WIPs and feedback

[namasteyoga]

Extrabitter did an essay over on housefic_meta looking at creating the series “Knots,” and I thought I’d essay a bit here myself. Hopefully some of this will be worthwhile, but I wanted to address a little bit about writing a longer story as a Work In Progress, and also how reader feedback can influence that WIP, or at least how it impacted what I’

Comments

[geshonesix]

I read and loved ‘Tracking Time’ as a WIP and ‘Declarations’ as a finished piece and loved them in equal measure, but I enjoyed the slow burn of watching TT unfold.

Big fan of WIP as a writing technique. As a reader, I love to observe the evolution from initial concept to completion and it is favourite form of fic from a ‘leaving feedback’ standpoint too. Having served some time on both sides of the fence, I’d say it has much to recommend as a method for writing a long piece. One of the inevitable pitfalls with WIP is the point when a block appears- reading through suggestions and helpful feedback really helps to clear it and provide fresh impetus and direction. For a reader it is a chance to leave feedback at a point when it will be most constructive, rather than commenting on a finished piece. Characterisation and plot issues are much easier to redress whilst the fic is taking shape and the writing process becomes less insular. Arguably a decent beta achieves the same goal but reader derived feedback will offer an invaluable perspective. For some reason, maybe weirdness on my part, I find it easier to respond to WIP and offer come constructive thought, finished work tends to leave me satisfied but less able to discern the particular standout moments.

Interesting thoughts about the level of planning required before setting out on a WIP trip but having some vague idea of progression is more than a bonus but probably not essential. Free form writing often inspires creativity and, without the constraints of a definitive ‘beginning, middle, end’ structure, enables a degree of expression that might otherwise be stifled with conclusion issues.

[namasteyoga]

I definitely agree that it's more interesting to participate in the discussion and feedback on a WIP. It is in a sense, as you said, almost a free form style of writing where you give and receive in almost a jazz (or prog rock, if you prefer) setting.

And I know that for some people the open ended structure of a WIP works better. Blame my German heritage, perhaps, but I'm uncomfortable without a construction blueprint to work from. I fear that it would become too easy to wander off down blind alleys with no return to the plot -- because I love exploring those blind alleys. Its just that I've seen how easy it is for WIPs to be abandoned once they wander off their original course.

But as I said from the outset, this style has worked for me. For others it may not.