And as we ring in the new year... · 1:25am Jan 3rd, 2015
Well, as we enter 2015, I just wanted to take a moment to reflect and talk about the last year for me on this site. (Yes, that's it. If you don't care, move along.)
The simple thing is, this site and the people on it have given me so much and I just want to properly express that. I first started this account in October 2013 at the suggestion of a couple people who had read my mini-stories on my old pony account on Instagram. I was fourteen at the time, and had never approached writing fanfiction or even writing for a large, somewhat adult, audience before. Naturally, my first story was a bit of a crapshoot, but when the second story I wrote, The Hooves Family Tree (still one of my most popular works to date), was given a generally positive review by the people who read it, I realized I might actually have a chance here. It wasn't really until 2014 started that I properly got my footing around this place, and ever since then I've only been improving.
Fimfiction has seen me through a lot. Moving to Seattle and adjusting to high school left me a bit of a mess, and this site helped me find something consistently good in my life. The amazing support and kind words of the people who enjoy my stories means so much to me, and all the advice and critique I've gotten has only helped me improve as a writer and as a person.
Numbers, which was a bit of an experiment to me, has recently broken 8,000 views, 1,100 likes, and is the 139th highest ranked story on Fimfiction. I can never truly explain how much the overwhelming encouragement of my little 2,000 word story that I wrote in a week makes me feel better about myself whenever I don't succeed in other things people my age are generally good at. Just knowing I truly succeeded there, and created something that has given me followers and recognition on this site is incredible.
I have been asked before, Why Trixie? Why do you choose her out of any character or instead of an oc to be your face on this site?
Truth be told, it's because in many ways I am so very much like Trixie. While she may be someone that generally older people sympathize with, to me a lot of the things she struggles with are reflected in my life. I'm not good at a lot of things in the 'real world', I am, however, very smart. I'm not trying to fluff up my own ego, it's just, to me, a fact of my life that has been proven over and over again. That said, it's not a good thing all the time. It's led to me being pushed aside by my peers and even my teachers, and that, among other things, has meant I haven't grown up with much of a great social life, or even a good school life. Over the years, being good at certain things most people aren't and being frankly terrible at a lot of 'normal' stuff has led to me being more or less ignored. In the past, I've become so frustrated at people not acknowledging my skills unless it's immediately useful to them, I've either retreated inside my own shell, or, more often, lashed out by flaunting my abilities when I have the chance and frankly being not-nice to the other people who had managed to succeed in school because they were better at being... well, normal. Like Trixie, I've been a boaster because I hate it when people ignore what I can be good at because it's different from them, and like Trixie, I've been a lesson of what not to do while never receiving any help myself.
This site has managed to change a lot of that for me. I feel like I am being acknowledged at being good at something for once in my life. I may not be the best, not even close, but the amazing people here reading this now and caring has given me proof that I am half-decent at something, and I can demonstrate that without it being a problem.
So all I can say is...
Thank you so much. I can only hope you all will stick around for 2015 and continue to offer your support and advice on my work.
-Pastel Pony
I salute you, my fellow author. Let this new year bring great things for all of our work.
That is what we are here for, to support others and build confidence. The new year holds a huge opportunity for every writer that is going to write new stories, so we thank you.
I'll offer more support if you update (and finish!?) Great and Powerful: The Story of Trixie Lulamoon
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I know, I know, I've been terrible about updating Great and Powerful.
To be honest, it's kind of nice to see someone who still believes in the fic. Great and Powerful has always been kinda my baby, but over the last... wow, 10 or so months, I've just gotten so busy with life, and what time I've had has ended up being given over to my more popular work. I feel like a much better writer now, so I really want to revisit the published chapters and clean them up a little (thank you for your comments concerning that, btw), and then I can hopefully move forward and update the story.
Don't worry, there's still life left for Trixie, Sparkle, Slim, and all the rest. The mare from the dark side of Canterlot will return!
...And if she doesn't within the month then make sure to bother me about it.
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Permission to pester you in the future? OH BOY!
Even better!
(And no problem)
Happy New Year!
I need to read some of those other stories...