Black Dawn - why I refuse to give it up · 1:29am Jul 1st, 2014
The things I'm about to say in this blog may seem odd to some people. Maybe pathetic, pretentious even. Please bear with me though, as this is a blog that I feel I really need to write and probably should've done a long time ago. No, this is not an update on the progress of it, nor is it about me wondering what to do with it. No, this is different, but important. At least to me,
When I started writing it back in February last year, it went by another name - Ashfall. At the time, the name was a play with words on a particular name, much like the story Dust to dust, which it was a sequel to. I wrote my way through the first chapters quickly, but the longer I progressed, the more I found myself struggling. Not because I didn't want to write, but because it was difficult to explain enough of this new Equestria and its characters without going too deep with it. For a story with such deep scope as this, everything has to be just so; not too much, not too little.
Still, I pressed on, until I hit another bump in the road, not just for this story but all in general. It took me nine months before I was back where I am now, the longest writers block I've ever had. And I'm sure that during these months, at least half of my followers forgot about me or just got bored of waiting, but I still didn't give up, even though I came damn near close to it.
Ashfall became not only Black Dawn, but the first story in the trilogy that I finally decided the name for. The Song of The Unbroken. Apart from said trilogy, there's also the prologue to everything, Dust to dust, there's Moonshimmer Island, as well as a few more stories planned for the future (Heartmender, Stardust), not to mention that both Patricidium and When Angels Call takes place within the same universe. I've spent hours, days, weeks and months planning everything, created a timeline that spans not only for decades, but centuries, millenniums even.
I've created so many characters, seen them grow old and die in times none of my readers will ever get to experience. I've seen their children grow old, and their childrens children. The past, present and the future, everything planned and mapped to the best of my abilities, countless generations that's come and gone, civilizations risen and fallen.
Legends born, myths told and tales spun. Songs written and adventure waged. I've put my everything into creating this universe within a universe, this mythos within another, burned myself into sickness due to the sheer amounts of work I buried myself in to make it all come true.
And that, my friends, is why I will never give up on Black Dawn or its sequels. Not because of all the hard work and time I put into it, but the passion I poured into every part of it. There's a reason why I did it and why I still do it, a reason that goes beyond simple storytelling. To me, the universe in The Song of The Unbroken is far more than just fan fiction. Far more than just a story and far more than just ponies.
To me, this is not just a story. It's the story. It's a dream, a vision, a life-long wish, or at least half a life. It's not just fan fiction, it's the story I've always wanted to tell, the fantasy epic of vast proportions I've always dreamed of playing a part in creating. There's so much more to this new Equestria and the mythos in it that my readers still haven't seen, so much that I wish I could just shout out into the open air.
Black Dawn may be a somewhat slow story, but that is the whole point of it. The calm before the storm. The silence before the shit hits the fan and sends the world spiraling down into a veritable maelstrom. There's so much coming your way, you don't even know the half of it, and once it arrives.. will everyone be prepared for the inevitable outcome?
The Song of The Unbroken is the tale I've been dreaming of writing ever since I discovered Fantasy as a genre, and it was these damn ponies who finally pushed me into writing it. That's why it's so important to me and why I refuse to ever give it up, no matter how long it takes, no matter how pissed, angered, disappointed or saddened people will become by reading it through the end. That's why I spent so much money on the cover art, and am ready to spend even more on the art for the next to stories. That's why I've asked friends to draw concept art of every weapon, every artifact, every character, creature; every event and location. If only I had enough money and actually understood the whole commission process, I'd pay Carbon Maestro to create a somber theme for the entire trilogy, or pay someone to have plushies made of the Stalkers and Lilly.
I already have a "prototype" replica of Jormundgand that I created myself, but it's not quite ready to be shown to anyone yet. If you've read Dust to dust, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Maybe I'm writing it more for myself than anyone else. I don't really know, nor does it matter. I'm giving life to one of my dreams and giving life to the characters I love until the very end.
And what could be better than that? To see life.
There you have it. It may not be important to anyone else, but I wanted to get this out of my system before I went to sleep. Even if people don't care about Black Dawn or hate HiE, it still matters to me. No, not matters; it means the world to me, to see this new universe spring forth in front of me. I guess it's like playing God, in a way. And God loves his creation, does he not?
Actually, I'm not Christian, so I have no idea, but still.
So, I hope this doesn't make me look like some raving lunatic or some pathetic low-life, and thank you to whomever read this far. Even if only one single person reads this, I'd be happy in knowing that that one person knows how much it matters to me. This was a long rant, but I'm done now, I think.
Just know that if you're one of the persons who actually like Black Dawn and care about the characters in it, you haven't seen anything yet, and there is much still to come. Nopony will be safe as the red flames of death descend upon Equestria, and nothing will ever be the same again. Now, let's not end this on such a grim note. Let's have some nice and pleasant music instead!
(.... Creepy masks everywhere!)
Sorry for such a long post, I just felt I needed to get this off my mind. I'll probably fall asleep after this, seems to be how my blogs usually go, but that doesn't mean I won't respond if anyone says anything. Just'll be a late response.
Well everyone needs to get things off their minds at some point in time, but that's great to hear you will keep on writing it. You definitely have a good reason and the write drive behind it as well.
Black Dawn is definitely a great story and anyone with a good reading eye would see that regardless of all other examples of bad HIE stories.
In fact, you story and the way you write has only added to the way I will write dark scenes or future dark stories. And your characters... I could only try to make character as good as how you have written them, even the ones that came and gone in moments taking the whole story in consideration.
I say take as long as you want. When the chapters come out I will try reading them when I get the time and comment. Your style and skills in writing is well worth the time.
The story has exactly what you have put into it. Passion and with it every chapter has play it all out like a movie. It's amazing.
Let me stop typing here before I say the same thing in different ways and does that go a long way for sure. :P
Looks like I have something to look into now.
A very interesting something.
2247280
And I just now realized I forgot a few very important lines of dialogue in the latest chapter 
I'll have to work them into the next one..
2247477 I remember you saying you're not a fan of dark stories anymore, and while it isn't the darkest story I've written, it does have its fair share of... unpleasantness.
2248187 As long as it isn't grimdark or other shock factor trash, I don't think it will be a problem.
2248389 I don't think it should be a problem then
It has some degree of violence, but that is to be expected in such a world. And I don't put shocking stuff in my stories just for the sake of being shocking(unless you count plot twists and cliffhangers, and possibly unforeseen deaths.). Everything has to happen for a reason, not just because it can.
But if you don't like it, I understand
2248413 Okay, now I'm thoroughly interested!
2248457 That's great
If you have enough patience to read it, it's right there and not going anywhere 
And I hope that you'll let me know what you thought if you do check it out!
I'm Christian. He does.
J-just thought I'd verify for you.
2248571 Good to know, lol