Venting Some Steam · 6:28pm Oct 1st, 2012
I apologize to those who may not want to read about me being angry. If you want, feel free to skim or ignore this post.
Let's begin with a little history. Anyone remember the LOEG? That experiment that Wanderer D ran with a bunch of famous authors? I don't know about you, but I really got pissed when I read about their results. (Just a note, I'm not angry at those who ran the experiment) For the longest time, it's been my goal to get a story onto the featured box. Well, the LOEG experiment made me question a lot about FiMfiction and what I was doing as a fanfiction author. Was my goal even possible? I honestly considered quitting the site and ditching fanfiction, if only for about five minutes. I realize it's stupid to abandon something over an experiment that shows FiMfiction's current system promotes the famous authors staying famous and the unknown authors staying unknown. It's simply more of a challenge, then, and I accept that challenge.
So, how exactly does that tie in? Well, yesterday I needed something to work on, so I did some work on an as-of-yet-unfinished project, and also went back to a work that previously I had left sitting in my unfinished folder for several months. I polished up my older work, and late last night hit the publish button. I know it takes the mods a while to get through the approval queue, so I went to bed and figured I'd see how it was going in the morning. I woke up a few hours ago, and I found that my story still hadn't been approved. Well, okay, that's fine by me. I guess the mods were busy. What really gets under my skin is that lo and behold, in one of the top spots in the featured box, is a story that is startlingly similar to the story I had just submitted to approval. I kid you not, the descriptions of both stories began with literally the same sentence, word for word. Needless to say, I was a little pissed, because as soon as my story ceases languishing in the approval queue, I doubt it will attain any modicum of success because another story has already (and so recently, I might add) covered a similar scenario. Who wants to read the same story twice? Not that they are the same story, but who would take the time to read my 8K-word fic and find that out? I'm feeling less than optimistic at this story's prospects, and that's what's got me down.
One of the things that really pisses me off is that I don't have anybody to be angry at except myself. I waited so long to publish the damn story, I knew somebody else might try the scenario out. I wouldn't have even been so mad if it hadn't been at the exact moment when I decided to publish my version.
Does it even matter? I don't know. I just needed to talk about that. Like the other story said, talking about your problems really does help.
So yeah. I guess that's all.
tl;dr- there's a new fic on the way from me, hopefully you'll enjoy it.
What story was it that sounded so similar? If I have read it I sure will read yours too but I just wanny know.
Also if you are that pissed about that all you should try a bit of calming down. If I feel like that I normally watch ponies.
If ou don't want to watch ponies the movie "Hoodwinked" would work too.
395676
It was 'A Pony Walks Into a Bar'.
Wow, I don't know how I went through that whole blog post and not mention the name of the story...
And thanks for that. You're right, I just need to take my mind off of it. I'll be back sometime later today, when I am thinking clearly again.
... Think of it this way. Perhaps fate has sent you to collaborate with this author.
Tell him about this lucky coincidence. Something should happen... Don't ask me how, i'm just throwing science at the wall and seeing what sticks.
Thank you Cave Johnson for that quote!
Meh... Shit happens, I wasn't going to read 'A pony Walks Into A Bar' but I make it a point of personal pride to read anything anyone in my watch-box posts. Take solace in that if you like. Other than that, well, Shit Happens.