Two Years AE · 9:00am May 23rd, 2017
Just to let everypony know, I don't have any new stories to announce in this blog post. It's just some of my ramblings and thoughts on the LPoE series. Feel free to skip this if you're not interested in that sort of thing.
So as of about the time I'm posting this message, it's been exactly two years since Last Pony on Earth was first posted. To commemorate the occasion, I've written special updates for Last Pony on Earth and Founders of Alexandria, both of which will be posted today (the first one is going to be posted the exact moment the "Event" would've taken place, the founders update will be coming this afternoon). I've tried very hard to capture the spirit of the original stories, while contributing sections I hope will add things I wish I'd included the first time through.
As of the moment I'm writing this blog, the universe and series has died down greatly in activity, sortof reached the end of its life cycle as it were. There are still a handful of new stories coming in, as new people discover the series and come in on the ground, but I've largely said what I want to say with the stories and many others have as well. A few people besides myself are still updating regularly, but not very many compared to those early days.
I was completely unprepared for the level of popularity the story received back then, making it to the featured box every day for a summer. I was unprepared for the growth in my following, or the formation of the community that followed. That community still exists today by the way, in case anyone missed all the author's notes I've included over the years, with about 40 active regulars who talk about far more varied subjects than just LPoE. Check out the discord link if you're curious.
I never imagined where this community would help me go. I'd like to say thank you to everyone who's been a part of things over the years. Thank you for your stories, for your contributions, for your ideas. For your comments, the help you gave me improving my writing. I'm still imperfect, still got a great deal to learn and much practice to do, but I feel like I've grown a great deal.
If I could go back and change anything, I think I'd probably have handled the supernatural a little differently. Dealing with the humdrum requirements of survival in every chapter was getting dull, but I could've done more to keep things from getting out of hand, particularly with Alex's reincarnation becoming more of a gag than a dramatic element. It would've been nice to make that more subtle.
Alas, but for hindsight. I'm happy with how the story turned out. I'm happy with the dramatic places it was able to go. But I've nearly run out of stories to tell. A little more in Bedtime Stories, and then I think I'll be ready to hang it up on the setting.
The Event probably didn't happen this year, though I am writing in advance so I suppose nothing is certain. And if it does, well--guess I'll see you in Alexandria.
I've never really strayed too far past The Last Pony on Earth in terms of the series, but I have to say that the year of 2015 definitely has a place for the story in my memories. It was really awesome to watch you grow back then, and I'm pleased to see that this growth has continued for years. I don't really hop around in the LPoE community too much, but I hope that your little pocket of Fimfiction continues to grow strong.
Cheers, and thanks for writing an unforgettable story. Keep on writing, Starscribe.
Yup, that's right. We're still kicking around somewhere.
((BTW: I'm the one that drew everything for the stories.))
That "somewhere" being mostly in our Discord room if anyone wants to drop in, even for a bit.
It was a great ride; eagerly awaiting every update.
Good times...
I have loved and still love the hole idea behind this story line.
I can also see how this has helped you grow in followers but more important as a author.
trust when I say I watch vary closely for new up dates in this story line.
but on the other hoof your new story MIB is also vary good and I know of one follower that is vary impressed with it the same as my self.
and I do not want to forget to say the art work for your story's is super good original and with a flare exultant drawing Zutcha.
Harts Fire
Unless it's during the plague... Then GTFO
Thanks!
I'm not going to read these at the moment, due to wanting to reread them. :)
And it was absolutely fantastic.
Thank you for the stories!
Goddamn, two years already? I remember seeing it featured back then. One of the best stories to discover in this site, ever. Still want to read more about it, Star. Don't leave us hanging
4543774 your ponies are cute as a button, zutcha
I have to admit that I am disappointed that there will be no more mainline stories in this universe, as I feel there's so much story left to tell (note that I'm behind in reading Bedtime Stories, so it's possible that fills in more of the gaps). I came into the MLP fandom rather late, and Last Pony on Earth was the very first story I ever read on FimFiction. I initially read it before I had an account here, and when I finally did make an account, LPoE immediately went into my favorites folder.
I'll confess straight away that LPoE was a direct inspiration for my own story Pandemic, which is still in progress (and the reason for me being woefully behind in my reading). Since I've always liked your writing and many of the ideas you've come up with, I found it rather nice to see your stories pop up consistently in the "also liked" column of Pandemic. As much as I want my story to be popular, I hope this means that it's sending more readers your way as well, because many of your stories certainly deserve a read.
I am just starting this story from the beginning I have read earth without us first, about 5 chapters in I thought this would have been a great series of books; beholden to my surprise when I looked at your book shelf and saw that it was just the last book in the series. So far I love how you did it. Awesome story premise, characters feel real. Bro hoof cause this series is awesome.
I remember reading TLPOE when it was coming out. It was nice, because at the time I was losing interest in MLP and this was something new and exciting to look forward to every day, especially during the summer. The codes, the artwork, all of it contributed to make a fic with a real atmosphere. The pragmatic loneliness and mysticism of that first story is a feeling I haven't seen replicated elsewhere since. So many post-apocalypse stories revolve around some big catastrophe... in this one, the world just stops. And somehow, seeing the end of the world look so damn clean was even stranger than seeing the bombed-out ruins like you do in Fallout.
The story ended though and I know you've done a lot of writing since; I've followed you but read none of it. I'm just busy, and there seemed to be a lot of it, and I struggle to muster the motivation to read stuff online.
Hearing that you're coming to a close with the setting means I can sit down and read the whole lot from the beginning in one go. Maybe not now, but at some point. Good luck with your future projects!
In my opinion the last two main stories felt a little bit 'out there' especially compared to the rest of the series. But, I am not sure why. Maybe it was the weird super natural stuff. I don't know.
I just looked, and I guess I meant from 3/4s onward of 'The Eternal Lonely Day'
4544100
The series takes several pretty massive tonal shifts. Despite my love for it, those shifts make it a really hard series to recommend. I think it is strongest when it isn't dealing with the myriad supernatural elements that inundate the story. The characterization is the strongest part of the series, in my opinion, so it's also a jarring shift any time there's a major change in cast.
Some of the weaknesses in the story made me consider dropping it at points, but I'm very glad I stuck through it - it's one of my favorites when all is said and done.
4544293 I do have to agree with your points, I really liked all the main characters. I wish we could have stuck with one cast instead of jumping to new groups pretty often. And then when it switched to the supernatural stuff it felt like it came out of nowhere, and it was very strange. I just finished up the last two 'books' a couple months ago, and I was sorta wanting to reread the whole thing, but was turned off of it from the weird stuff. It just felt like it started to get random near the end of the third one, and a lot of the fourth one. I like when they start building a community, but only when it's actually focusing on them doing stuff. When it goes by fast and we don't get to see stuff, it's kinda "Meh"
Well, I guess the Event didn't happen. That's a shame. I already figured out my pony name a year and a half ago (look at my username). I probably wouldn't actually look like my OC but I'd probably still end up as a Pegasus. I've always had my head in the clouds after all.
It's pretty cool I finished the first book on its second anniversary. I really enjoyed it, definitely one of my favorites.
Hmm. Perhaps start a new series? The one im editing, Message in a Bottle, is amazing and if everything isn't resolved in it would make an amazing series.