What next? · 2:30am Aug 14th, 2016
So, okay, guys and gals and everypony else, I've been in a bit of a writing bind. I want to write more, but I've been struggling a little more than usual due to the finishing touch on The Dream of Many. Slight pressure to at least keep up the quality.
And here's how I imagine things will go.
I will try to keep writing "One Horn Too Many". I will. My collab partner can't really return to it, but he's given me his blessing and will stay around to let me brainstorm, add to the lore and the likes. So, yeah, it should pick up again sometimes soon, unless I really hit a wall that kills all my inspiration forever.
On the other hand, there are also the plotbunnies. The dang critters are everywhere in my brain, but they refused to be truly captured. I've even given it a little bit of interest, and written a couple of pages as a tentative tryout.
There are two that really kind of interest me. The first would be a fic about a young boy and his family (and an entire company picnic's worth of people) all turning into bovines, with only the boy realizing that there had been a change of any kind. It would generally be a slice-of-life fic, with that young protagonist trying to fit into this whole new and strange world of talking animals, equines included. There would be much worldbuilding to be done. The struggle? I don't think the hook has any kind of strength.
The second would be a deconstruction of the "deaging ponification". Sort of. The protagonist would be a very old man, the eternal bachelor and the one that did everything, knows everything and says "In the good old days" every five sentences. He would also not become quite a foal, but more of an adolescent. It would be rather on the face about the second chance at life concept. And dear old protagonist is very much a colorful man of little flexibility. This one bothers me because I'm not sure quite how to make the plot unfold, even if I love the protagonist very much.
So, yeah, okay, that is what's been eating me since I finished William's story. So, would anyone be interested in reading about the bicorn duo if I picked it up again? What about the evil plotbunnies?
Basically, I'm testing the waters with you guys. Tell me what you think.
The first does sound like something good. I can either see it as a dark (or at least dark-ish) mystery story, you are usually good at those, or a comedic one, although you would need to find something more to add to the concept if you wan't to make it a long fic.
The second one? We don't really have any plot here, if you are really struggling to find something, it migth end up being a bit of a generic HIE. With it's own litle spin, but still. It would be enjoyable, maybe very much so, but not as good as you usual story. And unless that does bother you, why not?
You are not required to give us great stuff all the time.
Maybe start with a short pilot to see how the character write itself, see if it helps you find something to keep it going and see how we like it.
As for One Horn Too Many, go for it! Please do!
I would like to see more of One Horn too many, as long as you can make it work.
I think I only just realized that you were also the author of a "dream of many".
I think your instincts are correct and both of those plot ideas are very weak and involve a lot of initial character drama with no staying power or developmental room for evolution.
I think that you should continue one horn too many because at your current pace of one element being confronted per other chapter you manage an interesting pace without letting the day to day style of life of slice bog down the writing speed allowing you to keep the character drama at a relatable clip.
4148628 Thinking back on the bovine idea, it reminded me of Spirited Away's opening; Chihiro's parent are eating and don't realize they are transformed and keep doing it.
Going on with that idea, you could make it more interesting by having your main character's family ending up being some pony's cattle, we've seen that Equestria's cow are treated very similary to our own afterall. It could either being kinda like in How my Little Brother, with the ponies' world being re-writte around the new arrival, or simply them somehow taking the place of some pre-existing being.
And just like Chihiro's parents, they wouldn't really realize that something is wrong when they end up with the other pigs.
It could make for another "short" story like The Dream of Many, a few intense chapter covering a relatively short amounts of time.
Personally I would like to see more of little Havoc again, but the last two chapters didn’t really go anywhere in the story as it was mostly about BB and HH wandering their way back to Canterlot, and I would have wish that they actually went into the actually story after their the introduction of the cosmic team duo was finally done after the hostage situation. I always love Seeing BB both mane pulling and baffled by HH antics.
I did really like One Horne too Many but like the last story mentioned there wasn’t much happening in the last chapter as it was mostly just the two guy silently resenting their captors in their corner and didn’t go anywhere. I would love to see more of them, but I think it would need more exploration on what the other ponies think about the bicorns, and how they views are distorted about what they were taught in school and how the Bicorns are manipulated by the state to think that they can’t do anything on their own and that they themselves reinforce and perpetuate that same beliefs between themselves.
For the human turned bovine in Equestria, it could be interesting but there is a lack of tension in the story where there is only one person how is aware of the changes and that he is trying to convince the other that things are not what they are supposed to be or that he is trying to accept his new slow calm menial existence of grassing grass all day long, it doesn’t aspire anyone to do anything. The story is not 100% original as far as I know, but it could offer an interesting possibility of seeing the less sapient life in Equestria and how they treat them but you have already did that with OHtM so I think in a ways you are re stepping old grounds again, which is not your style at all.
For the surly old man who becomes a colt/teenager, I think it has more to do with the fact that he is stuck in his own preconceptions on life and people as well had never really questioned about himself or his own beliefs on like and that he is spurring his second chance in life or that he is reluctant makes new companions or objectives for his life. I see this as more of the ponies around him trying to convince him or push him into going out of his own prison in his mind and enjoy the fruits of life again
4148915
Oh my God I did not realize that he was also the author of gold and brimstone I love that fiction so much!!!!
4149049 S you didn't notice the cover art of the story right next to the end of the blog post?
4149169
I only read fimfiction on my mobile device.
4149471 oh, sorry
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I'd read on pc but i dont live alone, mobile people cant read over your shoulder unless done literally
We Is cool
Well, you don't really have to ask me, since I originally hit you up for it. I gotta say, the second option for that other story also sound very interesting. It's a much more interesting twist on the concept than the average story gives it. Even if the plot were nothing special, just the wide change of perspective would give it a lot of potential for making something new and engaging out of it.
Just finished The Dream of Many, so I'm kinda rooting for the sequel. But your deaging fic idea sounds interesting.