Pony Words and Gauging Interest For the Future · 4:07pm Apr 10th, 2014
First of all, I wanted to thank everyone who read The Necromancer's Ambition, even if it was for as little as just the first chapter. The fact that you were willing to give my little OC story a try (and in many cases, stick with it) both humbled me and kept me going when the words refused to play nice. And now I'm hoping you guys will help me help you continue to enjoy reading ponyfic. With the story at an end, I've been considering future projects and would like to get a gauge on interest in the potential candidates.
-Pre-TNA Dusky Story - See the younger, more-reckless Dusky and the adventure that soured the term "adventurer" for her.
-Post-TNA Dusky Story - There is a significant time gap between TNA and Dusky's next adventure with Ivory. There's are a few major events in-between that would help give more context to that story. Meet her friends, her family and several new villains.
-Dusky's Guide to Equestria - This would likely be a lighter series of vignettes that explore Dusky's travels through Equestria (note that as I came up with the geography prior to the officialish map coming out, I wouldn't be using that map).
-Canon Character Story - I've got a few ideas bouncing around in my head, but the one currently at the forefront is about Cadance getting addicted to thrill-seeking.
-Space Monkey Farming in Former Unicornia - An all-new adventure the same vein as Tiny Equine.
Anyway, thanks for your time!
I definitely like your idea for Cadance.
I also support the Cadance idea. I want a story of her being a badass so bad.
My vote goes to the post TNA story. Because Ivory is best pony and anything that leads to her getting more screen time gets my vote.
1998040
Same here.
I am currently rereading TNA again in a single sitting so as to not miss any important plot points I may have overlooked the first time through. The story felt like it ended rather abruptly. I would love to see you explore the world and characters you have built up.
Hang on, hang on, hang on. TNA is finished? What?
I hadn't even noticed the "Complete" tag until I read this blog post. The story doesn't feel finished, and that's putting it mildly. Very little about the plot has been resolved; in fact, a lot of plot threads have only just been launched. And now suddenly everything stops in its tracks? Our heroines just give up and walk away, and that's the end of the story?
I'd vote for a direct sequel to TNA, or just a bunch more chapters. As it is now, the ending is deeply unsatisfying.
1999292
2000769
I can understand why you might feel this way and hopefully I can alleviate some of the concern. They haven't given up, they've revised their tactics, which involves playing the long chess game, rather than bumbling into every fork Prideful has set up. If you're concerned that the plotline is done with, that's not the case; this particular story is part one of that long-term game.
If you'll allow me to compare to Star Wars, Gaelle was their Death Star I and the laying-low trip their medal ceremony. They won the battle, but at great cost, not to mention that there's still an entire war to be fought.
The next story to focus on Ivory would be my Return of the Jedi, bringing an end to the plot. Now here's where things get a bit complicated. There's at least one major character and an arc surrounding him that need to be introduced in a way other than being glossed over. This would be to avoid severe "Remember the new guy?" syndrome, plus evoke a peeve I share with Japanese Teeth when it comes to relationships (it'd be kind of like if suddenly-Lando; who is this guy and why is he so important that he gets to fly the Falcon?). This has the odd effect of my Empire essentially being heavily focused on Dusky, leaving Ivory generally out of scope, which I felt wouldn't have been good to try to lump under TNA.
I know it's small consolation, since you found the resolutions of part one unsatisfactory, but I hope this explanation at least helps in some way.
2003360
Ah. I see.
I was not initially aware that this would be a multi-story saga. Looking forward to whatever comes next.
2003360
Well, the solution is obvious: write an Empire Strikes Back equivalent to fit in between them.
2003739
Well, that is kind of the plan as I already outlined, when I said it's going to be almost entirely about Dusky. Although, I'll drop a little teaser here in saying that it will at least explain how she'll rally enough power to contribute to the final confrontation, so there is that.
2003665
I had originally considered just doing a giant time skip, but the more I tried to hash it out, the more I realized how bad of an idea it was. Funny how things can backfire like that.