More On Aria… · 8:10am Jun 16th, 2019
IN WHICH I ASK FOR A SIGNAL BOOST
To say this weekend has left me disappointed is an understatement. This is how I feel.
Also I forgot something very very important in the previous block. Follow me after the jump to read it…
First of all, like I said in the title, I'd like to politely request a signal boost for my latest story due to reasons which I'll outline below.
Hmm. Weakest of the Burrito stories, mostly because you exploited it to shove in a potshot at everyone's least favorite "politician". Not that there's anything wrong with taking cheap shots at him, it's just that it cheapens the story in general.
—MythrilMoth
As usual, Moth was right. That's why I used Aria's rewrite to give Orangeglow some more "character". However, I'll never be sorry for taking cheap shots at Trump. Fucker deserves a lot worse.
However, my rewrite has gone over like a lead balloon. Literally my worst-rated story -- five upvotes (not counting mine) and three downvotes. The first vote was a downvote -- and I'm pretty sure I know who it was since the cuntwaggle didn't even read the story before giving it a donut. To that non-reader I say:
FUCK. YOU. 
I also realized de-listing the original Aria story was an extraordinarily stupid idea. I'll resubmit it, but I'm going to wait a week or so.
At that point you can compare the first edition to the second. I honestly don't know which is better since I haven't actually read the original in a long time, and I don't plan to.
Still, the unbelievably poor reception 2nd Ed. got makes me want to just stop. Yes I know there's only one more Burritoverse entry left, and I've already started it. But what's the fucking point? A dozen people read my shit, two people comment (both positive, thanks), but salty dumb fuckers downvote without explanation. Fucking cowards.
I'm tired. I've been writing horsewords for over four years. I have many ideas left, but the show is ending soon and this site will die (if Knighty doesn't switch it to GenFic, which I genuinely hope happens). People already don't care about what I'm trying to do. With the show ending they'll care even less and move on to something else.
I myself haven't watched an episode of MLP since my ex dumped me over two years ago. Partly because I didn't have a Netflix account or decent computer for awhile, but also because my interests turned elsewhere. I still write horsewords because I have years-old stories I want to get out, but there's just no point. No fucking point.
While I'm grateful for all the comments and encouragement I've gotten over the years, I know I'll never be able to hack it as a writer. Nothing I do will ever be good enough. And I have a paralyzing fear of résumés and HR people that makes me unhirable. I'm a lazy fuck.
Not a day goes by that I don't want to die. I could channel that into Sunset again, but it would be redundant. I love Sunnybuns; she doesn't deserve me destroying her life until the next timeline starts up. If it ever does.
Do you want to know what the third timeline was planned to be? You want to know why I keep saying Apple Bloom is so important yet I've intentionally kept her out of EQG stories?
Do you want to know why Twilight Velvet is a Trump Orangeglow supporter? Mostly for the upper-class tax cut actually, but the real reason is that V arrqrq FpvGjv gb unir npprff gb Benatrtybj. Fur qvfpbirerq gur frperg bs gur Havirefr naq gevrq gb gryy uvz, ohg ur jnf gbb qhzo gb haqrefgnaq vg fb fur ersenzrq gur frperg nf fbzrguvat ur pbhyq trg. Jul? Orpnhfr fur jnagf gb chavfu Fhafrg. FpvGjv vf n ivyynva va zl jbeyq.
But all of that should have been obvious to anyone who bothered to read my work. It's why I shifted the order of stories in the Burritoverse timeline to have Aria's occur later.
I've planned this whole goddamn thing for YEARS. But it's gonna end not with a bang, but a whimper. I'm quickly losing the spirit to do this, or much of anything, anymore.
If y'all are lucky, perhaps I'll finish the final Burritoverse story where Sunset and Sonata finally meet again, something I've hinted at from the beginning.
NON-PONY stories (but still fanfic) that I'd love to write.
- Ketcha of the Plains of the Grass – A retelling of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind from the perspective of a major but underrated female character.
- Hurt Her to Save Her - A Lupin the 3rd story where Lupin goes back in time to try and make Fujiko less of a backstabbing bitch when she grows up, but her loyalty to him gets her killed, so he has to go back again and try to "fix" her personality. Lot of boob jokes because Fujiko.
- The Greatest Crackship - Blame my ex-girlfriend for this one. Doctor Robotnik hooks up with Miku Hatsune (after failing to woo Arle Nadja from Puyo-Puyo). Sonic the Hedgehog tries to rescue her but gets upbraided for his trouble because it turns out Miku has a thing for fat bald men with glorious facial hair. Also she has him figuratively whipped.
But I'll probably never get around to writing them. Or anything beyond what I've already started.
That's all for now. I'm having trouble sleeping but I want to stop writing because it's not like anyone gives a shit about anything I have to say.
Peace out.
I personally recommend sleeping on it and taking a bit of time away before making any decisions regarding your work. Impulse while often satisfying in the moment can lead to regret later down the line. Regardless of your final decision it has been a pleasure reading your works.
I know someone who'd probably enjoy reading this fic and I'll send it to them and let them know what it's about.
I found your multi-part Sunset story by complete accident, fell in love with it, and plan on re-reading it now that all the parts are there. Even the Burritoverse. I didn't quite get it at the time, but I want to give it another shot during the reread.
If you haven't decided yet, I'd say just go on hiatus from your writings for right now. Take some time to rest and ponder if this is really the course of action you want to take. My suggestion on a course of action would be to write otherwords as well as horsewords. Cross-promote them if you wish. Not all will like them, and there will certainly be trolls, but there will be those who do like the otherwords and they're who you should focus on.
As for the controversy...I'll just say this:
Many people, myself included, come to FimFiction to get away from the stress of real-world politics. That doesn't mean you aren't allowed the freedom to satirize it, but it does mean that you should prepare for backlash from all sides. It's a hard question with no correct answer, and any mention of it can get negative responses on matter of principle.
The best anyone can do in this situation is to soldier on through the flack and ride out the wave. It may seem bad now, but it'll pass. Only the trolls will continually bring it up.
I hope this helps in some way.
5075300
Since I managed to actually sketch out a proper ending for the Pinkamena story while summarizing it, I'm capable of writing it now. I want to give it the love it deserves. I don't know when I'll have the time because several parts need to be redone from the roots and my September & October are booked due to live concerts.
It's fine that people aren't interested in the Burritoverse, I guess, but it's what put me on the map here and I must finish what I started.
5075295
I'm taking my feelings out on Aria in a story reminiscent of Sunset's lowest low. It's still below the minimum word-count and I'm too tired but awake to finish it right now.
I wouldn't take the poor ratings too hard. Rewrites do notoriously bad, and honestly it's not surprising, since the people most likely to read and enjoy it already read the original. Not that it's not a good thing to go back and touch up your work now and then, but it might be a bit much to expect it to make as big a splash as the original. Especially if the original was already sort of controversial.
That said, if the burrito verse wasn't exactly my cup of tea, I've very much enjoyed other things you've written, and I know others have too. It's good to take a break, recharge. God knows everyone needs to now and again. But at least consider sticking around.
I'll throw a +1 to 5075295 here. I'd love to see the Burritoverse conclusion. I'd love to see more stuff besides.
But I come at that from the perspective of also being in my own weird sorta-funk for most of this year. Writing has been occasionally in my reach, but mostly out of reach. It's been frustrating, and I've beat myself up many times for not cranking at the speed I used to. But I also know that my slowness has come as a result of some stuff drawing my attention elsewhere, and in many ways I'm grateful for that. There was a time when I desperately needed to write, because what I truly needed was out of focus or out of reach; as that's leveled-out, I've lost some of the hunger and all of the desperation. Which sucks from the perspective of having stories in my head that I'm struggling to get on the page.
But I guess what I'm saying is, try to take a break if you need one. Poke at some old/other hobbies. Keep workin' out like you've done (I've been doing more of that this year, and for the first time ever, I'm genuinely not-hating it). I'unno.