Farewell, I guess. · 3:33am Oct 9th, 2015
So someone suggested to me that I should post a farewell note, regardless of the actual eventual result of the note in question. I think that makes sense, but I'm going to expand the eventual result--or so I hope--to some meaningful degree. Note I have been drinking, so the typos are a result of that. The sentiment is not.
I try very hard, and have always tried, to be something my readers enjoy on a continual and untainted basis. I realize some people will always come into my stories with some preconceived notions, and I try, when possible, to dispel them. The most obvious example in this case will, of course, be Mr. Cake. I feel like I've mentioned before that I find his character within the show to be hugely superficial and fake. I don't know how anyone could assume otherwise, especially if I've specified in comments (let's be honest; I can't respond to ever comment in the author's notes, now can I?) that that's the case. Anyway, if you tell me that Mr. Cake is OOC, understand that I know IMMEDIATELY that you didn't actually read the fic, and that I genuinely don't care what you think. Sorry, but you telling me that means you didn't pay any attention to the rest of the story, so your opinion is like some Twilight fan complaining about Dracula. You obviously don't know what you're talking about, so why should anyone care what you have to say?
Beyond that, I have to deal with more subtle but more frustrating comments. Yeah, okay, fine. Glitter isn't your thing. Does it matter? She isn't badly written, she isn't shoehorned in, so why bother? To frustrate me? To make an author regret bothering with the words that took them hours to produce? Well, congrats. I regret those hours. I regret every second I spent writing that chapter. I didn't realize it would affect anybody to the point that they would waste their time AND MINE to write something so ostensibly meaningless, but so genuinely hurtful.
So I guess in the end my point is this. TMUP probably won't have a satisfactory ending. I'm sorry to those of you who were hoping for one, but honestly, I'm so sick of the judgment, of the negative comments, of the genuinely mediocre response to every single chapter, that I just don't see the point. Yeah, the next chapter is half done. Who gives a shit? I do, obviously, but the comment I received some 3 comments ago doesn't exactly fill me with motivation. Of course I deleted it. You think I want to spend the rest of my life contemplating what some person thinks of a fic I spent 150k words and countless--no seriously, I have no idea how long--hours writing? I don't. I can't.
I have enough trouble with depression. I don't need y'all's help. Enjoy an unfinished fic, because guess what? I can't honestly find the motivation to finish anymore. I just can't.
Well, I'll miss your brilliant fic. I never thought anything was shoehorned in. It was perfection for me. You were doing all to well.
I hope that maybe one day you'll find the inspiration to finish it. This is one of only a few stories really keeping me looking in my updates. Sad to see it done. :c
Well, Thanks for saying so at least. It's more than what a lot of people have done.
I hope you don't leave.
and thus, another author is forced to stop their works because people are dicks, despite this fandom being meant to be about love and tolerance
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I don't want to, and if I'm totally honest, when I sober up, I probably will go back to writing, however hard it is. I guess I just wanted to vent how unbelievably hard it is for people like me, who write as a hobby, who spend hours crafting my characters, who bounce dozens of possible plot points off of fellow writers and fic-fans, just to guarantee the bullshit I write makes sense. It's a challenge.
The last person--who will remain forever nameless--to comment suggested I was some combination of androgynical hater who only had sex-obsessed males in my fic because that was my personal stance. It really made me sit back and reflect what my fics meant to people. The most minute comment, the most benign passing point would resonate with people. I was not strictly okay with that if the resonation meant people were that upset. So in the end, I decided it wasn't worth the effort. It was too painful, too draining, too exhausting.
Callisto found her husband on Fimfic. I found my motivation to stop writing entirely. I guess we all find different things when we delve too deep.
It's a dark day when such an amazing writer puts up their quill and ink so to speak. Kiro, you were the reason I even bothered to make an account here. Its sad to see you go, I wish you'd stay.
I honestly feel the way you wrote your characters were more believable than a good number of other writers. You made them in a way that I thought wasn't possible for a fanfiction writer to accomplish. I really hope you'll find something to re inspire you to continue, but if not, I wish you the best and hope that you'll succeed in anything life throws at you, you literary genius.
3454265 Huh, it's a shame you deleted that post then. If it was really that bad, you should have reported it to the mods and let them deal with the problem at the source rather than trying to delete stupid comments from one or two scumbags because the tiny number of dislikes means it is impossible for there to have been more than that.
I-I'm sorry...
I'll miss your writing, hopefully at some point you find the motivation to finish it. TMUP was a favorite of mine and i'll miss it.
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It really wasn't, and I think that's part of what makes me embarrassed that it affected me so badly. It was a very normal, personally serious opinion that just struck me so violently that I genuinely lost interest in writing anymore. I spent 15 chapters building deep, complex characters, but this comment gave up after one. And not even one in TMUP, but one in the prequel, NLL, which is commonly considered to be massively inferior. Anyway the point is I don't really want to keep spending minutes of my life producing words that people like that are going to shit on. If they'd spent any time looking at the whole paragraph from the perspective of my characters, maybe they'd have understood there was more going on than their knee-jerk reaction convinced them was going on, but it didn't. And as a result, they personally convinced me that the MLP fandom isn't worth trying to maintain a presence in. Sorry, guys. Yeah, most of you are fine. Some of you are awesome. But some of you...man. Get some perspective. Jesus.
i hate to see these posts. i will admit i see where your coming from, i wish you would finish this story just to be like fuck the haters i know at least one person likes it but i cant talk. Just wanted to say dont give up but i havent read your stories yet but they are the next 2 on my list of must reads cause a friend of mine on here sent them to me. So from a would be fan...dont make it a good bye forever but a see you later.
Jesus, man.
I'd recommend breaking into more short stories if these are the issues you're having, assuming you still feel like writing once you're sober. Take a nice break from TMUP at the very least, if writing it is even on the table anymore.
Oh, and for the record, don't let the ratio of ups to downs confuse you. It is JUST as easy to be frustrated by a 98% upvoted story as it is to be frustrated by a 60% upvoted story. Numbers don't mean anything when all you want is words.
3454307 Damn. I'm actually getting a bit bleary-eyed. I really love your work. I don't know what else to say. I hope you keep writing in whatever capacity you'll enjoy doing. It's not like I'm going to be able to sway you, and I'd feel selfish trying to convince you to do something you don't like anymore. Shit. Thanks for everything you've written so far, I really enjoyed reading it.
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I think, if I'm honest with myself, that writing will never NOT be on the table. I think I'm mostly just frustrated with the lukewarm response most of my updates tend to get, and that's when they don't get openly negative ones. Granted, when one writes a fic that spans 150k words, I think it's fair to tell that person to expect a certain lull in response, but I'm not sure I expected quite the same level of "meh" I feel like i get. I guess I was just expecting more out of a 7k chapter with what *I* considered to be a pretty major plot twist. Anyway, other people get more response from chapters half as long. I guess I just get frustrated is all. Still, your continued interest means a lot to me.
Sorry to see you go. The Most Unlikely Places is one of those fics that always makes me really happy when I see it update. If you do decide to leave I will be sorry to see you go.
Damn, thank you for telling us about this. Regardless of what one person said I am enjoying the story as it was building up, seeing the changes and developments of characters in the years after as things change. While I am sad to see the end of The Most Unlikely Places, I do want to say thank for what you have written.
Lets just say this. Right now, I have 50 unread updates. Most of them will still probably be unread a few weeks from now. But this story is one of a couple that would jump past those and immediately get read if I saw an update.
Oh, and believe me, I had a commenter once on one of my stories claiming that no parent would kick their child out of their home and leave them homeless, and I've had my share of comments about an OOC character or two. I'd focus on the positive. There are a lot of people reading and enjoying this story.
The other thing is, well, are you enjoying writing the story? If you are, don't worry about the occasional negative comment...
--arcum42
hug
I guess putting up my two cents won't matter too much, but I feel like I should try. I'm currently on the last chapter of my first story. I've written other stories in the time I've been writing it. It has been quite a journey to where I am now. When I first began writing it I was getting a chapter a day out, a thousand per. It sucked, but I was just too excited writing to notice. Then one comment made me stop. It was hurtful, it made me angry, and it made me look at my story with a more critical eye. And it was made better for it.
The point that I think I'm trying to make is that I took the criticism and worked with it, not because it was legitimate critique or smart, but because I wanted to show them I could do better than them. Make a story that was worth it's slat while they just kept on hating. Now I look at every hate comment and see if there's anything actually worth looking at, because ya never know.
I'm not saying you should do what I do or that I'm better than you, just how I deal with similar problems. It hurts to know that your losing the motivation to finish properly such a good story, and I hope my ramblings in some way meant something worth while to you.
Hugs and well wishes my friend.
As a reminder, I favorited your story at the chapter "Rememberance". I had binged on your story (and robbed myself of sleep if I remember), and declared it worthy enough to be followed closely.
After a quick reread, your writing is still worth it. So even if you never complete this tale, it will never leave my Favorites list.
Indeed, after glancing at some of your other work, I will add you to the List of those I Follow. Partially as a reminder to myself to reread your other work.
But mostly it's because, should you decide to continue this tale, I wish to make absolutely sure I'm aware of it. Because I am highly curious about how this story may resolve. Even if it never does, my curiosity will note wane. So yeah, you still have my undivided attention, should you decide to continue.
I've been following your story for some time now and have really enjoyed it. It saddens me that you might be giving up on it.
But I understand that you've got to do what you feel is best for you. Take care of yourself my friend.
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I'd normally like for this to be a full conversation, but I've got to be up in five hours, so I'll try and condense my outlook.
I'm there with you, man. Responses to my stuff have rarely ever (though not never) been baselessly critical, but on the rest, I've had the same battle. Nothing I've written has reached a length of 150k words—my catalog of stories here and elsewhere might not add up to that, even—but many's the time I've put out something that I worked inordinately lengthy hours on just for the response to be minimal or nonexistent. Which is, actually, at least some of the reason why nothing of mine has approached the same length; when my readers don't share my enthusiasm, my enthusiasm goes away or gets redirected. I hate being that kind of author sometimes, but I just don't have it in me to beat myself up about it so much anymore.
You could try doing what I (try to) do and put out smaller projects to get some more immediate response. Tide you over while you slow down with your main thing and work on it whenever it happens not to feel like work anymore. I've had mixed results with this approach, but I tend to at least be more productive, and that feels good in and of itself. Find what works for you, of course.
Well, I'm sorry to hear that. I've had my own problems with depression and I'm impressed that you've been able to write at all if you're fighting it. Like Arcum, this is one of the few fics where I will always read every chapter as it comes out. (I think I read the last chapter after a 14 hour day where I wanted nothing more than to sleep until I saw the update. Then I spent an hour reading the new chapter and rereading others.) Your fic feels very real, the characters are smart, but still make believable mistakes like avoiding hard conversations until things blow up. In short, it's one of the best fics out there in many ways.
I hope things go better for you and don't let the jerks drag you down.
I always love your chapters. I'm sorry I don't comment about them more often. I hope that you someday return to this fic after the vocal minority has calmed down.
Look. I know a thing about people harassing you for the choices you make. Let them. If you let people walk over you now, they'll be walking over you the rest of your life.
You're never going to please everyone; it's impossible. If you write what you want, you can never go wrong.
My advice is to take a break from this fic and put it on hiatus for a while. Write some short stories you want to write. Then, whenever you're ready, come back with a fresh outlook.
I certainly hope not "farewell."
I do, however, know all-too-well the kind of derailing effect that a single comment can have. Words mean things, and because of that, they can have a lot of power.
On the lukewarm responses, well. It comes down to rapport, I think. The authors I interact with the most are those that either I know personally already, or that update their stories and blogs frequently, or "other," and I really couldn't tell you what comprises that last category.
In your case, though, I think the answer to why the response seems lukewarm is because a fair number of us feel, for whatever reason, that we "missed our chance" because we weren't early commenters on your first stories, especially No Longer Lost. This is obviously a completely irrational and untrue thing to think, but that's part of what makes something as dynamic as relationships tricky. In my case, it's always been my honest perception, with the number of followers you have and the number of unique views on NLL and TMUP, that you don't need me. That you've already got hundreds of folks commenting on your chapters and I'd just be adding unhelpful noise and being a general pest to you. Again, rationality has nothing to do with this particular belief; there is absolutely nothing that you or anyone else did to make me think this, regardless of how true or untrue it is. It's something I've convinced myself of, and I probably unconsciously go to great lengths to continue to convince myself of this.
I suspect this is true for a lot of us readers; we didn't think that you needed us and that we'd be bothering you. I fear we have erred.
Know i and many others have read your story/stiries an loved them <3 I know it probably doesn't mean much coming from just one person but I just wanted you to know that I loved your story and hope u will finish it with the same amount of passion you started it with. Even tho some hate it it's the ones that love it that makes the hours spent thinking and writing worth it . So I hope this isn't the end of a beautiful story <3
I would be amiss if I didn't try reinvigorating your hopes, especially with stories of your caliber on the line. TMUP was the story that actually spurred me to make an account, and I constantly use your writing as reference for what good storytelling is. I think the problem truly stems from how criticism appears over the site.
For reasons unknown to me, whether it be for constructive purposes or not, criticism is articulated far more often than praise.
Sometimes the people who truly love a work forget that, without their support, it might not endure. I forget this as well, and for that, I apologize. There are hundreds people who love your work, and we feel that reading a sea of vague appreciative remarks would be a waste of your time. A "thumbs up" is truly all I need to say, but I can only do it once. I love the story, and everything about it. I look forward to every update in glee, dispite the occasional eyon between them. The instant I see your story update, everything else comes second. I feel I don't have anything to contribute other than a stalker vibe by posting a compliment at the end of every chapter.
Critics will often reiterate themselves, thinking the more often you see their taunts the more truth and weight they will carry. Please don't let them be right. The overwhelming majority of your audience has nothing but great things to say, but don't often make themselves heard. You're a master of pony literature, and I'm sorry if we don't tell you as often as we should.
3454428 If I could give you a high five, I would. I think those who also like works believe that legitimate criticism makes them appear helpful, which can lead to a more derailing tlresult than what was intended. Sometimes the author just wants to hear "Bravo to a job well done."
Well, god dammit. This was a sad message to wake up to.
I don't think I have anything to say that hasn't been said here already. Your stories are wonderful, and I always looked forward to seeing your work. But I know very well how demoralizing it is to spend months slaving over a chapter that gets no response to speak of, and feeling that all my efforts are wasted.
Hope you feel better.
I can only agree with many when I say I have enjoyed greatly TMUP.
I have not caught up to the most recent chapter, as I tend to leave it a few chapters in most fics otherwise I'm constantly re-reading them in order to catch up and they lose all their freshness.
As to hurtful comments - it is extremely hard to take account of the silent majority that may have simply read the chapter, enjoyed it, and moved on with their day, without reading the comments section.
I at least find it extremely awkward to comment on every single chapter.
Thank you greatly for the effort you have put in, and please try not to take negative commenters too seriously - even if you agree with some of the points they put, that does not mean that the overall tone or violence with which they put those points is valid.
I doubt there's anything I could say or do to lift your spirits. Anything I could think of has already been said. Just know that I've loved every second of this story, and the story before it. And regardless of how you end it, it will easily find a spot in my favorites and will be revisited again and again. You're a great writer and don't deserve any of the **** those people give you. I wish you happiness, and hope you can overcome your depression. I know it can be tough.
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You have said everything that I thought while reading the original post by Kiro here. I love TMUP, but I've rarely commented (if ever) because I'm not the kind of person who wants their opinion known on everything. On lesser known stories I will sometimes to let the author know that people are there reading it, but I honestly never considered that a story as popular as TMUP would need that affirmation too.
For that, I'm sorry Kiro. Please don't leave us.
I really hope that after a bit of reflection and sobering up that you continue writing, regardless of the nay-sayers, because I can honestly say that TMUP and its precursor have been my favorite ongoing fics since pretty much the beginning. It'd be a tragedy to see that die, but ultimately it's up to you.
I'll be honest. I've never posted a single comment on one of your stories in my recollection. It's not that I don't like TMUP, hell, I re-read it a few days ago, just because I could. I have always had a rapt response to any updates. I just kept those to myself. The reason for that is simple. I don't really have anything to say.
I suck at giving compliments, so the large majority of my comments amount to criticism, conjecture or garbled nonsense that could be mistaken as one of the previous three.
Your story is brilliant. It's beautifully written, the characters are well-crafted, intricate masterpieces and since they're the ones driving the story, I'm always kept in suspense because I have no understanding of teenage girls. Hence, I have little to criticise, no conjecture to make and I'd feel foolish defiling the comments section of such a marvelous story with the unfathomable nonsense I tend to babble. And so, I do little to dissuade from the notion that your updates recieve a lukewarm response. But I've always been there — watching, waiting, anticipating.
If you don't want to write TMUP, I recommend you don't. Write something else. Last Winter, maybe. A oneshot. Something completely different. There's no point to forcing yourself to write something you don't care to. Chances are, your muse will probably strangle you in your sleep or mess up your writing when you aren't paying attenton.
I really hope you don't throw in the towel, but hey, it's your story. In the end, it is all your decision to make. And no colossal anus spouting bombastic bullshit in your comments section should be telling you how to write it.
So I'm not sure what the drama actually was, but one thing I've noticed is that no matter what you do, someone will complain. I heard a story about a person who dropped thousands of dollars in $100 bills off a building, and got arrested for inciting a riot.
I guess what I'm saying is I'm sorry the douchebags got to you. Just remember there are still many of us who truly enjoy your work. I do hope you don't give up entirely, because the way you've written TMUP makes it one of the more engaging on my list and, it may be selfish, but I want to know what happens!
Hey don't let the people get to you
You have a wonderful story and if you let the crier's have there way then you are not in control of your life they are 
Write the story how you originally had planned if someone doesn't like it, well fine but don't let them affect the story. 
I don't want the quality of your work to be affected just because there are people that dislike a character you used 
I thought it was wonderful how you put the character in I was just a bit confused so I asked who Glitter was and wanted a little bit of background 
I know you didn't comment on that but someone did enlighten me and I was "ok cool" 
All I ask is please keep your quality up I really like TMUP and do not just throw a mediocre ending out just because some people didn't like one background character you put in 
Look what happened the Mass Effect 3 
Many of the people who complain don't know anything about telling a good story they complain because it isn't part of their head canon 
I admit bringing Sweetie Bell as competition so late in the story was an interesting move but as you said in one of your comments, "even though the destination is know the best story is how they get there." or something to that effect.
All I ask is that i hope eventually you will get the motivation to continue the story. 
I know I will miss the story and I'm sure many others will too 
But if it is a mediocre ending or not completing then I would rather it be incomplete because then eventually you may want to revisit the story and finish it 
I'm patient, I want a good story just hopefully you will be willing to revisit it soon because I really am missing it. 
TMUP has had a solid 4th place in my All Time Fimfiction favorites list for a good couple of years now. It was the first fic I ever featured in the Silver Spoon group, back when I was doing Featured Reads. And it's also one of the few stories on my personal list of unfinished fics that I desperately want to see finished, and has been for some time. So this is just the worst news. I really hope you reconsider. This is one of the stories I absolutely never wanted to see cancelled. :(
I don't know what can be done to make you feel better about it, but all I can say is: please don't be swayed by the meaningless diatribes of internet people who only know how to react rather than think. They simply don't matter. The latest episode of MLP, "Brotherhooves Social", had internet people up in arms for no reason other that it happened to touch upon a topic that people get up in arms about. It just happens. I don't know why it happens, but it just seems to be an inevitability of social networks.
For the record, TMUP is directly responsible for the creation of the Glitter Shell group, too.
It's a real shame to hear that. I've enjoyed everything you've written here and count TMUP as one of very few fics for which I break my rule of not reading before they are finished. I avoid commenting because I have little to say about something I enjoy and have no issue with. I've just never felt like comments consisting of things like "good chapter" are something an author really sees any value in.
I wish you the best of luck in all things.
When I started reading this I just couldn't stop. You let me feel almost every emotion I can and I must thank you for that. Every time it gets updated I get so exited because I know that the chapter is going to be great.
I'm sorry to hear that you're discouraged and hope that you feel better soon. The story is perfect the way your writing it so please try and ignore any negative comments.
I really hope that you'll continue writing because you are really good at it.
Another case of that one dickhead ruining everything, whoever you are fuck you.
I think the comments here show people really do care, I won't add anything because I feel everything I could have said has been said already but yeah, if you see people like that don't even read what they write, just block them and delete the comment, they can't do anything after that unless they made another account and if they did that all you gotta do is say they're using alts to evade a block to a mod and boom they're banned.
Well shit, that kinda sucks. You were one of my favorite if not #1 authors here even if you took 9 years to update a story. I was really looking forward to another chapter of TMUP especially now that things were starting to pick up.
Oh well it is what it is. Good luck with whatever you do and thank you for what you've already done.
Peace mang.
Write for yourself, not your fans. If you aren't writing for yourself, stop.
Fic is amazing, never thought I'd see a GOOD fic concerning these two. Won't try and make you keep going if you are done, but I hope you're not.
This saddens me greatly. your story was the first fic i read on this site and it is by far my favorite. screw what they say i love every character and concept in there and will truly miss this fic.
Farewell, Kiro, I admit that I didn't like everything about your fic, yet I still enjoyed it. Hope that whatever you do next will make you happy.
I'm sorry to hear that some of the negativity has gotten you down so much. I wish there was something I could do to counteract it a bit, but I understand everyone has a limit. It does sadden me that this happened, since TMUP is my favorite FIM Fiction I've read ever, and I have always anticipated more chapters while reading through. The characterization you gave these ponies was inspiring in more ways than one, and gave me a bit more appreciation for them when watching the show itself.
I do hope everything looks up for you elsewhere, whether you decide to leave forever or not. You have a creative mind and great sense of writing. I'd hate for it to be abandoned.
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Adding to this after reading through some of the other comments and replies in this journal now:
I can understand the disappointment at getting a lack-luster response. I've done image coloring for a bit, and sometimes I get really proud of one or another, and the response is... empty. Sure, I can see the "likes" vs. "dislikes" on Derpibooru, but I agree that the numbers are not nearly as satisfying as the comments people might leave in appreciation. If it was possible, I'd write chapters of responses to every chapter you posted, but it's just not feasible.
I am the type that likes to look at various points, comment on what I like, and go from there. However, with your work, it's been practically a masterpiece to me all the way. Some points would grate against my beliefs, I mentioned AB's reactions and the Apple Family outlook on things before, but I would set those aside as simple an AU aspect and take them as they are in the context of the story. Not my personal outlooks, but it isn't something that is outside the realm of believably for the fiction so I accepted it for the situation. I never felt the need to create lengthy comments on the points.
Now, I am likely rambling at this point, so I will bow out once again. If there are new chapters, I will be sure to leave a comment as I have since I first read. If not, I wish you well in other ventures.
Thank you, very much, for the hours of reading material, and for opening my mind to new ideas and possibilities.
Unlike what many are probably saying in these comments, I wish you luck. I didn't read the other comments, but to me, seeing you leave this fic due to backlash is understandable. Now don't get me wrong I love the story, the development, seeing Scootaloo's mind, and the essence of Silver Spoon growing outwards and building on the friendship she always wanted but never got. All I can say is good luck, I know depression sucks, you want to be happy, and you are but that pit is still there. Then the comments, the many that are good quickly drowned out by the bad. Plain and simple people are cruel, to you though I truly hope you deel better, you are an amazing writer and don't let anyone tell you otherwise, good luck and happy life guy I don't know.