Plot Spoiler Conundrum!

[FormerMember4]

The Author/Reader relationship is important. Symbiotic in many ways. There’s no content for readers without authors. There’s no feedback and audience for authors without readers. We all know it’s a balancing act.

On GA stories I love to see engagement. On characters, plot and anything in between. You sometimes see things you missed. There can be a downside... The dreaded Spoiler! Often just a lucky guess.

As a writer, Does it frustrate you when a reader foresees plot course? Do you feel the need to rewrite? Are you pleased to see the guessing?

As a reader, Do you guess a possible future for story? Do you only comment up to current chapter??

I have seen some good guesses recently. It got me thinking! *no wisecracks from peanut gallery*

[Laura S. Fox]

For me, it is pleasant to see readers guessing where the story is going. It shows that they read quite carefully and catch some things that maybe are supposed to be subtle. And I was the one to put them there, so it's rewarding to see people noticing them, and putting the pieces together.

[Carlos Hazday]

Thinking?

 

Speculation is fun but I see very little in my stories. Not sure if I scare people off or what. I know of one author who made changes after a reader guessed something correctly. And there are a few who use misdirection well.

 

As an author, I almost never address speculation directly because of spoiler fear. I enjoy it but I'd rather see readers discuss it amongst themselves.

[Timothy M.]

As a writer I'm fine with people guessing - not that it's difficult for them to make predictions.   I'm not exactly good at subtle misdirection.

 

As a reader I love guessing, at least in some of the stories I read. I think I'm wrong as much as I'm right - although @Graeme once accused me of hacking his computer to read the notes for his Lilydale Leopard story.   And of course he always refuses to comment on my speculations. 

 

The most difficult part is being the editor and knowing what will happen, because then you have to be really careful with your comments and avoid any hints.

[Mikiesboy]

i often put small things in peculiar to one character or another. They just help make the character more interesting, we all have foibles, why not give them to your character. Not many pick up on them, but it's super when someone does.  Finn does in my latest story, James of Faris and James does; he has a couple actually. 

I like to listen to what people have to say and feel about stories. It's all good fun.

 

Do i rewrite for people? No. When i post my work it is finished. Read, edited and read again. No changes.

If they guess something they do.. it's fine. People are not stupid.

Frankly i am often amazed at the interesting questions and things they think up, they have some brilliant idea and questions.

 

As a reader, i don't really try to guess what's coming. I want the author to tell their story, show me what is going on. It's a journey they worked hard to bring to me, so i want them to have the satisfaction of showing me their story.

 

Nice topic, jp!!

[FormerMember4]

30 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

i often put small things in peculiar to one character or another. They just help make the character more interesting, we all have foibles, why not give them to your character. Not many pick up on them, but it's super when someone does.  Finn does in my latest story, James of Faris and James does; he has a couple actually. 

I like to listen to what people have to say and feel about stories. It's all good fun.

 

Do i rewrite for people? No. When i post my work it is finished. Read, edited and read again. No changes.

If they guess something they do.. it's fine. People are not stupid.

Frankly i am often amazed at the interesting questions and things they think up, they have some brilliant idea and questions.

 

As a reader, i don't really try to guess what's coming. I want the author to tell their story, show me what is going on. It's a journey they worked hard to bring to me, so i want them to have the satisfaction of showing me their story.

 

Nice topic, jp!!

Thanks tim! I love seeing everyone’s processes and POV.

[Brayon]

I write my multi-chapter stories, almost exclusively in serial format. I don't mind Readers guessing plot points, nor discussing plot points of what's published. It also helps me when reading the comments, because a Reader's guess might point me in a new direction that works. That happened several times in my last story. Like @Sweetlion guessing the trust fund being set up for the back child support in My Son. 

 

As a reader, I do make guesses, and I find I'm not bored if I guess right. I like it better when I guess wrong, and it makes me go "OMFG WTF!!!"

[Sweetlion]

I think it all depends on the context. I do like to guess and do strange theories about the plots I'm reading. Sometimes I was right, others wrong. One thing I'd guessing everything early on, it might mean that the story is predictable and the author might want to shake things a little bit. Other thing is reading a multi chapter, and sometimes multi book series, and guess some of the characters actions, that's not bad at all, it probably means the authors constructed believable characters that one can relate and understand. That happened to me in @Aceinthehole series the Hidden Ones, not that he is predictable, far from it, but because the characters were so real and relatable.

[Defiance19]

Geez... I am guilty of that.. mostly for whodunnits..

When @lomax61 posted his murder mystery, it was so fun throwing every bit of speculation out there. Most times I was in the stratosphere, but hey! Same thing with @JohnAR Meta, although I had to give up because he was constantly surprising his readers. @Cole Matthews newest story, ‘So weeps The Willow’, just begs you to guess, and it’s a doozy. 

It is fun to try to guess even when you know it’s ridiculous. Sometimes everyone else’s guesses spur you on. But, I like to wait and see too. Even though I will probably want to have proof of “I knew that!” Later on.  

[Myr]

On 6/5/2018 at 3:03 PM, BlindAmbition said:

As a writer, Does it frustrate you when a reader foresees plot course? Do you feel the need to rewrite? Are you pleased to see the guessing?

If I'm not causing you to make guesses, I'm not doing something right.  If I don't get a surprise on you when you guess I need to work harder too

that is... we need twists and little shocks.  to me anyway. lol

 

[CassieQ]

I had a lot of guesses with what was happening with Leia in NTS.  I loved it.  If someone gets it right, more power to them, but I'm not going to rewrite a story because of it.  That feels like cheating!

[Headstall]

Great question, jp. I love reader speculation. It adds another dimension to the process, and it's fun for me. For example, there was a ton of speculation and theories for Morningstar: The Malaise, and I had planted important clues throughout... things a reader might/would catch on a reread... but I managed to keep the numerous mysteries all the way to the end, and kept the guessing going. I can't begin to say how much enjoyment that gave me... maybe because it was my first attempt at a mystery. Only one reader speculated correctly about something, in all that time, and they were uncertain, and I just glossed over it.   But, man, I had to be so on my toes. And no, I would never change/rewrite my story for any reason.