A Story for all Authors

by ZM

The baker

The life of a baker is not always rewarding. You put a lot of effort and time into your work but barely earn anything. Still, I enjoy it. It is creative because I can bring my own ideas and art into the baked goods, which can later be consumed by customers. That alone motivates me to continue. And I bet many other bakers feel the same way. It is hard-earned bread (I am sorry for the pun), but it is not about the income; it is about creating something that others can enjoy.

I stood in my bakery, making preparations for tomorrow, whistling a casual melody that went through my head. My hooves kneaded the dough in a smooth but intentional movement. Tomorrow, I planned to introduce some new baking ideas to my assortment.

It is always important to update your baked goods. The customers are eager to see something new they can have. It only makes sense, after all. Even the best cake gets bland after being eaten too many times, so you get excited when your baker introduces something new to the range.

I gave one last knead to the dough before putting it into a bowl, covering it, and placing it with the other prepared doughs. For today, I was done. Tomorrow, I would bake it and bring it to my shop.

By the way, I should check on my shop. The light that fell through the window into my bakery told me that the sun was going down and the day would soon be over.

I stepped back and gave one last look at my preparations. All the doughs were nicely wrapped up and in order, ready to be finished into breads and patisseries. I felt proud of myself when I saw what I had done so far. Sure, I knew that I was not perfect, and my work wasn't either, but I didn’t think of myself as too bad. In the end, you need a little self-confidence.

I cleaned the working table and washed my hooves before I left the bakery and entered my shop next door. Here is where I sold the baked goods: big breads, small breads, sweets, patisseries, sandwiches, cakes, and everything else. Everything was self-made, of course. Taking baked goods from somepony else and selling them as my own was a no-go. Every baker knew that.

Right now, nopony was in my shop. Not that I was surprised. I was, after all, still a small and unknown bakery. I looked out of the shop window. The orange sunlight slowly turned into purple. I spotted some ponies walking by, but none of them bothered to come in.

I gave a heavy sigh and opened the cash register. Some bits were inside, barely worth counting. It was not a motivating sight, but I looked past it. Maybe it was not much, but it was something. Every bit told me that a pony had entered my shop to consume my product. And even if it was just one bit.

Of course, I was hoping for more. Not because of money reasons, but to know that my work was valued. That ponies were interested in what I did.

I shouldn’t complain. There were other bakeries out there with far less than I had. Bakeries with even fewer customers and less income. And for many, I couldn’t even tell why that was. They had very good products, but for some reason, barely anypony visited them. I cannot explain why. Maybe the goods don’t fit the interests of what the ponies desire.

In the end, the customers get what they want. Heck, you could just sell what they want, and you’d have success. There are some products that always sell like hot cakes (again, sorry for the pun). For example, mooncakes. Many ponies love mooncakes and will just enter your door because of them. Or cream pies.

Ah yes, cream pies. There are so many cream pie lovers. You could write CREAM PIE on the entrance, and you could be sure it would get the interest of most of the ponies.

Don’t get me wrong. I also like cream pies, and I also make them sometimes myself. I am not angry at the customers who consume cream pies or the bakeries that produce them. I just hope that ponies also value the work of others as well. Bakers also make very good products but don’t like to make cream pies.

I left my counter. It has no use for me to just stand in my shop and wait for something to happen. I stepped outside and looked up and down the road. In the distance, I spotted the closest bakery next to mine. A very successful one that I personally also like to go to.

There isn’t any real rivalry between us bakers. Maybe some envy here and there. Especially if you are not so successful, I can understand that you like to compare yourself with others. Seeing how much success they have and wishing to be in such a position. But in the end, we all do the same thing: make quality products.

And that one, my neighbor, sure sells very good stuff. On my free days, I would buy some sandwiches from her, go home, sit back, and relax while I eat the delicious bites. And it seems like it is not only me who thinks highly of her. Even right now, I can see how passersby are going in and out of the shop.

Yes, there are also successful bakers. I am not envious of them because, in the end, they also do it for the same reason as every other baker. They don’t do it for the income; they do it so it can be enjoyed. And if they do a very good job, who am I to blame them? Quite the opposite. I am happy for their success and hope that they stay in business for a long while.

I gave a smile and went back inside my own shop. Will I one day also be on top? Be a famous baker? I don’t think so. But I also don’t aim for it. I am happy with what I have. I prefer to stay loyal to my own work instead of reaching for more. If I get more, I will take it, but I will not change my style just for its sake.

Just as I was about to close the door and switch the sign from “OPEN” to “CLOSED,” an earth pony mare rushed inside. She had a black coat and a striped mane and tail with the colors black, purple, and blue. Her mane was styled backward, like it normally is only seen on Pegasi. Still, it fit her very well along with her warm, friendly smile.

I was taken aback for a moment. I didn’t expect somepony to come in anymore. But I didn’t want to complain. I gave a smile back in return and waved her in. Now that I think about it, she might have been here before. But I am unsure. I trotted back behind the desk and watched as my probable last customer for today looked over all the breads. She seemed to really study every single piece of them.

“I would like to have these blueberry muffins,” she happily said while pointing with her hoof at the three remaining ones.

“Most certainly. Would you like me to pack them in?” I asked the mare.

“Yes, please pack two in, and I will eat one straight away,” she answered.

I did as she pleased, packing two of the muffins into a cardboard box and giving the third one right into her outstretched hoof. She, in return, gave me the bits for the price. She placed the box on her back and took a big bite from the muffin in her hoof.

“Mm-mm-mm,” she said after a moment of careful chewing. “Sweet and with a strong texture. The taste of blueberry sure is at the center, making the whole thing very unique in flavor. But all in all, it is very well made. I like it.”

I had to smile at her compliment. Such kind words are rare to hear.

“I am happy to hear that. I’m working on some new products for tomorrow,” I told her.

“I look forward to it,” the earth pony mare said to me before turning to the exit.

I watched her leave with a smile on my face. That compliment really made my day. But with her presence gone, there was no need to keep the shop open any longer, so I stepped to the shop door and turned the sign to “CLOSED” for sure.

Ponies say, “If a customer likes your product or service, they will come again.” This is very true. Many ponies, sadly, don’t give a review. They come, pay, and go again. You can only tell by the fact that they come and buy again that they liked it. If they don’t, they will not come again. I am grateful to have some regulars. It tells me that I do a good job.

But nothing is as valuable as an actual review. Whether positive or negative, reviews give essential feedback. Positive reviews, like the one the mare just gave, not only tell me what I am doing right but also motivate me to continue. Just the simple phrase “good job” can encourage you to keep going.

Negative reviews are also helpful. They tell me what I can improve and where I can work to make it better next time. Sadly, they are also rare. If you get a negative review, they often aren’t explained. They just say, “It is bad,” without explaining what or why. Did I make a critical mistake, or do they just not like my baking style, or are they giving such criticism without any real reason?

I shake my head to get rid of such thoughts. Today was a good day, and I want to keep it that way. I had some customers, received a good comment, and finished my preparations for tomorrow.

I took out the broom and swept the floor of my shop, getting rid of all the dust and dirt. The ponies want to see a clean shop, after all, when they enter. Having a good first impression is important.

I stood on my back legs while my front legs held the broom. My gaze wandered around my shop. I have had the luck that a good friend helped me create the shop. She gave me a colorful and appealing design that attracted customers at first glance. I am really thankful for her offering.

But I also know that not all bakers have the luck to ask a talented friend for help. Some, like me, have connections. Some others can pay an architect for a commission. And some can’t do either, which saddens me because a good first impression is maybe the most important part of being noticed. Ponies are more willing to enter a building when it looks interesting. Small and hidden shops often fall into the background and get avoided, no matter how good they actually are.

This also reminds me of the smaller bakeries, bakeries with even fewer customers than I have and are even more ignored. I feel sad for them. I see myself in them—the small fish that tries to be noticed in the big sea.

Just as I sometimes like to visit the famous bakeries, I also like to go to the small ones to give them a chance too and to see what they have. It often happens that I get surprised by the quality—lovely breads, baked with care and displayed with pride.

Of course, not all bakeries are good, or at least not good in my eyes. Just like every customer, I also have my preferences. But that doesn’t mean they are bad per se. I still give the small ones a chance because they also put a big effort into their work.

I yawned as I looked around my shop. Everything was ordered and clean again. I swept the dirt pile away and put the broom back in its rightful place. Today has been a long day, but it has not been bad. I am excited for tomorrow to finish my project and see how many customers I will attract with it. Even if it is just one, it would be enough for me. Because that is what baking is about: the joy of creating and knowing that others can enjoy your creation.

Author's Note:

Thank you all for reading.

I got the idea for this story after I wrote the first chapters of my first story Two Wings. That story had a rough start but got more and more views as time went on, along with positive reviews and likes. But of course, Two Wings was a project I didn’t make to get many views. I didn’t want to get famous. I wanted to write a good story that others could enjoy. And I guess, most authors are here for the same reason.

My Time at Fimfiction shows how I experienced it, by hiding many details in this story. Often watching the more famous authors as well as the lesser known ones. Seeing well written stories where the person put a lot of effort in it, but never read by anyone. Instead clop-fics are always a highlight. It seems like you can get many views just by adding the clop tag. But also, in reviews. Even though reviews are so important when improving your story. If someone writes a bad story, the best way to help them is to improve where they made mistakes. Instead, many just give dislikes. Sometimes just because they didn’t like one specific part.

But I am not writing this to complain about the readers. I write this because I want to motivate all the “unknown” writers here. It is not always very rewarding to post stories here but that doesn’t mean that you do a bad job. Quiet the opposite. The quality of a story is not measured by viewers. It is measured with what you actually write. And even if you think that your story is bad, you won’t get better if you don’t train.

I hope that all readers value the effort authors put in, also give the small ones a chance.
And I hope for all authors only the best when writing a story. That they have fun when writing and that they know how great it is that they share their idea with us.

Because we should not forget. Every story at Fimfiction was written by someone in their free time, and they share it now with us, without asking for anything.

Comments

[fanreader999999]

I like bread and bakeries.

I like leaving detailed reviews but I dislike being hounded for them. I dislike leaving vague reviews but I like not being hounded for them.

[Lucky Seven]

Your OC vaguely reminds me of a time when red and black alicorn OCs ran rampant in the fandom. I love it, please take my upvote!

[Wrangle Wolfe]

It's really interesting that you should post this the day after I post my platonic RariDash oneshot that I intentionally spent a few hours drawing the cover art for... It didn't get much attention, and not a single comment, and I was feeling a bit down in the dumps about it. I haven't been a writer for this site in 8 years... I was an angsty 16 year old who didn't know what he was doing. And here I was, back again after almost a decade, and forgetting how hard it can be to stay positive about the process and focus on the whole "having fun" part of it all. Doesn't help that, back then, I posted multi-chaptered stories that have multiple chances to get noticed, so that meant that back then, those got attention, and I was used to getting feedback.

Thanks for posting something to help people stay positive. I enjoyed writing and sharing, and I hope you feel good knowing you made someone else feel good with your message. Though, I'd never be a baker... I can appreciate them from afar, lol. Baking is my nightmare, haha.

[Jmunoz13]

Well said man well said.

[Gale Maze]

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Shadow the Hedgehog and his consequences were a disaster for the MLP OC industry.

[Tape Deck]

Because we should not forget. Every story at Fimfiction was written by someone in their free time, and they share it now with us, without asking for anything.

I'll put this in the read later list for that alone.

That is the absolute truth, and it's easy to forget it.

[milk rain]

Hmmhmh this story tastes....relatible, I like it.

[ImNotBatman1602]

“It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations, and to face the world boldly and say,

This I have done.”

-Dean Alfange

Thanks for the lesson. It was a good one. Hoped I learned something from it.

[Your Antagonist]

I wasn't planning on logging back on to fimfiction after all these years until I finally had something to post, but I chanced across this story and wanted to say thank you for the message. It's a good reminder that having fun and sharing ideas should be the ultimate goal, which is easy to forget and lose sight of when you see stories scrolling by on the featured bar while your own story has barely registered on anyone's radar.
It's definitely a humbling, grounding message and I'm glad I happened to see it today, even if I am one of those writers that used to just slap the clopfic label on my uploads .
Thank you.

[Fujimi200SX]

Both the cover art and the message have me crying. I don't know why, but seeing people with so little always hits me hard. It makes me wish for a small, simple life where I don't have to worry about whether or not it will be worth living in a year. I hate how fast everything moves and how I can never slow down.

Thanks for the message, but... shoot, man, this is really messing me up.

[Octavias Melody]

Your message is much appreciated.

[Okie Brony]

Don’t get me wrong. I also like cream pies, and I also make them sometimes myself. I am not angry at the customers who consume cream pies or the bakeries that produce them. I just hope that ponies also value the work of others as well. Bakers also make very good products but don’t like to make cream pies.

i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/455/265/75a.jpg

Sure, cream pies are doing their part to keep the lights on around here, but I'd much rather dig into a good loaf of bread, or at least a muffin.

[Elmoz]

Ironically edgy OC aside, the message here is pure and lovely. Consider me a new customer.

[Boltstrike58]

Ah yes, cream pies. There are so many cream pie lovers. You could write CREAM PIE on the entrance, and you could be sure it would get the interest of most of the ponies.

...you just couldn't resist, could you?

[Nameless Narrator]

The question is - how do you deal with ideas running out? When you've been baking for so long that you've tried and tested seemingly everything your creative mind can think of. Do you just pack up and close the shop, or occasionally just do a bake sale out of a garage and lose the customers who put faith in you?
These pesky little baking questions.
Anyway, a fun, chill read, the message of which should be appreciated by every creator here.

[LocalMedicMain]

I love the parallel you have created for baking and writing. especially the melancholic but happy tone you have given across the story. I also really like the writing style here, not sure how you managed it but it immediately sparked my imagination to create the environments you described. i would love to see your work in the future. keep writing, fellow author.

[Hacofo]

Honestly this had me pretty emotional, till you brought out the moon and cream…
That had me in stitches and the emotional part didn’t fully come back after that.
The one thing that is true for how I pick stories if I don’t geht them recommend is, the thumbnail and short description has to tickle my fancy when it shows up under new.
And Red/Black OC Baking is a pretty strong selling point.
Expected one or two explosions but we can’t have everything. 😂

[ZM]

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Wow, thank you all for these nice words. It really means a lot to me how many appreciate this story.
I would give all of you a personal answer but I don’t want to spam the comment session so I will do more of a classification.

I see that many of you are writers yourself and I am happy that you could feel with the story. And includes that I hope, you feel now motivated and inspired to continue your amazing work and don’t feel down if something does not get the credits you were hoping (and deserving).
And if you also enjoy to read, keep an eye out for all the hidden gems out there. That does not mean you have to love every story out there but every story can be loved by anyone.

Anyways, have fun writing and have fun reading.

[ZM]

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Haha. Indeed.

I made my OC years ago and I gave him a red-orange firey mane because I like red as a colour. The black fur is because that was the only colour that fit to the mane. (At least in my eyes.) But indeed, it does have an edgy touch.

But in the whole story I do not mention the look or name of my OC. That is in hope that the reader (who also might be a baker AKA fanfic writer) can relay more on the character because they see themselves in the story.

[ZM]

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Of course, no one should be now be forced to write comments. It should be more of a message that even small comments can go far. Like a “Very good story, I like it”, is very motivating or “Good content but it needs work in the editing”, helps to improve. Just to write a comment because you feel like you HAVE to isn’t the idea.

But I really appreciate your comment here.

[ZM]

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Haha
Yes. The good old Cream Pies. There is nothing wrong with them. In writing or reading. It is just… we know it is true.
XD

[ZM]

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If you ask me, as in personal question, then I would say that I have more ideas of stories than I have time and motivation to write it all down.

If you speak in general then I agree with you. All bakers will one day go into rent. May that be because the lack of ideas, missing time or motivation, or just because of age. But just as normal it is that a bakers go, such as normal it is that new ones come. And we can enjoy new breads from a new creative baker.
And sometimes it is the costumer who changes. When every bread starts to taste the same, they might consume less, not so often or quit fully. They might find something else to love.

[LastToTheParty]

good job

[Eclipse-Blue Moonfrost]

great story, i wish i was motivated enough to write

[Racapinang]

Best thing that I have read in a month. Keep up fellas, be grateful for what position you're in right now, no matter what or where it is, because maybe someone out there is envy for what you have right now. Cheers!

[Rytex]

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I had a black and red pegasus for a bit (even wrote an incomplete Totally Not Through The Eyes fic for him on Fanfiction.Net before I got started on Apprentice), but thankfully, he wasn't my Sona, just a creation I used.

Doesn't make my hacker OC wearing a trench and fedora any less cringe, but at least I didn't go full Donut Steel.

[iluvponies35]

It seems like you can get many views just by adding the clop tag.

Funnily enough the 'sex' tag is the reason i initially passed this one over. Glad I gave it a shot though. The message is one i think I've long since internalized, but it's nice to see it spelled out, helps us know we're all in the same boat. Good stuff

[Piggynator]

Great story with a greater messege. Makes me want to kick the ol' writing engine back on.

[Jose miguel]

it's perfect
is beautiful
thank you pir such a beautiful gift

[fanreader999999]

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Of course, but I've been in countless communities with as just many different rules.

I had a much longer comment here but lets just say I'm jaded. I try to comment where and when I can, but I can't always stick my neck out just in case an author is one of the nice ones.

[LastToTheParty]

Dear Mr. Baker,

while the last review I gave sums up my feelings about the product I acquired the other day, I just had to come back and give you a bit more detail. The small bread you gave me was an excellent product, a sentiment shared by every other customer I encountered so far.

However, the thing that impressed me most was not the product itself, but the thoughts it conveyed and the message I received: The love and kindness baked into it and to share these feelings with others. To be kind to each other and respect each other in this town of bakers.

There are after all many other exciting towns out there, like the one founded by a blue hedgehog or this newer one with a house full of owls. And I am not saying that they are worse than ours, they all have their own great communities after all and there are many bakers out there who, unlike me, did not just settle in one town but choose to move between them, saying nothing of the customers. But to me, this town always felt a bit special thanks to the message of the founders of this town. It was founded on the principles of Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness, Laughter, and most of all Friendship after all.

Now just because this town was founded on these principles does not mean that every baker living in it has to make products to convey these feelings. Like you told me, some pastry makers for example settle more for making sweets, that have little in common with these values. Though there is nothing bad about that, I am really happy to have come across a baker who managed to create something that made me remember these founding principles and made me feel at home in our town.

I am someone who appreciates a good variety of baked goods, from twisted pretzels, to exotic goods that seem to come from other universes, and even the occasional sweet. But getting a good bread that reminds me of the roots is a treat that I come across rarely. And even if it may not be as exciting as other baked goods it is one of the most important ones to have, bread being the foundation of many meals after all. So with that in mind, I want to thank you for delivering such a good quality one.

Sincerely, a very satisfied customer,
LastToTheParty

[Dworthy]

I've staring at this comment box for twenty minutes trying to get my thoughts together, knowing I should say something, which isn't what I usually do, but I should stop rambling and get started.

I love fanworks, and this sentiment strikes as the reason behind it.

Every story at Fimfiction was written by someone in their free time, and they share it now with us, without asking for anything.

Everything on this site is a passion project, whether it be the person's grand project they always wanted, a series of related jokes they wanted other to hear/read, or a heartfelt message like this one. Sure, some of the big ones have Patreons and the like, but it's only so that they can spend more time working on what they truly do, not some random job that sucks out creativity and tosses it like worthless garbage. In a world revolving around money, it's wonderful to have something like this site and say, "See, we can make wonderful things without needing to be paid or forced into it." It helps give me hope for a world that can turn to the better.

Anyway, thank you for the wonderful message worked into a good story, and thanks to everyone who's baked a little part of themselves here.

Yes, even you, Cream Pies. I guess.

[parflon]

Negative reviews are also helpful. They tell me what I can improve and where I can work to make it better next time. Sadly, they are also rare.

It's bakers fault they're so rare.
There are many bakers that take any (even polite and constructive!) criticism personally and who'd either completely ignore it or force "complaining" customers to leave. And there are many bakers who don't care about improving and just bake for the sake of baking - they get annoyed at critiques as well, even if they don't take them personally. There are also bakers that easily get discouraged and stop baking completely after getting some negative reviews and nobody wants that. Your approach to critiques isn't as common as one would think. So unless baker very explicitly asks for critiques, I never bother with giving any. Sure, this attitude may be hurting growth of bakers that share your mentality, but how am I supposed to know if they're mature enough to actually appreciate it or if I'm just wasting time?

If one doesn't want to engage in pointless arguments, but is considerate enough to let others know that this bakery isn't very good (so they don't waste their time), then giving a dislike and moving on is the optimal move.

[PhoenixHorseGuy]

Good story. I liked it a lot. Keep up the good work.

[Incandesca]

This is too real. The prose, for me, left something to be desired, and the dialogue felt rather stiff. But the message, and the encapsulation of this experience stands out. It can be easy, experiencing something, and going on to believe you are in it alone.

The creampie thing was pretty easy to twig on, and it made me grin, even as a baker and partaker of such creampies myself.

An interesting thing, to continue on the analogy. Is that sometimes, even those who appear as a creampie baker don't always enjoy their work. Some of us make creampies because they always sell the best, and the most frequent, but we want something more. We want to bake our own breads, our own recipes, explore other culinary styles outside of baking entirely.

But creampies, remain the most easily sold food. Not even the most lucrative, or attention-grabbing. Just the easiest financial gain.

Other bakers... other bakers are different. They don't mind baking the same things, time after time with only minimal changes, but they grow tired of it. Weary of it. They may be relatively successful, with frequent customers, positive reviews, decent word of mouth, even engagement. In a few of your creampies you put in something different, something a little rich to pull the customer back and give some proper analysis.

Most times, they stay silent as all the others. If they don't, the most they can offer you are surface-level compliments. If you're truly fortunate, they might stick around and buy your other things, or stop and ruminate on the extra vanilla or malt you've added. That presumes they have the discerning taste to notice at all.

But most don't. And your other baked goods seem to pass by unwanted. You hear the chime ring, look up, and see that someone is already buying another creampie. They don't spare a glance towards your other goods, no matter how much you try drawing attention to them. No cookies, no cakes, no pumpkin pies or pecan or key lime, no brownies or donuts.

Only. Creampies.

And that, in combination, can make you resentful. You know it's not their fault for enjoying creampies. They don't know you've grown tired of it. They don't know you have this overwhelming, untameable urge to create and experiment and indulge in all the beautiful flavors baking and cuisine in general have to offer. They just know you as 'another one of those creampie ponies,' except, if you're lucky, they might consider you 'one of the good ones'. It doesn't help there are some bakers and many 'distinguished' customers who think to ever touch a creampie is base, only for the people who lack passion, intellect, skill, or scruples.

You get burnt out. You might close shop for a month or two. But eventually, you recover, and maybe the form you return in is different. Changed by your experiences.

Maybe you plan to open a new bakery. One for everything that isn't creampies. And the old one? It'll still be there, but it's not your priority anymore.

I'm talking about myself here, obviously. But like the author's fic, I hope this extension might have something to offer others in a similar boat. One person's life can be changed by one cookie they have, and you will never know that it happened. How many favorite cookies have you had in your life? That applies to this subject, and every story you have ever published.

It's never too late. Do the things you want, because you want to do them. Don't let money and customers dictate your life.

We bake, because we are bakers. It is what we do.

[ZM]

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Wow thank you all for these kind words.

It brings joy to see that many here see and like the deeper meaning of the story. I don’t want to repeat myself, or your own words, too much but I guess as a baker we often forget why we bake.
When we post a story here, we know that we don’t get anything for it. No money and no fame. We most likely do it, because we want to share our creations with others.

In my eyes, every story on Fimfiction deserves credits. Alone for the reason that someone was not only able to start their project (with already is more than many were able to) but also because they were able to finish and post it here.
So, I hope that you can look at your stories with pride and say “This is my fanfiction. Maybe it is not the best, maybe not the most popular but it is mine.”

I thank again for your comments and I hope I motivated you to write more amazing stories. Or at least, read some from others.

[ZM]

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It is sadly very true.

Not all bakers take criticism well. They might feel offended, hurt or demotivated with can lead to many unpleasant outcomes. And some don’t want any review at all. Yet it is often forgotten, how important a good critic is. In such moment, like you said, the costumer doesn’t plan to hurt the feelings, instead of giving inputs to improve the work. I guess it is part of our nature that we like to get compliments more than a complain.

But like said, no one should be forced to give reviews. Because costumers also give time and effort while writing a review, and just like the bakers, they also do not get anything from their effort. So yes, a baker should also be thankful for a review, even if it is a negative one and I hope that there still will be costumers who give reviews.

[PonyDragon]

There are some products that always sell like hot cakes (again, sorry for the pun). For example, mooncakes. Many ponies love mooncakes and will just enter your door because of them.

Luna: "Huzzah!"

Will I one day also be on top? Be a famous baker? I don’t think so. But I also don’t aim for it. I am happy with what I have. I prefer to stay loyal to my own work instead of reaching for more. If I get more, I will take it, but I will not change my style just for its sake.

And that's how you managed to make your way into the feature box.

Positive reviews, like the one the mare just gave, not only tell me what I am doing right but also motivate me to continue. Just the simple phrase “good job” can encourage you to keep going.

But I also know that not all bakers have the luck to ask a talented friend for help. Some, like me, have connections. Some others can pay an architect for a commission. And some can’t do either, which saddens me because a good first impression is maybe the most important part of being noticed. Ponies are more willing to enter a building when it looks interesting. Small and hidden shops often fall into the background and get avoided, no matter how good they actually are.

A reference to adding an eye-catching cover art to a story?

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Great story!
I enjoyed reading it.