The Problem · 6:36pm Oct 16th, 2016
For the past two-and-a-half weeks, I have been struggling to write anything at all. It's not writer's block, I have plenty of ideas and on the few instances where I did sit down to do so I could effectively write. I just had no... urge to do it for the most part. And I've been sitting here, scratching my head and bemoaning my abrupt lack of devotion. What the heck is wrong with me?
Then, yesterday, it suddenly hit me: I have no schedule.
You might not know it from my significant word count and my ever-steady reviewing, but the truth is I am an inherently lazy person. If I have nothing to goad me on, I will do absolutely nothing. In this sense, I am being stifled by having no set purpose in my writing. By comparison, for Fallout 4 I've set for myself a pre-designed plan for how my character will develop and, with every level gained, see myself moving one step closer to my goals.
And there it is: a goal. Without a timetable, a set due date to be met, I have no interest. The reason I'm playing a dumb game far more than I am writing is because I've given myself goals in one and not the other. If I am ever going to get back into the writing groove, I have to create a schedule to be met in terms of releasing stories. I don't know why I didn't pick up on this sooner.
So, I have three stories to work on at a time. I don't have a schedule for them yet, but I think I know which ones I'll be writing: one for Twilight, one for Celestia, and maybe one centered on Derpy that I've long desired.
In the meantime: No Heroes: Beyond the Everfree is finished at last! I can't believe that a story initially intended to be around 75,000 words ended up 100,000 past that, but it is what it is. I'm so glad to finally have it out there. Ever since Book 3, I'd been waiting for the opportunity to rectify the ongoing triangle that had been dancing in my head. There are still a few wrinkles to smooth out in regards to that, but the most important bits have been settled. And yes, in spite of gargoyles, Discord, Lord Rex, thestrals and a marriage proposal, the one and only reason I started that story was because of the Fine/Fluttershy/Pinkie issue. I am pleased with the end result, in spite of the slow pace I set for it.
And now I'm going to pose the same question here that I posed on the A/N of the epilogue for that story: which No Heroes story should I write next? After I finish one of the current three, I intend to get to that, I just have to decide which. I can write a story about Pinkie and Fine Crime visiting the rock farm, as hinted in the epilogue, or I can jump to Octavia's 'vacation' in Nildia that was hinted at near the beginning of the story. Both need to be written before I can get to my bigger plans for the AU, so now it just comes down to which is written first.
Of course, I also still have The Silence and Order of Shadows that need to be continued. I'll probably work on the latter first, I just don't know when I'll get back on it. At the moment I'm thinking about writing them in small bursts, where I finish a specific set of chapters before moving to another story. Since both of them are set to be incredibly long, this is about the only way I can think of to keep them from dominating every second of writing time.
For right now, I need to plan for the current stories. The Twilight story was going to be a one shot, but I think I'll release it in chapters to facilitate my scheduling OCD. The Celestia fic is going to be released all at once, making it trickier to schedule. I think I'll finish two or three chapters before I send out pre-reading invitations. The third story – maybe Derpy-focused, maybe not – is likely to be a one-shot. now I just need to determine release order/priority and all that jazz.
But I don't think I'll be doing overlapping schedules this time. They're way too hard to keep up, and I'd like to try something different.
Okay, I've rambled enough. Time to get to work! Luna knows I won't have any time to write once Monday comes around.
Stats
Total Word Count: 1,885,000 (+12,000) over 37 stories
Average Words Written Per Week (2016): 7,828
Follower Rank: 249th (-1)
Overall Ratings Average: 94.48% (+.01)
Highest-Rated Story (Not Counting Stories at 100%): Of Angels @ 282/3 or 98.95%
Story with the Most Votes: Tyrant @ 2253/67 (Year+)
Story with the Fewest Votes: Paul's Peculiarly Puny Pony Pieces @ 20/1
Longest Story: Order of Shadows @ 283,000 words
Y'know, I've tried things like this, and they never work for me.
If other people give me deadlines, like for school or work, I have no problem meeting them because I hate letting other people down.
But when it comes to me? I don't matter. My own deadlines are fucking worthless, who cares if I miss them, I'm only letting myself down.
My point being, I guess, that I'll see your laziness and raise you crippling self-esteem issues. :V
I can 100% relate to the needing goals to drive me on. I've been 'planning' a story centered around Princess Platinum for over a year now, and every time I try to make a start, I just end up doing something else instead.
As for the No Heroes question, my vote's for Octavia's trip. Hope your self-scheduling works for you; I'm quivering in anticipation for the next Order of Shadows installment.
As a reader, I do sometimes find the overlapping stories slightly confusing, due to both main NMH universe's using the same characters and such, so if you plan to not overlap that would be nice.
I voted for the Fine/Pinkie option in your last blog instead of the Octavia one because F/P will just be continuing on from the epilogue, but if you decide to swap perspective to Oct instead I wouldn't mind.