The time has come to talk about my plans for All-American Girl · 1:52am May 31st, 2019
The time has come to talk about my plans for All-American Girl. This is a hard decision for me, as this is probably the marquee story I have here on Fimfic and it was a one that caught everyone’s attention. It means the world to me that even now, you’re reading this, wondering what I’m talking about.
Well, the truth is, AAG is...evolving. It’s no secret that it’s been sitting for quite some time, and while the artwork has something to do with it, it’s also got something to do with something else.
No, not lack of interest. Quite the opposite, actually. Frustration at not being willing to continue it, simply because, well…
The current administration. While there are more than enough political comments and the like in AAG, I’ve never really tried to make it an overtly political series. And with the current administration being...well, the current administration, it takes a lot of the interest out of the political “fun” in AAG.
There’s also the simple truth that G4 ends very soon – and with that will go a lot of the audience. I want AAG to grow in a way I haven’t done with many of my stories before. There’s enough there, between the sidestories, the main branch and other stuff, that could seriously stand on its own.
So, is this the end of AAG? As I said, no. It’s evolving, and I meant that. I’ve discussed some ideas with my co-writers over at the BV, and they like the idea.
Basically, I guess I’m pulling a Fifty Shades of Gray: I’m changing the elements of a fanfiction and making it more of an original story. It won’t be pony-based, it will still have fantastic elements and realism in it, but it will be more along the lines of what I think it could be outside of pony settings.
Does that mean DJ will change? LIkely so. Our lovable cheeseburger-chomping, profanity-spewing, cocky woman who just happens to be pony-shaped will always be here. But let’s just say, somewhere else, she’ll be different. How different?
Well, that’s up to you guys. I’d love to hear feedback on whether anyone would be interested in seeing where this AAG 2.0 goes.
Huh... I'd like to see what you've got in mind. I remember reading one fan fic on here (A sci-fi deal staring a human that was being experimented on and made into a killing machine that managed to get free, crashlanded in the world of Equestria, and surviving.) The author actually changed a great big deal of things so they could actually sell it on Amazon. Bought it as soon as the physical copies where available.
So... I guess I'm asking if you are wanting to publish it and sell it, because I wouldn't have anything against buying AAG.
I am sad to see this. However my question has become how will you be able to explain much about the backstory of DJ without it becoming just several different noodle incidents. The big draw for me was to see how life had changed the Mane 6 and how the loss of Sandlewood affected all the parties.
I just feel that DJ’s story will loose all of its impact without we the reader having an understanding of just who several parties are. Still I hope you can keep this story going so we can see where it will end.
I have fallowed the winding path of your stories I don't see that changing any time soon
I'm kinda disappointed to hear this. I've been looking forward to seeing AAG continue, but as it is. I'm honestly not sure I'd be as invested in the story without the FiM elements. I mean, I might be willing to try, but a lot of the fun of stories like these is they put the FiM characters in a more serious setting. I guess I just want to see it continue with the MLP characters and setting rather than see them replaced with original substitutes.
It has been an honor to have been a part of this for the time that I have. In many ways, I owe my friendship with you to this story, and for that I will always treasure AAG. I'm going to miss DJ as we've come to know her, but I look forward to seeing her legacy live on in what you have planned for the future!
I’m sad about this considering it’s possibly my favorite fic of all time, but if you believe it’s end is necessary, so be it
5067059
5067071
5067078
I'm curious as to why people will think it will end. Just because I plan to change things doesn't mean an end, per se. In case, people have forgotten, I have already rewritten AAG in its entirety once before. So it is already substantially different than when it first came about.
What's going to replace the MLP elements in AAG 2.0? A parallel universe of magical humans? An original alien species? Generic, non-trademark-infringing ponies?
5067089
That will be revealed at a later date. I will hint that it's something that several people wanted to see within AAG 1.0 itself for quite some time.
AAG has been many things for many people, and it certainly has been a big thing for me - it introduced me to what would become my current cadre of friends and in that sense helped guide me into becoming a writer myself. While the original story of AAG will not be told, at the same time what it will become will hopefully be an even greater story.
5067084
That is what it felt like, you are going to stop writing this story. The big draw was how you modified MLP:FiM to work with your story. Without MLP and using original characters it looses some of our connections. Then again how would have things gone if DJ ended up in the Marvel or DC Universe? You are probably going to need at least four stories before you would ever get to DJ being born.
As for real world politics entering it just remember you can just come up with a different set of people in power or how the Electoral College works. The idea I would love to see would have the popular vote only gives the two senate seats. The house seats are individually awarded. They are adjusted every ten years from data in the census by a computer program on a federal level with the provider understanding if any funny business happens the people who wrote the program and the executives are doing serious time in prison. Put in term limits have some fun making that world different then ours! Don't be beholden to the real world, becuase reality often sucks.
5067107
Connections are what you make of them. As you point out, if DJ had been in the Marvel or DC universes, things would be different. Just because things are being stripped out of the MLP context doesn't mean that the essence of the story will vanish. I would like to think that this story (or anyone's fanfics, really) would be strong enough to stand on its own merits.
There has been a lot of realism in AAG, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the actions of the current administration make it harder for me to imagine the GOP as they are in AAG. Granted, that's a minor thing and that I could easily just make up political parties (or could have done so), but the essence of who DJ is, is diametrically different than what the current administration would do. In AAG, the GOP thought of her as alien and something to be studied, but ultimately accepted her as an American. The current administration would have her on a dissection table and not even consider the alternative.
5067109
The problem with that idea is that the other party would have left her in a worse position in the real world.
Just create several other political parties and have her affiliation over there and the Republicans and Democrats are not as powerful as they are now.
Change who she supports. This is an easy change.
5067084
But this is different, in that the pony version of the story will be effectively ending. I hate it when good stories go dead and while this isn't exactly the same thing, it still means that AAG, the FiM fic, will be left hanging.
Look, I'm not trying to discourage you from taking your story beyond fanfiction...I just kinda want the fanfic to continue too...
5067084
) 
.
Well, you pulled a Mudbriar here sans the “technicality”
Anyway, but AAG with it’s pony elements will end definitely, and aim definitely sad about that. I love the characters, and you made the encounter between our worlds believable, and you made the canon characters still be them despite it, and the arrange of other great OCs that stuck in out mind one way or another ( hell, I took one of them as my waifu
Well, I could be wrong, but I understand you’re planning in making a series of books about it. I will miss the horse, but the characters will be there, the OCs at least. I believe who are supposed to be canon will be reworked
5067114
I think you're missing the point. The fact is the real world actions of the party are making it hard for me to justify writing said party in a better light, because right now I am not seeing that. I have already taken more than enough political shots over the years from people who claim me to be a Republican apologist (I'm not) or a Democratic stooge (I'm not that either), but in a story where a Dreamer (which is, in a sense, what DJ is), is accepted and trusted as an American eventually does not jibe with what would happen to her in real life. I can't abide this nor can I support it and it's had an impact on the writing.
Swap out (for example) the Democrats and Republicans with the Purple party and the Chartreuse party, and it would be the same problem. If I had written in AAG that the Chartreuse party had been in favor of giving her her due in time while in the real world they're locking up children and coming up with unacceptable political policies, we would be in the same position as we are now.
5067118
Many of the characters in AAG 1.0 were there just because MLP and I had no real idea of what to do with them. Pinkie and Applejack are essentially hangers on as are Applebloom and Scootaloo. That's bad writing no matter what, and in an AAG 2.0, I would be able to clean up a lot of the detritus that I had to put in just to please the fandom.
5067116
No guarantee that it would or it wouldn't. As it is, AAG has always been a lightning rod for attention, so there are just as many people who would be glad that it would go away, I think.
5067084
Well, it sounds like you're planning to rewrite all or most of AAG, which I would expect to take a couple years at least. That would mean years of rehashing content we've already mostly seen, like the first half of 7DSJ5 but many times longer. Only then would the story start to progress beyond where it stands today.
5067120
Ok we are trying to say the same thing but are not communicating it well. So here is what I am saying, we have the following major parties:
Socialist Party: Far Left
Democrats: Left Center
Libaterians: Right Center
Republicans: Far Right
There are several other parties in operation but the big four which have held power since the end of World War 2. The diversions point was a far different 22 amendment that what we got. Butterfly out the changes and go from there. Just change which party she would support.
5067124
Given how fast I can write? I think it would take far less.
5067124
I should also point out that most of the first part of 7DSJ Book V was original stuff. Only the last three chapters were condensed version of what had come before.
To be perfectly honest, I didn't even remember the story was marked complete. And I've already given up on the Berylverse.
5067145
Oh? Why's that?
5067147
The series has grown too long. Each book is the length of several novels, and I've found from reading them that I can't wait for them to finally finish. When reading an update becomes a chore instead of something to look forward to, it's time to move on.
I've found myself giving up on more and more series recently.
5067150
Fair enough.
5067058
What was the name of that story? It sounds familiar, but I feel like that could describe several stories on this website. At least.
Well, good luck with your plan, but I... personally will likely lose all interest after such a change. As simplistic as it sounds, ponies are what make this story interesting to me. The culture clash between earth and a world filled with alien, colourful cartoon ponies. The trials of a pony girl who grew up on a world filled with humans, and herself raised as a human. Not to mention your rather interesting take on how Equestria its characters had changed over the years. Take out the MLP, and this story loses what pulled me in in the first place.
Sure, G4 may be ending, but a show ending doesn't mean the fandom does. This fandom is on the level of other popular long running series like Star Trek by now. And people still write and read stories for those.
Well this is certainly some news to me especially since I was able to finally come around and finish that side story for AAG.
I respect your wishes though not sure if I completely be able to accept the new AAG sans MLP elements, as like others have said it's what drew me in with its more realistic setting and take on Human/Pony contact stories.
But we'll have to see.
Just because G4 is ending doesn’t mean the fandom dies with it. It will evolve as Hasbro releases G5. MLP is a huge money maker for them and they will not kill off their golden goose.
AAG has a lot of personality and I don’t feel there is any need to remove MLP elements from it. I am willing to say that even 5 years from now there will be people still reading it.
You should probably wait and see how things go with G5 before making a final decision. Who knows? You might be able to incorporate it in. Perhaps events could cause a dramatic transformation, or perhaps Earth and Equestria find a second pony world, the one of G5.
5067362
It won’t but it’ll definitely be another blow to the fandom’s numbers and makes sense to anticipate a further decrease in numbers for AAG with it. I’m sad G4 horse AAG will be ending, but Shin’s has a good base and reasoning for it to move it out of pony
Wow, the sheer amount of entitlement here is staggering. Some of you really need to look in the mirror and take a good look at yourselves. Honestly, an author whose story is one we all love wants to tweak it so he can sell it commercially. He comes to us for an opinion ... and a bunch of you shit on him:
"Oh we love your story but if you go professional, don't call us."
"I read and loved your story but now that you're going pro now I have a complaint it's too long."
"Hey, I don't want to pay for all the free shit I got from you so I'm going to tell you why you should keep writing free crap even though there's no guarantee I'll be around when you finish this."
"I'm going to tell you how to write your story in order to guilt trip you into not creating a second version."
And of course all the people who were too cowardly to comment but decided to downvote the author's comments.
Personally, if it were me, that would make me just decide to up and quit Fimfic outright. Fair weather fans he doesn't need.
Kudos to the guy who said he'd buy a copy of the new AAG. So will I, when it's out. For everything Shin's given us, it's a small price to pay.
The rest of you? Sad.
5067426 Thank you, TQP!
Triple thumbs up!👍👍👍
You speak the truth in this matter!
Again, thank you.
As for the rest of you, you should be ashamed of yourselves.
5067451
Thanks. It's amazing that we're reading stories about fictional cartoon characters espousing virtues that the fans apparently can't be bothered to give two shits towards when it comes to another human being.
I also saw that AAG itself got some down votes today because of this. I honestly wonder just how childish some of the people are on here when fictional characters seem to be more mature.
5067456 You're very welcome, and really.
Honestly, my 7 year old grand-niece Camie acts more mature than these guys.
My 14 year old Chihuahua Pedro does, too, for that matter.
5067426
After reading this, I believe I should cast my entirely personal grief over AAG The Pony ending and address the topic on a community standpoint: I must agree, how quickly we are to turn our backs after years of unconditional support towards Shinzakura. We can all be grief, and sad all we want towards this beloved pony version ending, and we can be mad at IT, but not mad AT Shin. We don’t own his life, nor story, and we aren’t financing him for it. It’s specially disgusting to already declare not buying his book out of sheer pettiness. Damn, I thought us better than that
5067426
*shrug* I can lie to both myself and Shin and promise to absolutely buy and read the revamped AAG cover to cover to make everyone feel better, but it'll be a lie. Perhaps it's my Dutch nature, but I'd rather be bluntly honest in my opinion than try and fake a kind lie.
Not that I wish Shin's endeavours to fail. Indeed, I wish Shin all the luck in trying to pull a Fifty Shades, but I came to this story because of the MLP. Taking away the MLP means taking away a large part of what lured me to this story in the first place. That's not entitlement. Entitlement would mean demanding Shin continue writing because of some fake "obligation to his fans" or other such nonsense. This is just giving feedback, which taking out all the details can be summarized as "I wish you all the luck, but I think this will be where we parted ways."
Also note all the maybes and I thinks. Nothing's ever certain in this world, so who knows?
Hmm, that makes you really think, it is good or bad that a fanfiction could be easily converted to original fiction by just changing names?
1) One school of thought is that fan-fiction is so good, it's overgrown a source material.
2) Other school of though is that fan-fiction is so bad, author didn't really get the source material and did it's own tangent, while source material was just an afterthought? (I'm looking at you, "MARIO : THE MUSIC BOX")
P.S. This comment have nothing to do with AAG (I don't really know how easy "conversion" would be), just a thought.
5067426
Actually, let's focus on your post for a moment, because the more I read it the more it frustrates me.
Nobody in this thread was being entitled. Not Shinzakura, not any of the readers. Shin laid out the plans for the future of AAG, and asked for feedback. Much of it was disappointment that Pony!AAG is essentially ending as it transforms into AAG 2.0. And that's okay, because Shin wasn't asking for an endless stream of compliments. Just feedback. To which Shinzakura responded with grace, even when someone bluntly stated he hadn't even finished the story. And there was plenty of support for the new course as well regardless. But nothing entitled.
That is, until your post.
You barged in and declared everyone who didn't voice their unyielding support "entitled," and "sad" for no other reason than voicing their opinion. That is not what entitlement means, not even remotely (nor does fair weather fans, as an aside), but you used the words in an attempt to shame everyone into supporting Shin's new course regardless of their actual opinions on the new course. Which, aside from being a terribly low way of trying to con people into doing something they might not have otherwise, is also incredibly hypocritical.
Let's look at your statement for a moment: You are claiming that Shinzakura is entitled to our readership on the simple basis that we've enjoyed the previous works so far. Do you not see the hypocrisy in this? Entitlement is good as long as it follows your whims? With one breath you accuse everyone of being sad, entitled fair weather fans, yet with the next breath entitlement is the reason we must buy and love the next story because we "owe" it to Shinzakura? That is not how readership of fiction works, and I'm pretty sure Shinzakura isn't expecting of us we follow the new AAG. Hope, sure. Every author hopes their readers will enjoy everything they write. Expect? I doubt it.
Yet you do. You expect and even demand everyone follow your lead. Because everyone who isn't is a sad, entitled fair weather fan and deserves to be shamed for it. Shamed for having an opinion that isn't more like yours.
You'll excuse me if this Diamond Tiara-like approach of trying to bully people into changing their opinions does not impress me in the least.
5067585
Well, if you can turn a story from a fanfiction into an original fiction with just a few name changes, that certainly does mean you've crafted a world original enough to stand on its own two feet. As far as author penmanship goes, that's definitely a positive sign if you're looking to grow beyond fanfiction and into the professional world.
The world of AAG certainly counts as having outgrown its original world. Many of its aspects are so different from what's canon now that they're different worlds entirely. But it's a natural growth that makes sense in the context of the story, and this allows it to remain recognizable as MLP fanfiction. At the same time, it is these differences that could allow Shinzakura to more easily "detach", so to speak, AAG from MLP. You can still have a realm of magic with noble houses, one of which lost a child that fell to earth and was raised by humans. You can still have the conflict of the parents who birthed her trying to take the child back from the parents who raised her. The details will be vastly different, but the core of AAG is not reliant on MLP.
You know, I find it funny that people are freaking the hell out about “the end of AAG” when I never actually said it was ending. Is my current plans for it on hold? Yes. I won’t lie about that. And, in hindsight, I guess it could read as such. But part of this plan is to both have a commercially-streamlined version that would appeal to different tastes, and maybe even reignite my passion for the original story (mainly because the actions of the current administration sure aren’t doing that.)
I do appreciate the words of support from 5067426. Regardless of what people believe, some of the statements were meant in the right place. On the converse, 5067182’s points are equally as valid. I don’t care for George RR Martin’s specific works, even though I like the genre he writes in, so it’s perfectly reasonable for Keroko to not want to follow my future endeavors (though, as he points out correctly, I hope he does). And while I am puzzled with the comments by 5067145 about not liking long works, again, that is entirely his right and I respect that - I even said as much.
As 5067058 stated, there is at least one other story here that has a commercial equivalent (the story, by the way is The Humanity Within triology by Knight Breeze). Plus, as even the initial planning is proving, AAG 2 is, so far, turning out to be less “AAG with the serial numbers shaved off” and more like “inspired by a true story” territory (which means, of course, anything but).
Will it mean that things will be slower for AAG 1? Well, they’re already slow right now for a number of reasons. Does slow mean stopped? No. I started these stories because I wanted to find a way to bridge the fandom from fanfiction into original works. I’ve done it before (years ago), and I can easily do so again. All I need is the fans’ faith in me. That’s not entitlement - that’s faith in good writing, whether original or fan-based.
In fact, the only thing that I find distasteful and petty is the downvotes on AAG itself if they’re based on the blog statement, but in the day and age of review bombing, I suppose that’s inevitable. Honestly, I asked for opinions. I didn’t ask for plaudits, I didn’t ask anyone to shit on me. I got what I asked for. And the fact that people have such strong opinions, eight years after AAG first debuted, clearly means that one way or another, the love for the story is still there.
I just hope that when I talk a little later about AAG 2, that you’re willing to give it a chance and follow this “Alt-American Girl”. And that if you all love DJ so much...you’ll learn to love Dakota, too.
5067622
I asked some of my less reading loving friends (I'm a rather poor measure myself, since I love big stories) about why they preferred smaller books, and in between the different answers, a common answer boils down to time. These are guys that all have different main hobbies. Some paint minis, some game, some watch TV, and they all do that more than they do reading, so they prefer small stories since they can actually feel like they're progressing through a book that way.
And speaking of words, your story be huge. You've easily surpassed all Harry Potters:
i.imgur.com/saff8bM.jpg
In fact, in an amusing twist, AAG alone is already about the size of RR Martin's bigger works
:
i.imgur.com/GOjjiIl.jpg
5067622
derpicdn.net/img/view/2014/2/22/559454.gif
Well, that indeed brightened things up. When I comment, I do so on my behalf, and I do indeed love AAG, likely being my favorite fic of all time. A further slowdown on it won’t bother me, as you’ve been clear on it since Sunny June. I dunno if I’ll ever buy the commercial AAG, since I’m not reading much books now, and I still got lots unread, but I’ll see what I can do once it releases. Anyway, have you thought of a name? I believe All American Girl is taken
Good, good, everyone seems to be calming down...a calm state of mind is necessary for when the DJcorn arrives and brings you all to a higher state of conciousness.
5067653
I have a working title, but that will be revealed in time, as it’s not a firm title just yet.
5067622
I can see why my comment was puzzling, but after reading so many of your stories, I thought you would want to know why I haven't been engaged with your recent work. I seem to recall that Seven Days in Sunny June was planned as a trilogy, with the fourth book coming because you had too much for the original three books. And then the fourth book was as long as the first three, as long as four novels. J. K. Rowling had her later Harry Potter novels expand in size, but even she would have been told by her publisher to redo a 410,000 word manuscript.
It's not strictly a matter of length. It's a matter of expectations for one. Following up what was essentially three novel-length stories with one monster story didn't work for me, and I just wanted it to end, to get the promised payoff.
On one hand, I read one million word story, and have several others in my favorites that are as long as Book Four. Yet I still find myself eagerly awaiting those updates.
The contrast is the first story I remember abandoning, Background Pony. Each update was the author dumping twenty thousand words of nothing happening. I went on vacation, the unread chapters built up, and eventually I realized I didn't want to catch up on the story.
As for the actual subject of this blog post, I have doubts that the rewrite will work. Part of what makes this kind of story work, and why I like HIE/POE stories, is that the human and pony worlds are similar in many ways, different in others, which creates a unique first contact scenario. The story becomes completely different with advanced aliens; there's no situation where both worlds have something to gain from the others. Furthermore, there's the situation where fantastic races are doing mundane things. In one of the AAG stories, there's a fantasy artist or author complaining that since contact, all the fantasy stories have dragon businessmen rather than just dragons. Think about how you'd have a situation like this with a more generic fantasy world-human world interaction.
5067606
I can understand you, but there's implied "original > fanfic" in your words. For example, would your answer change if wording changed to "licensed extended universe story set in a franchise" instead of a "fanfic"? What if it turned out that "author wrote original story beforehand, and changed original names to licensed names", instead of "licensed deal fell out, but story was so independent, author simply changed names and turned it into original story"?
5067701
From a conversation I had yesterday with the BV staff:
Shinzakura Last Thursday at 2:28 PM
Plus, I can cut down on the Mane 6, because really, Fluttershy had a small role, Rainbow I really didn't know what to do with, Pinkie same, and Applejack even less. If I merge Twilight, Pinkie and Fluttershy, it becomes more managable.
Chances are I'll probably end up with a large cast anyway.
WhitewolfStormrunner Last Thursday at 2:35 PM
Probably.
Flynt Coal Last Thursday at 2:36 PM
Knowing you, yes. This project will balloon out of your control
Shinzakura Last Thursday at 2:37 PM
You make it sound as though I have no control of my stories.
Flynt Coal Last Thursday at 2:39 PM
Yes
Shinzakura Last Thursday at 2:41 PM
Hey, I finished 7DSJ, right?
Flynt Coal Last Thursday at 2:42 PM
Yes, after turning what was supposed to be a simple prologue and epilogue into an epic spanning five books and even more sidestories, one of which is still unfinished so in a way you still haven't quite finished 7DSJ yet
Nope, no advanced aliens. I'm acutely aware of that and while I have to make some changes, it's going to stick as close to the spirit of AAG as it possibly can. Will the whole thing blow out of proportion? Don't know, and I can't promise that. I can say that I've pared down the cast extensively from the start (as mentioned in the brief excerpt above) in order to help aid that.
To quote from that same earlier conversation:
Shinzakura Last Thursday at 1:18 PM
For some reason, I've had a thought about the three different cultural tellings of [REDACTED]. And they fit similar to three certain tribes we know, right?
Blue-Zudah Last Thursday at 1:18 PM
plus, you can restructure everything so you aren't beholden to including characters simply because they're important in the show
Shinzakura Last Thursday at 1:21 PM
And I can reduce the number of potentially useless plotlines and whatnot. A lot of the stuff really goes nowhere, I think.
Flynt Coal Last Thursday at 1:22 PM
it's big of you to admit that haha
Hi.
Well, wouldn't this actually be version 3? Because version 1 had the Republic of Pirates engaging open warfare, while version 2 was about Chrysalis going into offensive against Eq while RoP only exists as a guerrilla army. (And then there is that v 2.0 had the Canterlot defense be a grid of auto turrets, while v 2.1 had it as an orbital bombardment).
Besides, AAG happens to be very localized into SF with transdimensional, magic using aliens, living in a version of Earth with panspermia of sentience. MLP offers a nice background for that, but i don't know how would you remove ponies from that without having to just start over from scratch. Elves, dwarves and angels to replace unicorns, Earth ponies and pegasai?
5067712
Then you get projects like Starcraft.
But if I made the impression that original > fanfic then I do apologize, because that was not my intent. Neither is inherently better than the other, just different.