More RCL Anniversary Goodness · 12:34pm Sep 28th, 2015
This comes up a lot, but it I think it's almost always worth taking it as a reminder of the facts about subjectivity. The good Prof. posted some suggestions up on the RCL's 2nd anniversary nominations thread, one of which is possibly the least likely story I expected to see.
Movements of Fire and Shadow was the first story I wrote after I felt that my personal style had 'clicked' in my head. Obviously, that style seemed somewhat vindicated when lots of positive feedback flowed in about just how alive Artemis felt as a character – even if a few people expressed hatred for that type of person. On the flip side, it got rejected from the Royal Guard because Artemis 'got in the way' of the main plot, as the pre-readers saw it.
Obviously I didn't agree, but I could see why they might have that impression, and after a brief back and forth I was happy to drop it. It's hardly a big deal, and as the oldest story that I'd even considered submitting, I wasn't hugely surprised; it's just a difference of opinion. Personally, I do think that everything I've written since is better (irrelevant as that may be), so I was a little surprised to find a nomination:
"While Every Mare Needs Her Stallion was good enough for a "like", I feel it was one of his weaker works. Pride and The Boy Who Cried Wolf easily trump it. Movements is his only fic in my "Favourites", though, and if we ignore the fact that my standards for that change over time and according to mood, we can say that actually is my favorite story of his." —ProfessorOats
Again, I can dig the reasoning for this. 'Mare was a story written to make a point. Pride and 'Wolf were written to be stories – 'Movements, too. Yet, Movements of Fire and Shadow also utilises the same idea of contextualising the meat of the story with the ending. A few people didn't dig that, the Prof., it seems, probably did. If you fancy giving some support, you can click the pic below and upvote the comment.
I'd like to think that 'Mare got its RCL inclusion for my core writing ability; the reality is that I'm just not up to the same standard in the other skills that make up a really good author. You know who fares much better as a solid all-round author?
The Descendent. And as luck would have it, ProfessorOats has also nominated one of the stories of his that I like most, and was lucky enough to have a hand in editing (although I'm not sure it was an entirely pleasant experience for either of us!). The Railway Ponies: Highball was definitely on my shortlist of things that I'd want to see get the spotlight I think it deserves. I chose to pick a single story and throw myself at it, but I've nothing against boosting stories that I am totally in agreement with. Again, click the pic below and upvote to comment if you want to support this wonderfully touching all-OC story.
And as always, if you haven't voted for The New Crop, yet, please consider doing so.
Over and out.
-Scott
The fact that Railway Ponies is The Descendant's least read story is a travesty.
3426972 Definitely!
Gruh, I really need to read Highball, I hear nothing but highest praise for it. D:
3427016 Highball was really good. I have one or two minor quibbles with it, but it's definitely worth the read.
3427023
I keep shuffling it around from project to project in my review notes. :/
Hey, it was a good story. I certainly wasn't the only one to heap praise on it two years ago. Like I said, I'm not entirely consistent about how I rate stories, so it's possible that another story like Pride or Wolf would fare better in a side-by-side comparison
Just realized I almost bookended my recommendations with Blues. I could've had a theme and I blew it! img15.deviantart.net/f02d/i/2011/209/9/f/rainbow_dash_discussing_life_by_fabulouspony-d41yc81.png
3427326 Also, top marks for "horse frenching".
It's like a dual semi-entendre.
Highball is absurdly good. Even more so for a steam railway enthusiast like me. Probably my favourite of all TD's stories (that I've read), and that's saying quite a bit.