Decision Time, Readers! (Plus Announcements) · 4:29am Aug 24th, 2014
So, before I get to the decision, let me give some extremely brief opening announcements.
First, thank you guys for the support on my latest story His Turn. I never pictured how quickly this would get likes and favorites (mostly cause I was halfway stoned between strong medicine and a recent bout of insomnia while writing it and can't remember writing it at all, but you know, it happens). I was surprised that I actually wrote a clop fic in the first place, but since people like it, I might make more in the future.
Secondly, the search for a new writer for Starcrossed is still ongoing. I'm trying really hard to find good candidates and have a list of people I've found that I believe to have adequate skill for writing this well, will likely be interested in the story materiel, and have a clear enough plate to not get caught in the same trap I did a few months back. I'm going to contact them shortly to see if any are interested and work from there. Again, I appreciate you guys' patience and understanding and assure you guys that even if I'm no longer writing it, I'm not going to let this story die or decline.
Now, onto that whole decision thing.
So, I have two ideas that are the same basic premise that I want to write equally, but have two completely different tones on the material. Both of them are serving the same purpose- satire of the Human in Equestria genre- but one is a light hearted comedic parody and the other is a dark, gritty deconstruction. Allow me to give you a brief taste of each of them before you decide.
The first is a comedy titled Raust Blackdragon Writes a Fanfiction. Those who are familiar with the web show Sanity Not Included can probably tell what the joke is. For those of you who aren't familiar, in the show Sanity not included, there's a character named Raust Blackdragon who writes terribly awful novels that are so bad, they threaten to destroy the world.
This Motherfucker Here
It would involve basically Blackdragon as a closet brony writing really terrible HiE stories that follow the cliches. The twist? The person he takes is a real person from the real world. Someone who has seen these cliches before. Someone with an immunity to the toxicity of bad writing. Someone trained to destroy bad fanfiction.
That person would be Commander Fowler himself. Basically, it would be myself as a character being not only thrown into his bad HiE, but also directly controlled by him with the exception of inner monologue. This means that while Raust would control what I (the character) am doing, the inner monologue allows the actual consciousness of yours truly to play straight man to the outrageously horrid story I'm trapped in.
The second idea is admittedly a metric fuck ton darker. It's a similar idea to Spec Ops: The Line, a game that deconstructed the First Person Shooter genre and it's similar tendency towards power fantasy and wish fulfillment flawlessly, and without spoiling Spec Ops, I'll tell you that it is all about tragedy, horror, and complete despair.
While I con't want to reveal too much of the plot as I feel like the twists on HiE tropes is half of the point, it would basically be about a brony coming to Equestria and stuff getting more and more fucked from there, all while taking jabs at HiE cliches.
Anyways, those are the two ideas I was kicking around. I'd love to here which one you guys would prefer.
Comedy. :P
2395919
Had a feeling you'd say that.
2395930 :3 Which idea to you feel closer to, Jason?
2395954
I'm really not sure. I like them both and think both could be equally good and enjoyable to different audiences. That's why I wanted to here you guys' input.
Honestly, even the less favored one I'll probably make eventually. I was more wondering which to make first.
2395988 Well, I'm not sure what the second favorite genre is, but Meeeester told me it was mature/sex (which probably explains all the attention with clop fics.:3) But I'd say comedy.
I mean, you never know, someone might feel down in the dumps and need a cheerful story to read. Then of course, when your mad, you can always ruin someone's day by writing a troll fic. XD (I'm just kidding, don't take that advice. O.o)
There is still people that need to comment their own opinion, so ya. My opinion is comedy. ^.^
Well, have a goodnight/goodmorning wherever you live. :P
2396018
True. The comedy one would be a lot easier too given how much easier it is to make people laugh at a comedy rather than cry/cringe at drama.
I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm not getting sleep. My insomnia's been acting up.
2396036 :3 I'm sorry for that. I stay up late too. Sometimes I choose too, sometimes I just can't sleep. But I really do love the night. :3
My family is asleep, so everything's quiet, and it's all dark except for this little lamp I have, and I could just draw or read or come up with new ideas of which I'm probably never going to do. XD
Does it really trouble you to not sleep? I mean, besides the fatigue.
2396036 That's true, about how comedy is easier. Your so smart! :3
2396075
Sometimes. It used to scare the hell out of me when I was younger. Now it just gives me time to think and to work. Half the reason I wrote that oneshot the other night was because I was tired, bored, and the idea was stuck in my head.
2396088
Thanks. It's something I learned the hard way. I've been at this story game for a while.
2396104 That proves it! Have you heard of the scientifically proved theory that creative and intelligent people prefer to stay up late? :D Well, I have to go now. Nice chatting with you, Jason. It's been a while. :3
2396146
Never heard the theory, but it would make sense given there's often a correlation. Been nice talking to you too. See you around.
There are only two examples I've seen of brony-in-Equestria done well. Their names are The Brony International Guard, and Choose Your Own Adventure: Brony Hero of Equestria. You can make a good story out of everything, but it will be hard work to get just right. Ambition in an artist of any kind is a good thing.
Of course, ordinarily, I tell people to get a few stories with simpler concepts under their belts first, before taking on a challenge of this kind...
2396202
Senpai noticed my blog!
I realize this is a huge undertaking, but I intend to put serious time into polishing either of these before releasing. I too subscribe to the theory that anything can be done well with sufficient time, effort, and skill, which is why I'm not going to take it likely.
Just for the record, not to brown nose, but the second one would probably take quite a few notes on your own story, Biblical Monsters. It did to the Pony on Earth genre what I would be doing to the Human in Equestria genre.
Also, one point of error: It probably wouldn't be a brony in Equestria story since those go wrong just out of the fact that their main characters are too genre savvy to keep the plot tight and focused. Sorry if I accidentally said brony in the blog post.
2396234
Oh stop. You're making me blush.
If mentioning the source of inspiration is some trick to get me to read the result... well, actually, it will probably work.
And if you have a theme that's best suited to the [Dark], the skull says full speed ahead.
Just, y'know, accept that you may have to do lots and lots of rewrites, which is normal for new authors.
2396334
No trick, just a very similar idea behind the motive of the story and, as you said, dark themes.
I'm prepared for quite a few rewrites and such. I may be relatively new on the site, just five months from celebrating my second year here, but I'm certainly no stranger to writing as a process and have been published a couple times IRL. I'm ready to take this head on.
2396367
Than damn the torpedoes!