So yeah, about my stories... · 3:53pm Aug 3rd, 2012
I know, I know. It's been almost two months since the last Metro update. Again.
Fact is, I haven't had the muse for it.
I hate that fact... because usually writing for me is like trying to roll a rock up a steep incline and then letting it fall down the hill on the other side. Hard to start, but once I get going it becomes hard to stop.
Metro is supposed to be my magnum pony opus, the thing that I became known for. I wanted it to be the very greatest thing ever, and I know it's kinda, well, not. Otherwise it probably would have gotten more recognition than it does. I know my update schedule hasn't helped with that. But that was the first "big" story I ever started writing for ponies. I think the big problem is that I started writing it as sort of a reaction to Fallout Equestria. I saw Kkat post that and realized ponies really could be grimdark, and decided to take a stab at it myself.
Hell, a few people even joked about shipping Lockbox and Littlepip at the very beginning.
But you know something? I really don't like Fallout: Equestria. Not the fic, anyway. Not because I think my fics are "better" or anything. It just doesn't really do anything for me like it does everyone else, in spite of some great ideas sprinkled through the story, like the pegasus Enclave. I like the idea of Fallout, I just don't really like the fic that defined it. And I also don't like that Kkat's fic really does define every single Fallout story that will come after it. It's why I wonder when some world-spanning adventure fic will come out, like something based around Hlissner's work on DeviantArt (look that guy up, because he really is doing an incredible job), and then it'll become popular and everyone will think that that fic is the "canon" version of everything outside Equestria and people who don't write in that universe are somehow "messing with" the established ideas. I hate it when things like that happen, especially in a fandom as open and expressive as this.
Anyway, what this all has to do with Metro is that I thought I could do something awesome like it too, and in my little moment of hubris I got just a teensy bit disappointed in myself when I couldn't keep the ball rolling. I put a lot of myself into Metro, and it still got a comparatively lackluster response, even at the beginning when everyone was excited about grimdark pony fic. It was in Fallout's shadow much like the actual Metro 2033 was in the shadow of Fallout 3. People just like Fallout better than Metro, and I'm not bitter about that.
But then I see that people keep favoriting Metro. Just a few, every couple of weeks.
And I came to realize, after a lot of stuff that I don't think will fit on this blog, that it's about writing for those people. And writing to improve myself. I have a story that wants to be told, and darn how popular or unpopular it is. I've seen great authors who never once complain like this and yet have even fewer stories and followers than me. And I realize how stupid it is to worry about popularity in this or any other capacity when I know I'm doing a good job, one that at least several people enjoy.
So with that in mind, expect to see Metro's next chapter come out in the next two days. I plan to never let more than two weeks go by without updating my favorite story again. If I do, then you can be sure I really am just a hack who likes ranting on his silly little blog.
So in closing, I want to give a big, personal, sopping wet with tears of joy thank you to all my watchers and favorite-ers(?). I haven't forgotten about you guys. Entertaining is a conversation, and everyone who reads my story are the ones I talk with. Thank you for stopping by and making this feel worth it.
Glad to see you don't really care about popularity, as it can go to someone's head and mess with them. Just don't push yourself too hard, good sir.
P.S; if you ever need a prereader, I'd be more than willing to offer my services. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to check out this most recent one if you so desire them.
Even if you don't update it every two weeks, I'll still follow it to the end.
FUCK YEAH!! You write that story like it was your baby! We're with you all the way.
I'm watching you because of Severance.
I've never ever played any one of those games and yet I do enjoy the fanfictions. It's about the story.
Having said that, it is kind of hard for me to imagine some scenes from My Little Metro.
Apparently using a soviet-style metro for transportation for several years isn't enough for my imagination, heh.
I'm glad you've decided to finally put effort into continuing the story again.
If you didn't, not only would you disappoint your readers but you'd also fail yourself.
Cheers.
I may be a little late but I just wanted to thank you for continuing the amazing piece of literature that is My Little Metro for us. For the first half of your post I thought I was going to have to freak out, because I had long been meaning to comment on the story some time and tell you how absolutely amazing it is and how much it means to me every time I get another chapter to read. The reason I had been putting it off was because I simply didn't know how to put that into words and was afraid of failing and understating my adoration of you and your writing, so I never did. Obviously if I later found out that you decided to discontinue the story because of a perceived lack of interest I would've kicked myself to death.
But anyway, MLM is an incredible piece of fanfiction and you should be proud to be the author of it. Personally I very, very rarely read fanfiction; usually I only venture to read a story when it comes highly recommended as a mind-blowing piece of literature. When I first saw your story mentioned on EqD (which was itself a bit of a miracle as I only glanced over fanfiction posts on my way to more relevant posts), I didn't think it would be anywhere near good. I, as a long-time Metro fan, just wondered at the fact that My Little Pony had seemingly been crossed with anything- a Metro 2033 crossover, of all things? Fatefully, my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to read a bit of it, just to laugh at the unlikely combination of Metro and ponies.
Of course, instead of a quirky but gimmicky story to laugh at, I got this. One of the only lengthy pieces of literature capable of holding my attention these days; a rich and engrossing tale that I consider better-written and more interesting than the original Metro 2033 book itself. Every time you release a new chapter I have to fight the urge to go back and re-read the book or re-play the game. I often fail.
So yeah, just thought I would let you know how correct you were in guessing that your story meant very much to at least a few people. As there isn't much I can give you in return, you at least deserve to know that.