Has anyone re-looked at a story after it was posted to decide they wanted to take the story down because they weren't please with it? I even mean with more of the story itself to come?
After letting the story sit on the site for awhile I hadn't received much comments. I understand why several folks don't but I really need the feedback to know if the story was good, bad or just plain awful and needed to be reworked. I'm not worried about the kudo's but if I made the story clear or not.
I did receive one that I replied to and I appreciate that feedback.
Should I just re-write the story and then put it up as revised? Or should I wait, finish the edit and then pull it down?
V/R
Ib12us
Comments
Sadly, comments are often in short supply
Depending upon how long your piece has been up and how many reads it's notched up could determine if people like it. Although it's nice if people do like it and say so with comments or kudos, the number of reads/hits it gets over a two or three days will give you a better gauge. If part two or subsequent episodes get fewer hits it means readers aren't visiting it. It's a crude measure because popularity doesn't equate with quality. If you're writing to please others, that's fine; if you're writing for your own pleasure, that's okay too; if you're trying to post a masterpiece of literature - don't be surprised if it isn't that popular. Sci fi and fantasy seem to get the most reads, but I won't be amongst them.
Keep trying, and don't let them put you off, remember not all the readers are members, and those who aren't aren't usually interested in giving feedback. Of course you could leave a request for feedback as well at the end of your postings - that sometimes works.
Angharad
Thanks for the reply.
I guess I not asking the question clearer. Damn that ADD. Anyway what I was wondering is if I should pull the story after re-looking at the story several weeks ago. I am currently working on then next part and wanted to do a comparison. Anyway after re-reading it I found myself doing a re-write in my head saying I should have said it this way. Put it that way so on and so forth.
Should I just leave it for now until after the story is completed or go ahead and re-write it now? I didn't think I rushed this one but well you never know.
I'm not looking at creating my masterpiece yet but write to please myself first, followed by the audience that cares to read it followed by those that may look at it later on.
It depends..
Whether you should pull it and revise or not...
Before deciding to pull and rewrite, take a step back and look at how the existing first post is, in relation to your story and what you think you'd do on a re-write. Then, ask yourself some question(s):
1) Would the re-written chapter fit the story you're writing significantly better than the original?
2) Is there something you left out of the original first chapter that is key to actions happening where you're writing now?
3) Is the existing chapter "good enough" - in that it introduces the setting and characters and works as an intro?
If the answers to the first two are no, and the last is "yes", then I'd say leave it alone. You may well be able to write it better now, than before but based on feedback I've gotten here most readers here would prefer to see NEW content rather than further polished content that they've already read.
What you experienced is something most authors run into. As to the 'desire' to revise... That's one reason I try to get several thousand words ahead of where I'm ready to post (to avoid #2 above) and outlined well beyond that. An approach I've found helpful to avoid the desire to re-write is the following:
1) Write the "segment".
2) Write more beyond the segment (at least 3,000 words preferably 6,000 or more.)
3) Go back (if it's been at least a week) and "edit" the first segment. You'l be amazed at how many more typos you'll find if you wait a bit.
4) Consider waiting a 2nd week and revising again.
5) Send the segment off to your editor(s) (For my "Hidden Gift's" story, I actually send it off to four people - one at a time - before I'm ready to post.) and clean up based on their remarks.
6) If you had to make significant changes based on editor comments, consider a 2nd round of editing.
7) Post
8) See if you need to make changes to subsequent segments (in your 3,000-6,000+ words).
9) repeat with each segment.
If you decide that the first segment needs to be significantly altered. Go ahead and revise it. But rather than deleting the old and posting the new. Consider editing the existing and posting the revised version "on top of" the existing first segment. In the "teaser" section, and as a comment I'd suggest you make a note that what is posted now has had significant changes from what was originally posted. (And, you can send the commenter and/or PMer a note letting them know you made a significant change. )
Good Luck,
Annette
Have you ever?
Should I just re-write the story and then put it up as revised? Or should I wait, finish the edit and then pull it down?
I say levee original up and post new/revised version and let your readers choose by kudos and comments.
May Your Light Forever Shine