Behind the Scenes: July

It has been awhile since I've done one of these, huh? I wanted to wait until I had some truly exciting news for you, so that's why it has taken until July is almost already over.

Update: First Gear

When I tried submitting it to EQD, their prereaders told me that I should tighten up the writing. That's still on the backburner. Meanwhile, over 600 reads tells me that you guys have been enjoying this. I love how people are still finding it even though the first book has all its chapters up. Keep 'em coming! I still don't quite believe that the numbers are real, but what's the harm in rolling with it?

Update: Second Gear

Second Gear is doing pretty well, don't you think? I've been able to get out a lot of the concepts I wanted to use, and set up a few more things. I really like Snowbelle as a character, and how her presence changes the whole dynamic. I was especially excited to do an entire chapter according to her perspective. Most of the time, when I do perspective switches, it's to show what Vines is up to, and that's starting to get really dark and serious. Snowbelle gives a lighter perspective on things, and maybe doing this harkens back to when I introduced Gearhead, according to each of the Mane6's perspectives. Snowbelle has one or two important roles still to fill in Second Gear, so I hope you look forward to it.

I hope I am also conveying Fluttershy's and Gearhead's relationship in somewhat of a realistic light. Human relationships are very rarely straightforward, with misunderstandings and quarrels, but also with compromise, affection, and hopefully respect. It should be clear that as far as future relationships go, Gearhead does not have a direct road. Most of his obstacles are things he put there himself, but some of the mares around him put obstacles in the way too. The idea that started this particular relationship was 'support,' so what happens when that changes, or when other ideas get in the way? This is not a shipfic, but relationships happen. I also want to be sure that Gearhead does not become a typical harem protagonist, but in any case he also tends to be more aware than most of the blockheads such series tend to feature.

As far as publication of the upcoming Book 2 finale goes, I am leaning strongly toward releasing the first chapter on week 1, the second and third chapters on week 2, and the fourth and final chapter on week 4. I will then follow that with chapters 1A and 1B of Book 3 the next week, with 2A and 2B the week after. You may have noticed I have made multiple blogs recently, choosing them as the reader rewards so I can keep this scheme, at least for now. This publication schedule should help balance both story flow and suspense.

Update: Third Gear

My original plan was to write 26 chapters to have a full season format, which meant creating 13 completely original chapters. Yet again, it is going to be a challenge sticking to that format, but I shall do my best -- because I could easily overshoot the 26 chapter mark: First there's there four chapter premiere. Then 'Wonderbolts Academy' also turned into four chapters. The original story arc 'Brain Children' is now two chapters, and so is 'Keep Calm and Flutter On.' On the plus side, the only canon story arc I have left that I don't plan on modifying heavily is 'Games Ponies Play,' which will take place once the gang from 'Journey Through the Rift' is either settled or returned -- probably the former. I plan on finishing off Book 3 with a heavily-modified 'Magical Mystery Cure.' in that it will be a body swap story arc, but there's something huge to come first.

You'll see why the premiere became four chapters when I release it.
'Wonderbolts Academy' expanded because I did not think the original episode showed what military training might be like. I say 'might' because I do not have any experience in the matter, so a little guidance would be appreciated. Besides Rainbow Dash's character progression, there is also one happening with Prism, as well as with Lightning Dust, whom I do not think the show handled fairly. All of that could not possibly be contained in a single chapter.

'Brain Children' is the first time Gearhead encounters anything comparable to his Alicorn Engine, so it was somewhat tough, but also fun, imagining how he would react. I wanted the arc to be mostly self-contained, but I also wanted it to hint at something more for the future. It's pretty clear that Gearhead should face a Dark Engine in the future. In a way, this helps lay the groundwork.

A common complaint about 'Keep Calm and Flutter On' is that Discord's reformation is too fast to be believable, but then that is part of what makes 'Twilight's Kingdom' work. Another complaint is that Twilight herself turning to magic as a solution is just as morally wrong as what Discord did to the Mane6, so I decided to lampshade that. Even Fluttershy's methods seem overly manipulative, even though the results are good. If we don't make use of means that others can approve, then what use are those means? I find myself being unable to gloss over grey methods when the expectation is for 'white' action. Fortunately, I favour stories with grey morality and philosophy like A Song of Ice & Fire and Negima, so if I can rationalize it, my characters will go grey sometimes. But I cannot rationalize the use of mind control spells or emotional manipulation in trying to turn Discord. I turned to a different method instead, which you will see when you get there. Likewise, this arc is two chapters long, spanning over a period of three days. And it leads directly into 'Journey Through the Rift.'

The Brony Ponysonas for whom I have gained permission to use are Smart Alec (AnY Entertainment), Doc Wolf (DRWolf001), KP (ILoveKimPossibleAlot), Aurora Mage and Lethal Mage (LethalAuroraMage), and Silver Quill and Devil Quill (MLP-Silver Quill). Thanks to them for granting me permission to use their Ponysonas, things are about to get a lot more... interesting. I have already written the first meeting scene, and the humour is flying fast. My goal with the 'Journey Through the Rift' arc is to have at least one arc for each of the Ponysonas. In the end, I will determine whether to send them back to the Rift, or to keep them for The Dark Wars. Naturally, I also hope to do these characters justice, in writing them in a way that the well-known Bronyanalysts who made them will enjoy seeing. There are references, of course (KP is involved, as is Quill), but circumstances will demand that they keep their behaviour in check at least a little.

And Outside The Gear Series

There are two things that will take some of my time away from writing. Three, actually, and that's not even including work and normal life. First, I have been into the Gameloft My Little Pony game for a few months now. I have worked up quite the fortune, although they seem to have cut out our source of gems significantly. I find the interactions between the ponies to be cute and entertaining, and mostly it has been something even freeplayers like me can play, unlike most of the point and click free games I have found previously -- I'm looking at you, SD Gundam and Bleach Online.

I've also gotten a fair bit into Agario, thanks to the Achievement Hunters of Lets Play fame. I play as 'Cannibal Clown,' because I eat other cells and I taste funny when eaten. Say 'hi' if you see me!

The third thing is that after rewatching Gundam Build Fighters Try, I have become interested enough in Gunpla to look into them myself. Unfortunately there do not seem to be any shops within a reasonable distance of where I live that sell the kits for cheap. Fortunately I have found that Amazon and HobbyLink Japan do. I used an Amazon gift card I had to order a '00 Raiser Designer's Colours' kit, which should present a good enough challenge as a first kit -- it's a snap-fit assembly, so I don't need glue, but I bought some Sharpies that I can use to do touch-ups whenever I need to. I also bought an HG 'Star Build Strike' kit. The weapons and little tricks fit my tastes, although I still favour the Exia's folding sword-rifle. I also want to get a transforming Gunpla. On all the reviews I've seen, the 'Harute' kit has a lot of trouble with parts falling off their ball joints, and there's no locking mechanism for the flight mode, which is just the mobile suit's backpack anyway. I want a kit where the transformation is fully integrated, so I'm looking at the 'Arios' and 'GN Archer' the most. The 'Arios' has a lot of features, and the 'GN Archer' has a lot of the design elements I like in the 'Harute,' just no swords. They dock, so I might have to get both. I'll see what I can do to save as much money as possible But first, lets see if I even have what it takes to be a Gunpla builder when the 00 and Star Build kits get here in a week or two. I might also get the 'Kamiki Build Burning,' depending on how it looks once it's released in September.

EDIT: What the...? recently found out that the HG 1/144 '00 Raiser + GN Sword III' kit includes the GN Sword IIs as well. I thought it just had the III, which is why I chose the other kit. Oh well, I'll get this kit and give the one I already ordered to one of my nephews -- because the folding design on the GN Sword III is awesome! It even comes with an effect part to do the Raiser Sword! It just goes to show that not every online store might have all the details in their descriptions. My second source, after Amazon, is HobbyLink Japan. They charge in yen, and for S&H, but they still can be less expensive than the Amazon listings.