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I wouldn't read unfinished stories. If the author has abandoned them, why would
I put the time in, giving them feedback, when they apparently have lost the
motivation to finish. I wouldn't read any stories in an unfinished category. I
barely have the patience to read WIPs.


--- Ainaechoiriel <mefaadmin@earthlink.net> wrote:

> Okay, I see the difference you are making. What do others think about
> allowing these "unfinished" stories in a separate category or subcategory?
>
> I think part of the reason people voted for putting a limit on the WIPs (1
> year upedated) because they tend to not like to read a story that's
> abandoned.
>
> Other thoughts?
>
> --Ainaechoiriel
> MEFA Admin and Founder
>
> "This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
> it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.
>
> http://gabrielle.sytes.net/mefa The Middle-Earth Fanfiction Awards
> Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Naresha [mailto:north_shore_fruitcake@yahoo.com.au]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2004 10:39 AM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: RE: [MEFAwards] A couple days off, a couple days left. Post Mortem
> recap
>
>
>
>
> Ainaechoiriel <mefaadmin@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Naresha [mailto:north_shore_fruitcake@yahoo.com.au]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2004 4:40 AM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [MEFAwards] A couple days off, a couple days left. Post Mortem
> recap
>
>
>
> >All sound like good ideas!!! Was just wondering if you got my suggestion
> about Unfinished stories as well as WIPs???
>
> > To be honest, I don't quite understand it.
> > Unfinished and WIPs to me are the same thing.
>
> Ah!!! Well what I was suggesting was that - given we had been talking about
> cutting WIPs to only allow storys that had been updated with in the last
> 12mths - - was create a new category for stories that HAVEN'T been updated
> within the last year.
>
> e.g. Story X hasn't been worked on since June 04. That falls into the last
> 12mths, so it is classed as a WIP.
>
> Story Y on the other hand, hasn't been updated since November 03 - that is
> more than 12mths ago - therefore it is classed as an Unfinished story.
>
> Pretty much the difference I'm trying to get to is that WIPs are seen as
> still being worked upon, whereas Unfinisheds are looked upon as most liking
> abandoned works - but they still have merit as a story none-the-less.
>
> That make it any clearer???
>
> Resha
>
>
>
> ~To forgive calls upon our love, to forget calls upon our strength~
>
> AIM: Naresha21 MSN: candyman_gypsy@hotmail.com
> ICQ: 142117881 Yahoo: fruitcake5m1
> Personal LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/nareshaninya/
> Writing LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/writingsofresha/
>
> My Website! Slash Me Happy
> http://www.websamba.com/SlashMeHappy
>
> http://quiz.ravenblack.net/blood.pl?biter=Resha
>
>
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Hello. Nor do I read unfinished stories, or works in progress (except when asked to beta). To me they are the same thing. Having read a few such stories when I first discovered fan fiction (2002), I thought they suffered from 2 flaws: First, most WIPs did not seem to tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end. They just reported episode after episode in an attempt to keep getting feedback. Second, they lacked discipline. The writing was mostly verbose, dialog-oriented ("Did too!" "Did not!" ad infinitum), and poorly organized.

I think writers owe their readers the commitment and discipline to think through a story, write it to completion, rewrite it as necessary, and then publish.

There must be exceptions to the WIP syndrome. But I like knowing the writer will keep her implied promise, and WIPs offer do not offer that assurance of completion. Save the awards for completed works, is my opinion. Best regards - Chathol-linn


-------------- Original message --------------
I wouldn't read unfinished stories. If the author has abandoned them, why would
I put the time in, giving them feedback, when they apparently have lost the
motivation to finish. I wouldn't read any stories in an unfinished category. I
barely have the patience to read WIPs.


--- Ainaechoiriel <mefaadmin@earthlink.net> wrote:

> Okay, I see the difference you are making. What do others think about
> allowing these "unfinished" stories in a separate category or subcategory?
>
> I think part of the reason people voted for putting a limit on the WIPs (1
> year upedated) because they tend to not like to read a story that's
> abandoned.
>
> Other thoughts?
>
> --Ainaechoiriel
> MEFA Admin and Founder
>
> "This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
> it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.
>
> http://gabrielle.sytes.net/mefa The Middle-Earth Fanfiction Awards
> Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Naresha [mailto:north_shore_fruitcake@yahoo.com.au]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2004 10:39 AM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: RE: [MEFAwards] A couple days off, a couple days left. Post Mortem
> recap
>
>
>
>
> Ainaechoiriel <mefaadmin@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Naresha [mailto:north_shore_fruitcake@yahoo.com.au]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2004 4:40 AM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [MEFAwards] A couple days off, a couple days left. Post Mortem
> recap
>
>
>
> >All sound like good ideas!!! Was just wondering if you got my suggestion
> about Unfinished stories as well as WIPs???
>
> > To be honest, I don't quite understand it.
> > Unfinished and WIPs to me are the same thing.
>
> Ah!!! Well what I was suggesting was that - given we had been talking about
> cutting WIPs to only allow storys that had been updated with in the last
> 12mths - - was create a new category for stories that HAVEN'T been updated
> within the last year.
>
> e.g. Story X hasn't been worked on since June 04. That falls into the last
> 12mths, so it is classed as a WIP.
>
> Story Y on the other hand, hasn't been updated since November 03 - that is
> more than 12mths ago - therefore it is classed as an Unfinished story.
>
> Pretty much the difference I'm trying to get to is that WIPs are seen as
> still being worked upon, whereas Unfinisheds are looked upon as most liking
> abandoned works - but they still have merit as a story none-the-less.
>
> That make it any clearer???
>
> Resha
>
>
>
> ~To forgive calls upon our love, to forget calls upon our strength~
>
> AIM: Naresha21 MSN: candyman_gypsy@hotmail.com
> ICQ: 142117881 Yahoo: fruitcake5m1
> Personal LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/nareshaninya/
> Writing LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/writingsofresha/
>
> My Website! Slash Me Happy
> http://www.websamba.com/SlashMeHappy
>
> http://quiz.ravenblack.net/blood.pl?biter=Resha
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Find local movie times and trailers on Yahoo! Movies.
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

chathollinn@comcast.net wrote:
First, most WIPs did not seem to tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end. They just reported episode after episode in an attempt to keep getting feedback.

Sorry!!! Just have to defend myself as someone who is presently writing a WIP. Methinks you must have read some dodgy WIPs! Not all of them are jus tlike that.

Second, they lacked discipline. The writing was mostly verbose, dialog-oriented ("Did too!" "Did not!" ad infinitum), and poorly organized.

Personally, I do not lack discipline. I write other stories as I write my WIP - and I take my time on my WIP because I want it to be good and aim to tell a story within a story.

I think writers owe their readers the commitment and discipline to think through a story, write it to completion, rewrite it as necessary, and then publish.

There are a lot of writers out there who do finish their WIPs! Some don't - but a lot do. I realise you are not generalising here, but sometimes RL does kick in and screw us authors around. I do not know of ANY author who does not consciously set out to not finish a story. We have a story to tell - we aim to tell the whole story. And sometimes, it is the input of the readers that acts as motivation for finishing.


Naresha
(who apologises profusely (and grovels for forgiveness) for getting on her soapbox in the first place and promises to burn it immediately to save from any future repeat offences.)



~To forgive calls upon our love, to forget calls upon our strength~

AIM: Naresha21 MSN: candyman_gypsy@hotmail.com
ICQ: 142117881 Yahoo: fruitcake5m1
Personal LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/nareshaninya/
Writing LJ: http://www.livejournal.com/users/writingsofresha/

My Website! Slash Me Happy
http://www.websamba.com/SlashMeHappy

http://quiz.ravenblack.net/blood.pl?biter=Resha


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