Thoughts on Unlike Herself

(Copypasta'd from my FiMFiction)

I've been thinking about Unlike Herself a lot lately, and it's mostly been about my concerns about it.

For one, I know that this story easily could - perhaps should - be much longer, particularly in and around the part where (Spoiler) Pinkie Pie is in that coma, as well as the parts just before/after that (End Spoiler). However, I keep finding myself reluctant to extend the story even more than I already have, primarily because from the start I've intended it to be a short story. Also, I feel that I've already extended it a lot, which I have - by about 5k words, to be exact (it was approx. 1,200 words when I first submitted the story).

Additionally, even though this story is by far my best-written, I still feel that it could be improved, but there's a problem: I don't know where (mostly), but even moreso, I don't know how.

It's just... bugging me.



Honestly, I would like to stress something: I need feedback from you guys, because I'm fairly certain that at least the majority of my concerns are just tricks that my conscience is playing on me. And preferably more than just "I like it" or "it's good", because even though I undoubtedly love compliments, things such as those - as well as something along the lines of "it's a piece of shit" - I can't build off of to improve the story further.


Please and thank you all.


Love and tolerance,
Brendan Kirk "Da Beejees" Julian

Fourth Draft of Unlike Herself Published

I've published the fourth draft of Unlike Herself, simply because I don't know what else I can change/fix. I'll still likely go through it some more with my editor and proof readers before I consider resubmitting it to EqD, but I feel that we're nearing that point. I've almost doubled the word count of the story since the last submission, and I've improved the story as a whole greatly. And even still, I'm astonished that I've come this far with this story - a story that I only started because I had had insomnia.

~Brendan Kirk "Da Beejees" Julian

EDIT: As usual, you can get to the story by its respective link via the 'Fanfictions' tab on the toolbar above.

Third Draft of Unlike Herself Published

I've published the third draft of Unlike Herself, which includes a plot change/addition that helps to better explain RD's resulting depression from the 'incident'. I've also worked with my editor and made a lot of changes to clean up the tenses. You can get to the story through its respective link via the 'Fanfictions' tab on the navigation toolbar above.
~Brendan Kirk "Da Beejees" Julian

Second Draft of Unlike Herself Published

I have decided to publish my second draft of Unlike Herself, because I have made a large number of equally-large changes to the structure and format of the story as a whole. The biggest thing is that those changes include everything pointed out by the EqD pre-reader from my first submission, and then some. After maybe another week or so of going over it with my proof readers it should be ready to submit again!

By the way, feel free to contact me if you find any typos. ^^

Link

Current Tasklist

In no particular order (though it seems that I've instinctively ordered it by 'importance', I guess):

~Work with my proofreaders to get Unlike Herself ready for my second Equestria Daily submission. (In case you're wondering, the pre-reader told me that I had a really good first draft, but that it wasn't quite ready, which is as clear as day given the examples from the story that he/she provided in the response email. I ain't telling you guys any more about it, though, other than that I'm continuing to make my story better. =D)

~Convert the Mane Story of Unlike Herself to Rainbow Dash's POV, like the prologue.

~Proofread the unpublished chapters of Poeni: An Ancient Breed.

~Type up what I have written in my draft-notebook for Poeni: An Ancient Breed.

~Write more chapters for Poeni: An Ancient Breed in my draft-notebook.

~Somehow, some way, figure out how to fittingly include the line "I really love your apples, [I] want to shake your tree" in a story, even if it's only for the Steve Miller Band reference.
          ---Update: I've managed to fit it in in the epilogue of Unlike Herself, but it isn't going to be published yet;
               I'm still working on it all.

~Work with Johnfreemanwepon on battle tactics for From Allies to Enemies: The Best Medicine for an Abrupt Invasion (FAtE).

~Wait for Talen to get over his writer's block and then for MusicSlave to recover the motivation that she lost from waiting so we can start the semi-crossover with A New Life.

~Eventually do something with A Golden Flame.

Unlike Herself Update

I'VE FINALLY GOT IT OVER 2500 WORDS!!! All that now stands between it and Equestria Daily is some proofreading, so if you'd like to go all Grammar-Nazi on it, the Google Doc of the story is here.

Unlike Herself? EqD?

Okay, so, I was thinking that I could consider submitting Unlike Herself to Equestria Daily, but before I even think about submitting it, there's some things I'd need to do to the story:

• First, it doesn't even meet the length requirement yet. As it currently stands, the story is at 1093 words, whereas the minimum requirement for EqD submission is "~2500+" words. Thus, if I would at some point like to submit my story to EqD, I'll need to more than double the story in length.
• Also, I'm going to need some proofreaders and editors to go over the story -- the more the merrier!
• If anyone happens to be interested in being a proofreader and/or editor, please let me know!

~~Brendan Kirk "Da Beejees" Julian