Writin' words, fightin' herds, and boostin' signals. (ft. The Flashfic Group!) · 8:20pm Oct 15th, 2022
…The third part of that title doesn't really line up with the first two, but oh well.
First things first: I said this in my last blog, but I'd just like to thank you all for the warm response Wing-Hug received. Heck, It even got a shoutout on Equestria Daily, courtesy of Sethisto. Making it onto EqD has always been a long-term pipe dream of mine, so I'm incredibly grateful to see that pie-in-the-sky get roped down to earth. Thanks again for giving it a look, everyone!
Since then, I've mostly been focusing on my proofreading side-hobby; specifically, Rego's stories Electro Swing and Unchanging Truths. If you haven't already, I strongly suggest delving into them. He has a knack for weaving dramatic narratives with sharp characterization, and I've enjoyed being along for the ride in every sense of the word. Check 'em out!
I also set some time aside to proofread Slippin_Sweetie's You and Me Against the World, a snappy Them's Fightin' Herds fic about Oleander and her demonic parter-in-crime Fred. Slippin's only been here for two months, and their story only just broke the 10-ratings barrier, so please consider giving them some love too!
On a related note, Slippin's story inspired me to finally try TFH's story mode. I bought the game last winter, but until recently, my playtime consisted solely of a few tutorials and the occasional round of quick play. At the moment, I'm almost through its first (and currently only) chapter, and I was well on pace to finish it by last week before another game sidetracked me (stealth pun completely intended — but that's a story for a less crowded post). Either way, I've had a really good time with it!
…In spite of the fact I'm terrible at playing this kind of game with a keyboard. I haven't been keeping score, but poor Arizona's "bought the farm" so many times that she probably owns the entire prairie by now. My humble apologies, bred cao.
It’s actually gotten me interested in writing a TFH fanfic or two at some point down the line. You technically aren't allowed to publish non-MLP fanfics here, of course, but the game's Fighting is Magic roots seem to have given it some leniency. Over the years, several fics — including Slippin's — have gotten through auto-approval by slapping a spurious FiM tag onto themselves, and the human moderators have let them slide thus far. Coincidentally, the game's console release is two days from now, so who knows? Depending on where my muse takes me, perhaps it couldn't hurt to make the most of that impending Colbert Bump.
Something, something, "Breakin' the law, breakin' the law…"
Of course, that's just the most "out there" idea I've been playing with. There are plenty more that, if anything, stand a far better chance of coming out first; among them, a new chapter for one of my old trainwrecks, a G5 story about Zipp, and a gaggle of assorted "dark horses" that might snag my attention. Whichever it winds up being, I hope you'll enjoy it!
I might not know what I'll write next… but I just might know what you will.
I've mentioned this once or twice in the past, but I'm a member of Loganberry's Flashfic group. I first caught wind of it when paperhearts gave it a signal boost back in April 2020, and to quote their explanation:
Once a month, [Loganberry hosts] a contest to write a piece of pony fiction of no more than 150 words, based on a prompt chosen by the previous winner. It's a neat challenge… you've got to be pretty economical to convey a story with such finite resources. But it's also a lot of fun, and the regular participants are great and supportive.
I made my first submission days later, and I've been a somewhat regular contributor ever since. Paper's words were dead-on; the limitations are fun to work around, and I've received tons of much-appreciated feedback from my fellow writers. The group really helped me get through my post-finale blues, so I'll always recommend giving it a try.
Why am I bringing it up now? Well, as it so happens, I was September's winner, so I got to choose October's prompt! If you've found any plot bunnies that fit the phrase "The Feeling's New to Me", consider stopping by and taking a crack at the challenge! You've got until October 21st ends in the U.K. to submit your entry, so best of luck if you join in!
…And on the off chance you're interested in reading any of my own submissions, you can find them in my anthology Odds 'n' Ends:
If you're here for my Twilight-and-Spike stuff, I can recommend the entries titled So Long and Goodnight, Lullaby for a Frightened Dragon, Of Unwanted Want, and Follow the Leader. The anthology also comes with a healthy side order of Thorax-and-Pharynx by way of Wibbling Rivalry, I Couldn't Be You, and …Question, plus some scattered appearances by the rest of the Mane Six. Admittedly, it has its ups and downs, so if you do choose to read through it, I hope you'll find something you like!
Welp, that's everything I have to say for now. The next time you hear from me, I'll hopefully have some new writing to go along with it… however long that takes. It's all still up in the air, to be honest.
In the meantime, take care!
–AP
