A little insight · 2:50am Oct 2nd, 2013
Hello again, everyone! Since my last chapter is getting some mixed reviews because of the pace and how it ended, I decided to write this to explain a couple things.
1) Cale staying with Celestia. Cale is far from being a flat character. He's dealing with being stranded in a strange place the best way that he can. While he showed a softer side towards Silver, most of his interactions with Celestia have been curt, with him showing a slightly hostile side. That being said, Celestia is his only comfort zone. She's a figure of power, and she personally saved his life. He doesn't so much view her as a Princess, but more of a protector. The first time he slept in Equestria was in her bed, so it's his only real physical comfort zone. All in all, he's scared, and he doesn't want to be left alone. Especially after the Manticore incident. For now, there's nothing more to it than that. Which would explain his obliviousness to anything Celestia may or may not be feeling towards him.
2) Nudity. It's true that the ponies don't a nudity taboo, Celestia is an immortal diarch. She's had dealings with creatures from other universes, ones similar to humans (Equestria Girls), and while she may not know much about Cale, she's smart enough to infer certain things. The fact that, before his bath, he always wore clothing, minimal though it was, would lead one to believe that it would only be expected she could put two and two together.
3) Celestia's feelings. As of right now, everything she's feeling is confusing and uncertain. There aren't currently any romantic feelings, but she does feel badly for him. She blames herself for his being trapped the way he is, which is why she so readily agrees to let Cale stay with her.
4) Lack of conflict. Guys, this one I can't really elaborate on. I kinda want it to be a surprise. I have some great things in the works though.
Phew. Sorry that I didn't go into a lot of detail with the issues above in the actual story. I hope this clears a few things up, though!
Okey Dokey Lokie...
I haven't read any of it yet, and with the wedding coming up, I won't be able to or edit. So you're on your own until I get back nexts Wednesday! You have to take what people say, heed their advice, and grow with it. Don't ignore it. Use it to become a better writer. It worked wonders with my story. Never forget that.
My last bit of advice is that if you have to write a journal entry explaining things, you should of done that in the story. That's where it's all said. Only theories are what the blogs should be about.
1) I never said Cale was a flat character. My concern here was that things are being a bit rushed, so I really don't see how this applies.
2) You missed the point I was getting at here entirely. I agree with you, Celestia totally understands that he has a nudity taboo. What I was saying was, don't you think it's a bit weird that the human, you know, the one WITH the nudity taboo, went to go see Celestia wearing only a bath towel? Then asked to sleep with her? What is he going to do, sleep with her naked? That doesn't strike you as odd? If he doesn't intend to sleep with her in the buff, then you need to make that clear, because as written right now, he's going to sleep with a pony he's just met, in the same bed, with no clothes. I still think it's odd that he didn't put clothes on before he met with her in her chambers, but maybe I'm just crazy here.
3) So... that means Rarity is misreading the situation? Apparently I misread it as well... and that means that, at least in some readers' case, you haven't properly conveyed in the narrative what Celestia's feelings ARE. You can't write a blog about it and expect readers of the story to see it, you have to convey what you mean IN the narrative. I appreciate you trying to elaborate here, and I want to help you with this, but all of this stuff needs to be made clear IN the story for it to be any use to you, do you get what I'm saying?
4) I don't have a problem with this. What the people who are complaining about this seem to fail to realize is that Cale's and Celestia's confusion as to what is going on AND the mystery of their connection IS a form of conflict, and thus far I feel that the pacing for that has been pretty good.
Again, you can't expect readers know something about your thought process for the story outside of the narrative itself. A reader shouldn't have to go to your blog to understand or follow the story they just read. The story should accomplish that itself.
Again, don't take this the wrong way, I think your story has a great deal of merit, and I think you're doing very well for a new writer. I'm simply trying to lay out some of the issues that people MIGHT have (not all of them will, as is evidenced by their comments) so that, if you see fit, you can address them and make the story better. Constructive criticism, yeah?
Is just me hopping some "calextia" here?? Well i think that will be nice...seriously i want calextia here xD !