So, end of the line, kinda~ · 3:37am Mar 3rd, 2018
I've been quiet for the past few months so I figure it's time to at least say something. I'll try to get right down to the point and not bore you with needless stuff. I'm still interested in my stories and the show itself, but it's my interest in the fandom that's nearly gone.
I've been around for a few years now and I can firmly say there are some great people, writing is fun, and taking part in discussion is great. However, it's the people. It's this site. It's the way everything here functions. I am affiliated with many Discord servers and run the Creator's Guild and since being there people come out of the woodwork to cause issues and display the more ugly side of the internet. Not to say there aren't great people that are in the fandom, just gross people dragging it in the mud and my growing wariness to deal with it.
Now this could just be the result of changing job fields and being too tired to release chapters the way I want, having to sacrifice quality and make compromises leading to a momentary lapse in stony exterior leading to a rant/therapy session. Not sure.
I'd like to have a well formulated discussion as to why I'm writing this, but frankly this is in response to a comment and it makes me realize something about myself and this entire situation. I just don't have the time by my onsie to do this. I'm going to try, mostly cause I'm a stubborn ass. But something has to give and I do not want it to be quality. Especially grammar quality cause yall don't need that.
So End of the Line? Kind of. I don't want to quit, but when you start looking at the fandom and feel a sour feeling instead of pride, something is wrong. I may start looking at ways to tell this story either off site or through a different medium. Cause I don't want to be another story that dies without completing, that's just maddening. Maybe a real break would help? Maybe.
As a serious offer, if you're interested in helping the story go further either through this site or a different medium and are willing to try and see my vision for the stories ending and how to get there, hit me up on Discord. Arctikfox#9983
Im sorry if i ever did somthing to you
!
No worries, I'm glad you're not kai-boshing your story completely because I'm in total love with it. As long as you push it out at the quality you want. I could care less for the time scale its sent at. I do have a suggestion. Another author on this site (Nfire) who is the author of Legacy, has a very unique way of publishing their story. They've become known as chapter dumps or something like that. Every half year they publish 15-20 chapters that are quite long in their own right. If some kind of schedule like this works better for you here's this suggestion.
Write up sections of chapters and release them as that, even if it takes months to do so. Loyal fans will stick around. I know I keep checking up every now and then.
I sorta know you've had rough year this past year. (I think) But I trust that you won't compromise your integrity because of whats said on or off site. You know you have talent. I look forward to more of what you have to write. :D Best of luck and hope to hear more from you.
Damn, sorry to hear that. It's always a shame when someone leaves a fandom -even temporarily- due to their view of it being soured, especially when that individual is a genuinely talented content creator.
But hey, if you need a break, then you go ahead and take a break. I, for one, won't hold it against you. And if said break turns into a permanent departure... Then I wish you well in your endeavors.
I've never in my entire time of knowing about MLP really prided myself on being part of the fandom or thought it'd be in my interest to try to befriend people with it, but I've done it in other communities. Part of it just seems to be the nature of the internet itself, over time I've gotten better at leaving before I really get disappointed and finding and staying in more chill ones. I can see why a fanfiction writer might want to integrate themselves in a writing community but I've seen enough without even trying on this site... you just have to pick up and move on sometimes.
Though I question if whatever is dogging you here won't just follow you wherever you try to publish the story. I don't know everything you're going through to say I guess. If you're just tired with the fandom I don't see why you can't just be a guy who likes cartoons and writing within those settings. You don't have to be a "brony"
If you feel if you need some time else where away from the story/fandom, do so. Just always grinding something out in something you enjoy will make you lose interest hella fast. This way when you walk away and come back, you can know for sure if you are going to stay or go for good. What ever you choose, I wish you best of luck for your endeavors.
Sorry but the internet is NOT the only place you find trolls & miscreants, it simply makes it easier for you to trip across them. for example, I worked retail in a small town and run into an a**h**e about once a week. I worked retail in a big city mall and ran into an a**h**e every day! Sometimes several different ones every day (xmas). Does this mean malls have more a**h**es? No, it simply means I'm more likely to meet one because of the higher traffic. (If a**h**es are 1:200, then clearly the mall store at 200 customers per day means I will see more a**h**es in a week than the town store with 200 customers per week.)
You write fanfiction for YOUR enjoyment. Trolls, by definition, are sorry unhappy souls who derive weak justification of their own self-worth by bringing others down to their level of misery.
Don't let them win. The worst thing you can do to them, in their twisted world, is ignore them. So, ignore them.
Never see any group of people as homogeneous. Everyone is different, and being a fan of a fun cartoon show is not something that divides good and bad people. Serial killers buy groceries from the same markets as any saint. Like 4808886 says, the internet just makes easier to meet shit people, no matter where you go. Just ignore them and follow the ancient internet wisdom of "Don't feed the trolls." Block them if you need to, but do not engage in their games. The same goes for a-holes that are just like that and not trying to be trolls.
The bit of pride I've had in the fandom remains for the fact that it still has a higher percentage of nice people than many groups. Nice people aren't usually as loud as brutes, so you have to factor that in too.
4808886
4809019
It isn't trolls. I can handle trolls. Its individuals who I see repeated behavior in in the vast majority of people that I meet in the fandom. I was a police officer in South Florida so I know all about having to deal with people I don't like. However, when I come on the fandom and I constantly leave with a sour taste in my mouth it really makes me not want to remain. That and every time I release a chapter it doesn't help when individuals are pming me complaining about inconsequential shit.(dumb complaining i know) And I get that comes with releasing amateur stories, everybody thinks they're the Top notch in writing . The vast majority of issues that I run into with people who read the story are solved by me literally just going back and highlighting within the story to show them showing poor reader retention. I mean I know the story isn't 10 out of 10 but come on.
I mean I never try to complain. That's why I don't write blogs too often. I guess it just feels good messaging on here and to get your guyses feedback and points of view. That is invluable to me.
I plan on creating a Discord server just for this story and the other stories that I have. I'm still going to release on this website but in terms of meeting space I'm going to meet on Discord with people I can have regular contact with and who I can just kick if they end up being toxic. Also that will help me because it gives live feedback into what you guys think. I plan these out far in advance but it feels good and is super constructive when I can actually have live feedback and not just one or two "hey good job comments"
https://discord.gg/hvgVxkc
4809094
It's unfortunate that that has been your experience. I get where you're coming from, and really this is just more evidence that this site could use better blocking options.
4809094
You should definitely take a break from the fandom if you need it - sometimes that's the best thing to do altogether with certain things in life. I personally find that spending too long dedicating oneself to a medium will eventually burn people out, though usually if they're surrounding themselves with said medium and not taking time for themselves: be it exploring other sources of entertainment, focusing more on personal life, overall just taking a break, it truly helps.
I'll warn you about Discord - there will always be that one guy who likes to stir the pot, no matter where you go...that's something you definitely should take a break from, especially if you're in several servers. Some people really just don't get how to be a decent person on there. If you're going to start your own server, make sure you have some solid rules, and are prepared to make tough decisions, because if you're going to want to avoid drama, it'll probably be best to just flat-out ban the people you see are causing the most problems. Otherwise you're just going to have an even bigger headache at the end of the day.
I truly hope that you'll come out of this feeling much better!
Any sizable group is going to have bad actors. I don't know how much it would help, but perhaps you could set a disclaimer that any story comments/questions need to be posted publicly, rather that in private messages (which will be ignored). Then obvious issues could be handled by the community rather than dealing with whatever (hostile?) statements are coming up in the private messages.
I don't want to lose you as an author. However, if you need to leave because the net impact of dealing with this site/community is negative for your well-being, then I fully understand and support it.
I actually came close to shedding a few tears for this. I wish I could find the correct words to convince you to stay, but I know this is not something that a faceless set of text can do. Besides that, this seems like you put a lot of thought into this and the choice is ultimately yours.
What I truly want to say here... thank you. Your story has been an amazing ride from the start, and it never let me go. I wish you best of luck with your endeavors from here on, and if you return I will gladly read your stories again.
Sorry to hear you feel that way. You're not the only artist I've seen who's enthusiasm has been hampered by a few toxic and/or entitled people. I plan to keep this story in my feed so I (and most of your fans) will still be around for your next chapter no matter how long it takes.
Well i can say that i agree with how you feel towards the fandom and while i do feel sad that you about what led yo to feel this way i completely understand and hope you are successful in you're endeavors and hopefully you can find a place to continue making those awesome stories of yours.
4808880
Well Said.
It's a real shame to see you go. Thanks for the story. Always remember that us decent people will always welcome you back.