Status Update on the story · 8:33am Nov 1st, 2014
Hi everyone! Hope you're all doing well.
As you've no doubt noticed, the story hasn't been updated for several months, and this all falls on me. I've been trying to make progress, and every time I try I end up getting torn up by a lot of self-doubt and uncertainty on how to continue the story. As some are probably aware, I've been intending on making the next chapter (maybe two, depending on how long it gets) the one that wraps up the story. Endings are extremely important in any work; they have to tie up loose ends and resolve the conflicts in a satisfactory matter, while also maybe leaving a hint or two about future stories or possibilities. Endings can easily make or break stories, regardless of how well they were told up to that point. I'm sure there are at least a few of you who've watched or read a story that you were really getting into, until the ending came along and took all the wind out of your sails.
Mort was first started several years ago, around the same time stories like Fallout: Equestria first debuted. Unfortunately what ended up happening was that half-way through I realized that what I wanted to do didn't make a lot of story sense. Originally Mort had come across a "shadowy pony" on his way to Ponyville, and it was heavily implied he didn't know who it was. This pony, ultimately, was Thanasia, and her first appearance would've been right after Mort ran away. When I got this far, a lot of alarms started going off in my head as I realized the implications: why was she just revealing herself now? How could Mort not know who this was? Why didn't she have any involvement in what was going on until now? What sense did it make for her to keep herself secret from him for what would have been thousands of years? These questions and more forced me to start the story over when I moved it to FimFiction.net, and introduce her much, much sooner.
The point is, looking back, if I knew then what I knew now, the story probably would've turned out differently. Better, maybe. I'm not sure. There's no way in heck I'm restarting it all over again, though. I am going to finish this, come Hell or high water.
So, does this mean I don't know where to go? Not precisely. I was suffering writers block for a couple months because I kept getting stuck on a scene in the beginning, and trying to figure out how it would proceed from there. I had ideas, but the more I pieced them together, the more I realized how difficult it would be to really get them to fit. When I finally decided it wasn't going to work, I had start over and focus more on what would happen rather than what I wanted to happen, even if meant sacrificing scenes or dialogue I would've liked to include. I also wanted to avoid a repeat of what happened with the last chapter, where I had to practically rewrite everything from scratch when my first draft was proving unsatisfactory, no matter how much I retooled it.
I'm still not 100% sure if the chapter is going to go in a direction I deem satisfactory, but unfortunately it seems I can only get so far with plans and outlines. Sometimes the only real way to know if I'm on the right track is to just start writing and see where it takes me, even if it means hitting a dead end or two along the way. It can be exhausting, certainly, even a little discouraging, but for me it's the only way to make any progress.
Cut to now. November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), where participants are encouraged to write a short novel of 50K words or more in the span of a month, or approximately 1,670 words a day on average. I was tempted to try it this year since I've got a few ideas in my head, but none of them are really developed enough yet to last as long as required. Instead, I'll be following in the spirit of the event and try to write that many words every day for my story, and see where it takes me. Whether it means using half of it, none of it, or even needing more, the whole point is that I work towards an ending that satisfies as many as possible.
Obviously this won't mean I'll just upload whatever I come up with and call it a day. I'll still need to review it all and see what works, and what doesn't. Once I'm satisfied with the final result, I'll post it on the site and let you all see it.
Thank you so much for your patience and dedication to this story. I hope you enjoy this month and have a great day!
P.S. If you want to look up more info on NaNoWriMo, or even participate, please check the following link. It's worth looking into: http://nanowrimo.org/
Alright.
I'd definitely like to see the story through.
But I can understand how wading through all the sap and honey and whatever liquid represents drama (Whisky? Coffee? Irish Coffee?) that the ending undoubtedly, boundlessly drips with takes time.
Honestly, I'm just very comforted to hear that you're still around and still very much working on the story. When a story goes for a long time without an update, touching base with the readers to assure us that you're still alive is an extremely kind and considerate thing to do. Thanks!
I discovered Mort Takes a Holiday back when you uploaded the most recent two chapters, and it quickly became one of my favorites. I always know that I've found something special when reading through 10,000+ words per chapter seems to take no time at all, and this is most definitely the case with Mort. The story is great, and you're an excellent writer.
Take as much time as you need. The story will be done when it's done, and I wouldn't have it any other way. ^_^
You certainly are persistent I'll give you that
A lot of other writers would have given up by now.
As always, I await your next installment with great anticipation.
also, happy Halloween~
I'll second LanceOmikron. This story is one of my favorites, and for good reason. I am happy to know that you haven't given up.
One of the things I like about your story is that it's unique. I haven't ever seen another story like it on fimfiction. In fact, few stories touch on death at all, let alone the mechanics of it and the characters who help regulate it. So take your time. As long as I know it's still going, I can wait. 
Though endings are very important to a story, any ending is better then no ending.
As it sits, I have about 5-8 VERY good stories in my Favorites that have never been finished because ether they got canceled or the author just up and dispersed.
In fact, the only ending to something that I ever actually hated was I Am Legend.
But in the end, its truly up to you.
Just think it out, don't get stressed, deal with problems one at a time as they come up, and trust yourself to do what needs to be done; and if all fails, ask somebody what they think(but that being said, don't just do exactly what they say. This is you're work first).
Worrying gets you nowhere.
I trust ya' to get things done in a way that works and is beautiful.
Then I'll need to go and re-read this after you finish so I can get the full experience xD2567582
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+1
I certainly agree there. Take all the time you need.
2567548
Pretty sure that is tequilla... Maybe absinthe?
2568111
You've seen the alternate, waaaaay better ending to I Am Legend, right?
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Well I guess I have not xD
Will need to now....
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So... it's basically the ending to the book (and The Omega Man), and the movie sets everything up for it, but when test audiences saw it they thought it wasn't exciting enough, so the studio changed it out for theeeeeee most generic Hollywood monster ending imaginable.
Here's the scene.
Like, the vampire/zombie things Will Smith was fighting and capturing the entire movie to "cure" had become a legit civilization in themselves, and they see Smith's character as this horrific boogieman who captures people and experiments on them. Thus, he is legend to them.
Pretty amazing how a bad ending to completely change a good movie.
2568111
I feel your pain, so very keenly.
You see, for many years I didn't think much of fanfics. I had read some and thought that they were occasionally amusing, but had ultimately deemed them incapable of true greatness. But after I became a brony, I decided to give them another shot. I came to this website and stumbled upon Equestria: Total War.
The writing quality, the characterization, the twists and turns that the story went through, everything about it was simply amazing. I've read actual published novels that weren't as good as E:TW. I could praise the story all day, but what it boils down to is that E:TW is nothing less than one of the greatest things I've ever read, and it restored my faith in fanfics. Sadly, the author is gone without a trace, and this legendary fanfic is without an ending. T_T
Again take all the time you need to finish your art. Cause I don't know about the rest of you, but I have already made a deal with my designated soul taker to chill with 'em till the story is done and read. Just in case.
Generic encouragement: I'm just waiting excitedly, though I'm sad to hear that the ending is just around the corner (in a very broad manner of speaking, but just two chapters is around the corner, at least i terms of reading it). Still, I have no doubt you'll avoid the bad ending pit fall. You write too well and seem to aware of the traps to fail.
No pressure
Happy writing.
Hey, just found this amazing stories of yours, then just found your most recent blogs regarding said awesome story. And although I am excitingly await more, I also recognized patience is needed for things to be just . . . . there.
Take all the time you want, man, we'll be patient.