Hmm....I feel like this one has my name written all over it, and the updates HAVE been very few and far between this week. Alas, I plan to update soon! On with the questions!
How long are you willing to wait to read an update before you give up on a story?
-If it's a story I'm really into, I'm not really likely to give up on it at all, unless the updates never come and I'm forced to do so. If it's something I'm just reading casually, I don't find myself getting too frustrated until it's been months (like 2-3 or more).
If the author tends to take a long time between updates, do you find you have to go back and reread the previous chapters before reading the new one?
-I almost always go back and read the immediate previous chapter (at least skim it) just to refresh myself on where we left off, so that way, I usually end up basically reading every chapter twice. If there's a plot point I don't remember after that, I assume it must have not been that important anyway, lol. I know not everyone's memory works like that, but it works for me. Of course, that depends on what you call "a long time." If we're talking a year or more, I'll usually go back and skim the entire story, not necessarily taking a lot of time, but refreshing myself on the whole thing. There is one story I started reading a couple years ago that was updated some this summer then slacked off again. I'm waiting until it's finished to go back and read the whole thing.
If the author takes too much time to update, do you find yourself less excited to read when it is finally updated or hesitant to read something else by that author?
-Depends on the story and the author. If I was really into the story, it's quite the opposite, I get really excited to read. If it's something I really wasn't that into anyway, I'm less likely to keep reading. Though, usually, I've made that judgment call closer to the beginning of the story before the updates start getting further apart.