Beware the WIP...

[kellifer]

I have a quick question.

For the writers - have you ever started posted a story you haven't finished?

For the readers - do you read WIPS?

Reason I'm asking is because I never post WIPS, my longer stories are finished when I start posting, just being beta'd usually. I usually don't read WIPS unless it's an author I know but I started reading one that is four parts in, I'm liking it and the author seems to have dropped off the face of the earth.

Argh!! Don't do that to me!!!

Comments

[ninasis.livejournal.com]

I don't read any story, whether a WIP or a long story that's finished but being posted in parts over a length of time, until the entire thing is online. I think starting my fannish involvement in the Buffy fandom really did me a disservice in many ways. It might be a misperception on my part since that's where I began, but it seemed as if every other WIP that I came across was eventually abandoned and left unfinished.

Now though, I hate having to go back and reread previous parts because it's been so long since the author has updated. I read so many stories, in so many different fandoms, every day that WIP's and serializations and finished-but-being-stretched-out stories are impossible for me to follow. I've also found that it's getting harder and harder for me to get interested in a story again once I've had to wait for the next post.

[kellifer-fic.livejournal.com]

I tend to agree... I've just finished two longer stories and posted in parts because it was complete and being beta'd in sections, but considering I've found this frustration with partially posted stories... I'm pretty certain I'm not going to do this anymore but wait until I have the finished and beta'd piece before posting.

I shouldn't do to other people what annoys me... that's just rude... hee.