Going into 2021: Chats and Updates, Ko-Fi · 12:31am Jan 10th, 2021

Good morning, afternoon, or evening wherever you might be reading this. I hope you're doing well. Let's try to catch up a bit with 2021 ahead of us, since my last post came at the end of last November.

I've done a lot of thinking over the past several months, thinking concerning where my writing was going, what I can do and want to do, and what sort of lines or boundaries I set for myself years ago that don't really work now in the present. One of those that many of you have asked about before in the past, was commissions. I've given some serious thought to it. I've looked at my progression with writing over the past couple of years, the state of the fandom, reception of my works, and so on. As things stand presently, I still cannot open commissions directly. Please note the word DIRECTLY and allow me to explain below.

When I came into this fandom several years ago, I wanted to find a way to contribute to a phenomenon that not only fascinated me, but helped to preserve a sense of hope and humanity in me that I had felt was lacking in the time leading up to the sudden popularity of MLP. I had no way to expect that it would grow to such heights like it did, to span so long a run of episodes with multiple spin-offs and so many avenues of creativity associated with it. I was a fledgling fanfiction writer at the time, having only really put pen to paper for things like Naruto or Tales of Symphonia. So I opted to try and bring that energy here, for all of you.

I still am, to this day, grateful for such positive receptions like I've gotten and still get. The encouragement it brings me to see folks enjoying my work is very helpful to me. So thank you, for all of your kind words, likes, comments, and readership.

But this brings us back to the idea of commissions: why haven't I opened commissions? The reason is two-fold. First, I never sought out commission work because I wasn't certain of how good my ability was with writing. I've had my fair share of not so good stories, stories that flopped more than soared. It can leave a guy wondering if he's really worth putting money to his name. But more than that: I chose to create for MLP because I wanted to give something back to the community. I did it with no strings attached, no required repayment, because I was driven by my passion for it and that was all I needed and wanted. And that mindset stayed with me over all these years.

I know many of you now would argue I have the ability to produce good quality stories for folks to enjoy. And I'm certainly inclined to agree with you. But while I know I have the ability, I have to muster the passion to utilize that ability. I have to be 100% into the concept I'm writing about, really connecting with it. And what helps me connect to it is making the story be an idea of my creation. Penning someone else's idea, while not difficult in concept, can run into all kinds of hiccups and problems. Misrepresenting a character, the story lacking the flair they want, so on and so on. It would be unfair to anyone who would offer to commission me if I returned only a half-baked story as product.

That is not to say that it's entirely off the table. One day, down the line, I can change my mind. I'm thinking on it; your calls for it aren't being ignored. It's just a matter of belief in myself and what I can do. So where does that leave us?

If you've looked at any of my stories from before this blog's posting or around it's time, you might've noticed I've added a small line in the author's notes with a link to my personal Ko-fi page. That link can be found right HERE as well. I've created this as a sort of compromise between taking payment for my fanfiction work and not forcing a contractual obligation between myself and a patron. If you're unfamiliar with Ko-fi, think of it as basically an online tip-jar where one can throw in money as small as a dollar bill to donate to me. There's no requirement to donate, nor a forced obligation to do so. It's the best I can manage for now in trying to extend out to all of you, but also looking out for my own needs/wants.

Let's face it: the past few years have not been kind to the world. Pandemics, economic woes, and countless issues almost every other week has taken its toll on us all. I lost my job almost a full year ago; I have had the fortune to find another, but that job does not pay as much as my old one did. And at the end of the day, one has to be realistic and work with what they have to try and make ends meet. In my case, it's an attempt to try and help bring in more money where I can. I'm not gonna sit here and expect a sudden tsunami of money, and in all honesty, I don't expect anyone to suddenly throw it my way. Right now, we're all having a hard time with things. If you need to buy food for yourself, pay rent, handle your needs; do that first. Donating to me is far lower on the priority totem pole than making sure you're all safe and sound.

Does this mean your content is now behind a paywall like Patreon? Answer: No. No paywall is blocking my stories here.

Could I donate to your ko-fi and possibly get a story I want done? Answer: It is not a guarantee. I have not set this up as a direct commission line. I have no contractual obligation to fulfill someone's wishes just because they tipped in a little. That's the reality, dead stop. If you're incredibly insistent on trying to make such a thing happen, maybe it can come about down the line. But for now, that route is a dead end. Not trying to be harsh, but merely straightforward with you all.

Are you going to keep writing here on Fimfiction? Answer: I intend to keep at it. There's still ideas to be done, ships to write, romance to show, and wholesomeness to make happen. Let's face it: right now, this is one of the few positive things folks like us got to do. So I intend to keep going so long as people support it and keep me going. If that well runs dry, well...there's always other avenues.

That's...pretty much everything I've wanted to catch everyone up on for now. As more things develop, I'll make another blog post here about it. So keep your eyes peeled for more news from me in the not too distant future. Stay safe, stay clean, and treat each other well. Remember the lessons these ponies taught us: it's what helps keep a world like ours alive.

Sincerely,
Steel Quill