I wasn't going to make a blog post... · 10:24am Aug 26th, 2014
...but then I did.
I read Nonagon's latest blog post (he's the author of Death Note: Equestria, a story I highly recommend), and he said something that made me think. About how he's been writing fanfiction for 3 years, how much he's improved in that time... And, I suppose, how he's close to being able to begin his intended career as a professional editor.
So I've just put out chapter 10 of Fireflank, and mentioned again in the author's note that I'm looking away from the story for the moment to work Fallout Equestria: Duality—that is, to slowly (often VERY slowly) work out the thoughts and ideas going into the story so that it can reach the point of writability. "I'm going to make this story better," I say to myself. "I'm going to edit more, reiterate more, get prereaders for it." After all, one is one's own worst critic, and I am terribly inexperienced when it comes to writing. I have relied and continue to rely much on the assistance of others, mainly Everhopeful.
But, Nonagon makes me think, the additional help and effort can only help so much when the one in charge remains so inexperienced. In which case, maybe I should write other things first? Build up some more experience, come back to it later and make it even better? But the thing is, while I've come up with ideas for other stories, smaller stories, none of them are more than simple concepts, and those concepts most assuredly do not interest me more than Fireflank or Duality. Not to mention that then I'd have to work on plotting them out, too, and how plenty of time has already been put into Duality's concepting.
No, I think I'm going to keep going as I am. I'll write Duality, trying to hold it to a high standard at least somewhat worthy of Fallout: Equestria. However hard I try, I don't know just how well it will come out, but it will take a long time to finish. If part or much of it turns out to be unsatisfactory, I can always rewrite it or those parts of it later, when/if my skills have improved.
The thing is, I'm not much of a writer. I'm not much of anything, really—a vast majority of my time for much of my life has gone toward video games, and right now, as I'm sitting around not yet back again in college for the third semester in a row, I spend my time very frivolously. Let us say that I'm not very disciplined. The important part, though, is that pony is the only thing that I am inspired to write for (though now that I've done a fair chunk of writing, I feel some inspiration while, say, rewatching FMA: Brotherhood, but ponies are much more inspiring), and that I'm very attached to the stories behind these two novels. Really, I should try out some other, smaller stories, and I might...
But I am a frivolous person. I'll just go where the wind takes me, and see what happens. Hopefully the intensified regulation of Duality doesn't wear on me too much, because editing is the truly hard, tiresome part... And I have been writing plenty for months now. In any case, I just wanted to be sure to fill you all in, so you know what's up.
Besides, I keep mentioning that break of some description or another. Now or soon might be a good time for it. Maybe. Unless I've settled into the rhythm of writing well enough... But here's hoping I make something really good, in any case. lol
Making a few one-shots might be a good idea, it would draw more attention towards you, so you could gain more opinions about your writing and advises about how you can improve it. So far I have really enjoyed The Unicorn with Fire on Her Flank and it is one of my favorite stories, and I can't think of anything that needs improvement so far... I have a few ideas for one-shots that I might write in the future, so if you want to write smaller stories I could share a few ideas, if that would be okay with you will say...
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Heh, you think that much of it, huh? Reminds me how one person told me that the OLD (read: terrible) version of the story's beginning is what got him more interested in fanfiction. At least, I think it was the old one... Hope not. lol
Anyway, if you like it that much, imagine what I can do without just winging it? But yes, some oneshots would be good. I'd get to work with writing endings for once, and it's obviously easier for readers to check out a smaller story...
We'll see. But right now, the focus is on Fallout pon. I could almost write the prologue/leaving-the-Stable chapter, actually... Almost. And now that I have Fireflank chapter 10 off my shoulders, I can actually spend some alone time on the story, rather than relying on the presence of another to assist my brain.
Still, the story of, say, the first batpony to get into the Wonderbolts might be fun. Though I'd rather write Cloudchaser's experience at the academy, methinks.
Plus I'm thinking of going first-person on Duality. Experimenting with the perspective first might be a good idea... But again, time will tell.
Edit: Oh, any maybe sometime, yeah. But if I'm going to write any shortstory soon, it has to be the one about my favorite batpony, Sunny.