Paul's Thursday Reviews CLXIX · 9:21pm Jul 25th, 2019
Whelp, this is it, folks. Next time I post one of these, I’ll be at Pascoite’s place getting ready to go to Bronycon. And no worries, I’ve already got things set up for next week, so there will definitely be a blog.
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m going to be driving to the con. Which is a long way to go on its own, but it’s going to be even longer for me. I’ve put everything in motion so that I can go and enjoy a few sights along the way, but that means driving way out of my way to do so. Planned destinations include Vicksburg, Mississippi, the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky, Clingmans Dome in Tennessee, and Cathedral Caverns in Alabama. Is that a crazy, winding route taking me much further than I actually need to go? Yes, yes it is. That’s kinda-sorta why I’m doing it.
This comes with a caveat. Because I only have a limited number of vacation days, I had to be careful with the timing of all this. The end result is that I’ll have to miss the final day of Bronycon entirely, plus the latter half of Saturday. This sucks, particularly since I’m now forced to miss the Writer’s Dinner I got invited to. I really wanted to go to that…
Oh, well. I’m still getting to go an a long, nature-based vacation like I’ve never done before on my own. Still very much looking forward to it. And for all of you going to Bronycon, hopefully I’ll see you there.
On an unrelated side note, stay tuned next week for a surprise release. But it won’t be my release, technically. It’s a collaboration, which I’ve never done before, at least not like this. Keep an eye on Wanderer D’s Sunset's Isekai come Wednesday! I liken it to a preview of coming attractions.
Now, to the reviews.
Stories for This Week:
The Battle of Fort Book by PinkamenaPiePrincess
This Dance We Do by naturalbornderpy
Raven by SaintChoc
Any Last Requests? by naturalbornderpy
Insecurities by Shachza
To Soar Again by Zeg
Cold Case by Bachiavellian
Their Last Dance by iDash
Animals or Cannibals? by Feeling Grand
Break Away: The Alicorn Amulet Collaboration by cleverpun
Total Word Count: 89,683
Rating System
Why Haven't You Read These Yet?: 3
Pretty Good: 3
Worth It: 3
Needs Work: 1
None: 0
The Battle of Fort Book
1,108 Words
By PinkamenaPiePrincess
Come on, guys, do we really need a summary?
This is everything the cover and title suggests. It struggles a bit with the writing, but it’s still filly Twilight being filly Twilight, and it’s hard to say no to that. Even so, there’s something… ‘off’ about the whole thing that’s hard to put my finger on. I think it might be the perspective, which feels less like a child’s thoughts and more like an adult struggling to pretend to have a child’s thoughts.
Still, not a bad way to blow five minutes.
Bookshelf: Worth It
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
New Author!
This Dance We Do
1,418 Words
By naturalbornderpy
Discord only acts because of Celestia. She is the Batman to his Joker, the Harry Potter to his Voldemort, the Road Runner to his Wile E. Coyote. Today, they are having another dance of magic beams and insults and taunts. Discord hopes it never ends. Even if he has to fix the damage every now and then.
This is a story about a villainous Discord who is only villainous because it keeps Celestia chasing after him. The whole idea here is the relationship between heroes and villains and how that relationship might be important to the villain. It’s an atmospheric piece, at times fun and whimsical, at others tragic and frightening. The sheer power Discord demonstrates and the knowledge that Harmony only continues to exist because he enjoys toying with it is legit worrying.
Assuming this is a story taking place in the past, all this makes me wonder if Twilight might be his new dance partner. Can’t be Fluttershy, it’s not the right kind of dance for that.
A fascinating read, which should be worthwhile for fans of Discord or those who enjoy getting into the villain’s head. It should also stir something for the darkfic lovers and sadficionados out there.
Bookshelf: Pretty Good
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
Bookworm's Delight — WHYRTY?
Princess Celestia's Newest Arch Enemy — Pretty Good
Please Open The Door — Needs Work
Alternative Title: Don’t Blink
Raven has been by Celestia’s side for as long as anypony can remember. Nopony knows when she came into the princess’s service, save perhaps the princess herself.
There’s a reason for that.
This was a lovely story about Princess Celestia’s personal assistant, an impeccably calm and patient mare who is trusted implicitly, perhaps even more than Twilight herself. It is told in reverse chronological order, which was both a bold move and a great one. With every chapter, we learn a little bit more about this mysterious mare and her impact not only on Celestia, but also on Equestrian history.
What I love the most about this story is its gradual unwinding of revelations. As mentioned, every chapter teaches us a little bit more, with several revelations bringing forth an “a-ha!” moment as something previously shown abruptly makes perfect sense. It was that steady stream of reverse clarity that made this such a treat to read. I suspect that, if I read the story again, I’d find a few more little snippets I missed the first time.
A lovely bit of headcanon for Celestia’s lovely assistant. I can find no reason not to recommend it.
Bookshelf: Pretty Good!
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
New Author!
Any Last Requests?
3,623 Words
By naturalbornderpy
For the crime of staring at Luna’s plot, Celestia kicks Discord in the shin. She had no idea it would result in a mortal wound. Now she’s made one of the biggest mistakes of her life: promised to allow Discord any last requests.
This was great. Not only can I see Discord doing this, but I can see the ponies falling for it. It’s a bit of nonsense, but it’s show-accurate nonsense, and I am thus entertained. It only lasts for a brief time, but it’s just enough to do the job and not wear out its welcome.
If you want to have a few chuckles at Celestia’s expense, this isn’t a bad way to get them.
Bookshelf: Pretty Good
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
Bookworm's Delight — WHYRTY?
Princess Celestia's Newest Arch Enemy — Pretty Good
Please Open The Door — Needs Work
Insecurities
11,347 Words
By Shachza
Fleur Lumineuse, daughter of Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis, has gravely insulted the airship mechanic Hyperic Cable. In an effort to make amends to this pony she barely knows, she offers to have dinner with him. What follows is a long, convoluted night where two vastly different ponies struggle to understand one another. It starts out as Fleur trying to repair the damage she’d done, but gradually grows into a genuine effort to help a luckless, self-defeating stallion get out of a lifelong rut.
I was iffy about this one at first, with its meanderingly slow pacing and unclear intentions. Yet, gradually, it grew on me until I came to the end with full-on approval. Insecurities is a character-heavy story in which a social butterfly dances around a reclusive introvert, her eager wingbeats fighting to put some life into his life. It is an act of bravery on both their parts, beautifully emphasized and developed through a masterful combination of show and tell.
Schachza claims that this story is blatant self-insertion and wish fulfillment. What makes this story work is that it never once feels like either of those things. The story doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that what Fleur and Hyperic are trying to do is going to be a challenge for the both of them. That is one of its great strengths; the idea that building a relationship is hard and requires sacrifices and effort on both sides. The excellent and consistent characterization of both of them and their frequent slip-ups are the powdered sugar of a delectable plot funnel cake.
Definitely a higher tier piece of drama and relationship growth, this deserves all the attention it has garnered so far. The story could be utilized as a study in character development and how to make simple scenes, such as a conversation, interesting. I look forward to more from this author in the future.
Bookshelf: Why Haven’t You Read These Yet?
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
New Author!
To Soar Again
8,706 Words
By Zeg
Shortly after starting her Wonderbolt career, a major accident permanently grounds Rainbow Dash with a crippled wing. Six months later, the joyless pony is dragged out of bed by Applejack who insists on surprising her with… something. Rainbow is not enthusiastic.
To be frank, this story is as unoriginal as they come. It doesn’t take much guesswork to know where this is going and how it will end. But just because it’s a common plot, that doesn’t mean the story is bad. In this instance, Zeg does a decent job of capturing Rainbow and her love of flight. I found the end to be genuinely touching, especially when Rainbow broke down.
Yet there are a few issues. For one, Zeg has some trouble conveying certain scenes in terms of emotion and atmosphere. The best example is when Rainbow has her accident at the beginning of the story (which, for once, isn’t even her fault). At no point was there any sense of excitement, danger, or fear in that introduction. We’re talking about a career-ending crash complete with a pony being on fire, but it’s all written in such a ho-hum, factual manner.
It’s not until Rainbow herself notices the fire that we even realize how bad the situation is. The problem stems from how calmly everything is written. There’s no panic in Rainbow’s thoughts, no urgency, no reaction to the pain. It’s just “oh, I’m on fire. Let me try to put it out. Oh, hey Spitfire, think you could help me out?”. No, that’s not what Rainbow said, but she might as well have with how little energy was in that scene.
Then there’s Rainbow’s mood throughout the story. It seems to me Zeg relied a little too much on Show here. I mean, according to the story’s description, Rainbow is in a depressed state and barely able to get out of bed in the morning. Yet at no point does the story ever put us into that mindset; Rainbow seems to be in a decent, if grumpy, mood considering what we’ve been promised.
Again, I’m not saying that these things make To Soar Again a bad story. Watching the antics of Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Pinkie make clear that Zeg has a good grasp of the characters and how to make them more interesting. Even the final scene, where Rainbow finally shows some emotion, indicates that this author knows what they’re doing. I’d even be willing to give Zeg the benefit of the doubt and assume that much of Rainbow’s bland nature throughout the story is intended to reflect a depression-based lack of emotion. But if all that were true, why is the opener also so bland?
This is a decent story, and could have been a great one despite its common premise. But it could use a little more work before it gets there.
Bookshelf: Worth It
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
One Pony’s Peculiar Predicament — Worth It
Cold Case
3,108 Words
By Bachiavellian
When a certain baby dragon’s birthday cake goes missing, Pinkie concludes that one of her best friends must be the cake-napper. After all, they were the only ones who knew about it. So, with bubble pipe in hoof and a cape on her back, she heads out to interrogate the suspects.
Oh my Luna, people, this was fun. The entire story is Pinkie Pie narrating her actions out loud while her friends react, and it is pitch-perfect Pinkie. It’s made all the better by the fact that the narrative is Pinkie. For example:
He was a stubborn one, but I knew I’d get what I needed from him soon enough. I fixed him with a stare that matched his dead-set gaze ounce for ounce, but he didn’t so much as flinch. Did he think I was kidding around or something?
“Eeyup.”
The entire story runs like this, people, and it is solid gold. Hearing the narrative in Pinkie’s distinctive voice, listening to the highly entertaining way she describes each of her friends in ‘gritty detective’ style… I never stopped grinning. Heck, I’m still grinning as I write this. The whole thing is entertaining, amusing, and quite possibly ingenius.
Read this. You won’t regret it, and it deserves way more attention than it has.
Bookshelf: Why Haven’t You Read These Yet?
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
An Old Coot — Pretty Good
Their Last Dance
3,484 Words
By iDash
The world is ending. Pinkie and Rarity decide to spend their last evening together dancing.
I have mixed feelings with this one. The first thing that comes to mind is that iDash has drastically improved their sense of atmosphere and tone since My Little DJ. Really, it’s like looking at an entirely new author, and it pleases me to no end. The story focuses on a steady back-and-forth of flashbacks and the present, the present being that last night where the end is inevitable and Pinkie just wants a dance with Rarity, even if they’re both scared out of their wits.
I think I’m okay with the flashbacks, despite my general disapproval of their usage. It’s the content of those flashbacks that gives this story its major problem. The situation described is… frankly, preposterous. The Mane Six walk up to Luna, who promptly tells them “Celestia is probably dead and the world’s ending.” And of course, the Mane Six… uh… shut down and give up and start weeping? Clearly, iDash has no idea who these ponies are. Anyone who actually pays attention to these characters knows that their real reaction would be something along the lines of “Yeah, no, we’re going to go find Celestia and put a stop to this ‘end of the world’ nonsense.” Doesn’t mean they’d succeed, but they sure as Tartarus wouldn’t just give up on the spot.
And since the entire plot revolves around this flawed premise, it stains the story and taints the overarching emotional impact. Which is a shame, because the intended central premise is handled decently. Had iDash actually understood the characters involved and created a realistic scenario, then this could have earned a high rating. Granted, there are still some grammar problems, specifically involving the lack of capitalization, but it’s the setting that really ruins the immersion.
Even so, this is still a huge improvement from the last story I read by this author. It’s a pity they haven’t produced anything on FIMFiction since this story was published, they might have given us some real gems in time.
Bookshelf: Worth It
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
And We Danced — Worth It
My Little DJ — Needs Work
Animals or Cannibals?
1,424 Words
By Feeling Grand
Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash get trapped in a cave in the Frozen North. Things don’t go well.
This story was, to put it succinctly, rushed. The Author’s Note suggests that the downvotes are related to the topic of cannibalism, but I’m pretty sure that has nothing to do with it. The story has a number of issues prevent it from getting anywhere.
Why would Rainbow, Fluttershy’s best friend for most of their lives, talk so cruelly about animals? They’re bound to have had this discussion before when they were younger. In fact, I’d wager it would have been a major moment of relationship growth for them. So yeah, Rainbow’s disrespectful attitude makes no sense to me.
Then there’s Rainbow freaking out over her broken wing. Now, I get it, it hurts like a bitch. But we’re talking about Rainbow Dash, who was a stunt flier even before it became her profession. I guarantee you this isn’t her first broken bone. She’s certainly not acting like it.
And then there’s the main point of the story. This should have been the big moment, but it’s over in no time. Feeling Grand, the way you make this stuff stick with us is to make it linger. That moment should have been 80% of the ~1,400 words of this story, not 10%. This is the moment you flex your descriptive chops, give us atmosphere, and make us feel Rainbow’s horror and self-loathing.
Conceptually? This could have been a sadfic/tragedy gold mine. But the swiftness of the events and uncharacteristic behavior on display really kills it.
Bookshelf: Needs Work
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
I'm Real — Pretty Good
Speeding Ticket — Needs Work
Break Away: The Alicorn Amulet Collaboration
49,432 Words
By cleverpun
In collaboration with: Titanium Dragon, No Raisin, Chris, FanOfMostEverything, Moosetasm, Crack-Fic Kai, nioniosbbbb, Sollace The Bearded, and Winston
Twilight Sparkle has tried everything in hopes of removing the threat of the Alicorn Amulet for good, but after all her research she’s come to realize there is only one solution. Every time the Amulet tries to tempt somepony into wielding it and fails, it loses some of its energy. If enough ponies can refuse its temptations, then theoretically it will destroy itself from this waste. And so Twilight collects a group of ponies whom she hopes will have the mental fortitude required to finally put an end to the Amulet forever.
Each chapter in this story features a different pony meeting with and being tempted by the Alicorn Amulet, and each chapter is written by a different collaborator. While I’ve never bought the idea of the amulet as a sapient entity, it works wonderfully for this collection. We get to watch as such wide-ranging ponies as Moondancer, Starlight Glimmer, and even Pinkie Pie face their greatest temptations. Some are obvious. Some not so much. The variety of styles and ideas such a wide range of authors offers makes each chapter interesting in its own way.
My personal favorite was Ditzy’s, although Pinkie’s makes for a close second. My least favorite was The Doctor’s, who is indeed Doctor Who. I’m sure my long-time readers will recall my disdain for the regular use of this overhyped character in ponefics, and he especially has no place in this story. You really want a reality-bending entity to go up against the Amulet, annoy Twilight, and be funny in the process? We’ve got Discord. Use him.
Aside from that wasted chapter (sorry, Moosetasm), this is solid gold. And really, if I’m being fair, the Doctor Who chapter isn’t bad in general. Most people will probably love it. But with or without it, the story is great from beginning to end. The only thing I want to see now is a sequel detailing Trixie’s adventures afterwards. Might make for another good collaboration, except this time with each author describing a pony/creature that meets Trixie on her travels. I’d read that.
...and now I’m imagining an Austreaoh-type (only a hundred million times smaller) collaborative adventure in which Trixie journeys to the edge of Equestria. Dang it, cleverpun, I don’t have time for this kind of crap!
A-hem. Anyway, yes. Great collection here. Definitely give it a read.
Bookshelf: Pretty Good!
Previous stories reviewed for this author:
“Princest Is Wincest,” It Said — Pretty Good
Battery — Pretty Good
If You Came to Conquer — Pretty Good
You Too Will Deteriorate — Pretty Good
I Am Not the Actor — Worth It
Stories for Next Week:
To Try For the Sun by Rune Soldier Dan
Snuggle Bug by Overload
The Cough by Ebon Mane
Something's Always Watching by DEI Caboose
Tender is the Night by Harmony Split
These Are the Days of Our Lives by Super Trampoline
Anthropology by JasonTheHuman
Screwball Over by Warren Hutch
The Magician and the Fiddler by The Fool
Gunsmoke by Wanderer D
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You know, I’ve started to wonder about really long stories (100k+ words). They’re harder to pull off than shorter stories because you have more stuff to get right and balance out, but the pay off, if done well, is better than anything a one-shot could achieve. Long stories simultaneously open up greater opportunities but also greater risks. It’s a serious dedication that takes years to master. I mention this because all my favourite stories on this site are over 100k words. I’ve just never been a fan of short stories, either fanfiction or real published works.
Btw, I started reading Bulletproof Heart. It’s really, really good. There’s always some momentum carrying things along and it never feels like it’s dragging, at least for me. I gotta get me some of that momentum.
5094137
Sadly, a large chunk of the fandom avoids anything that's over 10k like the plague. It's a shame, too, because there are some amazing (if long) stories out there that use that time to really build some solid characters, settings, and meaning. But ... the majority flit like moths from light to light.
The absolute inverse of the publishing world, by the way. There it's the shorts that have serious trouble catching readers, while longer works are where the crowd is at.
I say, ruffian! Gird thy loins, for nay shall ye besmircheth ma boi Moosetasm’s honor! He and I shall say “Ni” at thee next week at BronyCon! “Ni,” I say!
Woo! Victory!
I know there were plans for that sequel collab you mentioned, but I guess they never quite got off the ground.
5094144
It's weird to me that people think like that, cause personally I love longer fanfics and I find myself not being drawn to shorter stories.
I mean to each their own, but I would rather have a meaty fic to jump in to than a smaller story.
Those stories for next week seem less arbitrary!
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5094154
As someone whose only got two stories so far in my nearly five years here, oddly enough because one of them is a long story that I don’t get to update very often because the editor is extremely busy in real life, I know this feeling too well. I once saw a short fic sum things up pretty well and I think it’s called One-Shot Mare. Kind of funny how a one-shot can capture the plight of long fics in a place ruled by short fics so well.
Wow, Insecurity and Raven have incredibly good covers.
I'd also argue that Moosetasm's chapter in Breakaway had some value, as it deconstructs The Doctor's usual status of "yes, I'm better than everyone else in this story to the point where I'm superannuating the rest of the cast" and at absolute worst you can still say it wasn't another David Tennant/Matt Smith young and sexy Doctor. It's a pretty solid Tom Baker voice.
Pleased you liked the Pinkie Pie chapter, I'm very proud of it!
5094152
Curse you FoME! I'll beat you next time!
5094154
I wonder (but don't know) if it might come from prior reading habits. Those that grew up reading fully fledged books would find it natural to jump at a full-length work, while those that didn't don't see the appeal, and settle for small, bite-sized snacks as they aren't used to idea of reading something that requires that much focus, attention and effort.
Or, it could be because the show itself is small and bite-sized, and so the majority of those that read fanfic look for a similar level of length and time investment unless really, really, really urged otherwise.
There's probably a decent paper in there somewhere for a researcher.
5094165
It could also be that people are wary of investing in something that long when a fanfic can very easily turn out something that isn't worth investing in.
Thanks for the review!
You are making the unfortunate and untrue implication that I'm a genius. I'm sure this is a typo. :P
... But for real, super glad that you liked it!
Well... at least you apologized?
In other news: PaulAsaran mentioned me in a blog, by name!
5094164
And it wouldn’t have even had the Tom Baker voice without your assistance, sir.
5094151
I know I worked hard on it, but... let’s be honest, it really wasn’t my best work.
5094152
Ditzy was everypony’s favorite chapter.
"Raven" and "Insecurities" are two where I had the pleasure of giving the authors significant help. I enjoyed both of them quite a bit.
"Their Last Dance" was a weird one for me because it felt like everything was so sudden. Everyone comes up against an unstoppable force which turns out to be... well, unstoppable. There's zero conflict. Plus the shipping came out of nowhere, so there was zero background as to why it would even be there.
On "To Soar Again," I wonder if the author was going for a particular ill-advised feel. There's a common sentiment that if you really want to get the reader in the mindset of someone who's bored, depressed, and fed up with how routine everything is, then you convey that feeling to the reader by making the story have a boring, routine sense. Then, wonder of wonders, they end up with a boring, routine story. It's not the easiest task to make boredom and depression entertaining (in the sense that a story needs to be entertaining, i.e., hold the reader's interest, not that depression is entertaining), but that's really what you have to do in a story like this. Most authors don't consider that.
It sucks that you have to miss so much of the con. Due to my own flight times and schedule, I'm missing out on all of Thursday, Friday morning, and Sunday evening. I wish I'd been invited to the author's dinner, that sounds cool.
5094144
The main issue, I think, is that people are afraid that longer stories won't be finished. This is just a hobby for most of us, after all. Still, my favorite crossover on the site is a super long-form Bleach homage:
- Equestria Girls
- Bleach
- Adventure
When dangerous supernatural creatures start to stalk the streets of Canterlot City, Sunset Shimmer and the gang become involved in events that will irrevocably change their lives. A crossover series with the Bleach anime/mangaVex, the madman, recently cleared the one million word mark, and it's also nearing a hundred chapters. I love it so much because it's legitimately so much more well written than the franchise it's based on, which I already enjoyed greatly.
5094165
I've read plenty of novels in my life, but I prefer short pony fiction. I think I've read only 5 stories that were over 100k, and all those because I was asked to review or edit them. Some people just prefer short stories. Neither one is superior to the other. There's a lot you can do in either that the other can't do. I rather like flash fiction and its short, punchy scenes. Part of it may also be whether people prefer variety. If you read 50 short works, you can get a wide range of genres and authorial styles, versus a couple genres and one author.
5094204 Yeah, and time is a limiting factor. I've seen reviewers flee in terror from "Hey, I've got this really nifty unfinished story that I'm putting a chapter or two a week on and it just reached like 500k words but I wanted you to review it and don't give up in the first 27 chapters because not much happens there since I was just started writing and there's a time skip..."
Eject! Eject! Eject!
Oho, Anthropology next week, eh? I'll definitely be interested to see what you make of that one! I know what I think of it, but that's another matter...
While I'm not necessarily proud of the chapters I wrote for Break Away, I am proud of the work that everyone else did. I did not like all the chapters equally--I'm only human--but I'm proud of what everyone accomplished. Going through every step of planning and editing with a group taught me a lot of lessons, and it's an experience I won't ever forget. Glad you liked it.
There were plans for the sequel collaboration, but there were a lot of logistical issues. Not as many people were interested as for the first one--and this is probably my fault for revisiting the idea too soon, instead of letting it occur naturally. It also required a lot more interconnectivity between chapters, which I suppose people were not ready for, after the construction of this one.
Putting 5094152 here since they also mentioned said sequel.
5094137
I don't know if I'd call longer stories more challenging. They require a lot of devotion, true, but it's really more of a different skillset than a bigger challenge. To people who write lots of big stories, writing short ones is the real challenge. Sometimes I impose on myself wordcount limits on my short stories just for the practice, because achieving the same strength of plot in so fewer words is hard.
5094151
Oh, go and boil your bottoms, sons a silly person.
5094152
A shame, I'd have liked to have seen that.
5094154
Some small stories can be pretty meaty. Most aren't, but some can wow you.
5094157
I might have taken a request or two. I had to refuse people after a certain point, though.
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Actually, the chapter itself wasn't objectively bad. Quite the contrary. I'm just sick of seeing The Doctor in ponefics. There is no other external character who appears more often than him. Not only have I long stopped seeing the appeal, but it's gotten to the point that it feels like authors are saying "How can I make everyone love this story, regardless of quality and content? I'll just add The Doctor!"
Again, the chapter is fine. It just grates on my nerves to see the same character used again (and again (and again (and again (and again (and again (and again)))))).
5094201
I wondered the same thing in To Soar Again (I did mention that in the review, didn't I?), but if that were the case then why did the crash itself read the same way? Rainbow wouldn't have experienced that in a boring manner.
5094215
Time is indeed a limiting factor, but there's also considerations for the future. If I read an incomplete story, I will eventually want to read the finished product (because there will be one; you can't write forever). So if you tell me that your incomplete story is 100k+ words, which for me is ten days of reading under normal circumstances, and that it likely won't be finished by the time I get to it, I hesitate because I'll be blowing 10 days on an uncompleted project that I'll eventually want to reread from scratch at a later time for an even longer duration. And then consider that anything longer than ~70k, complete or not, goes into this super-long-term schedule system that might require more than a year for me to get to, and it still might not be finished by then. That's a slot (two slots, actually) that could be available for someone who actually bothers to give their story an ending.
Which is why nowadays when people ask me to read incompletes I limit myself to the first ~70k at most. I'll get to it sooner, won't lose more than a week of reading time, and save those precious long-schedule openings on something that may never be finished and thus won't get an actual rating.
5094433
That sequel does sound like a bit of an organizational challenge. Should you ever wish to try it out, drop me a line. I may want to participate.
5094204
Lol! I didn’t realize. I’m honored to be on that list.
Mr. Paul, sir, if you’ve truly got a year’s wait on fics over 70k, then I’d best get a request in for this one sooner rather than later.
5094508
Yes, it's true. As of right now my Long-Term Schedule is booked solid up through October 2020. Can't say with 100% certainty when I'll get to your story, but it'll probably be the month after.
Which is frustrating, because that's actually one I wanted to read sooner.
5094517
No one’s saying you can’t...
...but I respect the system. Cool to know that you’ll get to it.
Maybe the sequel will be out (or at least solidly underway) by then, too!
Shame that you'll be missing some of the con, but I'm hoping to see you there and the sightseeing detour sounds lovely!
5094467 Will do. But it's very much a matter of "if" rather than "when".
How did you like the Chrysalis characterisation in the collab? It was my pitch on this.
5103236
I quite enjoyed her. Any story that doesn't treat Chrysalis like an incompetent automatically gets bonus points, but this one was effectively intimidating and interesting.
5103237
Thanks, any feedback is welcome tbh.
I never did thank you for this review of Insecurities, Paul. And even with possibility of doing so in person at Bronycon.
It's weird to me that this short, relatively obscure blurb of life is the by far the most directly acclaimed of what I've done. As a self insert that digs so deeply, even now I'm still uncertain how I feel about all the attention it's gathered. It's a work of love though, so I can't help be flattered that so many appreciate a story that almost never was.
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Wow, my little photoshop-enhanced doodle for Insecurities is an amazing cover? I suppose, I do like it because the posing and the grayscale really strike me as appropriate for the content. I guess I also have the benefit of knowing how slapdash it was for me...
But thanks! I'm glad you liked the art too.