WIP Challenge - Check In Day 4 - Tuesday

[the_rck]

Poll #16106

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 4

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Today I

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planned
2 (50.0%)

researched
1 (25.0%)

wrote
2 (50.0%)

sent to beta
0 (0.0%)

edited
0 (0.0%)

posted
0 (0.0%)

rested
1 (25.0%)

did something else
1 (25.0%)

The way I feel about that is

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Mean: 5.50 Median: 5.5 Std. Dev 1.80

Terrible 1		0 (0.0%)
2		0 (0.0%)
3		1 (25.0%)
4		0 (0.0%)
5		1 (25.0%)
6		1 (25.0%)
7		0 (0.0%)
8		1 (25.0%)
9		0 (0.0%)
Wonderful 10		0 (0.0%)

I've been getting a fair number of comments recently urging me to go on with stories that I consider done. These readers apparently find them incomplete. That started me wondering-- How do you know when a story is done? How do you know that this point is really the end?

I usually look for some sort of completed movement. And 'movement' may not be the right word. What I mean is that some corner has been turned, that something has been realized or acknowledged or changed. I'm prone to leaving the full implications of the movement unspoken, so I suppose I can see how those stories might look incomplete to some readers.

Of course, if anybody wants to write a sequel to one of my fics, I give permission in my AO3 profile. Not that people particularly need permission. I just figure it's polite to let people know that I don't mind and would like a link if ever they do.

Comments

[ladygriddlebone]

I usually know a story is done when I reach the planned ending for it. I don't start writing a story unless I know how it ends. I may not know every twist and turn that will get me there when I start writing, but I won't commit to a project unless I have a vision for the ending (this helps me avoid the story that goes on and on and on with no real conclusion in sight). However, I also don't typically get comments wanting me to continue stories. So either this method really works for me and my stories all come out "just right" or I don't write the kinds of stories that people desperately want more of.

[linaewen]

I have experienced this also, where readers want the story to continue. In most cases I have considered the story complete myself, though I can actually see where a continuation of the story might be possible. A story can be complete even if not all the threads brought up in the course of the tale are resolved. To continue it would actually be a different story. Only in one case was it obvious that the short story I wrote was me "dipping in" to a larger (untold) story with one scene. I didn't ever intend to write the larger story, but enough people bugged me about it that I have opened a folder on my computer for keeping track of story ideas for it!

[lilly_c]

I usually feel like I have finished a story when my characters have not got more things to say or do or I'm at the final chapter. When I moved all of my old fic to AO3 I found some short pieces that could have been longer but I decided not to extend them in anyway because they're for fandoms that I'm not involved with anymore and I wouldn't know what to do with them if I were to do that.


I wrote last night after work and have a complete outline for a chapter of a WIP that's currently on hiatus and if I aren't working this weekend (unlikely but I can hope) then I can spend some time posting new fics and getting the chapter fic off of hiatus.