WIP's - Love them or Hate them?

[Aers (That Writer Chick)]

Just wondering...

WIP's are common in all fanfic genres - but they've got their pro's and con's for the readers.

Pro's - Serials are always fun to read. It's great to have a new chapter waiting in the mailbox every few days or weeks on a good story.

Con's - Sometimes authors don't finish good stories. Or they lag for so long that readers wander off. As well, there's no chance to rewrite something that may not "work" within the story in the earlier chapters.

So... what do ya like to read? Do you thrill for every new chapter or do you wait until the entire saga is finished?

Enquiring minds want to know!

and, just as a fyi - there was a HUGE crossover story many, many years ago called "Witness" that ran over 120 chapters, IIRC... involved everyone from "Highlander" to "X-Files" to "Forever Knight" and then some.

extra points to those old enough to remember said shows.

[Ashley Benlove]

As a fanfic writer, I perfer to write out the entire fanfic when it's finished, I don't like having to have the readers wait more than a day to find out what happens. As a reader, I am the same way, with the exception of the Potter books.

[JuPMod]

Well, if you're talking about reading fics, I don't mind either one as long as I know the writer is going to finish the story.

As for me as a writer, I don't do WIP's. I finish writing up a story before I post it. I believe in this, because it does nerves me that some writers don't bother to finish a story and just leaves it in limbo. I know of some good KP stories that are yet to be finished after two years.

IMO, from what I've seen, most WIP's appear to be writers writing each chapter as they go along instead of writing up the entire story from start to finish first. This type of writing might lead to strange plot developments that wouldn't make sense. Some writers don't fall into this trap, but there are those who do, and their stories suffered because of it.

I do admit that WIP's have more feedback reviews than oneshots, thus why I have a feeling most writers would do WIP's so they can get more feedback. For me, it's nice to get reviews, but it is not necessary for me to continue writing. I write because I want to write, not because I have so many reviews.

Of course, there are those writers who will not bother to write because they don't get many reviews. I have encounter stupid writers who write in their summeries "Review or I will not write the next chapter!" Oh, please! That threat makes me not want to read the story and further more it shows the writer have an ego which needs attention. It's clear such threats mean the writer is not writing for fun, but for attention.

So as a reader, I don't mind reading either type of story. Just for WIP's, I do appreciate if the writer do finishes the story. It does get to be a drag if a story drags for so long with no end in sight.

[Ashley Benlove]

jupmod said:

Well, if you're talking about reading fics, I don't mind either one as long as I know the writer is going to finish the story.

As for me as a writer, I don't do WIP's. I finish writing up a story before I post it. I believe in this, because it does nerves me that some writers don't bother to finish a story and just leaves it in limbo. I know of some good KP stories that are yet to be finished after two years.

IMO, from what I've seen, most WIP's appear to be writers writing each chapter as they go along instead of writing up the entire story from start to finish first. This type of writing might lead to strange plot developments that wouldn't make sense. Some writers don't fall into this trap, but there are those who do, and their stories suffered because of it.

I do admit that WIP's have more feedback reviews than oneshots, thus why I have a feeling most writers would do WIP's so they can get more feedback. For me, it's nice to get reviews, but it is not necessary for me to continue writing. I write because I want to write, not because I have so many reviews.

Of course, there are those writers who will not bother to write because they don't get many reviews. I have encounter stupid writers who write in their summeries "Review or I will not write the next chapter!" Oh, please! That threat makes me not want to read the story and further more it shows the writer have an ego which needs attention. It's clear such threats mean the writer is not writing for fun, but for attention.

So as a reader, I don't mind reading either type of story. Just for WIP's, I do appreciate if the writer do finishes the story. It does get to be a drag if a story drags for so long with no end in sight.

I feel the same way. I mean, the way I see it, I would rather finish the whole story before I start typing it up. Otherwise I feel empty or something.

[zaratan]

Well, as probably one of the biggest WIP writers, I have to say I don't mind them whatsoever.

When I write, I write to a certain point, depending on how the chapter feels. Then, I submit, usually within 10 minutes of finishing the write-up, with only a once over before I post it (I don't use a beta).

Because of this, I often finds the story develops on it's own, quite often well away from where I intended it to go. That doesn't really bother me though, because I'm pretty flexible when it comes to needing to change something.

When I first started, it was supposed to be an 8-10 chapter single story. That was out the window by chapter 4. Then came Kim's coma, something I hadn't planned on, but helped solve a plot hole for me. That involved a MAJOR shift in my plans. I had planned on a Ron/Bon love angle for the second story, but that disappeared after showing a sensitive Brick. My Tara one-shot brought her to the front lines, making her a regular team member in my third story, again, requiring a bit of dancing.

I think it's all in how the story is handled that makes the biggest difference. If a writer is going to write as I do, they have to learn to be flexible in how they write, and let the story flow, as opposed to trying to fit everything into the way they want it to turn out.

And sometimes, I find the anticipation makes a story all that more worthwhile. Take G-Go's UNION for example, he had everyone on baited breath waiting for the next chapter to come out. Or MrDrP, who puts his story out on a regular day every week, just like a TV episode, and everyone waits in anticipation for that to come out, knowing it will be there for them to digest week in and week out. Neither had their stuff pre-written, just posting as they went (though I know their stories are far more structured than mine).

As for those that don't finish their stories, that annoys the hell out of me. I have several stories on my favs that haven't seen an update in over a year, and it drives me nuts. I send an email to them every so often, just to see if they're breathing still. Got one update out of it, shortly after I sent an email, but still no word on others.

And as for those people that refuse to write if they don't get reviews... if you have to beg, maybe you should be doing something else!

[FLiP]

I tried to write an entire story all at once... that went not so well. The problem is that I start to find problems half way through because of lack of real planning, then scrap it. I've read a few stories were it is pretty apparent it was just hammered out in a few days because the author wanted the entire thing out quickly.

Pretty much, whatever you are more comfortable with is what you should go with.

[Commander Argus]

I just plain don't have the patience to write a complete story - especially considering the length of a lot of my stuff. One-shots are in support of the main chapters.

I know the major plot points of the stories I'm telling, but I don't make up the details until I'm there. I tend to be a stream of conciousness writer so ideas that were just a minor part become whole chapters of chapters become a string of chapters, depending on where the story takes me.

I don't think most FanFic readers want a 50K word story dumped in their lap all at once. A serialized reading breaks it into digestable chunks.

[surforst]

I must confess I'm a WIP writer myself. Actually had to abandon a project once and I've got another project that hasn't been updated for a few months. Might not be the best system but in the end its all the readers are going to get. I don't have time to finish a story from start to finish on the bigger stuff in any thing resembling reasonable time. Besides I like allowing for change according to reviewer input.

[JuPMod]

zaratan said:

I think it's all in how the story is handled that makes the biggest difference. If a writer is going to write as I do, they have to learn to be flexible in how they write, and let the story flow, as opposed to trying to fit everything into the way they want it to turn out.

And sometimes, I find the anticipation makes a story all that more worthwhile. Take G-Go's UNION for example, he had everyone on baited breath waiting for the next chapter to come out. Or MrDrP, who puts his story out on a regular day every week, just like a TV episode, and everyone waits in anticipation for that to come out, knowing it will be there for them to digest week in and week out. Neither had their stuff pre-written, just posting as they went (though I know their stories are far more structured than mine).

Well, MrDrP told me that his chapters are written *weeks* before they are posted, so it seems for him, his writing is pre-written before posting.

I find it hard to believe writers like G-Go, you, or even Commander Argus are writing with no ideas where their stories are heading. I'm not talking about details, but the basic plot of where the stories are heading. One can't write a story without a road map.

G-Go and MrDrP, the way they write each chapter, seems to have an understanding where their stories are heading. I can't see such great, well-written stories with good plot to be written chapter by chapter on the spure of the moment as each chapter is being written.

In my stories, I don't bother with details in my head at the start, but for each story, I do start off with a basic plot (road-map) of how I want the story to be. Details, dialogue, etc. will be written at the moment when I'm writing the story, but I do know I want the story to head in a certain direction.

As for those that don't finish their stories, that annoys the hell out of me. I have several stories on my favs that haven't seen an update in over a year, and it drives me nuts. I send an email to them every so often, just to see if they're breathing still. Got one update out of it, shortly after I sent an email, but still no word on others.

Tell me about it! Ever read "The Fox and the Sloth" by Frederick Aloysius? Great story! Too bad he didn't updated it since Feb. 2005.

And as for those people that refuse to write if they don't get reviews... if you have to beg, maybe you should be doing something else!

Amen, brother!

[Ashley Benlove]

And as for those people that refuse to write if they don't get reviews... if you have to beg, maybe you should be doing something else!

Amen to that as well. I mean, the way I see it, why should you care about what others think about your story? I mean, it's nice to hear what others have to say about it. But, if you're not writing the story because you love writing and you have so much fun doing it... then what is the point? "Size matters not. Look at me, judge me by my size, do you?" -- Yoda, Empire Strikes Back. Take out the word, "size" and add in "reviews" and you get what I'm trying to say.

[captainkodak1]

I like to read the stories as they come out. A good story can be missed if you wait. I know some authors are slow in updated. When Rich and I first started we had planned to post on a two week schedule. That fell away real quick. It soon became a once a month thing. Bloom was planned all the way from start to finish before we started. Each chapter was written in turn.

My other stories were different. Wannaweep and Four Friends are written on the fly. Planning may be done only one or two chapters at a time. I have done it both ways. Each approach has it's pros and cons. There are two of my stories that have languished for sometime and I hope to restart both. "Trials of the Heart" and "Just You and Me, Kimmie" are two stories I want to get back to as well as Four Friends. "Trials" has been planned for the most part. Only small plans have been made on "Just". I've two chapters planned out for "Friends".

I guest in just depends on the author. I do it both ways.

[Commander Argus]

Actually, with my main "Trinity Sitch" stories I have a pretty complete framework of what's going on. With my prequel, however, I have a beginning (StD) and an end (They say everyone has a twin) and everything in between is original, with only references of what is to come.

[Pim Peccable]

I'm in the habit of writing nearly all of a story before posting it.
My first two stories were completely "In the can" when I posted chap 1.
Though my second story got it's last chapter expanded when after I read a comment MrDrP made in a review.
The only exception is "Bittersweet". I thought I would try posting before finishing for once. Then writer's block hit big. I'll get back to it, but the plot bunnies have led me elsewhere.

The mega-story that is my timeline, has been forming in odd ways. Once some other stories are done, I'll have the frame set for that story's finish.

Sometimes I need a flash of inspiration, or to borrow an idea. Like with "Time Cooties". It started as an excuse for young Kim to meet my OC (her son), but there was no story to it, so the idea was set aside. Then I read MrDrP's "Nacho Boy and the Dragon Lady". Adding the DL to my story really turned it into something nice.

I'm back to borrowing again in one story now. I hope it is well recieved by those characters' creators when I post it.

As to reading:
It depends on the story and my mood.
For works in progress; use the alert function!

[zaratan]

Oh, I do have a basic idea of how a story will go. I know in advance the main points of a story that I want to cover before I write it. What actually happens in the story though, that is completely up for grabs, and can even change those major points. Like I said, Kim going into a coma... completely last minute, something I decided half way through the chapter beforehand. I've made 8 major changes to my stories, based entirely on how the story came out as I was writing it. Half the time, I don't know what I'm writing, I simply go with what comes out. My story Recovery is already 4 chapters longer than I had been planning, and the one I'm writing now wasn't planned either, it's just the way the story wants to go for me.

Sometimes, the best story is just what happens. The notes for my entire series consist of a page and a half for the next 10 major stories and 5 one-shot/minis. We have more for each chapter of The Darkness Within than I have for everything of mine. It's just the way I write.

I also have no notes whatsoever for Impossible Love and Valentine's Surprise, those are basically on the fly, off the top of my head, other than a couple major points in each.

[xanderm]

For me, I can only write a story chapter by chapter, because, well for one thing, my chapters ae fifteen pages long, and plus i have other important things to do, such as homework and projects made by my school. ;D

[Aers (That Writer Chick)]

okay, then... for the WIP writers:

do you plot things out ahead of time or just wing it as the story takes you?
and have you ever regretted it?



(yes, I DO have too much time on my hands...)

[xanderm]

aers said:

okay, then... for the WIP writers:

do you plot things out ahead of time or just wing it as the story takes you?
and have you ever regretted it?



(yes, I DO have too much time on my hands...)

For the main singular plot, I have it already planned out, but some of the dialog in between, I just wing it. ;D

[Quin Separable]

aers said:

okay, then... for the WIP writers:

do you plot things out ahead of time or just wing it as the story takes you?
and have you ever regretted it?



(yes, I DO have too much time on my hands...)

I usually plot out main storylines, but some things get thrown in there.

Yes, I have regretted doing so (mainly with "The New Girl" and "Say the Word") because I then realize that I have to somehow solve that conflict (because that's what it usually is) before the end. I've found that it sometimes weighs my stories down.

However, sometimes I just love when it happens.

And personally, I'm trying to work my way out of writing a chapter at a time and posting it and instead writing the whole thing at a time. I've found my interest sometimes dies off during the middle. (mainly in stories like "Cheerleaders vs. The Dance Team"). And besides, I don't have a load of time to write a lot as evident in my lack of updating "A Race Against Time".

[zaratan]

I have 2-3 major plot points in mind, but everything else, I completely wing it. Whatever I feel like writing is what goes into the chapter.

And I've never regretted it. Like I said, I'm flexible.

[Commander Argus]

Primary stories - Many major plot points and a distinct story I'm following

Fluff/Romance stuff - completely from the hip.