Guys and Gals do you really want me to quit writing fanfiction? · 1:51am Nov 19th, 2015
No seriously, this is getting really really unpleasant. I love all you people who support the story and have continued to be supportive "TheForgottenComrade" "StarFreedom444" "Aurora Dimmet", but there are just times when i look at the comment section of my newest story and just... sigh.
Fanfiction is supposed to be great fun for me and it used to be. I used to take an half an hour a day reacting to comments in my story... except I don't do that anymore... I just... don't feel up to it. I don't want to argue with people.
The past few weeks since chapter 7, the comments really haven't been looking up and while i often try to stay detached to some extent to work on my chapters the comments just have been dragging me down along with all the stress of applying to Masters Programs in universities and stuff.
Okay I can stand it if people want to poison all the kelpies and commit genocide on a species who we barely know about apart form diet and actions they have done.... as weird and scary that is. When I was and still am writing the kelpies, they were intended to be villainous to an extent... I just didn't quite expect such a vehement reaction.
Except... when I have people say the story is... "moronic," or "this story sucks I'm bailing." I just get bloody discouraged along with the heaps of accusations that Alternia's acting out of character and why the hell is she doing this and stuff.
I mean I get it, the kelpies are monsters, so why is Alternia negotiating with them? They caused the tsunamis didn't they? They've killed so many without provocation have they?
Well, Alternia's acting in character because if everybody's read the original story, she did the same for the changelings. She negotiates first before pulling out the big guns and as for EQF, well she gave them a chance too. Also, Alternia and the others don't know for sure if the kelpies actually caused said tsunamis, though they obviously suspect. They're acting to cover all options, and considering the kelpies power over the sea, what choice do they have but to negotiate?
Anyway, I could spend debating here about characterization and stuff all day, so here's my main point. If you don't like the story, don't read it and don't try to draw attention to yourself saying "this sucks, I'm bailing!" The criticisms don't help unless I'm given alternative solutions in a way that is in the tone "Well perhaps you could do this" instead of "This sucks, do this!" I'm not writing by committee by reader input, so saying its wrong, its wrong, its wrong, doesn't help my mental state which is already dogged by recent stress of school.
I know most of you are supportive of the story, but I just want the few that perhaps feel I've done something stupid to just consider what they say before they put it down in a comment. I know those people who want to contribute by criticizing feel they're helping, but... well it isn't. I'm not saying its anybody's fault, but this is simply not the way to help.
That's all.
vren55
I love the story.
3551949 Know you do Vamp. Just feeling a bit down of late. Personal problems and all that, trying to work but can't concentrate... Need to get things done but they're just not getting done...
3551961 Sorry dude.
Alternia ooc?
The peacemaker who made up with the race seen as evil soul sucking abominations, and is now doing it again is strange?
I hope they're trolls, I refuse to believe that your commenters are this dumb.
Sorry, would be commenting more, but I'm coming out of a rough time, and am often too burnt to say much. I'm still enjoying the hell out of your story.
Oh I've felt like this quite often, where I want to give up due to negativity or a poorly received chapter. It's best not to dwell on them. This is your work and you can only do your best. If people are enjoying it, good. Try not to let some negative comments drive you off. Sometimes it can be constructive and you can become better for it. Most times, ignore it.
I'd love to give an opinion on this matter, but I have no idea how one would "quite" writing fanfiction
3552008 That was embarrassing. Fixed. Thank you.
3551982 Exactly what i'm trying to do, but reality is somewhat different.
3551974 Well even a short comment like this helps. Thanks for taking your time.
3551973 Then i advise you not to look below the A/N of some of the more recent chapters.
3551965 Nah you got nothing to be sorry about.
Woah, where did all those haters come from? Seriously, that's something that should be taken with a grain of salt. I mean...well...it's not even the climax yet.
I honestly love the story, and the verse put around it. I have enjoyed reading it so far and i would like to continue reading it. Not many people do any stories having to do with the navy and such and I find it refreshing. so No I dont want you to quit writing fan-fiction. Sure there are gonna be some people who say bad things. that happens with every story. Al well. it just aint there cup of tea. but you have plenty of readers who love the story.
I also love your story's as well, and I don't know why people would say things like that about them.
Just ignore them- vocal minority and all that. 615 up to 19 down on Empress.
That sucks that your getting that sort of comments. I like your story. Its one of my favorites on this site.
Sorry dude, I feel for ya.
Well, for my part, I'm enjoying the story greatly, just like the first one.
One obviously can't please all of the people all of the time, and if someone (like me!
) leaves a moronic comment it's probably best just to facepalm and move on.
It's too bad there's no "constructive comments and criticism only" filter for comments.
I think Alternia is doing what she has always done. Make peace even at a risk to yourself. What I think what makes this fic different is that the antagonists are something new. I know I have never read a story about the kelpies, at least in the mlp universe. There are a lot of fics out there that humanize changelings and so we were prepared for the possibility of cooperation. You are just blazing new ground with the kelpies so the path is harder. I know am looking forward to this fic.
By the way some of the kelpies in commercial fiction that I have read make them out to be the so horrendous that by comparison the other fae look like tinkerbelle.
I personally love the story and I enjoy reading the new chapters.
The story is great, don't let the haters get to you. Some people just can't appreciate quality writing.
Tragically, trolls and crybullies are like sharks and piranha.
The moment they taste blood they start swarming.
Even if that blood is entirely fictitious in origin.
I love the story. I may not read the sequel till completion, but I loved your first story. I used to hate Celestia (well I didn't HATE her, but she was worst Princess or if that is a little harsh, she wasn't my favorite. I had nothing against her, I just liked Luna and Cadance better) and then I read your story. Your story went down in history for getting me to like Celestia. And better yet, you didn't portray her as a villain as villain ponies (Mane 6 as bad ponies... not a lot of antagonists) usually get me to like them.
I get that trolls, or idiotic comments can ware you down, but seriously, if you cancel this series because of a few idiots, I would cry in pain. Your story is one of two extremely high priority stories I am currently following that upon completion, regardless of whatever game I am currently involved in playing, will be read almost immediately... (If you are morbidly curious over which of my two extremely high priority stories you currently rank as, yours is in first place. You might take that as being a suck up, but I enjoyed this universe, slightly more than the Metroid one... just cause of Changelings...)
So whatever the situation, hold in there despite the idiocy....
well i like your fic please continue the good work
Look.
Whenever you do something in a story that people may not like there will always be backlash. From stories that I have read, and the one I am writing, I have seen people react with vehemence toward anything and everything that they may not like. But you can't let it bother you.
Sure, reading through your story's comments can be a great boon to your morale in writing it, but those comments are not why you write, are they?
No, you write for you. So write what you write, and people will like what they like. Don't let them get to you.
I'll admit that I'm a couple of chapters behind so I've not read that stuff, but in no way, shape or form do I want the story to stop.
The people who type out comments to the tune of "Grrr I so mad, I just want to perform some terrible act of violence, Character (X) I'm coming to end you!" have always struck me as particularly infantile. Getting immersed with a story and having emotional reactions are good things, but commenting with threats to a fictional character is nutty and kinda disrespectful to the author. How hard is it to just type "Wow that event made me react with these (X) emotions, what an intense chapter!"? [Rant Over]
On the other issue of people being negative/downright rude; as has already been said it's a vocal minority of people. But as you yourself said vren, those comments have been getting you down. And sadly that's the normal reaction. Us humans have this stress inducing tendency to focus on the negative. If 99 people say they love you and 1 person gives a diatribe on why they think you're rubbish, chances are you're going to remember that one guy far more than any of the people with nice things to say. I can only advise that if anyone is throwing out mindless hate comments that you harden your heart and dismiss them as irrelevant. If they can't be bothered to give constructive critique, then they aren't worth your time or your emotions. Of course that's real easy for me to type and hard to actually do, so let me end with this:
I love your work. I love that you spend so much of your own time to not only craft a story, but to put it out here for the rest of us to enjoy. I love that you spend so much effort trying to write the best stories you can. Many hugs.
Sad thing is by going off on Ch 7 like this, these people aren't seeing the whole picture. The ones calling for annihilation using almost no actual information on what's going on, basing everything off a handful of facts and their own assumptions.
What's worse is a lot are calling for vengeance by means that fall in their own headcanon. Celestia using the sun to attack kelpies? (When noone even knows where to find them other than "ocean") I was unaware that she possessed any other power over the sun than moving it around the sky.
Story isn't even half over and most of the questions haven't come to light yet much less the answers and yet these morons are passing judgement on everything here and now.
Also, the tech is pre-world war 1 and yet this hasn't penetrated their minds yet. Subs aren't practical at all unless you have a deathwish.
As for not having every conceivable tactical advantage immediately on hand, like cloud fortresses over the ocean. Who says the military immediately weaponizes every single idea? Having big ships but no cloud fortresses giving this lot trouble? Equestria canonically has schizotech. The RG uses fucking spears while Pinkie and Cheese possess artillery. Ponies still use steam engines, but know how to make electronic games and primitive computers.
The kelpies aren't really coming off as redeemable where as the changlings were. That might be why some people haven't liked recent chapters. It does kind of put me off as well because my first reaction is that I want the kelpies to be punished before there can be diplomacy. Im going to keep reading, so I hope you will still be posting.
I really need to get back to reading this story. Don't be discouraged vren, some people just do that, probably trolls to add on to it, take a brake for moment or something if you think it helps. I really don't want to find this story to be another incomplete piece of work I hate when that happens, when something gets going or gets good then the person just drops off the face of the earth or the story stops.
I loved the prequel to this one, you'll get though this.
Look mate. Your story isn't going in a direction I personally like. But it's going somewhere. Hell every time it updates it basically hits the feature box. Just cause I and (last I checked) 18 other people don't like it anymore doesn't mean it's bad. You still have loads of people liking this story. And as a writer never let harsh criticism stop you from writing. You have the drive and the desire to write. So do it. Anything popular is gonna be hated by someone. You don't wanna read the comments? Fine don't. But don't let the mean comments stop you from giving the people who are still supporting you what they want. I mean c'mon man. You still got loads of people into this story. Just chill take a deep breath and keep truckin. Maybe stop and see what has people upset. See if it's something you think needs to change. If it isn't then tell those people to fuck right off and you'll write YOUR story YOUR way.
It's not that they hate the story. It's that you aren't writing Alternia as the 674th successor to Hokuto Shinken.
That's kind of hyperbolic, but it seems to be trending right now. People don't want three-dimensional characters facing reasonable challenges that they tackle with the tools they feel are going to be most effective; they want Sues that always deal with whatever challenge they face — however comedically below their level it might be — in the most excessively violent way possible. BronyWriter's having the exact same issue right now.
Here's my plan: Since most of us don't chime in because we actually enjoy the story and don't feel like we can meaningfully add to the conversation, let's just not engage with the assholes. We'll just add a short comment stating what we thought about the chapter and drown them out with volume.
This is my plan because I'm afraid if we actually try to engage them in a discussion, we'll all suffer from desk-related concussions.
Same thing happened with Kirotalon. I'm really tired of site members thinking they're not hurting anyone by posting unsubtantiated criticism. The writers lose confidence in their stories, stop updating, then all the followers and fans are left without closure. Fans also feel that walls of nothing but praise aren't useful to authors so they don't post, leading to a high criticism/compliment ratio. If you like it, say so, if not, give reasons other than personal taste.
I love this story, please keep writing it! There will always be haters. We don't have to listen to them.
I overall love the story. Just feel this section could be better. It feels like Equestria isn't showing their strength. Again why should the kelpies negotiate. they have no reason right now. I certainly don't want you to stop.
3552209 While I thank you for your comment of support and understand that you don't love the direction my story is going, didn't you just say in this comment:
Are there two people using your account man? XD I can't figure you out XD
Don't. You. Dare. Quit.
Forget what others say. It's your story, right? And I see many people who like that story, so no need to be fretting.
3552251 What strength though? People keep going on about Equestria's supposed strength which reaches headcanon territory for a lot of people and it seems they're taking it out on Vren for not making it seem like Equestria can immediately roflstomp them with either tech that Equestria had really no need for before now (depth charges, subs) or magic that is purely in headcanon territory like the orbital sun/moon beams.
New enemy with new tactics on their home turf, and you're discouraged because Equestria isn't immediately winning?!
You need to remember te only critic you need to listen is the constructive critic. just ignore other critic, especialy that of guy that thing you must do on your history what they want, not what you or your characters want. im a beliver that some times the characters take their own ways independent of what the writer want. sorry i misspelled something. i still have much to work on my English writing skills.
The sequel is a different sort of beast than the first story, but it has its own merits; it's unfortunate that there are so many commenters are so crude and vocal about their disagreement. I personally haven't had any issues with the characters' actions, and if the author says 'wait and see - just trust me', I do. So, yeah, sorry for the flack you're getting, I wish I had a clever solution, but I do at least support you.
i find some of those comments to be laughable, considering some of the suggested 'solutions' to the Kelpie problem. the height of idiocy has to be the dropping of nuclear mines though. not only do the Ponies not have atomic tech, but that plan would kind of poison all the seas and destroy any and all fishing industry, something coastal towns tend to rely heavily on, in particular the Gryphons...
just ignore these guys, i know uve been told that a lot, but really, if they want to be idiots, let em...
You know what you need V? Some relaxation. Life can be stressful. The Internet a hostile place occasionally. When I start getting down over comments I just take a week off from writing...that or do a one shot to blow off steam.
Just take a few days off and laugh at the haters
I'm very much a "if it isn't broke, don't mess with it" reader. Meaning, unless there is a glaring problem that even my fairly lenient mindset can't overlook, I keep my mouth shut and try to let my favorite and upvote do my talking to the author.
Count how many people have your story in their favorite list versus the number who are displeased. Let that be your guide (because upvotes are too easily countered with anonymous downvotes if someone really feels like being an arserag about it).
As someone who has pissed off tons of fans with his writing, I'll reciprocate some advice I was given by two very upstanding friends.
Don't.
People whine about everything and nothing is going to change that. Sure, there's a looming evil the ponies are choosing to ignore. They do that all the time in the show, so why change their already established natural response? Tirek ran rampant for a couple days with Discord before Celestia deemed him a threat, so viewing kelpies, an enemy that can only seem to affect a coastline and maritime trade, probably isn't high on the threat list.
Also, don't get discouraged. Reactions to your stories, whether good or bad, show the depth of your writing ability. People are connecting to your characters and settings, which is something half the writers on this site would give their left arm for. They're not wooden or lame, they're interesting, complex and snagging readers at every turn. Also, claiming an OC is out of character is so utterly preposterous, it's hardly an insult. It's an Original Creation, meaning the OC's personality is what the writer decides it is. It's HIS puppet, not theirs. If they want it to move and act a certain way, then THEY need to come up with a character.
Anywho, I've said my peace. Later!
Regards,
C.B.
dude, ill be honest with you, it is a different concept, but still a very good premise if you know (and by celestia's white forelocks you do) how to make it a premise, what the others say doesn't matter, if you have the believe that it is worth to write, go ahead, so please don't quit (sorry to all of you guys in advance, english isn`t my mother language, so usually i do a lot of mistakes)
maybe you should just take a quick break from writing. don't stop completely just take a bit of time off. I have written fanficton before (not for pony but other things) and sometimes you just need to take a break and let off some steam. remember that most of your fans are supportive but sometimes people just can be mean. i had to do the same thing on one of my fanfics. took a month off from writing and when i came back i felt a lot better. remember we are all rooting for you
Don't be discouraged. From experience I can tell you that for every negative comment, there are usually four or more positive comments, as well as dozens of people who just remain silent in the background. Sometimes it might seem bad, especially when you get multiple negative comments in a row, but you need to remember that they are usually the minority. You can't please everyone all the time, so just focus on your story instead. Write the story you want to write, and if people like it, then awesome! If they don't, oh well. Just take their comments with a grain of salt, and thank them for at least giving your story a try. In fact you should be proud that your story has caused them to feel so strongly about something that they have taken the time to write out a comment and post it for all to see, especially so considering how easy it is just to move your mouse over to the thumbs-down icon and click on it.
Also, not all negative comments are bad. I know that it gets annoying when they just post 'this story sucks. I'm outta here!', and there is no real feed back, but you should still try and read them all. Some might contain ways to improve the story, or even some criticisms that will fill in a plothole you might have forgotten. You don't have to make the changes they suggest; in the end, it's your story after all.
tl;dr Don't feel down. Some people on the internet are dicks just to be dicks.
I like the story, and don't want you to quit it, but I will admit I'm one of the ones who doesn't care for the fact that so soon after the kelpies ravaged an entire fleet and island, the response is to run to negotiating table. Unless they are trying to play for time, it smacks of Equestria negotiating the terms of it's surrender. I say this from the readers perspective mind you. We've been privy to a bit more of the kelpies goings on than Alternia and co., and what we've seen and heard of the kelpies has not been endearing.
At the end of the day though, this is your fic, so write it how you want. If commentators get out of hand, send them a PM telling em to cut it out, and delete their comments if they refuse. I've seen it done, and had it done to me. Quitting the fic over a few bad reviews just seems like a lame way to end it.
3552265
Look man. I stand by what I said before. I don't enjoy reading it anymore. I also don't like a lot of shit that I used to. Your first story in the series is one of my favorite on this whole damn site. Also just because I'm out of your newest story doesn't mean you suddenly have no talent. I've read shit from you that I've enjoyed. I hope I do again. But right now I am just really not interested in the material you are putting out. It was a chore reading the abyssal empire. Despite that I still sometimes go back to the first story and re-read bits of it. I haven't found a single part like that in this new story though. Shit happens and things change. Keep putting out stuff. Who knows I might like the new stuff and I might not. I loved the hobbit but found lord of the rings really really dry. These things happen and I am getting really wordy and philosophical. Just keep doing what you do man. I hate seeing things die halfway whether their good or bad.
Please don't stop. I'd like to know how this book of this story ends.
I find it really interesting that so many people seem to think Alternia would go to war when negotiation is still possible. Do you people remember who she is?
3552273 Equestira has always been established as a super power if not THE power on the planet. Now we have the kelpies running rough shod over them with 2 major attacks and several raids. At minium Equestria should make a show of force. and making a Cloud Fortress and place it over the see would help. Again the Kelpies have no reason to come to the table. You have to give them one.
Think about it this way commenters that write glowing reviews or constructive criticisms and talk about their personal opinions in a calm manner want you to succeed or enjoyed your work but those that rant and rave with ill conceived points or spout hate because they don't like an authors direction and ideas, they really have nothing better to do than just be annoyances.
So keep writing, if not for the numerous fans you have earned then for yourself because I assume you enjoy it
I think a lot of it is that the readers are projecting their angers about the ISIS issue onto your story's current domestic/military problem. It's not you, it's them, and they're probably venting their desires for "genocide" on the ISIS personnel onto the world you've made.
Hang in there. Love your work.