I Hate Having to Let Things Go · 11:41pm Nov 2nd, 2012
Have you ever had to let something go? Something that you spent hours on--something that you invested part of yourself in to see its creation?
It sucks, haha.
Having to let a story go is an incredibly hard. I'm sure other writers can attest to this, but stories receive a lot of love and emotion when they are being written. So when undergoing the editing process and realising that the story isn't working on some fundamental level, the decision that not to release the story because it just won't work is kinda heartbreaking.
It's a tough process right from the the get-go. Sometimes you will have a sneaking suspicion that a story isn't working as you are writing it. But you are so caught up in why you are writing it that you don't really listen to that quiet, niggling voice. When you edit it yourself, maybe something will seem a little off, but if your anything like me, you will cling to the original idea, still desperately trying to convince yourself that the story can still actually work.
The final nail in the coffin is when your editors look at it. In my case, this person is Sessalisk, whom I going to take this opportunity to give a shout out to because oh my god my skills as a writer pale compared to hers. They will mention the problem, essentially confirming your fears, and the glass shatters.
Of course, some stories can be fixed. With enough time and effort, plots can be re-worked, prose polished and dodgy characters given depth. But some stories reach a point where the issues effecting them are so significant and systemic that the end result of changing them defeats the vision you had for the story in the first place.
In other words, sometimes you have to accept that a story just doesn't work. That it just isn't good.
But honestly, that's okay.
It's okay because every story is a lesson learned, even those stories that never really see the light of day outside of you and your editors. At the very least, you learn what to avoid in future projects, and that's incredibly useful. Learn from your mistakes, and you will be far less likely to make those same mistakes again.
However, even in saying all of that, a dead story is still a depressing story.
It sucks too because there was cool fights and stuff, man! D:
Ah well. It's not like I don't have other projects demanding my love and attention. Needy bastards.
And while I'm here, can all of you guys who live in America pleeeease remember to vote for Obama next week? The world will thank you, I promise!
Stay awesome! 
I'm still not sure what exactly you're letting go but...
"And while I'm here, can all of you guys who live in America pleeeease remember to vote for Obama next week? The world will thank you, I promise!"
Agreed.
I hate the thought that a single presidential election determined by the people of a single nation, affects the entire world. And there is nothing the rest of the world can do about it.
469897 Just a story that has been consuming me all week, haha. After losing sleep over it and spending far too long chatting with Sess, I had to come to the realisation that the story just wasn't good. The situation sucked because there were a lot of things she and I both liked about it, but ah well. Maybe one day I will come back to it and give it the complete overhaul that it needs to be any good.
And speaking of losing sleep, heaven help me if the Republicans win. It's a scary thought, man. Reeeal scary.
"And while I'm here, can all of you guys who live in America pleeeease remember to vote for Obama next week? The world will thank you, I promise!"
Oh boy, here we go...
Vote mittens.
469928 The rest of the world is all thinking it, huh?
469932 Mittens? Hahaha. Something about that is seeming a little off to me...
Well, that sucks man. I hope your other ideas pan out.
469970 Ah well. At least the long adventure is still all good. All I need is my cover art! D:
Sucks to hear you've had to let a story go.
And if you think it's bad elsewhere, try being Canadian. We're practically the 51st State, our economy his tied to the hip of America. But it often feels like they forget we even exist.
Must be what it feels like to not live in a swing state. 
Poor Ohio... 
I know the feeling. Good luck man.
-JJ2
470000 I really do feel for you Canadians. It must be super depressing sometimes, hahaha.
470002 Cheers!
469983
Thank goodness! I was kind of worried there.
470064 Nah, come hell or high water that sucker is coming out, haha.
Well could you post it in a blog unofficially so we can see it anyway? Or even here in the comments. I must admit I'm pretty curious as to what you are throwing out...
470115 Yeah, I've been thinking about it. Might have to do another sweep of my prose because it's pretty rough as-is. Then again, it is pretty dodgy, so we'll see.
470140
Thanks, after reading your other stories this one is pretty much guaranteed to be a good read, even if it doesn't meet your personal standards. Could I get a summary please (or one in front of the post)? is it a dark story, comedy, lighthearted?
You don't really have to answer I'm just curious. Post it as is if need be (because seriously it's bugging me now and i need to see what you wrote), I wouldn't mind.
470157 It's actually a one-shot Fallout Equestria side story. I'm at work at the moment, so I don't really have access to the doc file, but when I get home at the very least I should inbox you the link, if you'd like me to. I might post it in a blog, but I am worried about blog-spamming, haha.
470175
Thanks dude, and don't worry about blog spamming, you're clearly no Device Heretic when it comes to that.
470188 Ironically it almost seemed to add to his... um... 'personality'? Haha
470198
I know right? DH's defining feature became frustratingly disappearing blog posts and regret/insecurity, not to say his stories were bad or he was a bad person, it just got a bit annoying after some 20 missing blog posts. Aside from that I loved the drama he sparked, especially how he deleted his account and all but admitted lying about the reason behind it. If I were him I'd post a compendium of hate mail for everyone to laugh at.
I wish I got hate mail.... Welp goodnight.
I know that feel bro.....
it sucks.....
........I'd take your voting suggestion, but I'm going third party.....tired of the Republicans and Democrats ruling the federal scene.....they've fucked up too many times their gone.
470000
Well.....we don't forget you here at least....Michigan is kinda tied to you by bridges
470886 Vhett, I know it may look that way inside America, but trust me when I say I speak for the rest of the world and that we need you to vote for Obama. No pressure or anything...
Unless of course you live in a safe Republican state, at which point vote for whomever you feel like, haha.
No, I kid. Voting is good no matter what. As long as it's not for a socially backward conservative party.
Letting go of something you've worked so hard on is a difficult thing to do. The stories are like our... not-so-literal babies or something.
>pleeeease remember to vote for Obama next week? The world will thank you, I promise!
This, and greetings from the Philippines.
471064 Hahaha, I often refer to my stories as 'my babies', but I don't tend to do it online in order to avoid any potential confusion! People may start thinking I'm super old or something! :S
The World for Obama 2012! Haha.
I feel pretty silly (Especially living in Michigan, where the political ads won't stop), but why Obama? I don't have anything against him or Mittens, but is there something I should be in the loop about?
On a separate note, who the heck would name their kid Willard?
471515 It's a good question, and the answer to it is this:
As outsiders looking in to the America, we see a whole lot. Why? Because America dominates the world and affects everybody else often by mere proxy. For the longest time, the way we saw America was not a positive perspective (you have George Bush to thank for that). So believe me when I say it was amazing to see someone who started to turn America's image around because of all the positive things he was doing. The rest of the world was watching things like the anti-healthcare debate going "for god's sake guys! Time to get in line with essentially every other western democracy on the planet. You look retarded!".
In other words, Obama is what the rest of the world wants America to be. If we are going to live in a world where one nation enjoys such power, then we all feel a little better knowing that the guy leading it isn't a socially backward conservative whose policies look like frighteningly reminiscent of Bush's.
And trust the rest of the world when we say we don't want that.
But if you live in Michigan, you live in a reasonably safe Democrat state, so hopefully it's all good!
472502
Heh, hopefully.
Guess what Mystic? Obama won!
Heh, all according to plan...
481525 I have spent all day online watching it, haha. Good lord, it feels amazing!