A.K. Yearling has writer's block.
Perhaps her pony friends can help her.
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shortskirtsandexplosions
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jeez you write so much!
Hopefully they don't just stand around staring at her flank this time.
Boy... This was something.
Nice look into a struggling author's mind, I'd say.
Also, in some places, felt like a sequel to Scale, what with the way Yearling acted around the mane 6.
~Skeeter The Lurker
A K. Yearling is secretly Lauren Faust!
An intriguing reversal on Daring Don't.
Edit:
Spotted this typo:
- bare
Huh. I'm guessing there was something autobiographical here, but really, it's a good lesson for any horsewordsmith: don't forget what got you here in the first place. When something weighs you down, whether it's writer's block, monotony, or lexinoma, think back to the bright, cheery starting point. That's what got you going this far. Use it to keep forging ahead.
Thank you for this, skirts. I think we all needed it.
Theres another, deeper story in this story. The way the editor behaves and speaks, AK at home, even with the flowers.
The stress of trying to keep up with expectations on Daring Do, makes AK hallucinate sideways, as in what would Daring Do if she wasnt as much an adventuress, if she had freinds, how would she gets freinds, what would they be like, would they like her, would they like AK Yearling.
The flowers are the remains of the memories of freinds that never were, except in dreams. So AK decided to show her followers her freinds, so that they would believe also.
Sometimes, what you write, can mean far more than you know.
Wait wait wait... Did they die when they fought the dragon? Or did they even exist in the first place? This is hurting my braincase...
Having felt sort of this drag the past several months, I can identify with Yearling's struggles as an author and her need to push out and away, to find inspiration.
This came at just the right time. I've been writing again for the first time in months and it feels wonderful.
I think either you or I need a hug, Skirts.
I sense a slight self-transposition within Yearling's lines.
Yeah, when I stop writing something is usually when I stop enjoying it.
That's why my three current fics will likely be my last for pony.
4107195
Yearling (or whoever she's supposed to represent) wrote a book series, that while famous, felt dull and repetitive to her. He apparently hallucinates a few ponies that keep her company, and inspires her to write something called Friendship is Magic.
She already wrote many things that made her readers happy, now it's time for her to write something that makes her happy.
And I may be looking too far into this, but this sounds like a monologue.
I couldn't avoid replacing Yearling in my mind's eye with you. I figured that such was the point.
I know that you know what you need (you did write this after all), so I'm not going to pretend to talk about that or what you should or shouldn't do. Rather, what I'd like to say; to offer, is this:
If you stopped writing today, I'd still be here tomorrow. I'd still go to Megacon with half the purpose being to meet up with you again, and I'd probably continue to be an complete dork and visit you at work on random days hehe...
The point is: as much as I initially came for and loved the writing, it's the one who wrote that I gained a regard for and have continued to enjoy the occasional opportunity to talk with and get to know. Certainly I've always had hopes that some things would one day be written, but never have I honestly held the expectation for them to be such. While I can't speak for all, I'd like say that for the many, or at least the few, such is true as well. We want to see you happy, and you want to be happy and enjoy what you do. Do what it takes. Write what it takes... or not. You won't lose what you've gained that you care about.
In the end, I'll still be here to give Ponky a run for his money =P
P.S.
As a side note, this is one of the favorite things I've read that you've written. I like depth, symbolism, and meaning. But mostly, I just like it when I can tell it comes from the heart.
Oh holy god, this one hit me in a very personal place.
I've been writing for over a decade, and yet I can count on one hand the number of stories I've actually finished. I have hard drives gathering dust in the garage filled with unfinished stories. That feeling - of trying, pressing, forcing that story to come, to pass it like a kidney stone, or like trying to push a brick wall down with your forehead, to the point of feeling tired and defeated - is one I'm well acquainted with. And being the undisciplined schlemiel that I am, I usually surrender far too easily.
Reading this hurt, but in a cathartic sort of way. I have to assume there's some autobiography to this, Skirts. I hope you find or have found the peace Daring achieved here. Maybe I will too, one day.
Thrill as Daring Do faces her toughest foe yet: Doldrum, the dastardly Duke of Despair! Coming this summer, in Daring Do and the Pages of Ennui!
Dun dun dunnnnnnnn plot mindfuck right there
I truly enjoyed this. Please keep writing more.
Oh and if it's not too much to ask, could you finish Twistclops?
This was just plain awesome. The subtextual elements that seem to be present within the narrative, whether they're representative of you, of other authors in general, or a commentary on the MLP:FiM fandom as a whole, add a wonderfully fulfilling level of depth to Yearling's struggles, because we all know that struggle. The fight against tedium, against the inertia of the predictable and the known, which can feel comfortable but after a while becomes somewhat grey and lifeless, is something we all face at multiple points at our life, in multiple arenas. And your story illustrates that inner turmoil perfectly.
I'm not sure what I'm trying to say here, particularly because other commentators have done so far more articulately, but I guess your story hit me, right here in the
. I feel changed and transformed somehow, with a new spark and drive to do, much like A.K. Yearling herself. I connected with her and her struggle, moved through it with her, and found myself smiling and sharing in her joy at her epiphany. Being able to lose myself like that, to effortlessly connect from a place deep and dark within, that's the mark of a great story in my mind's eye. Well done. 
P.S. I also like the fact that A.K. Yearling isn't Daring Do (so far I can infer) in this story. Makes more sense in my mind, but that's a conversation for another time . . .
Good, but one HUGE plothole that destroys the story.
A.K. Yearling makes Daring Do about herself and her adventures, so she would never have to worry about not having inspiration, or consider her work the exact same.
I smell Sherlock Holmes
4108529 Eenope. The Yearling within the FiM verse is Daring Do, yes, but this isn't the FiM-verse. This is Yearling, author of Daring Do, whose imaginary friends - her characters - speak to her and inspire her. I think. The ending where Twilight is just a character wouldn't make sense otherwise.
That and the following lines made me think of this excellent story.
As both, actually. He got her motivated to write again, didn't he? Wayta mulitask, Mr. Fuzzles.
The Stand-In's plight is easy to relate to. If I were stuck writing the same story over and over with a star who's more plot device than character, it would be hard to stay on track (and I still haven't finished my Toonami saga...). Girl needs to throw some curve balls at Daring Do, challenge her on a personal level, start building some story arcs! I wonder how much substance made it into Walter Gibson's pulps; man wrote about 180 of those. Fingers crossed that G.M. Berrow's upcoming trilogy set will deliver the goods.
Great tale, though I feel Dash should've expanded on her philosophy a bit more. It probably would have benefited the story if she'd explained to Miss Yearling that over-thinking life's many scenarios reduces them all to rules and numbers. True experiences come from not thinking, when she's in the middle of a situation and making decisions based on instinct and intuition. To be precise: experiences that can't be put into words. Having made her career with words, that would likely have resonated with Yearling.
Oops. Miscount.
Seems I'm a downvote magnet for some reason.
The wind rises, Shortskirts.
I kinda foresaw the general plotline from the introduction of the editor, ("She'll wake up or something, start writing about them ponies or whatever") but you managed to still surprise me with the authenticity of the entire thing. With the majority of one-shots, I usually get bored after I realize what the plot is in the first few paragraphs and end up finishing the story with a few more of my eye shinies missing. But this was... believable. I could feel the emotion behind it, and it really gave me some insight into how others deal with the all devouring writer's block. Thank you.
Right in the feels.
Well done, Skirts. You've achieved what you set out to do, even if the very conceit of the matter requires that you don't acknowledge it.
This is a great piece, not just because of the brilliant voicing, style, etc., but because I came out of it feeling like I now know you a little better.
What I got out of this:
Skirts is secretly Lauren Faust.
Is this the End Of Ponies?
3 metaphor 5 me
Pardon my language, and sorry if I come off as a bit rude...
But that editor is a fucking moron.
Does he seriously not remember any of this happening just a little while back? (It may have been a long time, I dunno how time works in the MLP universe...) Plus, with all of the other shit they have done for not only Equestria, but I'm pretty sure they've saved the planet on multiple occasions, one of which being the Nightmare Moon attack. So where the hell was this guy during the Nightmare Moon fiasco? And how does he not recognize the names of any of the mane 6? Or the fact that Princess Celestia has a student even?
He's been in his office for far too long...
4113293
I believe you might have missed the point just a bit.
In this story the Main 6 don't exist except as an invention of Yearling's mind. Basically the whole story is Yearling having a conversation with her characters before she writes what will become "Friendship is Magic" in this alternate Equestria.
Judging from what the editor says Celestia and Luna may exist but Twilight and the rest do not.
No, but I remember finding the typo in a skirts story..
4113478 Oh. OOOOOHHHH, I get it now. That's actually pretty cool.
But now I feel silly...
Yearling is an author inside Friendship is Magic.
She interacts with the characters of Friendship is Magic.
This story takes place in that world, save the mane six are not exactly true to their show counterparts.
Yearling listens to their stories and then writes Friendship is Magic.
Friendship is Magic becomes literature inside Friendship is Magic.
I-I think I will take Dash's philosophy for this one: Just stop thinking so much.
A great story as usual!
Formality has been said, now something more personal. Just like everyone here, if this is some sort of message to the reader as an author, I just kinda wish that (just like Yearling here) you already found it, the thing that makes you happy. I kinda wish I can go to that con you attend to so I can meet you and talk about something like this since what Yearling suffer is something happen to me right now. And the image of talking to someone about this is really excite me. But, you on the other hand, you create this one shot, to be read by hundreds if not a thousand people and to make them know what you feel. Sometimes, I wish I have that gift too.
Really great story. Simple, straightforward, and easily relateable to probably any author who wants to write but for whatever reason, just can't.
About halfway through, I was considering calling you out on the inexplicable appearance of the mane six. But I understand that it's often better not to explain something—even a character—and just let them fill their role in the story. The twist with the final scenes, however, made everything click. And much like Yearling's head, everything became clear insofar as the mane six's presence goes. But they're not just characters, rather they're the stories Yearling herself has been wanting to write but just couldn't pull herself to. She wants them to be around, despite the fact they cause her anxiety, which is a bit masochistic, but the payoff is obviously worth it to her. If there's a message I've walked away with, it's that if one wants to write but can't then they better just push themselves and write. Certainly easier said than done for a lot of folks.
The pacing was stupendous. All around great characterizations, even if their personalities (Pinkie and Rarity especially) are a bit extreme in some places. The thing with the flowers was a bit underplayed in my opinion, something the story possibly could've done without without losing anything. The imagery with the light, including the curtains and candles and lack thereof, was solid. I can't help but feel there's a few meta-phors (get it?) in here, but to what extent I can't confidently say. It's obvious this story is as personal to the author as much as it was intended to the reader, doubly so as it turns out.
While I don't think this's your best in terms of technical quality, but that doesn't detract from the story itself in the slightest. I'd say it's one of your stronger stories as of late, but I haven't read some of your more recent stuff yet. I should probably fix that sometime. Arbitrary number/10
4114726
I'm afraid I don't see how you could come to that conclusion given what is presented here.
Based on the stories that Twilight and the other tell we can see that clearly they are meant to be the characters we all recognize them to be. They don't seem to be some other friends of Yearlings that she then takes pieces of to incorporate into her work. They tell stories exactly the way they happened in the show and on at least two occasions, once while retelling the incident with the dragon on the mountain and then again when Twilight is speaking about what Celestia has taught her near the ending of the fic, reference Twilight and companies connection to Celestia. However the editor makes it clear that he has no knowledge of Twilight as Celestia's student or any of the other Main 6 which given their high profile actions would be beyond belief if they occupied the same world. Even if somehow the editor was ignorant of all of the others there would be no way that he wouldn't at least know the name Twilight Sparkle after the Nightmare Moon incident. These things lead me to conclude that none of the Main 6 exist here as anything more than characters in Yearlings mind and I think the story is all the more beautiful for it.
As I could not match your eloquence in the closet-space of a comment, I shall let the story's excellence speak for itself.
Also,
breathe. The grammar naz-'e' is silent.
Knowing what I know about you, I can tell that this story addresses subjects that are very personal to you, and, well...I'm glad you put this out for us to read, and hopefully to learn from.
When I put this side-by-side next to Scale and consider the common themes (solitude, youth vs. aging, the feeling of being surrounded by activity but never moving anywhere), it makes me just want to give you a hug.
>>>"I've just gotten so used to... producing flimsy chapters full of slick, slippery, useless words... without any meat or substance to them whatsoever." >>>
Young Adult novels in a nutshell.
My word, she was insane and talking to imaginary ponies all along!
And yet she is also an imaginary talking pony who doesn't realize she doesn't exist.
The madness is everywhere...
Liked this one quite a bit overall, though the editor was right when he said Pinkie could use some work - that didn't feel much like her at all
I see what you did there.
And it, like this story, was most epic. Great job.
4165972 If you go by half the fanfiction about Pinkie then one of her imaginary friends was insane too!
You managed to put the spirit of four seasons worth of Friendship is Magic into one beautiful and heart-warming slife of life story. In all honesty, you made A.K. Yearling (who didn't even have a personality to begin with) one of the most endearing characters I have ever read. At the risk of cheapening this story, I have to say it: you made A.K. Yearling the quintessential brony - a person who was given back his or her lust for life by the simple adventures and day-to-day exploits of a wonderful cast of characters.
Breathtaking, man. Truly.
I don't know what's real anymore.
Yearling's Faust in this universe...
What.
11/10
So, the Mane 6 are just Yearling's imaginary friends. Oh, so that means, she self-inserted? Wow.
Sometimes we get so lost in the adventure, we forget what makes an adventure important.
That's what I took from this story and I think it's something I needed to realize. I think this will help me improve not only my writing, but myself as well.
Thank you.
Amazing and terrifying. You never change, Skirts.
I always like the way Skirts does "live in the moment, do what makes you happy" types of messages, in this case with a meta and/or autobiographical edge to it.
This was a very clever story concept.
It can be looked as AK being Faust and a poniefied way of how FIM started.
Or how AK talks to her newfound friends and gets inspiration to write their stories
Even it can be looked at as a meta way for older writers in this site