Heads Up Regarding Possible Silence. · 10:08am Jul 22nd, 2017
Hey, all. Just a quick message this time, regarding plans and possible delays thereabouts.
As you may have caught from earlier blog posts, my current laptop is starting to show signs of age; a rattling that is likely due to fan problems, as well as other sounds that are worrying, but not a constant. So first off: it's possible this machine breaks down sooner than I'd anticipated. I am saving my work on a removable disk, but you never know when you'll forget, right? That's the whole point about forgetting. If I go quiet again for an abnormally long while, it's not due to drama or personal stuff, it's just a hardware thing.
Now, fic-wise, I have three things in the pipeline. First is Orphanhooves, the sequel(ish) to the CMC Octavia sleepover thing. It's Spike and Twilight taking part in the Sisterhooves versus Scootaloo and her aunt Vinyl (Scratch). I've amended the initial concept slightly, so now Twilight isn't just sleep-deprived, she's using a spell to keep herself awake and going. Vinyl Scratch is still hungover from a night of drinking with elephants (elephants don't forget, you see, no matter how drunk they are. So refusing to drink with them is a slight that will be remembered for generations to come). First few chapters are doodled, first two scenes of the first chapter are fleshed out to some degree.
Second and third are two oneshots. There's "I didn't vote for you," a little thought-provoking piece about what happens if King Thorax isn't acknowledged by the other 'lings as King. Also, how such an unlikeable and whiney character can redeem himself as King. I don't like Thorax as a character, but I can work with him, and I'm interested to see how it turns out. Doodled (so, storyboarded, let's say) in its entirety, the intro is fleshed out. Then there's a clopfic concept pitched by superfun, about Rainbow Dash accidentally getting hypnotic powers and using them on Twilight. The initial concept involved a crash and being spilled with potions, but... well, you know me, I prefer things to get a little twisted twist. So watch out for that.
As for money and jobs... I have a concrete target to save up for new hardware. I know what the average price is for an art commission in the furry fandom (it's about 80 to 120 American bucks if I'm going by whom I'd be competing with). So that's good. Actually getting that far is still up in the air. I do have a spare laptop I can work on; the older one I let my mom use, which is Ubuntu-only (and which, btw, renders faster than this thing ever did. Never buy a gaming laptop for work, kids, I cannot repeat this enough) but then I'd have to inform my family what I'm doing and... well, that brings its own problems. I've also checked the average prices for writers, but I didn't write those down yet. I think it was 20 per five pages or something?
Anyway, currently the plan is still to create some bases, finish up a few good-looking images, start up a new account on FA, DA, or whichever other sites I can find, and once I know I'm on an acceptable level, start doing commissions. Still no idea how I'm going to handle the tax angle, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Still looking for a day job, obviously. I have ideas on how I'm going to do it, but no concrete schedule yet. I'm aiming to be ready for posting art in two to three months. If I can't make that, I'll have to look at yet other avenues, still. I'd rather not mix money with the pony fandom, if only because I don't want to get into a situation where my friends are paying my bills, if that makes any sense. "Nood breekt wet," they say, it might end up being necessary.
So, in short: laptop might break down and slow communications, fics are being worked on (novel too, but never mind that), art is hopefully coming to a separate corner of the Internet. Oh, and I've been losing some weight, yay, so that New Year's resolution is somewhat on track. The others... I'll get back to you on that.
Here's hoping.
Cracker out.
That Thorax one looks interesting. We're going to have to look to him to see any character development in the leadership department, considering you have to be pretty AU to ignore Twilight's life of leisure on the show and lack of real princessly responsibility (she was already in the business of saving the world when tirek showed up, that doesn't count).
4608968
Exactly. I'll be aiming for a "I don't have anything to give but my life, so my life is what I'll give" vibe. Knowing he's good for nothing, so making him King means no one else's skills will be wasted on the position. I'd expect the show to do something similar, if they ever get around to it, because otherwise there's not much you can do with him besides making him more of a Gary Stu. Not to mention some antagonists for the throne, of course
Also turkeys. I'm tossing in turkeys as a nation. And possibly a reference to Caitlyn Jenner. Because I can
4608969
One of the upcoming episodes is about at least one 'ling not accepting him - his brother, who had refused to change into the new changeling form.
4609694
Oh, cool. Still waiting for more episodes to air before I binge, so not exactly in the loop with current events yet. But that sounds like a nice character-building exercise
Oh, cud, now I'm going to have to finish that fic before it airs
4609756
Or follow it up, expand on the premise. Use the episode to guide the fic. I can't wait for it personally. I love my buggy horsebando