EThe Roads Less Traveled By

• MLP: FiM
• Drama
• Slice of Life

In a world where none of the Mane Six are ponies, they discuss what led them to make their homes in Ponyville.

• Alt. Universe
• Main 6

Boltstrike58 · 5.8k words  ·  165  2 · 2.3k views

I published a this story several months back for the Species Change Contest. I never thought I was going to win first place, but from the feedback this one got, I was sure it would at least earn an honorable mention. It didn't. I don't understand. The story made it to the featured box, and even got featured on Equestria Daily without me submitting it. If it was so good, why didn't the judges like it? This has taken a huge bite out of my confidence as a writer, because I have no idea what I did wrong. This is like the 12th contest I entered and I'm still not placing, no matter how much I practice.

That's an answer only those judges could give you. An answer that'll truly mean something beyond empty encouragement anyways. For what its worth, I liked your story.

Speaking in platitudes, I feel it ultimately comes down to two questions you gotta ask yourself. Whose opinions do you value? And what does your writing mean to you?

From those questions, loads of other important questions can crop up. Like... is writing a competition for you? Is what you've accomplished not enough? Who are you trying to satisfy, ultimately?

I started writing for FIM 12 years ago when the community was brand new and in many ways, a lot more wholesome. I had dear editor friends who have long since abandoned the site. I liked the attention from normal readers, but the opinion of my friends mattered more to me. I'm still writing stories on this site to this day, but now my stories hardly reach anyone. I get very few comments, and even less meaningful ones with not even my friends to speak on them. I say this not to make you feel bad or so that you should count your blessings, but I do so to share with you the reasons why I write.

I do it for me. I do it for the few who will walk away with something from my work. To inspire them. For me, it only takes one person to make my work worth something.

I know this all sounds so corny and doe-eyed, and like duh right? No one wants to hear the obvious and the idealistic self-serving philisophies of someone they don't know. But I really do believe you should introspect on what exactly writing means to you.

I wrote a story that puts my thoughts into words better. "To those who write, to those who read, and to myself." If you care to read it, it has my real thoughts on the matter past the FIM coat of paint.

Anywho, chin up friend. Your work is great and I know at least 150 people who think so too, including myself!