Sometimes, writers just fail...

So basically, I’m rather displeased with the quality of my most recent story, The Manly Man Way. It made sense in my mind, but apparently I didn’t get the point I wanted across very well and the true plot isn’t so clear to everyone else. In that light, I feel that I’ve let my readers down and that I owe everyone an apology for producing a less than my usual quality fic. Sorry. Looking back through it now, I’m starting to wonder what my ultimate point is going to be. I’m definitely going to rework this one, though it will remain up in its present form for now. It will probably be a while before chapter 2 see’s the light of day (not that I’ve been producing new chapters very quickly in recent months anyway.)
I suppose I also still have some guilt over the rather abrupt ending to my last fic, Cheer On, especially for all the positive feedback it received and even excited readers who actually gave it a shout out on EqD’s Story Updates. I will write the sequel eventually to clear up that ending (possibly a little sooner than I was originally planning.)
Anyway, I just thought I would again apologize for the poor quality of my most recent fic and say that I haven’t been completely discouraged yet. The path to becoming a better writer or even just a good writer is not an easy one. Take it from someone who has been in the dark spaces of writing as recent as today. There are always going to be vicissitudes, and no writer can just whip up a story on the spot and expect it to be “Grade A” material. (I didn’t do that by the way. I did do revisions but I just didn’t see the lack thereof of what the story was missing that others saw in it.) So please bear with me and expect a better version of the Manly Man Way, and hopefully better quality from me in general in the future.

- GWFan (the slowly improving, Softcore Brony)

Comments

[Hoopy McGee]

Don't be too hard on yourself. I've been there too, and I'd hazard a guess that most other writers have as well. Pretty much EVERYTHING I write comes out better in my head than I can ever get it down in a story. If I had to make an analogy, it would be like trying to sketch a snowflake that you're holding in your hand, scribbling away as quickly as you can while the snowflake melts and loses definition. With any luck, you'll get most of it down before it evaporates fully.

Even that analogy was better in my head!

I haven't read that story yet (I've got my own stories I'm writing, so no time!), so I can't comment as to specific issues with it. But I've learned that, as a writer, everything I do is a learning experience. Even the things I consider failures are valuable in that way. It's good that you're not giving up, because as long as you don't, then the general quality of your writing can only improve.

[Banksyt]

I think i takes guts for a writer to apologize for their lack of quality. But honestly like you said no writer can pull out grade A material so don't be to harsh on yourself. Keep at it bro!

[Anonymous XXX]

ive been there, bro. u dont know how many stories ive abandoned because i reread them. or even think about them. which is why i turned here, because the people here are nice and they make me want to keep writing. but i feel ya. not like that. but yeah. good luck, man.

[GWFan]

Thanks for the comments. Yeah I understand and recognize that. I wrote this partially as an admission to myself that I did't do a very good job there (and surpisingly, writing this made me feel a lot better for some reason.) I also know that we are our own worst critic. Every writer has been here and I've been here before. One thing every writer needs to know is how to take critizism becuase I've taken creative writing classes and seen people who look like they are going to cry when their story get's trashed. True, no matter what it makes you feel down but you improve no matter what. The day a writer stops learning is the day he/she stops writing. At least that's what I think anyway. I have a bachelor's degree in Creative Writing but that dosn't neccissarily mean that I know anything about writing. Heck, many of you have probably heard of Hemingway's story, A Farewell to Arms. He rewrote the ending to that story 70+ times before it was published. Yeah, even the greats need to work at it.

17324
I've felt like that before, but perhaps you should try going back to some of those abandoned stories and take another good look at them. There are always ways to make what you think is a bad story into a great story. That's what I'm going to try to do too.