Unfinished Stories...

[Cynus]

I understand the internal quandaries that authors face. However, the question I have is this:  what outside ​help/pressure/support, if any, would encourage authors to finish their works?   

Some of the issues are solvable by outside help, some are not. Assuming it's something like lack of feedback/lack of motivation keeping a work from being finished, then simply showing interest in the author's work would help, A review, and email, even a like sometimes is enough for me to feel better about my story. Sharing the story so that others can find it and read it is an amazing thing, too. All of these things can help, though none of them would necessarily solve the issue.

[Tomas]

GA is not alone with unfinished stories. There are an abundance of unfinished stories on other story sites. One long running story has not had an update in almost 4 years. The author experienced some RL difficulties and has disappeared. No one has heard of or from him in that time. 

 

I just wish, if an author is unable to finish a story he/or she, for what ever reason, (other than death) (lost of plot or interest, unruly characters or other) would at least attempt to do one last chapter, or epilogue, to close out some of the plot threads or at at least a note to let the readers know that they are unable to continue.  

 

The last comment is just one or my feelings about incomplete or unfinished stories.

Edited August 30, 2015 by Tomas

[Parker Owens]

I've tried writing endings of my own for GA stories that are incomplete as personal exercises. They brought a little bit of closure to me, and they helped me do some writing and work on dialogue, even though nobody else will ever read them.

[Ron]

Let's not forget, there is a real possibility that an author has died. In the world of online authorship, and pen names—avatars that may have no meaning to anyone else—and anonymity, it is nearly impossible to know for sure if an author is still alive out there to continue their work. Without close people who know that you write, or where you write for, who's going to let everyone know that, say, Ron (me for example) the author, has died, folks—there won't be anymore words. It's sad to think of, but it's definitely a possible answer as to why the writing ends.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Ron

[TetRefine]

I think it is important to remember too, that as a reader of FREE online stories, the author doesn't owe the reader anything. I feel that as a reader of something I am getting for nothing, the author has the right to continue or stop however they feel fit for the story or their lives. 

 

My boyfriend started writing a relatively popular story on here back in the day, but when his life changed with college and everything, he no longer had the time or passion to continue the story. He got a lot of people sending him messages and emails saying how it was "wrong" and "mean", etc. of him to leave the story only half finished. His life had changed, and he no longer felt it was the best use of his time. He didn't and doesn't owe his readers anything in my opinion, and I think we as readers have to accept that fact. 

[Tomas]

I think it is important to remember too, that as a reader of FREE online stories, the author doesn't owe the reader anything. I feel that as a reader of something I am getting for nothing, the author has the right to continue or stop however they feel fit for the story or their lives. 

 

My boyfriend started writing a relatively popular story on here back in the day, but when his life changed with college and everything, he no longer had the time or passion to continue the story. He got a lot of people sending him messages and emails saying how it was "wrong" and "mean", etc. of him to leave the story only half finished. His life had changed, and he no longer felt it was the best use of his time. He didn't and doesn't owe his readers anything in my opinion, and I think we as readers have to accept that fact. 

 

I don't believe anyone here, myself included, is suggesting an author of on line free stories owes a reader anything. But a short note, if the author is still among the living, saying, "I am unable to continue this story.' would be nothing more than a courtesy. 

[Daddydavek]

Ron and Matt both make valid points and I think Tomas' post above is also to the point.  Courtesy works both ways.  It is regrettable but lives do change and shit happens to everyone.  DDK

[Dodger]

I don't claim to be a writer but I have written a story that I'm posting at the moment on GA. I started writing this about 18 months ago and I only completed it recently. Even towards the end I found myself having to edit and re-work earlier chapters and characters so that everything made sense. It's a lot easier to do this when nothing's been posted. I think that quite often an author starts off with a good idea, a lot of enthusiasm and every intention of posting regular chapters, only to get bogged down and restricted by the fact that they've already posted the beginning of the story. In order to finish their story they may find it necessary to change whole chapters or introduce new characters for the evolving work to make any sense.

 

Posting a story as you are writing it may seem like a good idea but it has to be the most difficult way of writing a complete work and I think that there are only a few authors that are capable of pulling it off to a high standard. I know that I'm not good enough to do that so I won't even attempt it. I don't want to be put myself under that kind of pressure. Obviously it's important if you can to try and finish a work that you've started whatever it is that you're doing.

 

From a readers point of view there is nothing more frustrating than being hooked on a really good story and then ...

[Krista]

I no longer write and then have a few quick edits then post. I tried that when I first started and it led to a lot of stress. Although, I'm in an adjustment period with writing and working out a complete story before posting. I find that my confidence in a story is lacking when I do this. Maybe because I picked a different type of story to begin and I should have just stayed with what I knew to ease myself into a new posting/writing strategy. Is the story I just completed different from what I usually write? Not really, it is still a romance... it is just that this one is more fast paced and dramatic, more soap-opera instead of linear. I started out really enjoying the writing and story process of it, but like everything as I got closer to the end the questions started and when those start, the motivation begins to plummet. What I'm getting at, is that some authors find it challenging to end a story and become overwhelmed. So much so that it becomes a minor anxiety and it leads to them not completing it, ever.. because they believe they just won't be happy with the finished product.

 

I'm will usually just have stories that I know I won't complete - deleted. I keep them on my computer just to be sure I'll not pick them up or do an extensive rewrite. (I have one of those in the works right now, but I've not touched in a month or so) Or at least hidden from reader view.

 

A lot of people come here for a lot of different reasons. A lot of them leave when those reasons are met outside of GA. People become published and are too busy. People are lonely and want to find like minded people to bounce ideas and talk to... then they find someone. People grow up and start their lives on a more significant level and doing so have a lot more demands on their time. - I'm suffering from that as well. I have three young children, I guess I'm waiting for the newlywed stage to wear off, I thought with children and a dog it would... but luckily we've held on to the butterflies and rainbows, and I'm in the process of moving again. Hopefully to my little oasis so I can get back to hobbies and work... I never thought I would miss having a job, but being a stay at home mother is more taxing, I have more respect for those stay at home parents than I ever have before.

 

 I've said this before - sometimes if you wish for authors you like to stay and work you have to give them something to work for. Some motivation that will keep them going. Don't automatically assume that they are happy with the "likes" and "reviews" they receive and pop in and give them a review and a like or a PM or something. You never know how 'close' some of them are to hanging it all up because they're wondering if anyone is still interested as well. 

Edited September 2, 2015 by Krista

[Parker Owens]

I am attempting to write my first story. It is long - possibly too long, because I really want to find a good way to make it come out feeing final and natural. If I couldn't do that, I would feel really unhappy, and wonder why I started. So I agree with Krista on that. Specifically to Krista, I hope she continues writing.

[Coastguard]

It has been said that authors are providing free stories, and really don't owe much to the readers. I can't tell you how much I disagree. I am not an author, but I am an avid reader. IMHO if you are going to post a story, on whichever site you choose, you aren't doing it just to read yourself are you? You obviously want me and whomever to enjoy the fruits of your labour, and once we're hooked you OWE it to us to continue. If you can't, then send a simple message telling us that. At least that would stop me searching for a reason why, getting frustrated, and typing nasty messages on a tablet with one finger!

[Parker Owens]

So how about this?  Can we start a list of stories on GA that we wish we could see finished? Stories that have gone at least a year without a post would count, if you ask me...

[W_L]

Well, I do want to continue my old stories and maybe perform a rewrite if I ever get time and inclination.

 

If I m forced to end all my old unfinished stories, I have readily available ideas:

 

Exodus: My first unfinished story: have a fast moving piece of space debris breach the hull of a ship, causing a chain reaction in the fusion reactors, thus destroying the entire refugee fleet of wayward LGBT people

 

Better to Reign in Hell: The guy gets caught by the FBI and commits suicide, endhing any threat of "Revenge" from him for the murder of his partner

 

Causality- Evil triumph over good, chaos wins and the universe is completely obliterated

 

Home is in the heart- My brief attempt at writing historical western story, I will simply have a band of outlaws find my two roguish gay guys in Utah, kill them, then scalp them in the late 19th century, it works with the setting.

 

Look away Dickie- Simple, have a certain southern county clerk get elected as Governor and end the entire play

 

Love and Again- Just finish up the tragic story of Alexander, then say that's it, sorry dude no more great tales of gays thru history

 

The Big Squeeze- They all get fired and the economy tanks

 

The Phoenix and the Dragon- The Triads discover my character's sexuality and he is brutally murdered (Sensing a theme going on )

 

------------------------------------

 

I am just pointing out that the only way I can end all my stories appropriately would be in tragedy if readers want me to go back there without having the muse to keep on writing them as they should have been written.

 

It's why I have stopped writing stories like that and have switched off to "planned" stories, meaning I write them first, not in the heat of the moment. My current project is already half finished, so I can publish it without fear that I won't complete it. Plus, I can also leave room for sequels to keep it going.

 

I want to return to all my stories eventually; I just need to be in the right mindset to write a play, a historical fiction story, a Science Fiction story, or a political action thriller story. Causality is probably the easiest for me to pick up again (Kitt knows I have a few unpublished chapter ready for her to edit, but I chose to do Cyber-Bullying Defense Team first as it called to me loudest). The rest are an open story: like Exodus has an outline that I had imagined 5 years ago, but I am not interested in the story or conclusion in my current mindset (Battlestar Galactica helped inspire me there, so Grand Operatic Sci-Fi might get me back in the mood).

 

If readers feel like they want a story written in a certain way after I have stopped for so long (some of these are 5 years old), then I suggest taking over my old stories and continuing on as you might desire in a parallel universe. I am fine with people picking up where I have left off, it might not be where I want the story to go, but you have a vision versus where I am at, then you should carry it forward. Extend your imagination and take it to new places, where you have not gone before.

 

An author is merely the captain, the story is the vessel for which you travel to new worlds. If you want to be your own captain and take my ship out for a joy ride, bring it back before dinner with a fresh paint job

Edited October 3, 2015 by W_L

[jfalkon]

If someone is completely sick and tired of a story and wants nothing more to do with it, why not let a reader finish it?  Readers often have an idea of how they want the story to end anyway.  Why not let them write it down?  

[Krista]

I personally wouldn't give permission for a story that I have wrote a significant portion of, to another person. Only if I really wanted to see it finished and I was physically/mentally incapable of doing so myself. Otherwise, I'd rather keep it stored and maybe revisited at a later date. Usually though, these stories would be completed if the Author was interested in writing period... and if they are receiving the feedback they want.. with the direction they like.

 

I have lost my way with a couple of stories - I don't think if I completed them people would like the direction in which they were headed. Doesn't mean I won't revisit them later or scrap the story and write the idea over again. I'm doing that right now with an idea I had back in my early e-fiction days of writing. If that goes well, I may revisit other "deleted works" here.

 

I would though, encourage people who want to write a similar idea to a story they like of mine, to go ahead and do so. As long as it doesn't border on plagiarism, I'd be fine with that. Mine are pretty straight forward romance ideas that are likely a dime a dozen as it is.  I'd say the real trouble would be with other genres that have more strict rules and world building. I wouldn't give permission to those at all... only because a significant portion of the work is done pre-writing stage... and that I just couldn't hand over to someone else... 

Edited October 4, 2015 by Krista

[Parker Owens]

I'm merely interested in seeing which stories people liked enough to get engaged in, and want the last part of completed. The author of a story might take it someplace I don't want it to go, but big deal. It's not my story.  I've gotten to stories like How the Light Gets In, and wondered if there's an end to it. I've seen others that have two chapters and are obviously just beginning, but never went farther. We can guess why - life happens, after all - but that doesn't stop the reader from wondering where that story might have gone. 

[W_L]

What if writers release their story Outlines for how it might have gone if they had continued writing?

 

I know I had drawn up a very intensive outline for Exodus with tie in stories that never got written and a Bible on how everything began from the first spark of life in the universe to end/transformation of mankind and a few other stories had similar outlines, maybe other writers had done the same? That way you guys will have an idea of where it might have gotten if we hadn't been hit by real life or other problems, and give you a sense of closure.

 

I think what Parker, you are asking for is closure, which can either be offered by writers' in this form of a short closing outline or by continuing the story yourselves under a new stewardship.

 

In the area of changing hands of authors, Krista and I have a different opinion on the idea of stewards for our stories; I understand the attachment of a story and its author, but I know from personal experience that some of my stories need a lot of care to create and craft, stuff that I don't know if I have the ability to write without inspiration.

 

In mainstream fiction, you can take the examples of Stargate franchise, the movie producers, Roland Emmerich (I personally hate this guy due to how badly he handled the LGBT movie Stonewall, which I will review at a later point in my blog, since I don't want to jump on the bandwagon of other critics), hate the TV series interpretation of his mildly successful movie, while the TV series producers, Brad Wright (Loved him for his work on the Outer Limits series in the 90's) thought the movie producers were just too obtuse about where their storyline could go and wanted to expand the canvas.

 

It really is based on taste and opinions, I am bias towards certain viewpoints and certain interpretations, but it does not mean I think it's not as legitimate as another viewpoint for stories.

 

That's the heart of my argument, let the readers choose their own interpretations and if they want to create another interpretation that is different than my own, it is their own imagination inspired by another.

Edited October 4, 2015 by W_L

[Parker Owens]

I understand, W_L.  Still, for whatever pair of cents it's worth, I wonder what happened to Before I Fall by PoisonIvy.

[jfalkon]

Just to be clear, I was referring to stories people have completely given up on.  If the author is still interested in working on the story it would be much better for the original author to finish his/her story even if we have to wait a few years.

[Parker Owens]

Me, too. Sometimes, it may be simply a case of an author forgetting or neglecting to change a story's status to 'complete,' while in others, the story is cut off before it really started, but while the reader's interest is piqued.  But whatever happened to Dust and Ash? Just an example....

[Krista]

I'm guilty of accidentally not putting a story as Completed. I kept getting PM's for a couple of months after asking when the next chapter would be out.. and I kept answering the story was complete.. lol. I was confused until I finally noticed..