How much do you keep people waiting for what they want in your story?

[Deadman]

Just curious how much you think about the way to release things.

As an example, my story (Scooby Gang Time) had several reviews looking forward to a particular character showing up in the story.

Within a few chapters, that character showed up and then reviews dropped off. This was long before the whole hacker situation.

Kinda curious if you hold things back from your readers hoping to see certain things.

What’s your general policy on this in your writing?

[Desiderius Price]

You’re getting reviews?  Oh, wow!  (ie, my stories tend to not get reviews, so I figure people are cringing in the opening paragraph and moving onto somebody else’s story.)

[Deadman]

48 minutes ago, Desiderius Price said:

You’re getting reviews?  Oh, wow!  (ie, my stories tend to not get reviews, so I figure people are cringing in the opening paragraph and moving onto somebody else’s story.)

Well it could also be thanks to the fact that I’m writing in a fandom.

[GeorgeGlass]

I usually outline my chaptered stories in advance, so by the time a reviewer expresses an opinion about a particular thing they want to see, whether and when that thing will happen in the story has already been decided.

Kind of a boring answer, I know.

[Sessakag]

I have varying reasons for holding off on revealing things. My primary reason is usually because I want situations to happen realistic or organic rather than thrown in just because readers want to see it. Other times, I’m just really evil and want readers to stew in angst for a while. It builds a deeper appreciation for the resolution of that angst in my opinion.

Reviews are a funny thing, they can give a distorted picture of how interesting people find your story. My fanfic Secrets of the Hidden Leaf got more reviews when I wasn’t updating than it does now that it’s being updated again(pre-hack) It made me think maybe my new chapters aren’t so great, maybe I should have started the threesome aspect ahead of schedule instead of following my plotted course, but then, on AO3, I’m getting tons of comments and kudos that contradict that thought process. I watch the read count go up, which means several hundred people are reading, but not saying anything, and while it could be taken as a positive that I’m not getting flamed, I also worry the story hasn’t moved them enough to say anything at all.

With so much inconsistency, I tend to just go with my gut about when and what to hold back, I tell the story the way I want, taking the reader into account but not allowing them to drive where the story goes, if that makes any sense.

[Deadman]

On 11/7/2022 at 7:30 PM, GeorgeGlass said:

I usually outline my chaptered stories in advance, so by the time a reviewer expresses an opinion about a particular thing they want to see, whether and when that thing will happen in the story has already been decided.

Kind of a boring answer, I know.

Oh me too. Most of the time my stories are figured out well ahead of time. I had definitely decided when the character was going to appear. But unlike some of my previous work, this wasn’t necessarily an ongoing narrative story.

Although I do have those coming up when the site gets rid of the hacker, this one involves one shots. Now I’m thinking maybe I should’ve delayed the release of the chapter featuring the character until later. Maybe it would’ve given me some more reviews.

[Deadman]

4 hours ago, Sessakag said:

I have varying reasons for holding off on revealing things. My primary reason is usually because I want situations to happen realistic or organic rather than thrown in just because readers want to see it. Other times, I’m just really evil and want readers to stew in angst for a while. It builds a deeper appreciation for the resolution of that angst in my opinion.

Reviews are a funny thing, they can give a distorted picture of how interesting people find your story. My fanfic Secrets of the Hidden Leaf got more reviews when I wasn’t updating than it does now that it’s being updated again(pre-hack) It made me think maybe my new chapters aren’t so great, maybe I should have started the threesome aspect ahead of schedule instead of following my plotted course, but then, on AO3, I’m getting tons of comments and kudos that contradict that thought process. I watch the read count go up, which means several hundred people are reading, but not saying anything, and while it could be taken as a positive that I’m not getting flamed, I also worry the story hasn’t moved them enough to say anything at all.

With so much inconsistency, I tend to just go with my gut about when and what to hold back, I tell the story the way I want, taking the reader into account but not allowing them to drive where the story goes, if that makes any sense.

Yeah, that’s why I’m all about writing things ahead of time. I don’t like to change my mind thanks to reader feedback necessarily, but that has more to do with the fact that the story is laid out in my head long before I ever post anything and often written months and sometimes years ahead.