Diving back into fic...looking for feedback
So I've been re-reading my WIP stories, "Viva Revenge," "The Pensieve" and "The Secret Life of Draco Malfoy," trying to get a handle on how to approach them now. Sadly, it has been about a year since I've worked on any of these. For those of you who followed along and supported my work, I sincerely apologize for letting you down.
While it's true that my work and travel schedule had a great deal to do with my abrupt departure from fanfic writing, I also think that I burned out a bit. From Dec. 2005 to March 2006 I was probably averaging a chapter a week. Then it was like someone just flicked a switch and I couldn't write another word.
I have always intended to return to and finish these stories and that hasn't changed. However, I'm looking for some input on the best way to jump in again.
First, a reality check: My "real" life, including my day job and film writing (which is ultimately the type of writing I want to pursue full-time) remain hectic and my number one priorities. While it's possible that I could write these stories quickly once I'm back in the "groove" (assuming I can get there), I seriously doubt I could ever go at the pace I went when chapters flowed fast and easy.
For both "Viva" and "Secret Life" it's a little less complicated, since the former is very close to being finished and the latter is meant to be no more than a three-part story.
The real challenge is "Pensieve." The good news is that it happens to be the fic I'm most proud of in terms of the premise and where it could go. I'm determined to see it through to the best of my abilities. But, it also has no set length and is the kind of story that involves more time and research on my part.
I know that a WIP is a frustrating thing-both as a reader and writer. At this point, I wonder if it's better to work on these stories strictly with my betas (both of whom I hope will still be willing to work with me) and not post them as I go along? As I said, this is really more a question about "The Pensieve" since I have only completed two chapters.
As an author, I think the feedback one gets from posting stories one chapter at a time is extremely valuable. But given my time constraints, I know that can also be very frustrating for those reading. Assuming people will want to dive back into my stories in the first place, is it better to wait and post a finished work versus bit by bit? (I can't even guess how long this will take with "The Pensieve," since the story is kind of its own animal, though I have a number of ideas and notes.
Does it even matter at this point?
All of your thoughts on this-both as writers and readers-would be very much appreciated.
While it's true that my work and travel schedule had a great deal to do with my abrupt departure from fanfic writing, I also think that I burned out a bit. From Dec. 2005 to March 2006 I was probably averaging a chapter a week. Then it was like someone just flicked a switch and I couldn't write another word.
I have always intended to return to and finish these stories and that hasn't changed. However, I'm looking for some input on the best way to jump in again.
First, a reality check: My "real" life, including my day job and film writing (which is ultimately the type of writing I want to pursue full-time) remain hectic and my number one priorities. While it's possible that I could write these stories quickly once I'm back in the "groove" (assuming I can get there), I seriously doubt I could ever go at the pace I went when chapters flowed fast and easy.
For both "Viva" and "Secret Life" it's a little less complicated, since the former is very close to being finished and the latter is meant to be no more than a three-part story.
The real challenge is "Pensieve." The good news is that it happens to be the fic I'm most proud of in terms of the premise and where it could go. I'm determined to see it through to the best of my abilities. But, it also has no set length and is the kind of story that involves more time and research on my part.
I know that a WIP is a frustrating thing-both as a reader and writer. At this point, I wonder if it's better to work on these stories strictly with my betas (both of whom I hope will still be willing to work with me) and not post them as I go along? As I said, this is really more a question about "The Pensieve" since I have only completed two chapters.
As an author, I think the feedback one gets from posting stories one chapter at a time is extremely valuable. But given my time constraints, I know that can also be very frustrating for those reading. Assuming people will want to dive back into my stories in the first place, is it better to wait and post a finished work versus bit by bit? (I can't even guess how long this will take with "The Pensieve," since the story is kind of its own animal, though I have a number of ideas and notes.
Does it even matter at this point?
All of your thoughts on this-both as writers and readers-would be very much appreciated.