Should I continue my story?

[Genepool 224]

Really getting depressed lately and trying to find the reason to continue my Diary of the Banished story seem to elude me as of late.  I feel that the story has great potential behind it.  There have been so many people helping me to understand writing, correct punctuation, drawing out a scene, and other numerous aspects of story creation.  However, as time goes on, those ideas I had seem to have been used by others.  Even to the point it seems some appeared in the show. 

 

One prime example was an idea I teased out from two of my favorite shows, Batman the Animated Series and Batman Beyond.  The idea behind a chapter of the story was my character finally arriving in Canterlot after journeying from the very most eastern edge of Equestria.  He has been barred from the library that’s open to the public for unknown reasons. 

 

This is where things became a bit despondent for me.

In the recent episode there was an antique shop which looks like it is in Canterlot.  The idea for my character was him gaining a map to Canterlot Castle from an antique shop.  To get the map he trades a unique and rare book about creatures in Equestria. 

 

 

After obtaining the map, he sets off to acquire the materials necessary to break into Canterlot Castle.  This is where I combined elements of BTAS and Batman Beyond with the Underdweller episode of BTAS and the return of Mr. Freeze in Batman Beyond (the ending with a sorrowful lament by the villain.)

 

A colt runs by my character and steals the items that are needed for the break in.  As a result the protagonist journeys into the lower depths of Canterlot where he finds a bunch of orphaned ponies that have been rounded up by this pegasus stallion.  He uses them as cheap labor, making them believe he is their savior.  It’s revealed that he doesn’t even care for his own son and merely uses the colt to help him lure in other workers.  The main reason behind the stallion’s cruelty is the rumor he heard of “treasure” buried in the depths of some underground area in Canterlot. 

 

After witnessing the Canterlot Wedding it really made my jaw drop as Chrysalis (disguised as cadence) talked about the caverns/catacombs beneath Canterlot where “greedy unicorns sought crystals/gem stones.”

 

 

Another thing that disturbed me was in the second chapter of my story I reveal information about the main focus/cause of the character which is a special book.  This book was created by ponies who witnessed the battle between Discord and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.  They saw how powerful the creature’s magic was and tried to replicate it, but didn’t exactly succeed.  My character hopes to break into Canterlot Castle since the supposed book is stored inside a private library that only Princess Celestia can enter. 

 

This is where I really became disheartened after I saw the ending of S3, Ep2 where Celestia produces that unique book with the unusual markings on it.

 

 

 

Don’t look if you want to remain spoiler free about the ending of S3

After someone told me about an image on derpibooru I took a look and supposedly Discord is Star Swirl.  This makes me fear the book my character is after would be something too similar to Star Swirl's.

 

 

 

Sorry if this sounds like rant and all, but I just don’t know what to do.  I absolutely hate the thought of copying someone else’s work, but at the same time I feel like my work would be unique. Or I hope it would be unique, baring the influences on me of shows i've watched like BTAS, Batman Beyond, Darkwing Duck, etc... . 

 

I've put close to a year into the thought of my fan fiction, starting back in October 2011.  Wanted to get characters down, protagonist building solidified, story element building, and finalize an ending.

 

If you were in my shoes, having invested a year into the story, would you stop or continue?

[Feather Gem 967]

I'd continue.

I know how you feel D:

When i was younger and I played with my MLP G3 toys (the miniture ones) this whole idea for a story popped into my head.  It was perfect.  But it was ponies.  But I loved it, so I started to write it.

And here comes MLP : FiM.  I love this story so much.  But now that MLP is so huge, I have no hope in the world of publishing anymore D': Because people will always be thinking of MLP : FiM...

But I continue it, because I love it.

So you should continue it too.  No matter what

[twilight_sparkle 53]

Hey, I would love to read your story man, it sounds interesting. I think you should definitely keep at it, especially after a year of work!

[CloudFyre 848]

(Wall of text.)

 

I've put close to a year into the thought of my fan fiction, starting back in October 2011.  Wanted to get characters down, protagonist building solidified, story element building, and finalize an ending.

 

If you were in my shoes, having invested a year into the story, would you stop or continue?

 

It certainly sounds interesting, and I think you have a well thought out plan for how you want your story to progress. You have a final goal you wish to reach, you have an idea as to how your character will get there, and you have a challenge that they'll have to overcome. You've got all of the pieces there; I'd continue it!

 

I'm sure that as time goes on, you'll be glad you did - and your readers will be happy you did as well. Nothing is quite as satisfying as publishing that last chapter, and watching the reactions of those who have kept a close watch on the story over time.

 

To me personally, I would accept the canon book appearances], etc. with open arms. You seem to see it as something that will hinder your story, but in my mind it serves to re-enforce the validity of what you're coming up with. Long story short: it would help prove that what you are writing is indeed a reflection of the canon Equestria that we see every Saturday morning.

 

Just keep at it. Whatever you do, don't force anything - people will notice. If you need to take a week or two off and have some down time, that's always an option. Things will start to fall into place eventually.

Edited December 4, 2012 by CloudFyre

[Genepool 224]

Thanks for the kind words all, i'm still trying to decipher things to make the story the best it can possibly be since I want to make it onto EQD's board with this one.  Really want to make sure the story isn't some bull crap piece, appearing as though it's a poorly designed story for an OC self-insert.  Biggest thing I struggled with was defining the character's weaknesses and even then i'm not sure if they are enough to move him out of Gary Stu territory. 

 

The original premise for him was following in Twilight's hoofsteps with the protagonist seeing the summer sun celebration, wants to becomes strong in magic, etc... .  I severly changed the design so the protagonist is a flip side of the coin of Twilight.  He can replicate any spell he reads about--or is taught--on his first try.  The downside comes from the fact the character doesn't have the true power to actually do certain things normal unicorns can do.  Example that I based this off of was watching Rarity during the Sister Hoooves Social episode where she easily levitates several items, twice in the episode I believe, through telekensis.  I think she lifts a total of six items without showing any signs of strain on her body.  The OC I created can only lift 3 items at once, cast three spells at the same time, and "merge 3 spells" to craft his own with other unicorns in the village he comes from easily doing more than that.  

 

Hopefully I can get out of this depressed state and continue the story.