I've been running mental circles the past few days, trying to figure out the events that will occur in a story I'm writing and how I'll transition to each of them. I sat at my computer, trying to picture epic fight scenes in my head and how I could work them into the story, and then it hit me: I was trying to write an action movie. Suddenly I felt disgusted with myself and ashamed with the drivel I was trying to make because I had forgotten the most powerful effect reading and writing has.
Writing, whether it be poems, short stories, songs, novels, or fan fictions, is more than just a way to tell a story. Unlike a movie, where you sit down for two hours and are entertained with flashy images and cool set pieces and dialogue, reading and writing requires patience and thought. Those things can be difficult and unappealling, but they're incredibly vital to a knowledge of ourselves and others.
If all a work does is tell a sequence of events, what do we gain from it? Nothing. We aren't any smarter, we've gained no perspective, and we know nothing more about ourselves or others. A good story, in my opinion, should give something back. When you're writing, what does your text say about you? What does it say about the world? And what about your reader? Is your story something they can learn something from? Can they empathize with a character who's gone through a similar trauma, or can the text shift the way they see the real world? Can it empower someone? Does it bring to light some aspect of society we choose to ignore, something we shouldn't (or mustn't)?
I wanted to punch a person who once told me people wanted "something new. Why do you think no one reads books anymore?" His words utterlly offended me, infuriated me. If we want a simple story with no real world meaning, we might as well just watch television or movies and let others do the thinking for us, but we're here, writing stories for others to read. We want to show the brony community things of beauty and sophistication, but I think a lot of us don't know what that means. I didn't. I still don't, but I'm learning, and I want to keep learning because the more i learn about the world, the more I learn about myself.
Let's not tell stories anymore, let's tell ideas.

Tell ideas ... not stories ...
I'll be sure to remember this

Although I am an atheistic existentialist, this post is sent to me by an angel. I have just sent out a edited version of a story back to a writer because of the very same mistake. Now I will refer him to this point, and hopefully he'll make a few changes.

- Your friends always, the Russians

I like your idea.

I shall follow this and go through with my possible HiE fic. Thanks comrade.

873797 You are a fucking god.

873918 Yes, in fact I am.

Who's spaming the thumbs down button?!

874876
Perfect redundant question, my dear watson. the answer is... a jerk!

874891 Or a troll perhaps.

874895
i like my idea better