[ SECRET POST #3354 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #3354 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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[Yu-Gi-Oh]


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09. [ warning for homophobia / transphobia / misogyny take your pick, people seem to be divided on this one ]













Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 009 secrets from Secret Submission Post #479.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

04. http://i68.tinypic.com/34iq0ox.jpg

[(Anonymous)]

Wait... so you're leaving comments on fic you haven't read?

[kallanda_lee]

I was wondering that! Does not compute?

[(Anonymous)]

Could be a more innocent comment like 'I love the concept/characters/opening paragraph and will absolutely check back!'

I get bookmarks like that on WIPs sometimes.

[feotakahari]

Sometimes if a WIP is just starting out, I read and comment on the first chapter, then leave the rest until it's finished. Maybe that's what they do.

[(Anonymous)]

I could see someone leaving a comment like "Yay! I love this pairing and I'm so glad you're writing a fic for it. I'm curious to see where you go with it!" Or something along those lines. That expresses enthusiasm and hope that the person will continue, so that maybe they actually will and will finish the fic, but that doesn't require them to actually read anything.

[(Anonymous)]

This is one of those things where I understand, but we also risk entering a weird conjoined loop of silence. Before I ramble, your solution isn't a bad one.

The only 'legal' currency at play in reading and writing fanfic is time - the writer has given their time to create something, and you're giving your time to read it. Everything else is optional trade. You can't really be faulted for not wanting to give your time to a WIP without some assurances - at the same time, the writer sees a fic that might be DOA and loses the heart to continue.

Your option of at *least* saying something isn't a bad one. A bookmark, a follow, something. That's at least something to say hey, go you.

It's the silence that really hurts the WIP in the long run.

Tangentially, I'd also consider if it's a WIP from an author I've followed before - if they're generally consistent, dive in and give 'em the hits, you know?

But I understand. It's not that easy.

[(Anonymous)]

Not sure I understand - you comment on WIPs but don't read them?

[ariakas]

Not going to lie, I'm way more likely to finish something if people indicate that they're interested in it, so...?

Your tactic isn't actually flawed.

[solticisekf]

That's a great system.
AFAIU you read summaries & tags to decide weather you want a WIP to get finished. Not a surefire way but feasible, I guess.

[(Anonymous)]

Well it's a bit weird you want the author to invest their time to finish it, but you don't want to invest your own time to read what's already there.

[ninety6tears]

I don't think it's about time investment at all; OP sounds like they're saving that time for when they know they'll get a finished story. I know as a writer it's kinda rough that so many people don't read WIPs, but it's nothing to guilt-trip.

[(Anonymous)]

As a reader I honestly don't think it's worth the time to read something that might never be finished. Like OP, whenever I see a WIP with an interesting premise, I'll save the link & keep checking back until it's completely done before ever starting to read it (or I'll delete the link if that looks like it's never happening).

I've learned better than to waste my time & energy only to be let down later when the story never ends up getting any closure!

[ninety6tears]

I can understand this because I only read WIPs when there's nothing else in my bookmarks for a fandom but sometimes I wish I could signal to the author "hey, it's cool that you're writing that" before they get discouraged by lack of feedback.

[(Anonymous)]

This is a pretty good idea if it encourages writers to write more and the comments are polite. Better than being silent. I should try this!

I've seen soooooo many WIPs that never get finished over the decades that I pretty much filter them out these days. All hail the "Completed Stories Only" filter on fanfiction sites!

Don't get me wrong, if the author doesn't finish a fic, that is OK, they have no obligation to me to finish their stories. But, as a reader, I sometimes get tired of never finding out what happens in a story, particularly in long ones where you get kind of invested as a reader. I guess I feel like I am at a point where I just stick to completed stories, to avoid the heartbreak. (I know, first world problems.)

[(Anonymous)]

I hate when people upload works in progress. If I did that, I'd probably have hundreds of fics because I'm awesome at starting stuff, not so awesome at finishing them.

I don't care who you are, from a newbie to a BNF, finish what you started, or keep it in your desk drawer, metaphorically speaking.

[(Anonymous)]

So because you have trouble finishing what you started, everyone needs to do what you do.

Yeah, no.

Get over yourself.

[(Anonymous)]

*shrug* I finish my fics entirely and then post them as WIPs chapter by chapter as I edit, because despite how many people on F!S seem to believe that no one wants to read WIPs, I get more feedback on a 40k fic uploaded one chapter at a time over a period of a month or so versus just dumping a 40k fic there in one giant lump that not everyone has the time to read all at once.

[diet_poison]

lol

people can upload whatever portion of their writing they want. you do not have to read WIPs

[(Anonymous)]

Sorry, I forgot that the world revolves around your preferences. If you don't want to read WIPs that's fine, but don't dictate to others how they choose to upload stories. That's called being an entitled ass and is frowned upon.

[mimi-sardinia.livejournal.com]

A lot of the time I avoid WIPs but not all the time. I wouldn't have met Valandhir if I'd avoided WIPs since Durin's Bane was in the works when I found RB.

[(Anonymous)]

you're speaking in elven tongues. link or elaborate, or don't comment. this is ridiculous.

[(Anonymous)]

I rarely read WIP because getting into something and it leaving you hanging is the worst. BUt when I do, I always comment to encourage the writer. So I totally get where you're coming from.

[(Anonymous)]

I just avoid WIP's all together now. Why get your hopes up?

[(Anonymous)]

Same here. I've started reading way too many WIPs that were never finished, so at this point, I won't even waste my time. Finish your story and then we'll talk.