State of the Scribe: January 2021 · 2:30pm Jan 1st, 2021
This state of the scribe will be separated into two parts--the usual updates on the calendar for the upcoming month, then a few thoughts from me about my work here on Fimfiction in general. But we're getting hit with so many new stories this month that I thought it would be better to put my more general thoughts into its own entry. Expect that tomorrow.
We begin with the excitement of new stories beginning. First, Forbidden Places, a story that shares the same Equestria as Fine Print. It is neither a sequel or a prequel, however, and it's an adventure story rather than slice of life.
A group of urban explorers gets hopelessly lost deep beneath the catacombs of Paris. But as their supplies are running low and their desperation high, they stumble upon something incredible: a portal to another world. Strange forms wait for them on the other side, but when the alternative is death, they don't really have a choice. They'll have to journey across this strange new world, and find another portal home.
Forbidden Places is an interesting project for a few reasons--in addition to getting double the usual wordcount, I'm also going to be really focusing on character and viewpoint with this one, using all four of our stranded humans as perspective characters. It's going to be a wild ride.
This story will come to fimfiction as soon as its cover is complete, probably at the end of this month. But its chapters will update on Patreon until then.
Of course most of you have probably seen Anemoia now that it has made its transition to Fimfiction. Anemoia is the tale of the first crystal pony, left in the wreckage of a civilization long gone, on her journey to sapience. I expect this story will be shorter than my usual, and will probably conclude in march. Maybe April at the worst.
Then there's Fine Print, a story that needs no introduction. I'll only say that the writing on the first draft of the whole story is complete, so I can say with confidence it will reach to april. Writing in advance lets me edit far further, catching potential plotholes and improving the experience for everybody (particularly the artists, may God have mercy on their souls)
Then for the roster of Monthly Patreon stories. We have a full roster of 4 now, which is pretty exciting. By way of reminder, the 1st chapter of any new story is up for everyone, with subsequent chapters requiring any contribution to read. Or you can just wait until they're done, when they'll come to Fimfiction for everyone to enjoy.
The first of these is Dreamlands, the story of a young bat just following the defeat of Nightmare Moon. She watches helplessly as her once proud race are reduced to squatters and vagabonds by the solar army, after siding with Nightmare Moon during the war. After much deliberation, she reaches the conclusion that there is only one way to save thestrals everywhere: Bring Nightmare Moon back.
But how can one bat bring back a pony banished to the moon? Rather than traveling to the moon physically, she decides to travel there in the Dreamlands, and rescue the rightful ruler of the bats while there is anything left to save.
The next new story is still in outlining right now, so I'll give it a proper introduction next month. I'll say only that it's going to vaguely HiE with a twist, and that it involves a genre I've never written before. Come back next month for more about that one, or just read it on the 29th and be surprised.
Of course we have the two Patreon stories we've been rolling with for ages now--over a year in the case of Return to Sender. RtS is the continuation of the universe of Message in a Bottle, about Harmony's first contact with alien life beyond the ring. It goes badly, and suddenly the ponies are mounting a desperate rescue mission. This one has been an incredibly challenging project, since I was going for the closest thing to true alien intelligence that a human can write, but it's a blast nevertheless.
And of course, we have Optimal Game Master, the story of those who use Equestria Online to run their tabletop games. That story is written too, just waiting for its cover to come to fimfiction. Probably next month, with another 4 chapters that have to go to patreon.
But just as there are new beginnings, there are endings. Child of Mine is the first coming to an end. It's amazing how long this one has lasted, and how far Kyle has come. But her journey is almost over now, one way or the other. A huge thanks to Crescent Pulsar for this commission, and letting me bring this story to all of you.
Then there's the less dignified death of Hand of the Ancients. The story reached only the second act before become a casualty of the Blight of 2020. But I still enjoyed the story we got, and it would've been a shame not to share it. Who knows, it might reappear one day.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't make a note of Mew Like Me, which concluded last month. I'll post a blog with the full pdf/epub for anyone who has been waiting on that... as soon as I get around to putting it together.
Well that was quite a bit. Lots of stories turning over as we enter a new year, and even more of that to come in the months ahead. As I said in the intro, expect another blog from me in the next day or so--this calendar went on long enough that I'd like to give that its own entry.
But things will be changing for me this coming year. For those of you who care about any of that, and how my writing will be different, I'll see you tomorrow. Everyone else, I hope you enjoy the stories.
Oh, you swapped the graph's colours. That was a bit confusing at first.
I'm curious, since it's set in the same Equestria as Fine Print, will we see some tie-ins/crossovers/continuity nods between the two stories? Or will Forbidden Places try to be it's own thing? I'll be sure to give it a read when it comes out though.
"Forbidden Places"? This story sounds interesting and look forward to your future content
5426494
I can't believe I didn't notice that. I'll switch them back next month onward. X.x
5426924
There will be some continuity, but it's important to me that both stories be fully and completely their own thing, so that someone who read just one wouldn't feel confused or ignorant. You could expect a character to reappear, or a situation to be referenced. Don't think of it as a sequel/prequel.
5427345
Thanks! I'm really excited about it, and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did writing it.
5427357
I'd imagine the nods would be something like, in Forbidden Places, the characters hearing about that bat who crashed into a power line that one time.
Ok, I am officially excited for this year. I believe that you are the most active author that I am aware... good work!
That Forbidden Places is indeed very interesting (though I haven't read Fine Print yet), but it is Dreamlands that really got my attention. I haven't read many stories from that era, and I am looking forward to it