A Recursion in Meta-Fanfics (apologies to Arthur C. Clarke)

by pjabrony

Dear Princess Celestia,

Dear Princess Celestia,

I wish I had a lesson to report to you about friendship. I haven’t. My friends and I continue to grow and learn, but right now I need a lesson in something else.

I’ve always loved books. You know this. Even in Canterlot I surrounded myself with books. And you sent me to run a library? Don’t you know that’s like giving sugar to Pinkie Pie or buying Rainbow Dash her own racetrack? I’ve read all these books, and there are so many more to read, but today I came to a realization.

Every one of these books had an author. Somepony had, for each one, to take pen in mouth (or horn), think out which words to say, and get them on the paper. And there are a lot of them. Even more in the Canterlot library. More still in the rest of Equestria. A lot of books. A lot of authors.

And among them, Twilight Sparkle? Why not? Why can’t I write my own books? Oh, I don’t mean to dive in and start with a half-million-word epic, but a short story can’t be beyond my abilities, can it?

Naturally, I would never start such a project without first researching it. Do you know that there are books that tell you how to write a story? It makes me wonder if the ponies who wrote those books had books to tell them how to write that kind of books. And if they did, then did the ponies who wrote them. . .?

But that way lies madness. I familiarized myself with the rudiments of structure, plot, characterization—and there I hit a snag. I didn’t want to try to create a character on my own. I wanted to take a pony that everypony already knows, so that they’ll be more interested. I wanted to write about a pony that I idolize. I wrote “Princess Celestia and the World Beyond.”

I wrote it. It had words, it parsed into the Equestrian language, but it wasn’t a story that anypony would want to read. All right, I said to myself, it was your first attempt, you can’t expect the world. So I wrote “Princess Celestia Rides Again.” This was even worse. I’m not proud of it. But all right, I said again, maybe the first was beginner’s luck and this was your sophomore jinx. Write story number three.

“Princess Celestia and the Diabolical Conspiracy” was definitely a step forward. So much so that I actually dared to show it off to some other ponies.

A while back I received a dress for the Grand Galloping Gala as a gift. When it was unveiled, I gave a reaction that I heard from the ponies who read story number three. A reaction that says, “This is no good, but I can’t hurt your feelings.”

I had to face the fact that if I was going to be an overnight success as an author, it was going to take a while. And I had to face the possibility that maybe I was never going to write a great story.

But I could write a hundred stories.

I could grind away, hour after hour, day after day, story after story. It’s not so difficult to write a hundred stories. You just write one, and then repeat that a hundred times. And if I did, I would definitely win a distinction. Either I would have a successful story, or I could stand next to the other authors and say, “I put my heart and soul into 100 stories and had 100 flops! Can any of you say that? So I picked up my quill and parchment again. “Princess Celestia Bakes Cookies.” Boring. “Princess Celestia and the Conquest of the Everfree Forest.” Bit off more than I could chew with that one. “Princess Celestia Gets Naughty.” The less said about that, the better.

Then I hit upon it. The idea that would take me to the next level as an author. The one that they would like. The one that would make the rest easier. I had the whole structure in my head, and the words were there too. I would go down in history for “Princess Celestia and the Minotaur’s Labyrinth.”

I got one chapter in.

That was when I realized that every idea that I was going to put in, from the sweeping plot points to some of the most intimate details, had already been covered in a Daring Do book. I can’t write that. I mean, I could write that, but I can’t. It’s territory already covered. You’d understand if you wrote.

I burned the chapter I had written. It seemed easier. And I wish I could say that I was going to quit writing, more than ninety short of my goal. But I know I won’t. I can’t help it. I will go on and write something else. But I need to rest, just for a moment. I put on a mask of being logical and intelligent, but I can get depressed sometimes. I guess I should go see my friends, but what better friend have I had than you?

I don’t know whether to send this letter or just burn it as well. I needed to say all that. I’m not sure you need to hear it.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

Despite the signature, I am not the Princess Celestia that you know. Rather, I am the Princess who was to have gone into the Minotaur’s Labyrinth. I got ahold of your last letter. Don’t ask how. Perhaps Spike sent it wrong, or perhaps you did decide to burn it after all, but there was some magic left in the fire from the chapter you already put in. Or maybe I am the real Celestia, playing a joke on you, and you’ll never find out because I’ll deny it was me.

But all I know is this: if you do not write my story, I will die. Daring Do took on this challenge already. I did not. What was written about her wasn’t written about me. If it never is, then I have no reason for existing. Please, don’t let that happen to me.

Maybe that doesn’t matter. A character in a story doesn’t really have anything to exist for, does she? Nothing in the story really happens, just because you write it, right? But it feels real to me.

We both know what’s supposed to happen at the climax, Twilight. You know how it made you feel when you thought it up, don’t you? That wonderful feeling? Look at me, and tell me that you can stand to not have it happen. You say that you can’t look at me, because I only exist inside you? Precisely correct.

Take your moment. Rest as you need it. But get up afterwards and give me life. Damn Daring Do. Damn a hundred stories. Damn everypony who doesn’t like it. Damn fame and damn going down in history. Write me. Please. Both command and supplication, order and entreaty. Do it. I beg you.

Your Character,

Princess Celestia

Comments

[Alphaetus_Prime]

This is pretty good. A bit too short for my liking (I feel some of the ideas could have been fleshed out a bit more), but good.
Why does the title say apologies to Arthur C. Clarke, though?

[pjabrony]

467177

I stole his title, "A Recursion in Metastories," which is technically the longest story ever written, as it contains an infinite number of words.

[GreenFrogRibbit]

That was good. Really good! Had you cut the store off at the end of Twilight's letter it would have been a mediocre fic but the addition of 'Celestia's' letter really set this piece off. Great Job!

also FIRST

[Amar]

Greetings PJABrony

I read your story and I will offer some critique.

I enjoyed reading it. At first, I read it silently then out loud. I found reading it outloud made it flow better. The style of writing was personal and it came across as a correspondance between close friends.

Paragraph Six is a little confusing and the word "know" is used frequently. Try finding a substitute/synonym.

Paragraph Eight was clunky to read and I felt that I was missing some sort of background knowledge to understand. Spell out three you silly foal.

Paragraph Ten spell out three. "...gave me and four friends a dress each" I think this should be worded "...gave my friends and I..." This paragraph is a little sloppy. I recommend rewording.

"Sophomore Jinx" made me chuckle.

The very definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over again and expecting differen results.

Princess Celestia's part was certainly different and provided a more complete experience.

Your writing is certainly promising and I look forward to seeing some more stories of yours in the future.

[Tundara]

467192

I was already thinking this was a good story, it certainly sounds a lot like what happened to me. Except I DID leap into the deep end by having my first written project be a half million (or more, it's far far FAAAAAaaaarrrr from finished after 4 years of writers block) epic, that will probably never be published or seen beyond my family. That's okay, because I found MLP:FiM, have started writing again, and like Twilight am working my way to 100 posts of mediocraty!

Then the Celestia's letter portion started and this story went into the Great Story catagory. Excellent and kudos to you, pjabrony. Mustaches, thumbs up, and a favourite are yours.

[Alesiopdv]

Woa...that last paragraph was so cool that I have to quote it on tumblr.
I don´t known it just...speaks truth about the writing process.
The whole piece is great...

[Bad Horse]

The title is overly-geeky, made me almost not read the story, and isn't really accurate. (Meta, yes. Recursive, no.) But the story captures a truth about writing! You, fellow writer, share my curse and my pain! If only you were as evil as you are insightful, we could be friends.

[Magnum-opuS]

This is neat. I like it. I hope to see more from you

[HellRyden]

That's exactly the writer's pain! I find meta stories to be some of the most entertaining pieces around because they take what we go through as fans and writers of MLP:FiM and then force us to examine our actions from an outside perspective. That letter from Princess Celestia at the end got me thinking - I'm currently writing a fanfic that has received positive (if limited) reception, titled The Order of Koaxia. Unfortunately my best friend is completely biased against the genre I am writing for (it heavily includes elements of shounen), and he has repeatedly called my story "The Worst Piece of Shit I've Ever Read", despite objective criticism on my writing style stating the exact opposite. All I know is, if I succumb to my self-doubt and stop writing, Twilight and the rest of the Mane 6 will not become the saviors of Equestria, and they will not reach levels of power known only to the Gods.

Thank you good sir for inspiring me to continue writing my story and to not give up on what I have already started.

[pjabrony]

467224

I have made revisions. Please tell me what you think.

"The very definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over again and expecting differen results."

I've never understood this saying. If I'm at a casino playing roulette, and I bet on red every time, I would expect different results each throw. If I go to a club and ask the prettiest girl for a dance, I expect sometimes she will say yes and sometimes she will say no. Different results are the spice of life.

[pjabrony]

467874

The recursion is that what Celestia is saying to Twilight, my own characters are saying to me. To be fully recursive, though, instead of "Princess Celestia and the Minotaur's Labyrinth," I should have Twilight write "Princess Celestia Becomes a Fanfic Writer." But that's another way where madness lies.

[pjabrony]

468285

You just gave me my first reason to use the "Read it Later" button.

But I have to ask, if there's a Koaxial Order, is there also a Fiberoptik Order?

[HellRyden]

468338 You know what? That might actually be on idea... xD Kidding, kidding! God, the Order of Fiberoptiks just sounds plain weird, even if that joke was pretty good

[Cynewulf]

Wow. This is really good! I think I may go look up an Arthur C. Clarke story now....

This was delightful. It was just wonderful. I'm somehow revived feeling.

[pjabrony]

468749

I read it in "The Collected Works of Arthur C. Clarke" which is a huge book full of so many short stories. Try your local library. If you do find it there, check out the follow up (can't call it a sequel) "Herbert George Robert Morley Wells, Esquire"

[Celestia]

A rather interesting story, to say the least. I like it.

Also... "It makes me wonder if the ponies who wrote those books had books to tell them how to write that kind of books." ...made me almost go cross-eyed.

[nemryn]

467191
challengeaccepted.jpg

[Totally Not A Pony]

468324

Well, as soon as you introduce at least one meaningful random variable -- the roulette wheel, the personality and mood of the person you're talking to -- it's by definition not really the same process anymore each time you run through it, now is it? So the saying wouldn't apply to those examples.

Madness is more along the lines of earnestly expecting the exact same book (hardcopy, not e-book, thank you ) that you were reading 20,000 Leagues Beneath The Sea from today to instead contain the text of Twilight tomorrow for no particular reason.

...In any case (back on topic), I think I'll definitely keep this one around on my hard drive. It's strangely motivational.

[Ex-Nihilos]

I salute you sir. A fine story and a fine message at that!

[BaelkazPony]

A very touching message to all of the aspiring authors out there. Myself included. Thank you.

[nonameguy0010]

Ogawd. I like how the ending makes you wonder what actually happened. great story man!

[LittleSallyDigby]

Or maybe I am the real Celestia, playing a joke on you, and you’ll never find out because I’ll deny it was me.

...
That sounds surprisingly like a thing Celestia might actually do. She loves to teach by experience rather than just tell Twilight what she needs to know, and this letter is a pretty great experience to have. Hell, I want to go forth and write stuff now, and it wasn't even addressed to me.

[jamlamin]

This made me pick my proverbial pen back up; I had been feeling much of Twilight's feelings about writing my fics (I have two–one that's as-of-yet unpublished, but set in an alternate GfM-verse), but Celly really helped me want to write again. So thank you, Celestia, for being trapped in that labyrinth–you're an inspiration to all writers out there. I sincerely hope you get out safe and sound–then again, you're in Twilight Sparkle's capable hooves, so I know you'll be a-okay.

[Al_of_Obia]

8:47pm
well I would say this is a heatrwarming story, but you most likely got how many messages saying that, though I love shoving food in a mouth that's already fill so yeah. Have a frigging pot full of compliments.