia and Luna's early years.
Thank you,
A big fan, PEPSK.
*Sticks so hard* Imma Limpet XD
Seriously though. I have been reading this story from the very beginning and it is amazing. Each chapter provides the same consistency to keep me loving each and every moment I spend reading!
I have to tell you- I LOVE this fic and I will wait however long it takes for you to finish it! Your portrayal of how they learn to fly, and your usage of the Elements and how they work... brilliant! I look forward to the next arc and the finish of the story! Take as long as you need!
Still here, still loving the fic. Will happily reread it completely whenever you finish. Thanks!
Eagerly waiting, as I have been since Chapter One came out. Please take your time, it will be worth it!
I have happily restrained myself from re-reading it. Look forward to the complete release.
And I'm not mad at the wait: I am thankful that you are writing this at all; it's a great story.
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Thank you for sticking around. I am sorry about the wait being so long. I'm probably going to have an annoucement soon about hitting another milestone.
3508176 Again, it's just fine. Take as long as you need.
*Finishes reading what's been posted* NOOO I NEED MORE
*Reads this* YAY you're still writing it! I can't wait!
*Looks at when this was posted* PLEASE STILL BE WRITING IT I CAN'T SURVIVE WITHOUT THIS STORY D:
Boy oh boy that was fun. Looking forward to the completed work.
I will try to wait.
Dude it has been 7 years since you last update xD
Can you at least make the story public again? even if unfinished
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I agree! Please just make it public again, even if it sucks.