Absolute Chaos Discussion Boards
Fic Talk => General Discussion => Topic started by: honey on February 26, 2008, 11:27:38 AM
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Have we talked about this before?
I personally hate falling in love with a story and then getting to the end just to find out it hasn't it hasn't been updated in like a million years, *cough* Yesterday's Blue Skies *cough* so I recently took down all the stories that I basically know I don't plan on finishing and I was just wondering what all of you think on the subject. But them I'm kind of conflicted about it too, because sometimes even an unfinished story is worth reading, whether it ever gets finished or not, *cough* Yesterday's Blue Skies *cough*
Anyway,
I hate not finishing stories, but there are a couple I have that have just always been a headache and I'm tired of stressing about them, like poor "Kevin's Song", so I said forget it. It was kind of hard to turn in the towel, but I do feel a little relieved now.
Have any of you guys done that? What do you do with your unfinished stories? Do you make yourself finish them? Do you leave them up, but incomplete? Do you take them down?
And, haha, go figure the week after I take down "The Day I Fall", I get in the mood to work on it and have been writing it all week. That one has been in the works for years now though, and I only get the urge to update it like maybe once every six months or so, so maybe I'll post it again if I ever finish it. I dunno, what do you guys think?
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I hate hate hate that! And I'm really bad for starting something and not finishing it. I have four stories in progress right now (Well, five if you count "Broken Hearted" but that's technically done and just needs to be typed up). I'm really going to force myself to finish my unfinished stories. Red Herring will get done, I just kind of lost my inspiration with the writers strike and no new House episodes. Maybe I'll go watch my boxsets or something. Not Like We Predicted is pissing me off lol.. but it's been in progress for so long, and has had so many iterations that I need to get it done. Even if no one reads it, I really need it to be finished one day. Inner Core will of course get done, but I mean that one for me will be really really easy to write.
I'm actually quite surprised with myself for managing to finish "In Pieces" I just started it because I was bored honestly. I ended up falling in love with the characters, and now I'm writing a sequel. I'm not going to start anything new until I finish two things.
But to answer your question Kelly, I think I'll just leave them all unfinished on the site. I do intend to finish them, but when I don't know. Red Herring especially, it had such a positive response, so I really want to finish it just because there were so many people that seemed to be enjoying it. Even if I decided to never finish it, I think I might leave it up, and maybe open it up so others could try to finish it. That might be cool.
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I posted a note at the end of mine apologizing to my readers for being a jerkface and losing the inspiration to continue. I do feel bad because I always meant to finish the stories, and some of them were meant to be super awesome, but I just couldn't find the inspiration after a while. I'm not sure if it's because I lost interest in the BSB fanfic world, if it's because I had too many stories up and felt overwhelmed, or if it's just because I moved into original fiction. Either way, I am mad at myself for having all these awesome story ideas and starting them only to never finish.
I do, however, plan on finishing Hensley because it's a really awesome and much more serious story for me than anything else I've written, except maybe Then Again. I love murder, I love mystery, I love romance lol though the romance has been downsized in this story to a subplot. Anyway, that's the only one I plan on finishing now. I did convert my original fic to a bsb fic for my readers on AC, which means that that one will definitely be finished. All else...I didn't take them down, I just let the readers know it won't be happening. That way, if any of them do want to go back and read it, they can. I know it really bugs me when authors take down their awesome stories because I always want to go back and re-read all of Kid Sinclair's stuff on her site, but she removed it all :(
I hope that answered your question, Kelly. Though I know I've talked with you about this before, but yeah.
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I left them up, put a note on the summary saying that story is on hiatus. I never take them down, cause I hate when authors do that lol, but I do give a warning.
That, and at random I end up writing something for it.
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Yea this is a frustrating topic! I have two unfinished stories up right now on AC Quarter Life Crisis and Scandalicious. As far as QLC goes I'm not sure if I have the desire to finish it. It's only like four chapters in or something and I was a bit unclear. I think it was going the dark, depressing, Anti Sue route anyway. I was actually consdering taking it down and if inspiration strikes picking it up again, but then I guess its good for readers to see my writing on a story outside of UMS/ALTOS.
As far as Scandalicious I'd love to finish it someday. I've gotten REALLY good feedback on it for being only three chapters, but suspense doesn't come as easy to me and it takes a lot of planning. I simply do not have the time to devote to it right now, but I may keep it just in case I hit writers block with ALTOS. Right now though I'm freakin in love with it lol
It sucks though because I have at least four other good ideas I'd like to explore for stories, but no time :( I'd like to start them, but experience tells me that when I try to do more than one story at once. I get a few chapters in and then go back to my main story and never pick up story B again.
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I was just thinking about this today Kelly lol that's so weird.
I tend to apologize to the readers for my lack of delays but I am highly considering using the dreaded 'on hiatus' for my Scars story. I do think i'm going to leave it up though, because for me, as long as it's there I will feel obliged to finish it one day, where as the second I take it down it's my out and I never will.
As far as the 13th Step, I have given myself a deadline of the end of April to either finish it or chuck it so i'm sure i'll get my butt in gear for that.
I hate when stories sit unfinished forever with no hint or sign that it's just in limbo. That's what should be in the summary instead of a banner. It should say something to the effect of I haven't finished this one and it hasn't been updated in over five years so if you read it be aware of that! lol
It's always sad when stories go by the wasteside but in the end it might be the best thing because if you are writing just to finish it, you're probably not doing it justice and that's how i'm feeling about my writing lately.
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yeah, that's how I fee. And I honestly didn't feel that bad when I finally said, "I quit" to the two or three I knew I wouldn't write. And none of those were very far in. The only one I'm conflicted about is "The Day I Fall" and that's because I'm not entirely convinced that I won't ever finish it. That one is so far into it now, and I do (eventually) update it, and like I said, after I took it down, I read the whole thing over again and I'm surprisingly in love with it (seeing as how it's a Nick drama.) I would hate to give up entirely. I wonder if putting it back up would be better. don't know.
You really think readers would rather have part of a story and a warning that it might be a really slow process, than none at all?
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hey mare, do you write other stories outside the fanfic world that aren't up on AC? random question, i know, but just curious...
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You really think readers would rather have part of a story and a warning that it might be a really slow process, than none at all?
I think it would be nice of us, as writers, to let them know because I feel really horrible about canceling some of my stories that people had expressed a lot of interest in. I know, as a reader, I always get frustrated when a story isn't updated for ages. I know I'd appreciate it if a writer had that "on hiatus" warning rather than none at all.
Also, I always say "never say never!" I'm weird in that, months from now, I might cycle those stories back out of the vault and work on it some more. At the moment, I can't see that happening but...Never say never!
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hey mare, do you write other stories outside the fanfic world that aren't up on AC? random question, i know, but just curious...
I write plain fiction as well. I've posted a fair amount of itvon the AC site but no one seems to want to read it lol which is understandable . The only time i've written outside of BSB fanfic wise was that SN story I posted the other day.
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I think it would be nice of us, as writers, to let them know because I feel really horrible about canceling some of my stories that people had expressed a lot of interest in. I know, as a reader, I always get frustrated when a story isn't updated for ages. I know I'd appreciate it if a writer had that "on hiatus" warning rather than none at all.
Also, I always say "never say never!" I'm weird in that, months from now, I might cycle those stories back out of the vault and work on it some more. At the moment, I can't see that happening but...Never say never!
Yup! I agree with this. I think readers who are really into the story will come back to it once it's updated. I mean Chaos hasn't updated his sequel to Ground Zero in decades but the second it shows up on the recent stories list i'd fly over to read it. I do think when some time goes by we do owe it to our readers to at least let them know what's going on.
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I don't think I'd ever take them down... But yeah, I really tend to focus on one story at once. lol
I agree with what everyone so far. :)
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I've been none to just take them down with out thinking. I wish that I didn't, but i did. I'm actually thinking about bringing back one of the stories, i would just have to rewrite it over again.
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I think when it gets close to a year since my last update I'll put in a little effort... uuugh I mean, every day I spend 23 of my 24 hours sitting in quiet contemplation trying to think of what to write. That's exactly what I do.
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Is that other one hour for sleeping or eating? lmao
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Is that other one hour for sleeping or eating? lmao
eating, of course. i've no time for sleeping.
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eating, of course. i've no time for sleeping.
Ah, well, eating tastes better than sleeping anyway. lmao
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Good thread topic. I hate unfinished stories too, but I also hate when stories just get taken down without warning, even if they were never going to be finished, so I never take mine down. The ones I'm 99% sure I'm never going to update again, I label "discontinued" on my site... and those wouldn't be the kind of stories I'd even bother posting on AC. But I leave them up, in case anyone did like what was there and would want to read it again.
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On AC only my story "Redeeming The Fallen" is incomplete, and that's because it's going through a rewrite after I realized there were a lot of holes in the story. I'm also switching it from 1st person to 3rd. Anything else I have that's not finished is still on my hard drive. Funny thing, too... It's supposed to be from Kevin's point of view, but it's about rescuing Brian. (Gee... who's my favorite, eh?) :D
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I write plain fiction as well. I've posted a fair amount of itvon the AC site but no one seems to want to read it lol which is understandable . The only time i've written outside of BSB fanfic wise was that SN story I posted the other day.
ahem ahem *shuffles feet* I read the original stuff you post, and I like it way more than your BSB stuff. Not that I don't love your BSB fics because I do, I do! I just like that you seem to have way more depth and emotion in some of your original fics, like the one with the girl who ended up "floating away" (gosh, I can't remember what story it was lol). But yeah, I like your stuff! (even if I'm bad at reviewing to let you know that I read it!)
also, do you post your original stuff anywhere else, mare? i'm currently addicted to fictionpress, which is why i've been so absent from the AC most recent list (not to mention my original fics have killed my bsb fics lol). i know you've said you're having a hard time with fanfic lately, but do you "regularly" write other stuff? (psst. i'd love to read it if you do!)
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Thanks Sarah.
I post over at Editred occassionally although I haven't written anything in a long time. It seems like my funk extends to my original stuff as well. I haven't ever visited fictionpress. Maybe I should check it out. Edit red is okay but it's very clique-ish at times.
anyway, here's the link to my stuff there.
http://www.editred.com/index.php/My_Ink/Uploads
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fictionpress is pretty much like everywhere else. You have to wade through a ton of crap to find the good stuff. But there's lots to choose from so you can eventually find something worth reading.
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Is't FictionPress like normal fiction AC? lol
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Is't FictionPress like normal fiction AC? lol
Yep, it is. And, just like on AC, you do have to wade through a lot of stuff to get to the good pieces. It's actually Fanfiction.net's sister site, except that it's all original fiction. I'm addicted to it lol Some of the stories on there are really awesome, and there are some pretty talented writers on there. A lot of people post stories on there while they send those stories out to publishers and stuff. For the most part, though, the writers are like us on AC. They do it as a hobby and because it's a fun way to meet other writers.
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Maybe I should go play there at some point? lol There was a story I wanted to write as a comic book at one point, but might end up doing as a young adult story instead... Same audience, less picture drawing. lol
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ooh okay. I find on editred most of the stuff is actually really good as compared to being crappy. If you want honest real and tough feedback that's a great site, the only thing is, getting people initially read your stuff is a hard task. I'll have to look into that one because I need to get myself back into the writing thing again.
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I think getting people to read your stuff is difficult anywhere. It's just a matter of sticking to it and, the more you update, the more opportunities you give your writing to be seen and read. but yeah, Dee and Mare, it's a good site. There are the same types of reviewers as on AC with the whole "It's great! I love it! Update soon!" but then I've had some really honest reviewers (one actually told me to rewrite my story and then told me how to rewrite it to have it make more sense lol). But yeah...I like it!
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Wow, people give concrit? Blasphemy! lmao
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Wow, people give concrit? Blasphemy! lmao
i know, right? imagine my utter surprise :o
it's pretty great, actually. finally, someone who actually wants to tell me that my story is utter garbage. it's a truly nice feeling because it means they actually care. *big gushy sigh*
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I've had that, it's called Writing Workshops in school. lol It's a nice change from the gooey reviews I hear about people getting. lol
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I enjoy the honest criticism too. It's refreshing. lol
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That and you learn what's actually wrong with your writing. lmao
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That's true, although it depends on who is giving the feedback on that one lol but yes, I agree.
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That's true, although it depends on who is giving the feedback on that one lol but yes, I agree.
true. sometimes those people just didn't like the way the story was going and would rather have written it themselves lol but you can usually pick out which reviews are truly concrit and truly helpful. but yes, i love concrit. makes me happy.
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Well, if people don't like it, that's fine... I don't really care one way or another when they tell me it should be a different way. lol That's there opinion.
If they're pointing out a plot hole or someting though, I'll take it. lol
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I joined fictionpress I am bitybella. What are your pen names there? Anyone who is on that site lol
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yay for you being on FP! i'm still starbeamz2 and Kelly is MsKelly
i dunno if anyone else on this site is over there...
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Excellent :) Yes i'm there but I haven't posted anything yet.
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Excellent :) Yes i'm there but I haven't posted anything yet.
they make you wait three days before you can post anything just to make sure you're not a spammer or something...
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Well that's a protection measure. lmao
I may join eventually... But for now, I'll sit here. :)