Daily Check-In Post: May 21, 2011

[jagnikjen]

Sorry for the late post--today was writers meeting day.

Anyway--tell us how your day has gone, writing wise:

Awesome!
Pretty good.
On schedule.
Okay.
Like crap.
I took the day off.

Share your word count if you've got one; your current research (whether surfing the Net or re-watching/rereading your fandom source); are you refreshing your well of creativity by reading, watching TV or seeing a movie; listening to music; or has real life taken a swipe at you?

Discussion questions:

Do you complete a story before you post it, or do you post chapter by chapter as you finish it? Why or why not?

When you read fic, do you prefer to read completed fics or do you take a chance on WIPs?

What things will make you stop reading a fic?

Comments

[jagnikjen]

As for me, today was okay, and I sorta took the day off. As I said I had my monthly writers meeting today. It was the annual what we call round table critique--where pre-published authors submit fifteen pages of a manuscript of choice and published authors read and critique those pages. I didn't submit anything and just went to socialize with whomever else didn't submit anything.

I generally finish a story before I post because I always worry I'd leave it unfinished forever. As an experiment, I started a multi-chaptered Robin Hood fic that I posted as I wrote. It was a fun and interesting endeavor that I learned a few things from. I had to force myself to finish it since because I am not a plotter, the story careened outta control. I was set for 12 to 15 chapters. I ended with 39. I had worked on it for a year and a half and by the end I was sick and tired of it. Though I do love it so.

Mostly when I read I prefer finished fics. Partly because I've been disappointed too often, but also because I'm a fast reader. Fast. And I'd rather plow through a story at my own pace than be at the author's mercy. Plus if it takes too long between chapters then I forget what happened previously.

I *do* take chances on WIPS if the author has a decent track record.

The thing that makes me hit the back button faster than anything is really poor spelling, grammar, or punctuation. Also a lot exposition (info dumps) up front generally bores me to tears and unless the premise is very interesting/compelling, I will stop reading.

[littlebutfierce]

I only wrote about 400 words but I did some thinking about various WIPs, which was useful... somewhat, anyway.

I don't write chaptered fics, so I do post everything complete. I actually don't often read chaptered fics, either, but when I do I try to just go for completed fics when possible.

Bad grammar/spelling will often make me stop reading a fic. If it's just moderately bad but the plot is good &/or there's a pairing I love in it, I'll try to keep going. If something offends me I'll stop reading. Also if something just bores me!

[linaewen]

Today was pretty good. I didn't have much time in which to write, so I edited what I wrote yesterday and ended up with 1,060 words. I might still have a chance to write some more before the day is over, if the spirit leads.

I will usually wait to post a multi-chapter story until I have at least 5 chapters written; then I post them slowly while (hopefully) continuing to write the ensuing chapters, always having a few up my sleeve. Unfortunately, if something happens and I lag behind in writing and posting, it gets to be quite hard on my readers who wait and wait -- and on me, who feels guilty when I don't keep at it. But I don't give up! My epics are dear to me and I do plan on finishing them -- some day. ;-) Most of my stories are pretty well outlined before I begin, and though I allow for much side-tracking as the Muse leads, I know well enough where I'm going that I don't ever feel I have to abandon a story, even if it gets to be too long between chapters. Sometimes it's hard to get started again after a long break, though, even knowing what I want to cover in chapter.

I read finished stories first, but if a WIP is well-written I'll have a go, and likely stick with it and watch for new chapters. And hope the writer isn't like me and only writepost once in a blue moon. ;-)

I stop reading for bad grammar and formatting, and also for really OOC characters.

[snowynight]

I did 500 words on my wip, and did some thinking.

Usually I don' write chaptered fic, so I post everything complete. I read chaptered wip only when I trust that the author will finish it.

[jessalae]

I finally have a decent draft of one of my WIPs! \o/ I'm not sure exactly how much I wrote today, since at lot of what I did was re-working and tweaking bits I already had, but I ended up with a little over 3,500 words. I'll let it sit for a day and then go back for more editing -- it's definitely not done, but I feel pretty accomplished anyway. :)

[mystiri_1]

Absolutely no progress whatsoever! I have, however, soaked in hot pools, been massaged into a gooey puddle, and done various other relaxing-type activities this weekend, so I can't really get all that worked up about it.

I prefer to read completed fics, but if they show signs of being updated recently - or if it's something that pops up on my friends list anyway so I will get all the updates - I'll read them. But finding a previously undiscovered cache of bigbang fics for a fandom I read is kind of like hitting the jackpot.

Things that will make me stop reading a fic - that's tricky. If you have spelling mistakes in your summary, I will not read your fic at all because that's not exactly a promising start. If you have major spelling, grammar and formatting problems, I will give up in sheer frustration. (And disgust.) If you turn your male tough-guy character into a whiny spineless girl, likewise. (And no, I'm not talking genderswap fics.)

[glitteryv]

I didn't comment on Friday's post 'cause I took the day off from writing (in a way. I scribbled around 400 words during lunch that I decided not to use so my count for Friday was 0 words.)

Yesterday I had just enough writing time to put down 862 new words AND figure out how to make the ending work in my goal fic. Not that I'm anywhere near the ending, but I feel confident that my goal fic will be finished by the end of the round. My writing is on schedule! Wheee!

I always complete a story before posting it. This is because of a fic I tried to post-as-I-wrote-it that I ended up abandoning. It reads OK with where I left it off, but it upsets me (to this day) knowing that there could have been a neater ending to it. The sad part is that I don't feel, you know, inspired to head back into that 'verse. :-/

As a result, I will only read completed fics. Have been burned wayyyy too many times by WIPs. Especially a few ones that are really good but were written years ago and the writer has left the fandom, etc. To me, reading WIPs is almost masochistic because you never have that certainty that the story will be finished, you know?

Poor grammar and spelling (betas are your friends), GIGANTIC plot holes, bad characterization are all things that make me hit the back button. The main things that I find frustrating in fics are:

* boring (to me) plots - Especially when it comes to porn. A lot of writers rush to get the characters in bed and then it becomes really repetitious. NOTHING is worse than reading about boring sex.

* unlabeled/surprise!squicks - I get that some writers don't like to 'warn' for anything at all (because they want to keep the element of surprise or whatever). But, I've come across fics for some of my favourite pairings in which one half of the pairing is killed or cheats on the other half. Before any of you ask, yes, deathfics and partner betrayal are two of the strongest squicks for me. I don't think people have to be specific about labels if they don't want to. A simple "heavy angst" or "not a fluffy story" will be enough.

[curuchamion]

I have words. This is good.

(I'm far enough behind that I don't think I'm going to hit 50k this month... but I'm still working, anyway.)