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[julilly]

You won't find Bastian or the land of Fantasia here! Instead you'll find that story that goes on and on, my friends.

Sometimes ending a story is as hard as starting one! We get so attached to the characters and their lives that it's easy to just keep going but is that 100th chapter really doing your story any justice? Consider that you are not reading it from the beginning, and a great way to turn off a reader is for them to see a daunting amount of chapters to read on a story that isn't finished yet.

Let's discuss endings, and whether it's sometimes better to just finish a story at a natural point instead of when you want it to finish for the sake of keeping the character alive.

[FrickingKaos]

I have to agree on this, because it is a turn off to me to see a story that is over 100 chapters and not done. I tend to get bored easily....so I try not to read those fics. The longest story I have written was about 50 chapters I believe, then I just took it and made it into a series. Ending a story is somewhat difficult because I want to enjoy the ending myself, not to mention be satisified from a reader's point of view. I like to make sure the ending makes sense too.

[mare]

I think it all depends on the nature of your story. I mean if it's one of those things that has  alot of characters and t makes sense to keep it going then by all means, but there are so many stories out there (both fanfic and oringinal fic) where you can tell when those filler chapters we were talking about in the other thread are happening.

When I write, I usually gauge my length by those chapters. I tend to have at least one or two throughout the story but if I find myself writing more than that I know the story needs to come to an end.

Book or fanfic lengths don't deter me from reading them if they are long but too many of those filler chapters will make me stop. LOL

[julilly]

I think that from time to time filler stories are kind of necessary because not every chapter has the ability to be action packed and plot moving. So sometimes you just need that bit of a link to bring one part of the story into the other; it's filler and not filler at the same time.

I agree though that when every other chapter is filler it's time to wrap it up. Even if readers are egging you on for more, it's time to stop. Consider that you may have one reader saying you need to keep writing it but how many are saying 'When is this going to stop?' they're less likely to say anything about it though.

[Sakabelle]

I can't do those never ending stories, I like to get to the point. The middle part is difficult enough for me, so I'm not going to spend a ton of time on filler if I don't have to. My stories usually end around 20 - 25 chapters. I do have one that I intended to be very long but I eventually got bored with it and started writing something else. I think I have too much story ADD to stick with something for 100+ chapters! lol

[RokofAges75]

I'm not scared off by long stories; I've read some long ones that held my interest through every chapter, and I've also written some long ones.  I think it depends on the story, though.  Why is the story so long?  Is it because there really is just a lot of story to tell, or because of too much fluff/filler in the middle, or because the author didn't want to let go and took it past its natural ending point?

As a writer, I think the thing to ask yourself with every scene is, "What is the point of this?"  Every scene should move the story forward in some way, whether it's developing the plot or developing the characters.  If you can't justify why the scene is truly important, take it out or don't write it.

My stories tend to run long.  I never start a story without an ending in mind, and I just write as long as it takes to get to that ending.  I think my problem with my super long ones is not so much pointless filler as much as just too many subplots, too many ideas in the same story.  I tend to think of BIG ideas, and I need to learn how to simplify so the stories don't take so long to tell.

[Carter-Orange]

I don't mind reading a long story as long as it's something enjoyable and it keeps me wanting to read more (for example Julie's Broken series), but I also admit that when I see a story with 100+ chapters I'm a bit put off because I know it'll take ages to read.  I suppose it depends on the author.

[Mariah]

Its not really that scary to read something long as long as the story seems to be moving nicely. I'm all about subject. I love it when there's a lot drama in something to keep me reading. I'm a sucker for soap opera stories. Anything with romantic twists I'll read. I don't think there is such a thing as "never ending." Unless there's like 7+ stories with more than 60+ chapters in a series.

[RokofAges75]

For me, the difference between "long" and "neverending" is the same difference between a series like Harry Potter and a series like Nancy Drew.  If I'm into the storyline, I'll read a story for as many chapters/sequels as it takes to get to the conclusion, assuming there actually is an overall story arc that leads to a natural ending.  When the plot starts going episodic, where each chapter or story in the series is just the characters having another adventure or involved in some fluff scene that has nothing to do with any sort of "big picture," I lose interest.  I'm the same way with TV shows; I prefer shows where one episode leads into the next, and you can't miss an episode without getting lost because there is an overall plot to follow, compared to shows that you can watch just once in awhile and never feel like you're missing out on much.

[Rose]

For me, the difference between "long" and "neverending" is the same difference between a series like Harry Potter and a series like Nancy Drew.  If I'm into the storyline, I'll read a story for as many chapters/sequels as it takes to get to the conclusion, assuming there actually is an overall story arc that leads to a natural ending.  When the plot starts going episodic, where each chapter or story in the series is just the characters having another adventure or involved in some fluff scene that has nothing to do with any sort of "big picture," I lose interest.  I'm the same way with TV shows; I prefer shows where one episode leads into the next, and you can't miss an episode without getting lost because there is an overall plot to follow, compared to shows that you can watch just once in awhile and never feel like you're missing out on much.

This sums it up.

There's so many stories I've run into, where too many subplots get thrown in and that kills any natural ending it may have had. It usually makes it clear that the author has letting go issues. I mean as a writer you need to have a purpose for everything in the story. I know for me, even the chapters I call "fluff" there's a purpose. Whether it's character relationship development, or furthering of the plot in a minor way that builds up to a more major event. I feel in a story everything needs a purpose.

If you have a chapter with no purpose, I feel you've gotten to the point where the ending needs to come.

[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]

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

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.

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. 

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."