Question to you writers

[strangevisitor7]

I haven't written anything more than one chapter but I have begun a longer fiction. I just started chapter 4.

So, I am looking for some advise.
When you are working on a long multichapter fiction, do you post as each chapter as it is finished or do you wait till the whole thing is written? Do you always know where its going because I can see my ending but not clearly?
Should I post any way.

If you post each chapter before the whole fic is done what if something changes further down the line?

I realize that everyone has different things that work for them.

I want to start posting this story but I have some concerns that the story may never be finished or that I write myself into a corner and can't finish.

So just thought I'd ask.

Comments

[pen37.livejournal.com]

I wait until I get the whole thing written before I post it. That way, I don't leave anyone hanging if I get 50 pages into an epic work, and then loose interest.

[lark_ascends]

Me, after having the experience of getting blocked and having the posting expand out to a year, I wait until I'm finished to post (or close, would be the other exception).

As a reader, it's frustrating when it takes months/years to get more chapters in a fic.

[kaylashay81]

Back in the day of my first fics, I posted as I wrote. (there's still one that I'm doing that way)

At the time, I think I was eager for any kind of feedback. Now, I prefer to hold off on the posting on multi-chapter stories or stick to one chapter stories that have an ending but could be continued.

I found it better to do that than to get to writer's block and then get the "are you ever going to finish" reviews. Of course, if you go this route, I suggest still posting over time even if it is complete instead of posting the whole chunk at once. This gets you a wider audience.

PS: beta'ed fic got delayed one more night... work spilled over...

[sierraphoenix.livejournal.com]

"Distant Relations" was the first fully-formed fic idea I've ever had. From the get-go, I've pretty well had it mapped out from start to finish. I started posting it the moment I started writing it. I had posted other stuff before, but it was mostly poems and one-shots, and from the beginning I knew that "DR" would be much longer. Since I had everything plotted out (well, everything except the scene where Avery died…that was a surprise to all but my muse, whom I think made that crap up on the fly), I wasn't concerned that it wouldn't (won't) get finished, because I already know how it ends and all the scenes leading up to the ending.

In hindsight, however, I wish I had waited until I was further along in writing it. Although, I've known every scene that would happen, there were times when, for several weeks, I just wasn't in the mood to write or was far too busy to write, and there were long gaps between updates. But back then, when I was just starting, I was so excited just to have an idea that I wanted to share it. I think in the future I'm going to adhere to my best friend's rule of writing and not post until I am at least halfway through. She learned her mistake after a fic completely stalled and she was forced to leave it as a terminal WIP. Anyway, that's my two cents. :)