The Daughter Doo, and Thoughts on the Original

I'm very excited to present The Daughter Doo: Honorary Cutie Mark Crusader - Ponky Edition to the Wonderfolk. It's been out for one day, and it's already been received nicely. Thank you to all who have encouraged me, and especially to those who have already begun reading.

The rest of this blog is a long-winded exploration of my original story The Sisters Doo, changes I have recently made to its text based on critiques, and non-spoilery ideas for the future based on what I've learned as a writer since 2012.

I'd like to start by referencing this excellent review from Pilate. While I responded to it rather flippantly (if respectfully) in the comment section of TSD, it really hit me hard. I've received loads of criticism about the end of TSD -- some of it rather crushing -- but this well-worded review from Pilate may have meant the most to me, or at least been the most thought-provoking.

There were many factors that influenced TSD's ending. All in all, I'm proud of how it turned out. I was pressed for time, drowning in ideas, and desperate to include everything I felt was most important. If I had more time, The Daughter Doo would have been written before The Sisters Doo ended, and I think that would have helped quell the "rushed" and "deus ex machina" feelings immensely.

Alas, that's not how it happened. I have gone back and child-ized the dialogue from Dinky based on numerous and accurate criticisms that her language and wisdom were too advanced. Part of that, I still believe, is justified due to the presence of the tumtum tree, and The Daughter Doo will help explain where many of her ideas come from. Still, it was one of the first epic-ish stories I had ever written, and I let my own penchant for flowery language overtake the dialogue of a character I hadn't written for enough.

I don't mean to excuse myself, nor do I mean to condemn myself. It's simply interesting to look back at a five-year-old story that changed my life, and wonder how I could have done it differently.

I want to be a better writer than I was when I wrote The Sisters Doo. In many ways, I think I am, and I will keep improving as long as I keep writing. That said, I'm eager to finish The Daughter Doo and then continue with The Sisters Doo 2 and beyond. I don't imagine that they will receive anywhere near the attention that TSD garnered, simply due to the changing nature of bronyism at large. Besides, part of the success of TSD came from the novelty of "Daring and Ditzy are sisters!" rather than the overflowing lore that will govern the sequels.

Still, I appreciate the criticism on TSD and hope to receive similar reviews on Daughter Doo. The story is already better than it would have been thanks to huge plot points imagined by shortskirtsandexplosions, and my two year stint in Italy will influence most of the story for the better. I want to publicly thank Pilate, Chris, and many others who took the time to say "You're good, Ponky, but you can do better." It helped.

I don't know Pilate as well as I'd like to. Most of my affinity for him comes from his obvious wisdom, Skirts' ceaseless praise, and his sultry voice (thanks, Props + D&D). It's nice to know that, despite my literary mistakes, good people still think I'm a good writer. Might be the best feeling in the world.

Expect chapters of Daughter Doo to release every Tuesday and Friday through August and into September. I might hammer out an occasional blog, too. I've also put several hours into a completely different fanfic that may or may not be published concurrently with Daughter Doo... eh. We'll see.

Let me know how you're doing, Wonderfolk. Thanks for dropping by.

Ponky

Comments

[durandana]

It's nice to know that, despite my literary mistakes, good people still think I'm a good writer. Might be the best feeling in the world.

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