If you're reading a summary fanfic, how many summaries are "too much"?

[theresa_ramseyer]

Good morning :).

On summary/timeline fanfics, do you have a limit on how many entries you'll read before getting to the main writing?

I have been reading L&O mothership fanfic, the Ben Stone years since he was/is my favorite ADA. An old fandom, as a question asked quite a while back.

Guess that reading triggered something, because I have one of those "popped into my head almost full blown" stories in that fandom. Honestly, I am scared to death that I will lose it and/or otherwise not finish, because I can't stay at the computer or with a pen and pad until I get it all down. I've written a little over a rough draft page of the climax, but I need to get up and moving, and it will be a few hours before I can come back to it.

The story is grounded as much as possible in the canon that I remember. (I was never a L&O fan after the Stone years, and didn't see the episode he left on.) Will be marked as AU, but I have research to do to make sure it's not too off-the-wall.

So I'm going to have to go with timeline/summary fanfic, starting with a list of dates and a summary. Sort of "1987, he crosses paths with her again, but this time the evening goes badly, and they go away angry with each other." That's not a viable entry, I think, because of the time, but I'm figuring that level of detail or deeper. Enough to prove there's a history between them, see the friendship begin and grow, but not a full story for each stage (maybe filled in later.)

The main story begins with pre-trial, runs through the trial, and then after it, with maybe some post-trial and/or a post-Stone-leaving epilog; I'm not sure. (I'm a sucker for romance, HEA or HFN). That means dates, etc. in the main story as well.

But I don't want so many entries on the timeline/summaries that they overshadow the main story, or make the reader move on to something else.

I'm looking for a number to shoot for. May have to add or trim, but a maximum boundary would be nice.

Thanks
Theresa

WIP Challenge - Check In, Day 15 - Saturday

[the_rck]

I still don't have internet (AT&T is now claiming that they'll show up tomorrow. Really and truly, they promise. I'm not holding my breath). I'm at a coffee shop right now while my husband and daughter run some errands.

Poll #13708

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 6

View Respondents

Today I

View Answers

planned
1 (16.7%)

researched
0 (0.0%)

wrote
4 (66.7%)

sent to beta
0 (0.0%)

edited
1 (16.7%)

posted
1 (16.7%)

rested
0 (0.0%)

did something else
2 (33.3%)

How I feel about that is

View Answers
Mean: 5.17 Median: 5.5 Std. Dev 2.11

Awful 1		1 (16.7%)
2		0 (0.0%)
3		0 (0.0%)
4		0 (0.0%)
5		2 (33.3%)
6		2 (33.3%)
7		0 (0.0%)
8		1 (16.7%)
9		0 (0.0%)
Wonderful 10		0 (0.0%)

Today is snippet today. Post a bit of what you're working on, look for a beta reader, generally seek support. That's what we're here for.