Bloodstained: A Retrospective · 7:50am Jul 19th, 2015
I have been writing this story for over two years now, and one rarely does anything for over two years without learning anything. As I've finished writing the latest instalment of this series, and so as I sit here with a nice cup of tea and reminisce on the last two years I've spent writing, I feel I'd like to share some things I've learnt about my writing and what I think I could have done better.
I guess the first issue is the length of time it took me to write this thing. In truth I didn't expect that 'Bloodstained' would take so long to write, or that it would be so long. It turns out that I am extremely bad at estimating what I can squeeze into a single chapter and how long it would take me to write it. This probably ties into the second problem I had writing this - ambition. Of course there's nothing wrong with being ambitious, as only by striving to achieve something that might be beyond your comfort zone can you develop your skills as a writer. You might fail spectacularly, but as long as you maintain the right mindset you can learn from those mistakes. In this case I was probably a little too ambitious; 'First Blood' and 'Night's Blood' were relatively short and the stories fairly simple, but 'Bloodstained' added in a little more complexity into the plot. The fact that my own writing style became increasingly more verbose probably didn't help. Not that I consider the rambling, sprawling style to be in detriment, as I feel that it suited the epistolary nature of this story.
The last problem I had is rather more personal than just the business of sitting down and writing. Some time last year I visited the Tyne Cot war grave in Belgium, which is the largest Commonwealth war grave in the world. To see the thousands of graves of the fallen was humbling and rather depressing. At that point I started to lose my enthusiasm for writing about war; how could I write this knowing the very real human misery that has happened and continues to happen as a result of war? Nevertheless, I persisted, as I found that this story had been mentioned in the TVTropes page for 'War is Hell'. Perhaps I was doing something right.
So where do I go from here? I'd like to take a short break for now, but don't worry, I still have story ideas that I want to pursue. Commissar Blueblood will return.
I can wait man I think that your one of the best writers on this site also being a wounded Iraq war vet I agree war is hell but yea don't burn your self out
Looking forward to wherever our favorite commissar heads to next. First, though, enjoy your break!
By the way: Your writing has in no way convinced me that going to war is a good funtime activity.
Enjoy your break, gather new inspiration, and do as you wish.
Thats the only way to stay fine as you are.
Although it would be great to get new episodes of your story, since its one of my most favourite stories about mlp. You have it well written, great characters, and i love your interpetation of combination of w40k/MLP - that is genious.
+ you have prepared for much nice content in the future in your episodes, that can only be discribed as : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFLJVYXQIDM ;)
So, hope to see your work soon, and if not, thanks for everything you´ve already done. ;)
+ about your thoughts about real horror of war and everything, i dont think that is a problem in your books, since you show it from one perspective ( though it might be very interesting to see perspectives on this war (queen chrysalis, some sentient changeling drones, ponies attacked by changelings, stuff like that, that you might show in dialogue. That might keep your concience about seriousness about war calm, and it would be interesting and nice chapter)
Take the Harold Flashman Route with Blueblood galavanting around the world getting in trouble and banging all the exotic mares and females.