Fic Talk > General Discussion

The NeverEnding Story

<< < (3/4) > >>

RokofAges75:
Very true!  Like Julilly said, unless it's a really intense action story, some "filler" is usually unavoidable to transition between the major events, but every chapter shouldn't be filler fluff.

mare:
Another example along the lines of Nancy Drew is the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I was excited when I read the first few, because they were funny and easy reads but then when you start to realize it's always the same plot and none of the characters ever really grow, it loses it's power.

I think the same holds true for fanfics. But that's getting more into the how do you know when to stop writing sequels to things, debate. lol Although some stories feel so long you can almost say this should be two stories, not one.

I have read a handful of stories that were really long yet managed to hold my attention throughout the entire thing (Broken and Mind Games are two that come to mind) But then there are others that you read and you realize pretty quickly that the author just has no idea how to end the story so they just keep adding and adding in hopes that it'll end itself. Sometimes it works, but most times it doesn't.

I think sequels are the same way. Movies and books included! Hunger Games is the most recent example of that I can think of. To me, the third book was so disappointing that it took away the clever and uniqueness of the first one.

I am babbling and morphing topics but I do think the never ending story and sequels are pretty interchangable . lol

evergreenwriter83:
THIS is the reason why I'm not writing any more Nick/Liv Coaster stories even though people on Twitter keep asking for more. I had ONE particular story to tell with them, mainly revolving around the romance and the kidnapping/Aaron arc. Once that was completed, Nick/Liv really become nothing more than background characters in the spin-off.  I COULD make another MAJOR issue happen with them, but I feel that's kind of lame.  When I write, it's because I have an idea that has to be shared.  Stories-on-demand just don't work for me.  That's also why I stopped making every single Coaster Girls story a romance.  I'd like to think I can spot myself when I'm becoming too formulaic :) 

Maybe that's why I'm writing Games and Slashed.  I guess I'm substituting kisses for rape/murder/and flea-bitten mutts :)

RokofAges75:

--- Quote from: mare on February 19, 2011, 08:42:47 AM ---I am babbling and morphing topics but I do think the never ending story and sequels are pretty interchangable . lol

--- End quote ---

That's the way I look at it, too.  A series is just one long story, broken up into more manageable parts.  Whether it's just one long novel or a whole series, every author has to decide when it's appropriate to wrap it up.


--- Quote from: evergreenwriter83 on February 19, 2011, 10:08:51 AM ---THIS is the reason why I'm not writing any more Nick/Liv Coaster stories even though people on Twitter keep asking for more. I had ONE particular story to tell with them, mainly revolving around the romance and the kidnapping/Aaron arc. Once that was completed, Nick/Liv really become nothing more than background characters in the spin-off.  I COULD make another MAJOR issue happen with them, but I feel that's kind of lame. 

--- End quote ---

I think that's smart.  When you write something that's so successful, people are always going to want more, but when it comes to the point where you have no other ideas, or the ones you do have are over the top or lame, it's time to stop.  It's better to leave them wanting more than to make them think, "Wow, this story should have ended chapters ago."  I'm not really a sequel person, so I will only start a sequel if I know I have a solid idea for it, complete with ending, so I'll be able to finish it.

With Harry Potter - or in fanfic, Carrie/Jenna's series like Swollen Issues and Nick and Lizz come to mind - I would totally read another book in the series if the author were to write one, but at the same time, I can recognize that the series ended right where it needed to.  It's better to end on a high note than drag it out too long and have the ending be flat.

Jenna:
Nick & Lizz series lol...when we started writing 'You, Go, I Go' it was intended on only being a one time fic. Auctor wrote her part and then I would add where she left off and vice versa. The reviews were awesome and well received so we decided, "Hey lets start another story continuing where You Go left off..." thus the series was born.

I agree, either you break a story up or wrap it up! I lose interest when stuff goes way beyond 200 chapters. If I look at a story and I see the chapters are beyond 200 and still not finished, I won't start reading.

Personally, when I start to write a story I would have an ending in mind as well as a target number for total amount of chapters in mind as well.....I think that keeps me from getting "out of control."

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page