Jed On: The Importance of Friends

Howdy folks. Slightly cheesy title, I know, but I wanted to write a blog post about the help my two betas (for want of a better term) for The Avatar of Albion RoyalPsycho, (that's Isaac) and The Void (that's Matt) have been.

When I started writing Avatar, it was the second idea I'd ever had for anything MLP related in fanfic, and the first I'd written an awful lot for. A lot of the time when I have an idea for a story of such length and depth, it sort of fizzles and dies because I don't have what I consider the necessary encouragement for it. A lot of the time, I just don't have anyone but me telling me I should continue, and so I don't.

In this case though these guys have both been enthusiastic about the fic since I started, helping me come up with ideas, helping develop characters, telling me when I've done something that doesn't work or when I need to do more or less of a certain thing, and letting me have honest to God proper discussions about the thing. The fact that they're my in-person friends as well means that I can discuss this with them in the flesh, which allows for far more bandying of ideas than any discussion online can. What's more, both of them have been so enthusiastic for this story that they've written interludes for me and helped craft some characters with me as well.

Without these guys, I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have: this is now the longest fanfic I've ever written, and one of my very best. If I had to pass on any advice about writing from this experience, therefore, I'd have to say that you should always have somebody to talk things through with.

Anyway, that's enough blather. Have fun folks.

Jed.

Comments

[The Void]

Wow, I'm really touched. I was glad to help. Thank you for such kind words. And thank you for helping me with mine.