Odds and Ends · 12:48am Jan 23rd, 2013
If someone were to have told me at the beginning of October that I would write over 115,000 words of MLP fanfction in less than four months time, I'd have called them crazy. But here I am, I guess. Drafting the most recent chapter of Coming Back put me a few hundred words shy and I'm about to launch into the next chapter so I'll soon be breaking 120k provided my chapter lengths remain consistent. To be honest, I didn't even notice crossing 100k and only realized it about 7k words later. This is crazy. I'm crazy.
So, with full knowledge of my own insanity, let's get to some news. First off, I've been a regular participant on a small Colorado-based brony podcast called the poniponiponiponicast (poni^4cast) for a few weeks now. The cast is starting to expand and one of the things we're doing is having separate, subject-specific casts. I, along with fellow Coloradoan fic author and friend of mine Subsolar Drift, am going to cohost a fanfiction-specific podcast as part of the channel. On the cast we will highlight and review different fics, focusing on single genres or types of fics, such as fics that feel like canon episodes, true grimdark fics, dark adventure fics, light adventure fics, comedy fics, HiE/PoE fics, ship fics (general and specific pairing; can't wait for the Twidash cast!), lesser known fics, highlight specific authors, etc. We'll also discuss common fic tropes, both good and bad, pitfalls faced by first-time writers, and ask/answer questions. I in no way claim to be an authority on fanfiction and this should be more light-hearted fun than in-depth seriousness, but anyone interested should look for upcoming blogs linking to casts. I ask that anyone who has a question they'd like us to address (can be personal, regarding our specific work, or about fanfiction in general) feel free to PM or leave a comment. Anyone have any specific fics they'd like us to cover should do the same.
You might also be interested in checking out the general podcast, which I frequently am in attendance for. You can hear the dulcet tones of my sexy voice as I spew crazed, frequently drunken ramblings into cyberspace and make pop-culture references that date me as being five to ten years older than most bronies.
In other news, I'm going to write a sequel to It's Elementary, My Dear Rainbow, which has done better than anything else I've written so far and earned many a request for more. I tentatively plan on writing a whole series of one-shots in what I'm going to call the Twilight Holmes continuity, all connected to each other but each a stand-alone short (or perhaps not-so-short; we'll see how ambitious I'm feeling when Coming Back wraps). I've got the story all planned out, and am going to write it once I draft another chapter of Coming Back, so start looking for it next week sometime.
Speaking of Coming Back, I'm about to draft what will probably be my favorite chapter. Since before I even knew more than the barest plot, I've had the next part crystallized in my mind, begging to be written. I get to write it now, and I'm so excited to write it. What I'm talking about won't be put online for around a month, but when it hits, oh lordy will I be excited to share it with you all.
I'm done rambling now. Y'all are awesome. Bats out.
im interested in the pitfalls for first time writers actully
Damn, you are one active brony. Looking forward to your next works and I might just have to check out that podcast you cast on.
Can't wait for our first podcast bats!
Awesome! And it's awesome to see that someone is as active of a Brony as I am.
And now, I cannot wait for your next chapter, and the sequel to Elementary. Totally awesome.
741130 Well, the main problems I've noted for first time writers are biting off more then they could possibly chew, basic plot problems, and failure to take con crit, or downright quitting when people don't like their stuff. Other common problems are troubles with characterization, the use of agendas, such as trying to tell someone why a ship is idiotic, problems with consistency, such as using uber description on one part, then rushing through the rest of the story, the heavily abundant use of stereotypical drama indicators, such as romantic tension through a heavily unwanted romance, the villainization of someone the writer doesn't like, such as the flanderization of Trixie/Rainbow Dash, the use of Author avatars/Villain sues, and, sadly enough, using sad themes to evoke emotions from the reader.
Those are the most common ones I noted. But, if you want, I can continue.
741725 thats actully a few things that might be good to avoid thanks
741779 No prob! I'm glad to be of assistance.
Pfft hahaha
My one time* "In your face" to all the other readers.
*Estimation