Is the Shimmerverse all that cracked up to be? · 4:42am Jun 29th, 2014
Hi readers....I've been thinking lately about A Different Sunset.
Now don't take this in the meaning that I'm thinking of quitting it. Praised Celestia, no. I'm going to finish this story. Heck, I am going to do my darn best job to make this a series in its own right. I still love this story.
I've just been thinking, is the Shimmerverse as good as I wanted? I know I have fans of this story, but I get like, two-three comments a chapter. It's a good amount...and then I see how many views 'Love Needs No Reason' gets...
I still love the fact that 'Love Needs No Reason' gets a lot of views. I really do. I've never seen such love and support for any of my other fics, nor did I ever think I would get featured...multiple times no less.
But originally, I just intended to do that as a fun side project while I work on A Different Sunset and to tied me over during 'writer dry spots'. (Fan appreciation made me give it more attention. I even plan on making it into a series.)
Getting back on track, it's making me think. Is it that good? Am I anywhere near as good a writer as the other alt-main six stories, like 'Flipverse' or 'Manehattanverse'? (The second of which even inspiring me to try my own spin on the concept.)
I mean, unlike the others, I've made it seven instead of six elements, changed some of their names, making this a warhammer-ish universe in a way, and all that jazz. Probably jarring to some people. ('Course, it's not like Fallout Equestria fics.)
I just....wanted to hear your thoughts. Am I taking it in a good direction, or have I set myself up for a crash and burn?
Oh, don't compare your story to another (even if you wrote it). It's a different story and it's going to attract different readers.
I'll admit, I haven't read it past the second chapter (yet), so I really can't give you a proper theory as to why it's not getting as many views.
Chin up, keep writing! You're good!
2242271 Still, I kind of wanted A Different Sunset to be one of those 'epic' stories. Kind of like yours.
(Also, I changed the whole 'gun' scene with Celestia in the first chapter, just for your information. It's only a small change, but I thought it'd fit better then...You know.)
2242271 That and I feel like I lose more and more fans of the story as time goes on.
It doesn't matter.
The Lunaverse is an awesome place with over one thousand people working on it to bring it to life, and that's amazing.
The Cadenceverse is a Much smaller, but equally amazing musically themed universe with a very unique perspective.
The Flipverse is a great what if tale that shows how things could have been.
The Varriantverse is an excellent take on how everything could happen the exact same, and yet be entirely different.
The Octaviaverse is not the best writing ever, but still and amazing story.
The Vinylverse is a great tale that I'll never get to know the ending of, because it's been years and the guy never updated.
The Republic verse is an awesome story of What could have been if Discord was in charge.
The Stallion Verse is a funny place where Shinning Punches Celestia a lot, and Soarin is Barney Stinson.
I'm willing to bet you've never even heard of half of those. Does it matter? No.
Don't write for other people. Write for yourself. Tell us the story you want to tell, and exactly the correct number of people will love it.
I personally love the series, my favorite mare is in the center spotlight and you have a great understanding of what you wish for your characters.
If you feel your losing fans just remind them of what they are missing when a chapter comes out. Also if you do make it a universe I'd be happy, willing, (cough) begging to be a part of it.
I'm someone who reads both Different Sunset and Love Needs No Reason, and I tend to comment on both. I love both stories, even though they are very different.
I love Love Needs No Reason both because Discord and Applejack have a weird, great chemistry there, and I like Applejack's secret fear that Discord will steal her heart (not with magic, but with charm) and then break it. But what I mainly love is the idea of Cadance as a crazy matchmaker. It seems crazy to me that we have thousands of stories that ARE shipping stories, and equestria has a canon princess of shipping, but more authors don't have Cadance show up and try to set to characters up, and I love what you do with her (I also love her humerous asides about Chrysalis).
Different Sunset is almost diametrically opposite. It's dark and mostly serious, as opposed to kind of light and very funny like LNNR. Honestly, adventure stories are not my preferred cup of tea, because I don't really like action/fighting scenes. Why am I reading it then?
I love worldbuilding and alternate universe fics, and you've built a really great alternate universe. I love hearing about the priestly orders and military divisions, even if I care less about how well they fight NMMs Warlocks. I also really love your snarky Sunset Shimmer, both the idea that she was adopted by Celestia (I've always felt Sunset Shimmer's mommy issues with Celestia are at the core of her character) and with the way she interacts with Spike, and everyone else. I really hope we get to see the spotlight back on her soon, I love pretty much any dialogue you give her.
One thing that does worry me, and that I've mentioned before, is how this can possibly end. For me, the reason I started watching FIM beyond the first episodes was because Celestia forgave Luna and gave her her crown back, that showed me this show would be about forgiveness and redemption, not stomping the bad guys flat or having them be recurring villains that never learn or grow, which I hate. But that was possible in the show because Nightmare Moon never actually killed anyone, mostly due to luck, so Celestia could forgive her, give her back her crown and the citizens would accept her. In this much darker universe, Nightmare Moon and her followers have already committed horrific atrocities and killed a bunch of ponies. If Nightmare Moon and her followers are all forgiven, then where is the justice for the victims? If Nightmare Moon alone is forgiven (the worst possible outcome in my opinion, I absolutely LOATHE it when minions are killed but villainous leaders are spared so they can be redeemed) same problem of the victims deserving justice. But if Nightmare Moon is executed/banished back the moon/sent to tartarus as she deserves, then it feels like Celestia will be punished as much as Luna/NMM. I actually liked the gun scene, it feels like it fits with how lonely Celestia feels without her sister, but at the end of this story she will either have to ignore the rightful cries of her citizens for justice, or deprive herself of her sister. I cannot conceive of an ending that doesn't feel heartbreaking in some way, though I will praise you to the heavens if you can pull it off!
Funny thing. The exact same thing happened with me with TW&TB and SweetieMash. It only more or less went away when I released Dan & Pinkie Take a Slice out of Life.
I think it's been mentioned but how much attention a story gets as opposed to another doesn't necessarily indicate quality, especially since the premise will go a long way to determining attention.
Also, 'A Different Sunset' will get more viewers as you update, so there's that. Kinda an obnoxious, but true thing: your cover art matters.
Before I released Take a Slice out of Life, I asked for permission to use part of a DanXPinkie picture I really liked for my cover art. After I did, I noticed the amount of people who begin to favorite the story increased from before when I had the old art.
You might try to track down a different piece of art. Maybe this one, or this one after you crop it to suit your needs. You might find you get a few more hints with each update. The artist seems to be fine with their pictures being used so long as they're sourced. So, I'd at least source to the original with whatever you do.
As far as criticism of the story and your writing goes, I'm still interested in what's happening with every pony and I'm glad your taking the time to develop each element barer a bit and it's nice to see you build out the world more. Though, I think both of these things are why your last few chapters haven't seen so many comments. We, the readers, are still getting used to all this characters, and while they're not OCs, most of them aren't really developed in the show. The world is kinda of in a similar position, it's definitely a bit different from the MLP world we're used to. So people are sort of feeling them out and will probably comment more as we get used to and form attachments to them.
Spike, Sunset Shimmer, and Coco are probably likely to get more comments because they're all pretty well known and liked, were's Nurse Redheart, Fiddlesticks, Lightning Dust, and Quickfix are basically being established by you, so there might be less to say about them at first.
I guess my advice is just to keep at it. The story will pick up readers as you publish more, it just takes a while for these things to pick of steam if you didn't manage to land in the feature or popular box right away. You're writing is solid and you're good at making interesting stories, so it's just a matter of clawing yourself up chapter by chapter at this point.
2242384 I'd be more then happy for you to do so. While I do have a few stories planned, I don't think I would be able to write a season's worth, or at least stories to give each and every one of the main seven an 'episode' of sorts. I'd be overjoyed for you to try your hand and help out.
It's good for me. You write a good sunset and she keeps me interested. That's not to say the others aren't good too.
P.s didn't know you took the gun scene out. I thought it was a good scene personally. Was because the majority didn't like it or did you jus change your mind about it?
Thanks and I'm waiting with anticipation for your next chapter to come out.
Well... I like it. I don't really have much else to say about it.
2243021 Two reasons.
I reread and thought about Celestia at that moment. I felt that scene didn't feel...natural there.
Two: I decided to possibly carry it on later.
2243251 I'm currently working on it. It should be done either by today, or within the next couple.
I had the same thoughts about the Nightmare Moon Over The Republic.
I wanted it to be the big, epic, definitely-going-to-get-into-the-popular-box story, but it didn't.
Instead Crisis of Infinite Offspring ended up being more popular.
But After a while, I realized it didn't really matter, just write what you want to.
Look, my most popular story is still a barely 1000 word oneshot where the mane 6 finds out Aunt Orange and Sombra are in a relationship. It's more popular than Crisis, more popular than the Republic, and more popular than any of the TurnerDash stories I've done.
It doesn't bother me, I just write what I want to.
Yer plannin' another universe? Careful. Ah heard the last guy who tried ta write two universes went stark ravin' mad. They say he writes with an accent now.
2246309 Who says I'm not mad already?
2242346 Thanks, and I've read the Cadance, Octavia, and Flipverse (also counting the Manehattanverse.)
I've heard of the others, but haven't got around to reading them.
2258558 Like I said, their all pretty good, in their own ways. That's what makes alternate EoHs so great. the many unique combinations and stories that can be made from them. Yours is definitely up there as one of my favorites, Mostly because of Shimmer and Spike.