...Speechless (Language warning) · 5:43am Mar 1st, 2013
PREFACE: This blog post was written in an anger-filled haze.
I can take criticism. I can take bad reviews.
This is neither. This is... something else entirely.
The following just arrived in my e-mail. Here is the letter in it's entirety.
Response (perma-rejection):
Dear author or authors,
I regret to inform you that your story is ineligible to be posted on Equestria Daily.
First and foremost, we're uncomfortable in posting a story that revolves around date rape. And while you weren't graphic, date rape alone skirts with the line of "acceptable content." That means that the rest of this story would really have to be a profound work of literature in order to balance out our reservations, but unfortunately, this story is not it.
Secondly, this story doesn't really focus around conflict and/or resolution. There's really two stories here: Rarity getting date raped and pregnant (which begs several unanswered questions about equine biology), and Rarity telling this to Sweetie Belle. The former happens in an extremely fast-paced manner (like, she got date raped her first month of class, at the first co-ed party she went to); the latter happens in an extremely indirect manner (Rarity hands Sweetie Belle a letter instead of saying it to her face). Worse, the central conflict of both stories is resolved quickly, indirectly, easily, and in the past tense. Rarity's friends and family accept her without question (meaning the "sad" tag was almost unnecessary); the biggest problem that arises from Rarity's confession is... one of nomenclature. As this stands, it feels like this is a story written to "prove" that Sweetie Belle is Rarity's daughter, but there's very little other "substance" here than repeating one of this fandom's more common fanons.
Between the unsavory elements contained in this story and the shallow-to-nonexistent plot, I see no reality in which Equestria Daily would post this story (barring an extensive and global rewrite to expand on things that would fundamentally change the story's focus and probably double the wordcount).
I wish you luck on any other writing endeavors that you have.
Sincerely,
Prereader 37
So I take it "perma-rejection" means that 'Dear Sweetie Belle' a.k.a. the story I consider closest to my heart and my finest piece of work, will never be posted on EqD.
I NEVER ONCE stated that it was definitly date rape. NOT ONCE. Rarity herself in the story notes that she's not sure what happened, and 'Paternally Yours' answers that question once and for all.
Also, 'acceptable content?' Really? HOW MANY FRIGGING GORE FICS ARE THERE ON EQD NOWADAYS? ARE THOSE 'ACCEPTABLE?!'
It's that middle paragraph that really gets me. 'Unanswered questions about equine biology?' I wasn't aware we had to be frigging experts on REAL ponies to write about IMAGINARY ones. 'Rarity's friends and family accept her without question.' Oh GOD FORBID that someone writes a story about teen pregnancy and someone isn't a major ass-hole about it. 'The biggest problem is one of nomenclature.' NO. No it isn't. The nomenclature is the emotional crux of the story. Anything following would be superfluous.
"I see no reality in which Equestria Daily would post this story (barring an extensive and global rewrite to expand on things that would fundamentally change the story's focus and probably double the wordcount)."
THAT SENTENCE IS WHAT SETS ME OFF. 'Your story sucks, and the only way we'll ever post it is if you completely rewrite it so that it no longer suits your vision but instead fits our mold of what a story should be.'
I have alluded to it in the past, but allow me to finally share the reason 'Dear Sweetie Belle' exists.
I am the result of a drunken one night stand. My mother, a college student, got drunk one night and slept with an unknown male. I am the result and the truth was only revealed to me in late 2011. She remembers nothing of my biological father and I will in all likelihood never meet the man nor know where I come from. 'Dear Sweetie Belle' was my attempt at working through my personal feelings on the matter and trying to write a mature, adult story in the process. In that sense, 'Paternally Yours' is wish fulfillment for me.
Am I upset by this rejection? Absolutely. Will I let it affect me in the long run? Not in the slightest.
I submitted 'Dear Sweetie Belle' to EqD in the hopes of exposing it to bronies worldwide. They won't post it? Fine. Like I give a crap in the long run. According to the stats on this site, there are THOUSANDS of folks who have read my work already and enjoyed it. There are nearly a hundred and thirty of you who enjoy my stuff enough to follow me, and that alone means the world to me.
I love you guys and gals, and it's your opinions that matter most to me. I write for you.
PreReader 37 wishes me luck in my future writing? Thanks. :)
I won't spare him or EqD a second thought after I post this. They aren't worth it.
...screw it. You guys want it, you get it. 'Dear Scootaloo' is next.
In summation; EqD can go buck itself and I have the very best readers in the world.
Constructive Criticism is good but this, this is just a travesty that spits in the face of reason. Continue to write if not for the rest of your fans and I, then write for yourself because your a writer of the highest caliber.
That's...just silly. I'd laugh if it didn't piss me off so much. To judge a work that was perfect in its simplicity as being not complicated enough? As well as completely missing the point of the story? Utterly ridiculous.
Don't listen to them, you're awesome and Dear Sweetie Belle is awesome.
Those criticisms do seem really weird, especially the one about equine biology. That comment in particular seems to imply that sticking Tab A into Slot B does not make babies in ponies, unless he's trying to refer to the estrus cycle or something (which, obviously, Rarity was on if that's the way you want to run your stories). I'm also with you on the bit about Rarity's friends being okay with this--the show is called Friendship Is Magic, this generally means that forgiving your friends and being understanding should probably be a common thing, not giving them the Scarlet Letter treatment or some shit like that.
I'm going to stop you right now: If even half the stories on EQD were submitted these days, they WOULD NOT GET IN. It was, I believe, SOPA that started all of this. Story submissions are much more strictly viewed now than they were at the start of Season Two. A lot of authors have been more focused getting here because of this.
I've long believed EqD was biased in their selection. Write something with Princess Luna, they love Luna there. And be sure to make it stupidly random, too. I shit you not one of my friends wrote a story about Luna eating an Orea as a joke and it got featured on EqD.
I don't quite get the appeal of Equestria Daily. I've been on there a few times, and while they seem to offer a *LOT* of stuff, It all felt too cluttered for anyone's good.
This is stupid on so many levels. The first one being "perma-rejection". Is it banned from being considered? How do they ban a story? Why would they give you an option to get approved down the line if they never intend to publish your story?
Also, how does the mention of "alleged" date rape count as a sensitive subject? You're not showing the actual act, so what's the big deal! It'd be like the difference between a character saying they were beaten by a spouse, and showing the actual scene of the character getting beaten. Kinda extreme, I know, but it's clear that talking about a subject is different than showing what they're talking about.
I would say to file a complaint, because the verbage in that rejection email is clearly rude and douchey. I wouldn't do it for yourself, though. I know you don't care. And why should you? I think FIMfiction is way better anyways. But for the ones who do care about Equestria Daily, it'd benefit the ones trying to get on there to not have to deal with douchebags like that.
If you can't tell, this kinda irked me.
876891 Well, I do have 'Lost in the Night,' but that story's about Luna and Shining Armor having an affair. Pretty sure that would fall under 'questionable content.' (Eye Roll)
876727 Thankee-sai.
876762 And thanks to you as well.
876874 Honestly, the estrus thing never really occured to me. I don't think we should place such biological importance on fics based on cartoon horses.
876876 The responses my stories get here mean more to me than you could ever know.
876911 EqD has always bothered me for just that reason. In fact, I can rarely even access the site 'cause the nature of it's large amount of contents tends to crash my browser. I was just trying to get my story 'out there.' Hell, after this I wouldn't be adverse to starting an anti-EqD movement. There seem to be more and more stories like mine the more I look around.
You guys are the best, by the way. Thanks for all the support. I hope you all like your upcoming present.
876924
Ha, fair enough. It mostly turns up in comedies (and presumably clopfics), but I've seen the concept mentioned in a number of serious stories.
On a side note, the criteria seems to be really inconsistent. I've found some really good stories on EqD, and seen some really good ones posted there, but some of them...In particular, Vagabond was awful. Reminds me of the opening to Rainbow Dash Presents: Captain Hook the Biker Gorilla, where Twilight casually dismisses the quality control as unprofessional and tells Rainbow Dash to retitle her video if she wants them to watch it (it's actually a reading of Rainbow Factory.) Honestly, I suspect it's as much a question of which prereader(s) you happen to get as anything else.
Awwww, dude, I'm sorry that happened to you, really. Dear Sweetie Belle, and pretty much everyone of your stories, should be on EqD and in the featureds, imo.
Bad luck man, EQD prereaders are really moody sometimes.
Here's a gem:
A quite popular story on this site was rejected (despite its really good prose and intriguing storyline) from EQD because-
*dramatic drumroll*
-because the first chapter of the story was written "in medias res". In other words, the events from the story's near-climax were shown at the beginning. The pre-reader told the author that he saw no reason to read the story if he knew how it would turn out
*hugs for all he's worth*
The guys over at EQD have thier heads so far up thier asses they'll reject a story simply out of personal prefferance and try to cover it up with drivel. This is the second time I've seen thier Prereaders do this to a story that for all intents was perfectly good.
I'm seriously considering starting a petition to send to Seth with the sole intent of getting the entire prereading staff and those in charge to the fan fiction section thrown out for this hypocritical bullshit.
According to US law, consent for sex cannot be given while drunk. Regardless of if "something were slipped in her drink" or she "couldn't handle her alcohol [read: got blackout drunk]," the main event this story focuses around is date rape.
After having read the story in question, I am at least inclined to agree with Prereader 37 on the second point: there wasn't really a lot of conflict-resolution substance to this story. Everything was easy for Rarity (her parents accepted her, her friends accepted her, her university let her take a year off for "maternity leave). I mean, you're basically establishing two stories within 5,000 words: Rarity getting accidentally pregnant with Sweetie Belle, and Rarity relating this event to Sweetie Belle. I don't think things really got explored as much as they could have been (and the ambiguous sequel hook at the end was... not the best place to end this).
So on one hand, I can respect that you wrote about something personal to you. On the other, I can see how raw emotion / passion alone doesn't necessarily lead to a quality story (especially if it is lacking on the technical side of things).
876727
Fun fact: Equestria Daily prereaders aren't there to provide constructive criticism. They are there to enforce quality control for the blog. Giving a reason for rejection should not be held in the same category as "criticism," but as a basis on which to begin revisions (meaning, "Okay, I got rejected for 'telly language,' what can I do to fix that?").
you fool, you assumed that EQD actually care about what everyone likes instead of just what they like, why do you think there's so much Trixie?
Well...I thought it was a good story.
Okaaaay ... the pre-reader is an idiot.
WTF??? Anyone seen a real pony with wings/horn/both? Wingboner???
Cupcakes is on EQD ... and 'Dear Sweetie Belle' is considered "unacceptable content"? Again: WTF???
877161 We are talking about Equestria! No one is interested in US-Laws there.
877123 That... that's garbage.
877128 It's not just the fic department that needs revision. It looks like the entire submission process is broken. Someone needs to start a 'Rejected by Equestria Daily' site or blog or something.
877161 1) This is what I'm talking about. You can't bring US Laws into a story about cartoon horses. You know what else is illegal in most parts of the US? Bestiality. How many human/pony romance stories are there? How many of them are on EqD? Murder's illegal too.
And (I cannot stress this enough) focusing on the 'was she date-raped or not' question completely misses the point of the story. 'Dear Sweetie Belle' is about the choices we make in dire situations and coming to terms with who we are in those situations. Rarity is thrust into a dire situation with her unexpected pregnancy, but thanks to FULL AND COMPLETE support of her friends and family, she perseveres and comes out stronger on the other end. In the end, it's her parent's deaths that force her to reveal the truth to Sweetie Belle and give Sweetie Belle a second chance at a normal childhood with at least one parent.
In a nutshell, it's Rarity finally acknowledging that she's old enough to be a parent and guide the next generation into (hopefully) making better decisions than she she did.
2) I don't think I made things too easy for her. She's thrust into an unexpected situation, drives herself to tears over what she thinks her parents will do, is forced to watch her own flesh and blood grow up being raised by someone other than herself, and ultimately must make the decision to step up and be the mother Sweetie Belle needs or be silent forever.
3) She didn't really get 'maternity leave.' More 'technically you're suspended since you brutally attacked your room-mate.'
4) I have taken so much flak for that bloody ambiguous ending... but I don't regret it in the slightest. If I hadn't have put it there, then 'Dear Applebloom' wouldn't exist and I love that flippin' story.
5) Thanks for the feed-back and allowing me the opportunity to rebutt your critiques.
You're still my favorite fanfic writer!!! I hope you do keep writing and eh, EqD has always been booty tickled easily with fics. I'm surprised on how Dear Sweetie Belle was made.
You've posted your stories here and got thousands of views, hundreds of likes and proven yourself to be an awesome writer, so if they reject yoyr work it's their loss for not having your stories.
You gathered fans without then, you built your reputation without them, you gained respect of many without them and made people cry without them. You can pretty well keep going without them.
Keep up the good work!
877488
I'm not saying the reason date rape is controversial on EQD is because it's illegal, just that the legal definition of what happens in this story is date rape. Then, because what happens in this story is date rape, it runs into the "rape aversion" on EQD, which basically (as PR 37 pointed out) means the story's got to have a good enough frame around the rape to make it "acceptable," or at least, "palatable."
While I agree that you certainly put a lot of effort into dealing with the rape, I agree with PR 37 in that I don't think this story did a good enough job at showing the events surrounding the two conflicts in this story. This story lacks emotional depth due to its relative fast pacing and distance from the events it portrays.
In short, "barring an extensive and global rewrite to expand on things that would fundamentally change the story's focus and probably double the wordcount" basically means, in order to make this story workable (which includes giving it the requisite amount of emotional depth), you'd probably have to change it to focus more on the events of the conflict, rather than the events explaining their aftermath.
I mean, think of how fundamentally different the series intro to My Little Pony would have been if they all came on screen in the first few minutes and said, "Man, that was awesome how we just kicked Nightmare Moon's butt" versus... showing said butt-kicking (which the first two episodes did). I'm not saying your story is that blatantly amateurish, but at the same time, I think it greatly suffers from a lack of apropos scope.
In closing, I think (other than the rageblog) you're mostly dealing with this rejection with at least a pleasant attitude; if you learned something along the way, I think that would be the best way to go about with things.
878594 I see your points and they are valid. Really though... I just don't know what to say at this point. I read the criticisms, and I see what you mean... but I just don't see the story being bad. I love 'Dear Sweetie Belle' as is. I would never change a word of it, not for some pre-reader or anyone else.
As 877740 said, a lot of folks like the story as it is.
Now I don't know how many of my fics you've read, but I try not to add extraneous language or unnecessary details to my stories. Would 'Dear Sweetie Belle' really have benefitted from me telling the events in real time, thereby robbing it of the narrative device of the letter and doubling the word-count? In my eyes... maybe. But it wouldn't be the same story, y'know.
Jade, you are an amazing writer, and I was wondering if it would be cool if I could read one of your stories and then put it on YouTube, I would do "Dear Sweetie Bell" but I don't think I could get the voices right, so I was wondering If me doing "Slender" would be OK with you.
Also don't worry about those a**holes over at EQD, I would post your stories on my brony site (if i had one) by the way, the way I found you was from the front page here, so at least the people here like it. Your stories are the few that make me cry, Dear Applebloom, Dear Sweetie Belle both made me cry. You are the only writer that has made me cry in more that one fic. You are awesome and the best fic writer I have seen on this site.
Please Respond,
NickWengz
P.S. Dear Scootaloo next........yay
879419 You absolutely have my permission to do any of my fics that you wish. Just link me to the final product and I'll embed it on the actual story page like I did with the live readings of 'Appletillado' and 'Saying Good-bye.'
...Wait. Which of my stories made the front page? WHY WAS I NOT MADE AWARE OF THIS!?
879685 I'm 90% sure "Dear Sweetie Belle" made it to the front page.
Does EqD deny content due to language? Or any content involving trashing on certain pop culture reference. Just curious for future knowledge.
You know, thinking back on the phrasing in 'Dear Sweetie Belle', your rant may be irrelevant. 'Paternally Yours' does have a clearer view of the events that brought about Rarity's pregnancy, but even that story would need some editing before submission to EQD. I know you won't actually consider doing so, I'm just pointing out that it was really our own fault that you were not properly prepared for the tighter standard which would come from being an EQD writer.
880182 I wasn't even aware there were different standards. For frig's sake, THE SPIDERSES is worthy of EqD.
Not hating on the Spiderses. I love that story.
Dear Sweetie Bell was the FIRST story I ever read on here, and it got me hooked to the site. Though it may not make it to EQD, because someone is quite an imbecile, Know that you, as you stated, have touched COUNTLESS hearts with these stories you wrote.
Matter of fact, this was the first comment I have ever made on FimFiction. Plus it was the first story on here to make me not only "OMG THATS SO SWEET" Around, It made my cry.
Thank you Jade, For all of your works.
883302 And thank you, for your kind words.
That's just ridiculous they reject Dear Sweetie Belle which is for all intents and purposes your magnum opus.But they will gladly post Cupcakes a fanfic known just as well known for it's spelling mistakes as well as it's graphic content.I didn't really care about Equestria Daily before but now now I just question their judgement.
.By the way I've been considering making a TvTropes page about your story.I'd just like your approval before I go ahead
'Dear Sweetie Belle' has crossed the 3000 view mark. 348 Thumbs Up. 365 Favorites.
Equestria Daily can SUCK IT!
913521 Haha, sorry it took me so long to see this. Of course you can.