Knowing when a fic is done...

[annerbhp]

I probably spend more time than I should thinking about writing (rather than, uh, actually writing), but something on my mind lately is the issue  of knowing when a fic is really done and ready to post. 
I know this can vary from fic to fic, depending on what you're writing and why (comment fic, say, or a quick sliver of crack can be pumped out in

Comments

[annerbhp]

Very true. I had this English teacher a billion years ago who loved to say, "Done is better than good!" whenever we started obsessing over our projects. She was like, "if you don't stop obsessing you are never going to do it and get an F. Is that what you want?" Lol. I remember thinking she was mad at the time, now I am finally appreciating her wisdom.

Yes, I think the value of just shoving a fic away for a while and coming back to it with fresh eyes is priceless. I just find it hard sometimes to leave it alone long enough, because I tend to get obsessed with my stories as I am writing them. lol.

I can't even imagine working at this in a second language. I am in awe. Do you write your stories first in German and then translate to English, or do you find writing first in English is better?

I think the best thing about fanfiction is that it allows for more experimentation. There really is no punishment here for having something not quite work out, and there is no pressure to stick to proscribed ideas about writing that you might find when working in more traditional writing realms.

Very interesting! I love these rambles too. Thanks so much for your thoughts! :)

[schjesska]

Hm. No, I don't find it hard to leave my stories alone since I sadly gave up being really obsessed with them some time ago, because real live has really taken its toll on me. But I understand it, when I was younger I totally lived in my stories...

No, don't be in awe. For me it totally depens on the stories if I have to write them in English or in German, depends on how ambitious I am, if it gets more complex, if I want to address more things on different levels, I'll have to write it in German.
But for shorter things, English is just fine... Depends.
Yeah, it's really, really cool, because nobody judges you despite yourself...
But I also experienced rather positive things in RL writing workshops...
Love.