Why Haven't I Been Updating New Pegas? · 6:28pm Oct 3rd, 2015
My last blogpost was over a year ago.
At that time, I thought my production problems were largely due to being dosed with various types of medication, but since then the reality has sunk in:
Who am I writing this for?
Very occasionally, I will bump into someone who knows about it. They usually say they like it. And that happens maybe once every six months. Other than that, I hear from next to no one, positive or negative. No feedback, a rare attaboy, and for this I realize I've written in excess of 200,000 words --- enough to qualify as a trilogy of novels in the professional writing world. I think that if I have actual fans of New Pegas, it's maybe half a dozen.
And while I hate to let anyone down, the hard fact is that for the most part, I'm simply writing this for myself.
The thing is? I already know how the story goes. I don't NEED to write it just for myself.
Never had an editor helping. Never any proofreaders. Never anyone to chat or brainstorm with while working on it. The closest I've come to the latter is with folks who want me to work THEIR novels into mine (which I don't mind if it's a good fit, but then I almost never hear from them either).
In short, I have little to no motivation to keep writing.
So I have no idea if I'm ever going to finish. At this point, it's purely as the passion to write moves me. In that regard, almost everything I currently write merely bleeds onto social media like Twitter and Tumblr, since what I write there demonstrably matters to a lot of people. Maybe it doesn't affect anything in the Real World, but then, neither does writing about a wasteland of pastel survivors.
Then cancel it. I hate to tell you but if you have interest than take the story down. Myself I liked it but if there is no chance of it continuing than label it 'canceled' rather than 'incomplete' and move on. Most writers want to see there storys end, and want other to read it. Even if its only two or three people who do read it. Kkat probably would have finished her story if no one had read it. Somber seems the same way. They put words to paper because they wanted the story out, not because people were reading it. Its what a writer does.
Oh, and I like the Eridani Light Horse Cutie Mark on the Avatar.
3439820 As I said, I already know the end.
It is incomplete, not canceled, because at some point I will be adding to it. I just have no particular motivation to do so. That may change.
3439938 True, you know it. But you also said because of that you have interest in writing it out. At which point whats the point? You might put out a chapter a year at that point and your heart won't be in it. At that point, whats the point. Its effectively dead. Either your writing it, or your not. Not to be a arse but in the end that is what it comes down to. Facts or Feels. And you have stated "In short, I have little to no motivation to keep writing." It is a good story, but you want praise for it. Which doesn't happen if you don't update regularly because most of the people who would give it are fully read on the entire story.
Sounds like a dead story walking to me. Put it down as canceled already so we can all pull it from our feeds. Which would be a shame for a Top Ten FOE fic at one point.
Thats a shame, I really like your story. I think is funny and I love the theme of the story about Cherry deadshot Pie rediscovers in himself his own happiness and the joy of helping others, and break his facade of only caring for caps and for number one. It feels sort of like a Pinocchio story with pink-E acting like his concinse. That an I always love the Pinkysense moments getting weird and weird. I would love to comment more if there was more to read about it. I how you can find the motivation to write more of this story so that I can comment on it.
3439975 It's pretty clear you aren't responding to what I've written.
Instead, you're feeding your "one pet peeve: dead storys" (per your bio).
I wrote that blog for the same reason I wrote the last one: as explanation, to those few who might care, for my lack of productivity. Only this time, I'm being honest with myself about it. You say I want "praise", when the reality is I've been whistling into a void even when I produced on a semi-regular frequency.
If you have no interest in New Pegas, EXCEPT to demand it be taken down, then you're wasting both your time and mine. Frankly, if I put up another update ten years from now, I plan to have the story up and waiting for me. If anyone else reads it, I'm not likely to know either way.
It's a shame but, hey, can't write the same thing forever if you ain't got the drive.
If you write more chapters, I will read them, but if you don't no big deal, a writer should write for who they want to.
3440022 Hey I hate dead storys, its true. But you yourself have stated that you know the ending and have little interest in actually writing it out. Isn't that essentially a Dead Story walking?
"In short, I have little to no motivation to keep writing."
You wrote that. I'm quoting you. In the end, continuing or killing the story is your choice. But for the people who have been reading it or have read it. The lack of updates is frustrating. Myself I like to know it will continue or not. And if as you say in ten years you decide to to finish the story then one of two things will happen. You will finish it and one or two people who remember the story will read it, or no one will because no one remembers it in the first place. But its not fair to leave it hanging forever. If you really want to leave it for a while put up a 'Hiatus' tag.
Let me know when the next chapter comes out. If it helps i can start bugging you more for the next chapter.
Awww, alright. Nothing wrong in writing for yourself. Thank you for sharing what you have done thusfar, though.
Had been thinking about Cherry's adventures and misadventures occasionally at work or when watching NorthernLion play New Vegas. Didn't have much to share of those thoughts that seemed appropriately relevant and cohesive.
Cancelling it is your choice of course but truth be told I was hoping to read more of it. I as hoping to see more about Pinkie, Rainbow Dash and their friendship. Those are always classic for me.
Well it was nice of you to share it non the less.
I actually liked how Cherry and Pink-e played off one another. Pink-E acted as an interesting foil to Cherry's gruffness. Not to mention all of the interesting twist and turns to the story. Thanks for sharing what you have.
New Pegas is still on my Read Later list, and I do intend to read it one day. So, forgive me if this is a silly question, but I really have no idea where the story sits now. This just seems the sort of question I would expect to see. How much longer would the story be if it were finished?
3443979 Every time I've estimated a wordcount for a chapter or arc and then actually written it, it's been at least double. I honestly started out with fifty chapters planned out, each 10k or fewer words, with the base story and then the "DLC content" before arriving at the conclusion. Early on, though, I decided to drop hard-linking the story to "DLC" per se, responding to (entirely reasonable) complaints that the story was merely ponifying New Vegas. Making it more free-form means it's also ballooned in scope somewhat.
At this point, ONLY the first arc has been completed, and the current "stuck point" is segueing from that to the second arc. So this is maaaybe a third of the way through, perhaps even only a quarter.
Honestly i have a BIG back log of stories that i've been wanting to read the only thing that stops me is my own dang self and my gaming habits lol. But a shame you kinda lack the motivation for writing but as you have stated no one has given you feed back so it makes sense if you continue it on sweet if not bummer but okay. I really outta make time to read up on all the stuff i have back logged. Hope you continue on your story again some day.