Star Sparkle and the Ongoing Medical Drama · 4:47pm Feb 14th, 2013
Hokay, drama first. I went to see a consultant a week or so back about this here shoulder of mine and they've narrowed it down to being probably a SLAP tear. That is, superior labrum from anterior to posterior. In normal: find the lump just on the front of your shoulder. That's part of the joint where the tendon of the biceps is attached. They're pretty sure that I've torn that tendon from bottom to top and that's why I'm getting this chronic pain. So now I have to go for scans! Urgent scans, as quickly as they can be performed in order to get everything resolved before my arm drops off! They're booking me an appointment as soon as poss- what do you mean at least a month before I can even see the specialist?!
Bloody NHS...
Anyway the upshot is I'm pulled away from work for at least another month, possibly longer - and yet longer still if they have to operate. Which will be a literal and metaphorical pain, let me tell you. I also made the mistake of looking up exactly what a SLAP tear looks like and oh my dear god in heaven it looks like a pork fillet. I look delicious on the inside! 
Which means I can write and art more! Yay! Though there's a remote possibility that the arting might exacerbate the issue somewhat, but I'm just going to pretend that isn't a problem. Great idea yes?
Now as for Star Sparkle? Wwwweeeelll... I'm writing the next chapter as we speak, though it got a little bogged down in a particular scene for quite a while. I realised, just last night in fact, that I've been stalling a bit out of a desire to avoid the inevitable problem of popularity: hype. I don't like hype. I certainly don't like being hyped. There's a lot to live up to and I know it's inevitable I'll disappoint someone sooner or later (in fact it already happened) which isn't something I particularly enjoy. It puts a lot of performance pressure on me and so I tend to back off and avoid, if only so I can escape the inevitable hype-fueled backlash when disappointment does set in.
With Star there's the added problem of... the interesting fans, who seem to think she's a good person rather than a good character; and their opposite numbers, the type I like to call the missing-the-pointers. Both these sorts of fans seem to believe that I'm putting Star across as a "good person".
The thing is, I'm not, and the fact that they can see she's got a terrible personality is proof that I'm not. Star's behaviour isn't likeable. She's not meant to be a positive role model (or any sort of role model - or even any sort of morality tale at all) and she's not meant to be someone who is admired, except perhaps in terms of tenacity and sheer bloody-mindedness. And even then her motivations are anything but noble a lot of the time. She's mean, cruel, selfish and venal and her life, in many ways, reflects that. Her relationships are all terrible, her job is not even remotely what she thought it would be and she blames others for all of the problems she perceives in her life. The entire point of her is that she's not nice. She's fun from a suitable distance, like a firework, but she's not nice.
It feels like I have to keep explaining this and I don't know why. Maybe I shouldn't bother. It's rather like explaining the joke. 
EDIT: Actually I do know. It's not because they're bad readers. It's not because I'm a bad writer. It's entirely because of statistics. Hooray for that!
I agree that Star isn't a particularly good pony, but she is interesting and engaging, which I think gives readers hope that you might one day redeem her. My personal opinion is that she's trying to be good but fails spectacularly every time, and immediately devolves into her usual self, which is an acquired taste to say the least. Hey, her herdmates seem to like her, even if nopony else does.
The problem in perception that you're describing tends to come from the way that the narration and the other characters in the story treat Star. Now I haven't read the story yet, but just in general if the other characters and the story itself aren't treating her like she's mean, cruel, and selfish then that can sometimes be "glossed over" by readers that don't want to see it.
826919 I suppose I'm exaggerating for effect (also known as whining), but she's definitely not all sunshine and roses and I hope I have the other characters reacting appropriately to that. Twilight can barely stand to be around her for instance.
826861 Perhaps she's very generous in the bedroom?
One thing i tried to get across in 'XFT-smiles' (and Archonix didn't tell me I'd totally missed the point so I took that as a good sign) was that Star actually isn't that nice a person... err, pony.
She's arrogant, obnoxious, spiteful, insensitive and to be honest, a bit of a bitch.
She's one of those great people/ponies to write for, in that she's kinda tragic (and maybe a little pathetic) but she's brought it on herself so any pity you feel for her doesn't last very long.
By the time of 'smiles' - which is the better part of 7 or so years after Xenophilia ended - Rainbow's actually one of the few friends she has left and even then they drive each other nuts, a bit like Lister and Rimmer from Red Dwarf.
But then, just wait 'till you see what Archonix and I have in store for you all with the rest of Twilight's family. Oh boy.
826989
I think Twilight has a stronger investment for hating Star than most. After all, she abandoned her at birth.
Perhaps. Time to write clop for confirmation, archonix?
827005 Ahahaha! Me writing clop, that's the best joke I've heard all week!
I'm terrible at it. Don't tempt me to try, it will be disappointing.
827001 Oh my yes, the extended family...
827136
So then you have tried?
brony on my friend and take life by the unicorn horn
827229 Last time I did that in public I was arrested!
827161 ... yes. Yes I have. No you can't see.
827596
827596 what part got you arrested
People will go where there are scandals, and there are plenty of scandals to be had when Star is involved. I see her as one of those characters who have an (often negative) opinion on every thing, and have no problem sharing it. The only reason I really enjoy her is because you really never know what you're going to get. It's pretty fascinating to see someone (pony/whatever) who can easily dominate a conversation if they want to, and do so with such ease.
I take it NHS stands for "National Health System"? I am in the US and we have private healthcare (least for a short while longer).
I personally like Star, I find her abrasiveness funny and endearing. I like how she gets and understands social norms but decides not to give a damn and does her own thing, usually pissing off those around her. I also see that she is a bit broken and does attempt to connect with her daughter but inevitably screws it up. She is not a good person (pony) nor a good role model but she is a fun, interesting character that people can look at and say, "I know someone sorta like that."