Things that make me go "Hmm..."

[wordinista]

I could very well send OGAM's chapter 54 off to my lovely crack team of beta-readers now.  I could.  I could possibly have it posted by the end of the week.

It's not done yet -- well, not as "done" as I'd like it, but it's at a resting point.  Unfortunately, the "resting point" is one hell-damn of a cliffhanger.  And I hate cliffhangers.  Hate reading them, so I don't write them.

Then again, I haven't updated this story since, what, November?

I'm inclined to hold off until I've written all that I planned to write, because I dislike cliffhangers.  Then again, I dislike not-updating, too.

Decisions, decisions. 

Any opinions?

Comments

[miyun.livejournal.com]

Cliffhangers are awesome. We say we don't like it, but we really do. Post it. :D

[albah.livejournal.com]

Heh heh -- great minds think alike. *winks*

[miyun.livejournal.com]

*winks*

[albah.livejournal.com]

Woman for the love of God just update! Cliffhangers are awesome specially if the story is awesome, which this one it is. Just don't wait too long to update after the cliffhanger because then I have no choice to hurt you very very badly. *grins*

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

LOL -- why am I not surprised you chimed in on this? *hugs*

[dqbunny.livejournal.com]

I've been named an Evil Mad Scientist in Training for my cliffhangers...bwhahaha...

But really, stop the chapter where it feels natural. You'll know when there's not enough there or you know it's gone too long. Just listen to that gut feeling. Usually, that's the voice that's correct. If it says to go further, then do so.

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

Now, see, I've been enjoying a nice bout of productivity lately -- I've actually WRITTEN STUFF for UT (which I posted on original_niamh, so you've probably seen it), and then QueenOfTheCute posted some rough OGAM fanart, and I got all sorts of inspired to work on and possibly finish ch 54.

So I was typing, typing, typing, and then just got to a spot where I was like, "Huh. I could actually end the chapter there."

Even though it's a wicked cliffie.

But, see, the way I'd PLANNED the chapter to go, there's a huge action sequence after the cliffie, and I've never really written one of those before, so this would actually give me time to write it without feeling like I'm letting the story slide into neglect. (There are, what, four people still reading it? ;D) So I thought that if I posted the chapter as-is that would kind of... assuage my guilt-complex a little (b/c I haven't updated in many, many moons) and buy me time to do the action sequence justice.

[dqbunny.livejournal.com]

Then definitely do it! It sounds like a natural place to stop. As a person who also avoids action scenes (and scenes involving lots of Zelgadiss in Slayers, which is why I have a story stalled there...), definitely taking the time to make sure it comes off well is a good thing.

[dazed-faerie.livejournal.com]

Cliffhangers create more interest, you know. People are more likely to stick with something if they're waiting for an answer. ;)

That, and being evil is fun, sometimes. >D

:::dazed:::

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

Cliffhangers create more interest, you know. People are more likely to stick with something if they're waiting for an answer. ;)

ROFLMFAO! Trust me, if they're still reading after 54 chapters, I think they'll prob'ly stick through till the end. Actually, it's the people who are still reading that I'm most afraid of. I'll be in SERIOUS trouble if I don't finish it. Heck, some of them know where I live! Alba has (or used to have) my cell phone number! Evvie has stayed at my house! They have the means to hunt me down!! XD

[dazed-faerie.livejournal.com]

54?! Eesh.

And yeah, you might have a problem on your hands with that knowing-where-you-live factor. XD

:::dazed:::

[albah.livejournal.com]

If you haven't read it yet, I strongly recommend that you do. The story is freaking fantastic! It has romance, kick ass characterization, and a plot that will suck you right in like a brand new Hoover on a cleaning spree.

This is coming from a proud rabid fan of OG&M since 2003, so believe me when I tell you that this story is worth every second you put into reading it.

[dazed-faerie.livejournal.com]

I do love long stories... :\ When time is good to me again, I'll definitely get to it. I've been meaning to for a while, that one and Bump in the Road. Just... meh. Time is meh, meh, and meh x 3,000.

:::dazed:::

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

*blush*

Um... thank you?

*blushes more*

I actually think I need to revise/rewrite some of the early chapters, but I won't do that until I've finished the monster. (And, hell, I may even try to sneak it back onto FFN one of these days...)

[albah.livejournal.com]

*looks for Niamh's number on my cell* Ooohhh lookie here... isn't this interesting...

Don't make hurt you! YOU WILL finish this, even if I have to stand behind you holding a bazooka ready to be used. I don't care if is going to take you another 50 more chapters, believe me I don't mind at all, as long as you finish it. *hugs*

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

OHMYGOD I LOVE YOUR ICON SO MUCH!!! <3 <3 <3

[albah.livejournal.com]

Courtesy of the same person that did your Darwin icons! Isn't she the coolest!

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

Yes. Yes, she is! *snuggles teh P0rclet*

[therhoda.livejournal.com]

Or you could send it out to betas *looks pitifully helpful* and the those lucky snots decide if you need more.

[manda-moo478.livejournal.com]

Cliffhanger...*keels over* Immense evil, that is...especially when you write so captivatingly anyway! But it is totally worth the wait whenever you do post a chapter up =]]

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

I guess what I'm trying to avoid are the generic "ZOMG CLIFFHANGER I HATE YOU SO MUCH YOU NEVER UPDATE AND NOW YOU GIVE US A CLIFFHANGER SO UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE NOW LOLZ!!" reviews.

Because they make my brain weep. A lot. ;)

[slvrstarlight.livejournal.com]

Ooh cliffy. Whee...

As much as I say I dislike them, cliffhangers are what get me to read updates. There's the "OMFG what's gonna happen next?!?!" mentality that comes.

Possibly why when BtVS was still on I loved the end of season episodes, nearly all of them were cliffhangers leading into the next ep. I miss it X(

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

*mourns the passing of BtVS with you*

I suppose it makes sense that a cliffhanger would get people jazzed for a new chapter. But this thing's been dragging on for so frickin' long, it seems almost silly to DO a cliffhanger.

Really, I just want time to write the action bit without worrying about how many days/weeks/months since my last update. So I'll prob'ly post the cliff-chapter so I can start working on the action-chapter. Maybe I can even get it written in a reasonable amount of time! Wouldn't that be nice?

[slvrstarlight.livejournal.com]

That and Angel: The Series. Loved both of them, even when the plot lines made me go "Eh, wtf?"

And if you think you're bad... I have fics with chapters partitally written sitting in my E drive, in the doc folder labled "Fan fics" that could very well be strung together and made into a chapter.

And I haven't done it. I think it's been 2ish years... maybe less... dunno.... real life sapped the life of my muses, and I think they're still on strike.

Off to find decent HP fics...... and contemplate plot bunnies.

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

*sigh* The series finale for AtS was a crime against humanity that made baby Jesus cry. I foamed and frothed for weeks afterward.

[slvrstarlight.livejournal.com]

Never saw it... actually didn't watch most of season 5. And from what I hear I was better off.

Tragic.

[darkfrog24.livejournal.com]

Sending this chapter out to beta would be a huge mistake. All those chicks would do is tell you to make sweeping, detrimental changes. It would be completely counter-effective.

Unless it's a prime-numbered chapter.

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they're a bossy bunch, ain't they?

Especially that ONE beta...

[darkfrog24.livejournal.com]

Give rhodie a break. She's all right.

[emrlddragon.livejournal.com]

I don't mind cliffhangers either way myself, so long as that isn't the end to every chapter.

I think you should post it only when you feel it is done as it can be. If you aren't happy with it when you post it, you'll still be unhappy with it while working on the next chapter.