[MaglorRedeemed]

...when you happen upon one of the very best fanfics you've ever read in your life and continually check the page of the sequel for more, but then the author informs you that her writing of the sequel has been postponed indefinately and you have no idea if you'll find out what happens next?

*cries*

[Amlee]

OH I ran into one of those the other day. It was a long fan fiction about 20 chapters long and right when it gets good the author updates with a note saying he or she want be finishing the story and was sorry. NOOOOOOOOO!!

Oh even better I was reading on a few weeks ago and was like up to chapter 15 when I came across a note saying this story would no longer be updated. I was like then remove the damn thing! Or put an update in the summary so the rest of us want both reading it!

[kayleighTalitha]

I so hate that! It's annoying and makes you scream in frustration.

I mean, then remove the thing, don't leave it up. But there's tactic to that you know, those authors still want to receive comments and maybe if they get many people wanting it finished, they'll continue.

[Maram68]

I must say, since I am guilty as charged, that one happens to believe that one will actually continue and then suddenly the muse is gone.

But beyond any strategy, getting an encouraging review does sometimes nudge the muse again ...

[Thuriniel]

C, don't feel bad. I think it's better to write when the Muse inspires you than just writing something you're not happy with just to calm down the fans (or so I tell myself !).

As for writers who simply stop writing ... it irks me ... but considering that I found myself in that situation a bit over one year ago and that my reasons for quitting for a time were extenuating, personal circumstances, then I'll give these writers the benefit of the doubt.

[SpaceWeavil]

I shall also have to hold my hand up and say I am guilty, though not here at OSA. I have, in the past, abandoned fics that I know people were reading. In my case, though, the story wasn’t posted on an archive, just shared in a yahoo group, but I still feel a bit bad about not finishing it.

My reason though was a bit complicated. I was in a group for that particular fandom and fell foul of one of the moderators. This’ll sound extremely egotistical but she disliked the fact that people went on about some of my stories and so went out of her way, being as nasty and manipulative as possible, to try and get me to give up. now, some of the stuff she said may well have been correct, like problems with my plots being too far fetched or my characters being flat and lifeless, but it was the way she said it, you know? So I now find it extremely hard to even contemplate writing in that fandom now, even though I do have people asking me to. I just think of the rotten stuff that’s happened, and it puts me off.

If anyone does know a way to get around that particular block, short of therapy I’d be grateful. But that is why I stopped writing and left some people hanging. I do still feel guilty about it though, and I would never post anything in open archives that I didn’t intend to finish.

[Yavanie]

SpaceWeavil,

I would think posting stories here and getting positive and constructive feed back could be great therapy! At least here you know that in all likelyhood something someone says isn't meant to be mean, just constructive. (my 2cents)

[SpaceWeavil]

[Amlee]

SpaceWeavil, don't let one person cause you not to enjoy something. What you need to do is find another board that you can repost your stories on. Contact those that want you to keep the story going and let them know you have moved them to that board.

[inglor]

I think I can identify with SW, its like when you have a bad experience with some form of alcohol. Tequilla for instance, I drank way too much one time, got real sick and now I can't even smell it witout getting neauseus (SP?). Once you get some bad reviews about a story, nasty, mean ones, it can sour you on a particular story and you don't even want to pick it back up, the reviews can make you not like the story anymore, especially if there is some truth to the bad reviews. fixing the problem is just too big and there are other bunnies that excite you more...


Inglor

[Leilana]

As more of a reader than a writer, it really does annoy me when a story is not finished. Sorry guys, but I MUST KNOW THE END, or it will bother me for a long time. There was a story here on OSA which was fantastic, and I absolutely loved it. When it was finished, the author wrote that there would be a sequel, however, she stopped writing after only a few chapters. I don't know why she stopped, but she also pulled all her stories. It was really sad, because the first was so good, and I had really gotten into the sequel. I have to say that this has kindof made me not like reading a story until it is complete, there are too many out there which are never finished. On the other hand, I can understand a writer wanting feedback as the story is written, so I do read a few WIPs. not exactly decisive! I guess there are no solutions, however, if a writer has no plans to continue with a story which has been posted, I think it would be kind to remove it, or give it away to someone who wants to continue with it.

*reads post*
My, my, I'm pretty opinionated for someone who rarely writes!

[SpaceWeavil]

[BittenBuggy]

[Anna]

......and we still miss her.......

[MaglorRedeemed]