Fic Talk > General Discussion
Question of the Day - Part 4
RokofAges75:
A good story is one that is well-written, but also entertaining. I can put up with a few errors, and a lot of the stories I consider personal favorites of mine are far from perfect in the conventions department, but if there are so many mistakes that they take away from the plot, I'm done. The plot and storytelling aspect is really what makes a story good, though. It needs to have an interesting storyline that is told in an entertaining way. Characters and pacing are key.
I'll add a story to my favorites list on AC if it's something I'm enjoying and want to keep following or remember for later. I'll add it to my favorites list on my site if it left a lasting impact on me beyond the point when it was finished. But the very best stories are the ones on that list that I have read more than once. I am definitely a rereader, and those stories I consider my very favorites, I've reread multiple times because I love them so much. If it holds up on the reread - especially years later - it's a damn good story!
mare:
Okay lets try this question:
When writing a chapter, do you pay attention to your word count or how many pages you have? Do you have a limit per chapter? Like after 6 pages you stop?
Is that a better question? lol
RokofAges75:
LOL I literally just answered your other question! But yay for a two-fer!
I do pay attention to length when I write just because I like to keep my chapters at least within the same range... like, I wouldn't want a story to have Chapter 1 be 900 words, Chapter 2 be 10,000, and Chapter 3 be 4,000. I try to keep them a little more equal than that. The range varies from story to story, but 2,000-5,000 words or 4-10 pages on Word pretty well covers it.
That said, if I have to go longer to finish a scene or post a short chapter because I have nothing else I need to say, I will. I like my chapters to start and stop in a place that makes sense. They're usually about one thing, like a certain event or maybe just a certain theme or idea. Sometimes they're one long scene, sometimes several shorter scenes that hopefully flow together. In a story with just one main plot told in one point of view, it doesn't matter as much where one chapter ends and the next begins, but most of the stuff I've been writing lately has multiple points of view, so it takes more planning to decide what all I need to include in one chapter before switching perspectives in the next. That's usually what leads to some chapters being significantly longer than others.
Sakabelle:
--- Quote from: mare on July 17, 2012, 01:09:44 PM ---Today's question:
What is your definition of a good story & are there fanfics you've actually read more than once because you loved them that much?
--- End quote ---
I need a story with strong characters that learn something by the end of it. My favourite types of stories (fan fic, novels, movies) are where the two characters are from different worlds and end up learning about themselves through the other person's eyes. I cannot resist a story like that. So, all obvious aside (good grasp on spelling and grammar) I need strong characters and a plot that has the characters changing throughout. If they're the same at the end of the story as they were at the beginning, chances are it won't leave a lasting impact on me.
Like Julie, I'll add something to my favourites if I'm following it and want to keep up.
The stories I've read more than once are Casual, Why I'd Do It All Again and A Million Little Things.
Sakabelle:
--- Quote from: mare on July 17, 2012, 07:47:44 PM ---Okay lets try this question:
When writing a chapter, do you pay attention to your word count or how many pages you have? Do you have a limit per chapter? Like after 6 pages you stop?
Is that a better question? lol
--- End quote ---
I sort of pay attention to word count, but I generally just tend to go with what I need to include to make the chapter feel complete and move the story along. My chapters tend to come in around 1,500 - 2,500 words, and the ones that are the "climactic" chapters tend to be closer to 3,000. I'm not super wordy, but I like to think that works for me.
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