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I get so disappointed when I read on BCTS sometimes. I just get into a story, and it is really getting interesting, when boom! It's done, and incomplete and I feel so disappointed! I know that Erin and the others here have no control over an author's commiment to a story, but could there be some kind of a notiification that the story is not updating after a certain time? I thought the writing for Becoming Christine was very good, but after chapter 5...nothing. So depressing, and this is just one of the stories like that. AAArgh! It's like a story that is left on a cliffhanger, never to return. It's why I don't watch TV. Sorry, just had to rant!
Wren
Comments
Chapter 5?
I know that Becoming Christine goes through at least 43 chapters on the site, unless something has happened to it. Hrmm.
But, I also understand how you feel. Heck, I've got a couple of stories that are serials that haven't finished myself! Sometimes it just happens.
Melanie E.
Huh?
Becoming Christing, by Chrissyfire, only has 5 chapters, and terminates with a kind of cliffhanger. There was one, I think it was something like Becoming Christine Chase, that was a very richly woven story, and had 5 chapters to go, according to the author's comments. Yes, I would LOVE to read those last five chapters!
Wren
Being Christina Chase
by Admiral Krunch -- that's the long one. Melanie (rasufelle) is just confused. She'll realize her little mistake when next she looks here.
Which is now.
I'm an idiot. *shrug*
Melanie E.
No, you are not!
Anyone can make a mistake! Apparently I did in starting this topic. I most worry about causing a problem for Erin and those who help to run this site. I did not mean to cause a disturbance, really! I am so sorry about this!
Wren
i wish Becoming Christina Chase were complete, too
I've worked with Krunch on it since about a month before part 1 was posted, but Real Life has gotten in the way.
44 parts have been posted, and there are just 8 parts to go to its originally intended 52 parts.
45 is complete, but the last time I heard from Krunch, he had decided not to post any moor until all 52 parts were complete.
It’s not given to anyone to have no regrets; only to decide, through the choices we make, which regrets we’ll have,
David Weber – In Fury Born
Not seeing the end is one thing I regret.
And there are a lot of great stories that have been left unfinished for one reason or another, including, in st least 3 cases, the death of the author.
Holly
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
Holly
Incomplete stories
I know just what you mean, but story writers have a life too and sometime life just gets in the way of writting and I understand that and as just about every writer here and on other sites are total volunteers and I also think its great they are sharing there ideas and great stories with us almost everyday and I love them all for what they do! Hip! Hip! Harray! And Thank You Writers for these great stories! And Erin for having this great site so they can share with us their great stories! Richard
Richard
This isn't a new or unusual
This isn't a new or unusual complaint, you know? It has been made over and over and over and over again, and it probably will be a few, or a million, times again.
But I promise you, grantee you, swear to you, that you commitment to a story that you begin is nothing - nada - zero - compared to the commitment that every -Every- writer that starts a story makes to Their Story. However -- life being what life is -- they also have to deal with life, and rent, and food, and... And beyond that sometimes, occasionally, often, muses escape, voices run away. It hurts them much, much, much, much more than it annoys you. (I say this with certainty because it has happened, is happening, to me.)
Let me make a suggestion. I know I'm in the minority when i say this but, hell, that's nothing odd. Maybe, you need to learn how to read -- differently (I almost said, "better", but (though I believe it is better) let's not go there). Surely there is something more to what you read than the almighty 'plot'? Perhaps there is more to a story than the ending? Maybe there is more to this writing thing than 'getting it out there'?
Here are three (non-tg) stories for you to read. They are (among?) the best short stories ever written(IMVHO). One has a 'plot', one has 'development', one has neither(it's the best one). They do have endings I guess, but that is not what makes them so damn good. [the first one is by a Russian, so it ain't all that short]
So, the suggestion. When you read, read something besides the plot, or even the story. Please, please read the words! The language! The tone! That, only that, is what the writer has shed tears over. Really, really; plot's easy. And if someone has created a world that you have spent happy minutes in, how have they let you down by not tucking you into bed afterwards? Please, tell me how?
In each story, for each writer, there comes a point where they are no longer building, a point where they are just closing, finishing, "tying it up". That isn't always the point where the stories die (not even with mine, see that stuff about muses and rl), but sometimes it is. However, that doesn't limit you, does it?? It sets you free, doesn't it?? You can then put your head on your pillow and finish the thing, within you own head, in any way you want!!11!one. And as you do so, you have all those words, all those settings, all those charterers - all those things that mean so, so much more to a story than the tiny little plot deal-ie, and which the writer has worked so hard to give - to build on!
All I'm saying is, read to enjoy each section, each word. If they don't give you that, than it isn't worth it at all. Just read, each night, for joy.
Just an idea.
Hugs & Joy, Jan
I do, Jan!
In my world, words a magical things, and I enjoy the subtle, as well as the broad moves involved in telling a story. Hey, maybe I'm nuts, but I love the characters in the stories I read. Potia's "Musetta's Waltz" would not be as good as it is without the extremely poignant last chapter. Nobody wants "Bike" to end (except maybe Angharad, sometimes), and I'm in deep anticipation of Tiffany Shar's Standing Up to Life, Part 4! The characters in a good story live and breathe, and for a story to suddenly stop, without the resolution of the plotline, is almost like Murder, I get so frustrated!
I know I'm not the first to say something, and I know there isn't much that can be done. I'm just feeling bi--hy tonite. Sorry! For those of you that write, though, I hope it makes you feel good that I DO get so involved and enchanted by your creations and your talent!
Love,
Wren
Interesting idea
I don't know if there's a module for it with the software Erin uses, but back when I was a big fan of the Sims franchise (mainly The Sims 2 et al), I visited ModTheSims fairly regularly.
They had a module that would let you know if a mod developer hadn't logged in for x amount of time, marking the mod as considered unsupported.
Like I said, I'm not sure what kind of module options Erin's software offers, but it's an interesting idea. :-)
I can totally understand your frustration though. There was a story on another site that had just an absolutely brilliant premise. I was really getting into it and read straight through the first few chapters in one sitting, but the author only wrote a few chapters, and it abruptly dropped off after that.
It's one reason I'm limiting my writing to two ongoing stories right now, myself. :-)
Yeah!
Zoe, your willingness to make Robin a continuing story has been one of my favorite things. I was not looking forward to seeing the end of Spirit. Thank you so much!
Wren
Not a lot to say to this
It's been done to death already and frankly, I'm sick and tired of hearing this complaint. Tonight, I'm still dealing with Paypal and Tagged.com being dicks about ripping me off for four hundred dollars. I'm still about $100 short of what I need for the month on BC and my rent is due in three days. My back is killing me and I have a dentist appointment in the morning. I'm not in the mood to be my normal friendly self.
I don't want to hurt your feelings, Wren, but if you've been here six weeks, you were here for the last time this topic blew up in my face and lead to an author wanting to pull her stories. Free stories are no good without an ending? Obscenity squared!
I really am tired of handling people who make this complaint with kid gloves. To everyone who feels this way, pay the authors to finish the stories or shut up.
I've said it before, I'll say it again, the world would be a DAMN poor place without room for unfinished stories.
Hugs to all,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
I apologize!
Erin, I guess I didn't make myself clear-I love the stories I read here! I would be interested in a pay-per-view for some of the stories her. I have bought the hardcopy of Tiffany Shar's "Standing Up To Life", and there are many stories that I would love to have hardcopies of. I have been working on Portia, trying to get "The California Saga" in hardcover. Do you think that here might be interest in a BCTS hardcover story collection? I have pledged some cash to help the site, which is not much, but might help. I do really appreciate this site!
All I had originally intended was to see if we could get some kind of notification that a story had sat unfinished for a very extended period. I apologize that I caused such a mess, and I will do my best to guard my words in the future.
Wren
Simple solution
I can understand Erin getting frustrated over something which some see as a problem, but which is actually designed as a feature - the ability to put up a story in parts.
However, there is a simple solution which keeps people happy on both sides of the argument.
If you don't like uncompleted stories, don't start them! Do as I do and look for the completed tag, or check the last episode has been written manually. Sure, that dramatically reduces the number of stories available but if uncompleted stories weren't allowed they wouldn't be there anyway.
Mine aren't halted...
... so much as I took a hiatus. I've been blocked due to personal issues for just about 15 months. However, I believe the Australian Winter has revitalized my muse and there will be more content from me in the near-ish future. Likely a week or two after I get back to the U.S. So look for stuff from me probably around the first week of October.
Eck, muses
I haven't been able to write a word since mid-July owing to the Significant Other having her heart ripped out and replaced by... er, I mean, a simple bypass operation. I've been cook, cleaner (house and her body), shopper, washer and ironer, and the garden still needs doing before autumn sets in...
Nobody told my muse. I now have dialog and story development from four separate stories running through my brain 24/7 (none of them State, by the way, which has around 6-8 more parts awaiting transcription), and I'm desperate to start getting it down on disk and out to BCTS.
I wish, like some others, I didn't have so much Real Life (tm) going on at the moment so I could concentrate on the important stuff. Ah, well, those are the breaks.
Wren, try and look at it from our point of view. There's not one of us wants to write a half-finished story. That seriously offends my ideals on so many levels. We try to do our best, and sometimes it just ain't good enough. Find something else to read, and keep an eye open for the next part of whatever you were reading. That's all the rest of us do.
Penny
I know this will sound
I know this will sound corny, but have you thought about actually using a tape recorder? You can then talk out a lot of it while you're doing other stuff away from the computer, and then transcribe later on when you -do- have time. (and going back to it later will probably make it easier to then make amendments)
BW
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
Why Tape it?
I have to believe that there are authors out there that use 'Voice Recognition' software to get their thought down in black and white. When you first start, it may come out almost unreadable... but when you get used to it, it only requires minor editing. I had a great program but it was for Win95 and was never upgraded. I would love to hear about any 'good' programs that are now available for WinXP.
I wish that some of the writing I was asked to 'edit' had been done with 'VR' cause the typing was worse!! LOL But then... at least they were writing and the stories were great!
Zip
Because you can carry a tape
Because you can carry a tape or MP3 recorder with you while working, driving, and so forth. Only true consultant geeks like myself have a laptop mount in the car.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
Tiresome
Whining about serials, types of TG fiction, the lack of sex in stories, or a particular author's style is a regular pasttime at FM's Hyperboard and it sometimes spills over to hear. Instead of commenting or just saying they complain. Wren how much thought did it take you to write this blog post when it could have been instead directed to some author's work here you read?
Instead of complaining, how about saying thank you to the authors you have read. I've got over a half dozen(more likely over a dozen but I only checked 7 and came up with nada) completed stories all lacking a comment from you. Until you thank me(assuming you read any of my works) and every other author you've read, then you got no right to whine and complain about what people write here for free. End of Story.
Daniel, author of maid, whore, bimbo, and sissy free TG fiction since 2000
What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left.- Oscar Levant
Woah, hold up a second.
Ok everyone, deep breath time. ^-^
I don't really think Wren was trying to stir up a hornet's nest here; as a fairly avid reader myself, I can relate. You're reading this awesome, amazing story, you can't wait for the next installment, and wham, nothing.
It happens in real life too, look at poor George R. R. Martin; his fantasy series has proven so popular that his fans became irate due to missed deadlines and being given what they felt was "half a book" for their wait.
Now, the difference, of course, being that he's a best-selling author who gets a lot of money for selling his product, whereas we'd kill to earn a nickel for every hit our stories get. ^-^
When a reader is so caught up in your work that they feel the need to demand more; you've done your job, madams and sirs. This may seem like the same kind of complaint as "no more serials/supers/lesbian romances", but it isn't.
The one is a demand for more of your amazing talent. The other is a cease and desist order. I'm not condoning the practice, but there is an upside.
Now, I feel that an author has to have a positive relationship with their fans; if you show your readers that you care about them, you earn loyalty. Loyalty that could maybe, someday, be leveraged into earning a fast buck or three. ^_^
If you see that your readers really like a certain themes in your stories, for example, they'll appreciate it if you use those themes more often, as an example. Opening up a dialogue with your readers is also only to your benefit.
Letting people know that you have RL issues/mega writer's block, or have even just lost the urge to write entirely, if it's within your power, shows your readers that you do care about them, and you appreciate their patronage.
That's my take on it, at least. This isn't a demand of hate, but of love.
People assume that time is a strict progression of cause-of-effect...but actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly...timey-wimey...stuff.
Hey, you get it!
Thanks! I don't know where anyone got the idea that I DIDN"T want a certain kind of story-In fact, I want more! I love these stories, as I said. All I want is a warning that my heart is going to be broken when I get to the last posting! I appreciate the work and the love that goes into writing these stories (I do write them, too!), so please-don't ever stop! Thank you for all of the extremely enjoyable entertainment you have given me. I love it!
Wren
As I'm probably rated number one in the category of...
...someone who shouldn't comment on anything.
"Be Your-Self, So Easy to Say, So Hard to Live!"
"Be Your-Self, So Easy to Say, So Hard to Live!"