This is the announcement you feared. I think we are all familiar with it by now. A story doesn't update for a while and you're left wondering whether it will continue. Geeze, I already went on a hiatus for this one, too. I'm also frustrated that this keeps happening. I wanted to be more diligent in releasing chapters! But I'm also... relieved.
I, perhaps more than anyone, want to see how Konoha no Senkou Arashi ends. My beta for this story, Psalm of Fire, made me aware that I write something I want to read myself. And I have read the KSA and enjoyed it... as masturbatory as that sounds. I still have the ideas, diverging plot points, themes, character development. And the fights! Some truly epic shit was headed your way.
But the time! The time it would take me to complete this novel-sized story! Even though I'm letting a lot of people down, I don't think continuing is best for my goals.
There are several reasons to write fanfiction. Firstly, to create a tribute to the series. Well, in a way, every fic is a tribute, even if it disparages the source material.
That was never my reason... I didn't consider writing a fic until my dissatisfaction with the series starting brewing. And now I hate what Naruto has become (mostly the series, but things about the character as well). I'm not the only writer who feels this way, but it doesn't make me want to give up the story. It makes me want to complete it even more! For someone like me, writing a fic is more about correcting 'mistakes' in the series (in quotes because it's mostly subjective, though some things Kishi does are simply stupid).
Those who don't write fics for the above reasons probably do it for intellectual exercise or writing experience. I can't deny that I've grown more than 100% in writing this story.
Another reason people write fanfiction is that they may not have their own sandbox to play in, or they prefer Kishimoto's. Not the case for me. Though I love the potential of Kishi's world building, I actually prefer my own. My characters, my plot. MY world.
Above all, I opened a can of worms that's driven me further to realizing my goal of being published. I started my novel. As I understand it, most people write novels as soon as the ideas come to them, usually as teens, but I've been waiting years, over a decade, to put anything on paper. Yes, all details are in my head, for every story, original or not. I didn't want to start until the plot was perfect.
It's not, as I'm still improving old concepts. But its overall shape is settled, and I think it's pretty great. I'm more engrossed in creating than I am with fanfic. I also planned to finish my fanfics before starting original stuff. But that would take me years more. I don't think it's been a waste of time for me, but...
More than anything, I can't stand being in the same spot in my life. And my fiction is the only way I see out of it. I'm not even anticipating rejection or failure. I'm either reasonably confident or completely deluded.
Not to mention ALL of my files for the last seven years were wiped out. I take that as a nudge in a new direction. I'm ready to step forward. I'm going to put my full effort into my original work rather than splitting it between the two.
I'm not saying that I can't ever see the story being completed. I'm thinking of putting it up for adoption, if someone convinces me that they can handle it to my (perhaps unreasonable) satisfaction. If that ends up being the case, I would even beta the work, which would be good for improving my skills, and good for the story. Assuming that anyone would even be interested in taking up my sword/pen, I would have to hold a contest of some sort... I'll create another notice chapter once I've settled on something. In the meantime, if you are interested, send me a private message saying so.
I don't think there's much more for me to say. I am sorry that it's turned out like this, that I won't be giving KSA my full, undivided attention... For the feedback and kind words... Your support in this story has been outrageously appreciated.
Naruto, she'd just tell me to use shadow clones...